Walking the tightrope, Alessandro Baudo tells his own story

Whilst the name resonates for many - Alex (Alessandro) Formosa Baudo, successful musician and songwriter, has stepped out to tell his own story.

Prior to his solo career, Alex was a drummer for INXS and artists such as Paul Kelly, Russell Morris, Ian Moss, Jenny Morris and, as a highlight of his career, he worked alongside his good friend, the late Marc Hunter.

He had two top-10 hits in Canada: “River of Gold” and “Backstreet Girl”.

Alex launched his book Funambolo della musica (Tightrope walker of music) in Rome only last month.

The book cuts through years of gossip, chatter, and media prying.

Through his autobiography, Alex carves out his own “positionality” which goes beyond the label of Pippo Baudo’s “secret” son.

Admittedly, the label is one he has had to come to terms with, given that his biological father is such a huge figure in the Italian TV industry.

Alex explains that the decision to finally take up the opportunity to tell his story has been an important one.

Having set the backdrop of how particular events and people contributed to shaping his course in life, he recounts how he has walked a sort of “tightrope in life, a life of music” – confronting many challenges, falling, and starting again, striving for success in the very difficult music industry.

Alex’s own music has been described as a mix of rock, RnB, and soul. Alex himself describes it as a blend of many influences all infused primarily by soul.

His career as a performer and musician has spanned Australia, Canada, and Italy – three countries which have played a big part in his life providing experiences which have inspired many of his lyrics.

He has released many albums as a solo artist (Bilingual Sessions, Mister Alex Formosa Baudo and Honesty) and has performed in various countries.

Alex attributes his love of music to his family. Each of them fostered his passion for music and appreciation of lyrics and poetry. In fact, his chosen musical career was not a surprise to anyone who saw him growing up.

Through his autobiography, it is clear that Alex is very proud of each of his family members. A devoted son, he writes that he “could not have wished for better parents than Mirella Adinolfi and papa` (father) Tullio Formosa”.

He recognises how important their role has been in nurturing him and his two brothers, as well as the inspiration he draws from his own son, Sean.

Born in Rome in 1960, his parents moved to Canada when he was six years of age. They returned to Rome for a year before departing again in 1974, this time to Australia where they settled.

Alex says that “Italia c’e’ rimasta nel cuore (Italy remained in our hearts)” however, they made Australia their home, and created their own sense of family here.

Music was and continues to be the one love that stirs him.

Papa` Tullio had worked as a radio producer for RAI and CBC Canadian Broadcasting Company and provided guidance, along with much fatherly love.

Music is a key feature of his growing up and he relates how he and his siblings were encouraged by his mother to have eclectic tastes in music, to open themselves up to all genres including music from Italy as well as popular contemporary artists which were well known in Australia.

Alex recalls a pivotal moment when he was very young and still in Italy. His parents brought him and his siblings along to a jam session in Rome (despite the unwritten rule that children were not brought along to such events). It was at this very soiree when he experienced and became enthralled with the power of the drum set.

The session awoke in him a strange curiosity that set him on his path. From that day, he was often found using anything he could muster as instruments of percussion such as spoons, pencils, and ladles against various household kitchen items to test a cacophony of sounds. His dream of owning a proper drum set came true when he was 12 years of age, living in Canada. By then his parents knew their son had a special talent which needed the right set of tools. 

Riccardo Formosa, Alex’s older brother, also set off on a path in the music industry and became a musical arranger and musician of note. In fact, he was a founding member of the Little River Band and has carved out an impressive musical career in his own right.

In the early days of his brother’s success, Alex describes himself as Riccardo’s ombra (shadow), eager to be immersed in the music industry and learn as much as he could.

As Alex started to gain success, his world started to expand. He moved to Los Angeles for a time and found himself rubbing shoulders with such artistic greats as Tina Turner and Bon Jovi.

The book narrates his time playing and composing for talented artists, travelling to London, Paris and back to Australia. He shares his achievements and his challenges – musically, romantically, his personal battles, his most vulnerable moments.  Each episode is recounted as a conversation between friends: Alex and the reader.

The tone of the book is intimate, trusting, and forthright. He describes his mother, Mirella as an intelligent, humorous and independent woman who lived her life fully and passionately. He sees her as a woman, and as a mother. The book starts with a touching dedication to his mother “che e` la musica piu` bella, la stella che mi guida in cielo,” (who is the most beautiful music of all, the star that guides me from heaven).

Alex as a young child with his mother, Mirella

Alex describes coming to the process of writing the book as problematic and full of complex emotions. Nonetheless, he chose to use the process of writing his autobiography, with Teresa Giulietti, as a chance to explore aspects of his life which have contributed to his sense of self.

He presents a very candid insight into his life journey that spans countries and takes into account his many roles: musician, entertainer, son, father, brother, nonno (grandfather) and traveller.

Alex now recognises that being Pippo Baudo’s son is part of who he is. However, when the truth about his biological father was revealed to him at 30 years of age, it was a un fulmine a ciel sereno (a lightning bolt on an otherwise clear sky) which unsettled his very being for a time.

In fact, when his mother told him, after the death of papa` Tullio (out of respect for her husband), Alex admits, “it screwed me up for a very long time”.

He drew on elements of his own life mandala: achieving inner peace, empathy and centering on his own authenticity to deal with this and other life challenges.

Teresa Giulietti recounts that Alex approached the literary process of crafting the autobiography with “disarming frankness, without filters and with the intensity that sets him apart”, referring to how Alex approaches his personal life, as well as his musical career.

The focus of the book is Alex’s story – told by Alex. It is raw and is not narrated as anyone’s son, friend nor lover.

It is, simply, a story of a man who has walked the tightrope and looks back on his journey before moving his gaze to what lies ahead.

After the successful launch at Libreria Eli in Rome, Alex is now planning his next project. No doubt, with more creative works on the horizon comes more time on the tightrope which he now seems to have mastered.