This month we are taking a look at our local manager in England. He lives in London and his name is something like John, or was it Mickey, or maybe Antonio? Who really knows? Even though I’m writing this column about him, I never really found out what his name is. The only thing I am certain about is that his last name is Robinson. What I do know is that he is responsible for Emergenza on the other side of The Channel. Talking with him about his work he told me that 120 bands have signed up with Emergenza, but in reality about 10% will drop out after the first meeting. It is not so easy to organize Emergenza in a country that started rock n’ roll. The English scene is packed with musical events similar to the Emergenza festival. Sometimes, things are difficult at first, like promising a lot and not following through. This and other prejudices need to be overcome. One hell of a job! Fortunately these worries always disappear after the first meeting with the bands. About the bands, Robinson says that there are a lot of very professional bands out there who are playing traditional retro rock. If Robinson wasn’t a local manager for Emergenza you might compare him to an MI 5. Background: he is originally from Jamaica. Education: he was a student at Salesiani – one of the most expensive schools in Florence. The Italian chairman of the Provincial Council went there as well! Appearance/looks: enviable Friends: mostly female Transportation: a unique black Cabrio, not an Aston Martin but almost! Languages: English of course, Italian with a Tuscan accent, and who knows what else? Robinson explains that Emergenza is not only concentrating on London, but also on Leeds, Birmingham and the southern part of England, Brighton, Southampton, Cardiff, and Portsmouth. They have also recently added Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland. He works together with Glenn Close, who is responsible for contacts in the southern part of England. They certainly have their work cut out for them. How to get in touch with Robinson outside of the Emergenza scene? Just visit any of the swinging establishments in London and look for the beautiful women. They will lead you right to him. Robinson is familiar with the ropes of the English music scene, so working for Emergenza comes as second nature. Next to music, football is his life’s passion. He played as a semi-professional, just like everyone else in Albione, and is convinced that the best football is played on the island. If he wasn’t so independent, and fed-up with the way the big music companies do business, he might be working for large international record labels with a lot of success. He prefers working for independent companies like Emergenza, which he has been doing for 5 years already. It gives him the possibility to discover bands who are virtually unknown, but have great future potential. What a challenge! Before working with Emergenza he was a deejay and later, when music videos became the thing, a veejay. This experience makes him respected by all the bands with whom he is the meeting for the concerts. These meetings are held in the Sound Control music stores. This is the number one music store in England, with a great reputation. It is a fantastic location because it is more than just a music store. It is a meeting place – a crossroads for anyone who makes music. They also have their own magazine. In one of their upcoming issues there will be an article on Emergenza. Keep your eye out for it!