Jacques Fred Petrus (about 1950-1986 or 1987)

Jacques Fred Petrus (left) is one of the greatest and maybe also one of the more ruthless business forces in the late 70s and early 80s dance music. From just being an ordinary record collector at first he became a self learned and skilful executive producer with an own musical empire under his sleeve that he manoeuvred in a very clever, firm and determent way from 1978 to 1986. For this achievement and the amazing music that came out from his Goody music/Little macho production companies he has to be admired. Petrus had also an impressive hit feeling mixed with fundamental knowledge about trends in dance music, a knowledge that he had earned during his many years as a DJ and record dealer in the 70s. All this combined spiced up with good timing and a bit of luck made it possible for him to achieve a great amount of musical and commercial worldwide recognition and success. Petrus was also a highly controversial person that from time to time showed a very dark and grim side as a part of his mysterious double nature. His way of handling things, especially during the last years of life even made people hate him and see nothing else than evil in his mind.

Even though Petrus was the main figure of Goody music/Little macho it's very important to understand that Petrus was not a one-man-circus. With just a few exceptions he never composed, arranged or produced the music himself at all, even though he wrongly did take credits for that on the albums. He did however set up the musical guidelines for the music and had always the ability to approve or disapprove what he heard. In that respect Petrus was the creator of the music, but hardly more than that. It was his close Italian co-workers of Mauro Malavasi, Davide Romani, Paolo Gianolio and a few others that took care of that process and were the real forces behind the musical achievements. Without them and the highly talented and regarded hired personnel of musicians, vocalists and lyric writers together with skilful and accomplished studio personnel he would just have been a mediocre man with big dreams!

To read on the amazing and most complete Jacques Fred Petrus biography written by Patrik Andersson: Click here.

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