Of
Andrea Pasqualetto
Oliviero Scardicchio: «I have never left my job as a janitor: anyone who comes from a proletarian family like mine must think about bread first. I will make up for it as a pensioner. Our “Black Pope” was prophetic, in Sanremo it was not understood”
Under the arches of the ancient Carmini convent there is a man who cleans and supervises. He has a Rasta hat pulled down on his head, a white mustache and goatee, large glasses and speaks in Venetian dialect: “Bondì, I know the bideo.. Yes, the convent of the Carmelite friars is today a high school populated by students and professors, the artistic Guggenheim of Campo dei Carmini. And he is Mr Oliviero Scardicchio. Not just any janitor. In fact, under his falling hat, Sir Oliver Skardy, icon of reggae in Italian, or rather, Venetian style, founder in 1987 of the irreverent band of Pitura Fresco. Do you remember? They sang in the language of the lagoon and adapted the lyrics to Jamaican rhythms, intertwining them with joy and social denunciation. They are those of «Papa Nero» who rocked the Sanremo of 1997 but also those of «Pin Floi», «Marghera», «’na bruta banda»… They played, they provoked, they smoked. Before them the Skiantos, after them nothing. They had twelve fiery years that ended in 2002 with a surprising divorce. The six historic members all took different paths and Skardy took this one through the corridors of the Guggenheim high school. We went to visit him.
Sir Skardy, why janitor?
«Schei old man, necessity. I only had an artistic diploma which is of no use if you don’t move forward. Without a degree I couldn’t be a professor. But better this way, less mess.”
Meaning what?
“If I were a teacher I would have argued every day with colleagues who want to prohibit this and that to the kids.”
For example?
«Like smoking. Some joints go around here in high school, they don’t accept it and I would be more tolerant.”
What do you think of teachers?
«Underpaid, under pressure and sometimes they go crazy because they have no rewards. The school should teach freedom of thought but in these conditions it cannot do so.”
Underpaid teachers and janitors?
«The truth is that I don’t even know how much I get exactly, I never check the account. Anyway, a pittance. And the earnings as a musician are also a pittance. I put one and one together and the result is complete misery.”
And the half million records sold, the platinum one, didn’t they bring profits?
«Divided among everyone there is little left. In the end I managed to get a small 60 square meter apartment in Marghera with Penha (the Brazilian wife, ed.).”
It’s recess, Skardy goes away and some teachers go out to smoke. We ask a teacher if a janitor like him isn’t a bit cumbersome. «Far from it, he is a very humble person and does his job even beyond what he should. Rather, we are worried because he is retiring – recalls Marina Maichen who teaches Tessuto – A point of reference will be missing, a person with whom we can talk about art, with whom we can compare ourselves”. Next to her there are two other teachers who nod their heads. And as we speak, here it is again.
Retired then?
«I can’t wait, June next year, I’ll be 67, after 40 from bideo and de bueo (work, ed.)».
Why didn’t the king of Venessian reggae leave his job even in his glorious period?
«Because in those years the music wasn’t doing badly but it wasn’t doing very well either and I felt that it could end. Pitura Freska were divisive, contested, they either loved us or hated us. Then came Sanremo, ‘a beautiful carousel, we thought: here either we enter the kingdom or they kick us out. They kicked us out: fourth last (first the Jalisse, ed.). Pope Black was not understood, they called us a satanic rock band while the message was anti-racist. Furthermore, we were prophetic because then they made Bergoglio seem a bit like a Black Pope.”
Doesn’t the need for a secure salary clash a bit with the revolutionary soul?
«I had no alternatives and I must also say that work took a lot of time away from music. But those who come from a proletarian family like mine (father, deliveryman, mother, housewife) must think first about bread. I will make up for it as a pensioner.”
Projects?
«Writing, playing, making stuff. In the age of image, of artifice, I’m going in the other direction and I plan to return to the streets, live, also because producing records costs money.”
Other?
«I could also be the spokesperson for musicians neglected due to lack of sex appeal».
Pitura Freska disbanded in 2002, why?
«Because one wanted to play trumps, another at tressette, yet another at scopa… and the score had become too small to contain everyone’s ideas».
What happened to the others?
«Cristiano works on boats, Duse does various odd jobs, Valerio has a restaurant, Furio who was on the sax is the only one who still plays, Ciuke rest his soul».
The critics said: too much dialect, too cheeky, too in your face, in a puritanical land like Veneto
«Bronse cuerte, they say in Venice, all façade».
After the farewell the album Grande Bidello was released, in what sense is it great? «Big Janitor like Big Brother, the worst program that man could invent because it has nothing in it and people watch it to see the affairs of these young people».
Having closed the Pitura Freska chapter, Skardy has set up his own business, four solo albums, this year also a book with Marilena Ferrara (Sir Iliver Skardy) and now this single, «Feragni», inspired by the influencer’s misadventures, released in recent days. To say what?
«To speak of this era dominated by appearance, of the rush to appear perfect, popular, constantly connected. To say the rich are treated like divinities. Ferragni is just an example, I’m not mocking her but the system.”
It seems that students come to school for Skardy too.
«It always happens when someone is beautiful… the fact is that today there is a lack of recognized teachers. Once upon a time at the Academy of Fine Arts there was, for example, a certain Emilio Vedova, I don’t know if you know what I mean, other than Skardy.”
What are high school students like today?
«Less creative than they used to be. Now they use computers, cell phones and artificial intelligence. And some dreams are missing: we said “I want to become like Pink Floyd.” Now they are more about musical entrepreneurship and few think about something collective.”
What do you think of today’s trap and rap scene?
«They imitate Americans, the texts are slogans, threats. The pacifist message is not interesting. I see too much individualism and consumerism.”
Why reggae?
«Two concerts changed my life: Peter Tosh, Bologna 1979 and Bob Marley, Milan 1980. Let me explain: at the beginning I played crazy rock and considered reggae a jingle. I go to see Tosh and she looked like Santana to me. Then I go to Milan for Bob Marley and I’m amazed. For the sound dimension, for the message. I had never seen 100,000 people singing and dancing together. Last stop of that year was Led Zeppelin in Switzerland, the legends. In the end I realized that, compared to rock, reggae had more spirituality and the power to bring people together.”
And from there the heart started beating upbeat
«And he never stopped. It also upset me from a philosophical point of view, with a thought that harks back to early Christianity aimed at universal peace and civil coexistence.”
There’s a half hour break: “Let’s go to the bar.” We set off towards Campo Santa Margherita. Let’s go in: «Hey Skardy, everything good?». «Hi Nane, in short». «Soito crodino?». «Yes old man»… The dialect, always and everywhere, on stage, in high school, in the bar. A low and long chant like the waves of the lagoon. Skardy takes a soft drink!? Is this a joke?
«I’ve given up alcohol, I’m weak at heart. I was an alcoholic and vicious and I had a hard time also because depression had taken over me, with girlfriends leaving me and music that wasn’t working. I had certain thoughts, then you know all it takes is one more glass and it doesn’t take much to bring you down. The doctor said to me “Scardy, otherwise you’ll go on strike”. The curtain is closed.”
Skardy bundles up in his Jamaican scarf, goes back to high school and picks up his broom. © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
December 29, 2025 (changed December 29, 2025 | 07:51)
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
