«The Municipality of Naples does not give up on Tattoo Records, we will look for another place»

«The announcement of the closure of Tatto Records affects everyone from an emotional point of view. Our idea, in agreement with the mayor Gaetano Manfredi, with the councilor for Tourism and Productive Activities Teresa Armato and with Sergio Locoratolo, coordinator of the cultural policies of the Municipality, is to understand whether it is possible to find another place, in so as not to make the function that a city cultural outpost like this one has had and defended for 40 years disappear.” The lawyer is speaking Ferdinando Tozzi copyright expert, delegate for the music and audiovisual industry, through the administrative structure of the Culture Service of the Municipality of Naples.

Do you institutions intend to meet with the owner and deus ex machina of Tattoo Records Enzo Pone?
«Yes, we would like to do it as soon as possible. Tatto Records is something beyond a simple commercial activity. In this musical island of Piazzetta Nilo, generations of enthusiasts and musicians have met, compared, listened to and discovered music and purchased records. A point of reference, a meeting point to which Naples owes a lot. Tattoo, supporting many artists over the years, offering a promotional showcase for their works, has created a true ‘cultural industry’, exactly what we do with the long-term ‘Naples City of Music’ project, because music is a fundamental tool for growth cultural, civil, social and economic of the entire community”.

Do you aim to systematise, enhance and internationalize musical creativity?
«Exactly and we try to do so, as well as with major events and international networks, also by creating reciprocal links between the institutions and actors of the Neapolitan area: Tatto Records is one of the great players in the area».

Among the reasons for the closure described by Pone (others, as he wrote on his social network, he will say after the closing day scheduled for October 15th) there is, quoting his words, the fact that «piazzetta Nilo, in recent years has become a reality not so easy to live professionally for those who tend to sell a product other than a pizza or a cuoppo stinking of badly defrosted fish”
«I understand the point of view, for this reason last year the mayor Manfredi and the councilor Armato placed limits in the historic center, a UNESCO heritage site, with a protection plan, on the opening of new commercial activities, through a block for three years for the administration of food and drinks. In the same area, again for the next three years, the expansion of existing activities will not be allowed either. There needs to be the right balance as in all things.”

Are you a regular at Tatto Records?
«Of course, like all those who love music. I have been going to the shop, even if it is reductive for the reasons explained above to define it this way, since I was 20 years old. A couple of years ago, while I was walking around the center with Malyka Ayane, we went in and spent a long time browsing through the vinyl records and chatting. It’s true, records are now only listened to via streaming, but it must be said that vinyl sales have been recovering in recent years. There is a niche of enthusiasts who love and buy records and this must be preserved and nurtured for the younger generations, through cultural outposts such as Tattoo Records. I trust in a solution that meets everyone’s needs”

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