RonnyFrontIntroduction

Ronny (full name Ronny Vuniconnu) is a French model and singer, who grew up in Northern France and moved to Paris at the age of 14. There she started doing modeling work as well as dancing as a "Bluebell" girl at the “Le Lido” club. In the early 1980s she met Rusty Egan at the “Privilige” club in Paris, who introduced her to the artists regularly performing at the “Blitz” club in London where Rusty was a DJ at the time.

Together with Midge Ure (of Visage and Ultravox fame) Egan produced Ronny’s first single ‘If You Want Me To Stay’ (1981), where she adapted an androgynous style, usually dressing in a cabaret costume.

Soon after her first release Ronny met with Vangelis, who produced another song for her, ‘Compare Me With The Rest’ (1981), released as Ronny’s second single. In an interview Ronny recalled: “I was looking for someone to write some music for me and I met Vangelis and did my second single with him. I didn't have to show him my lyrics - he doesn't work that way - he really works on a human level. And we talked a lot before going into the studio to see what would come of it. Obviously, the first few things we did, the record company jumped on and released.” Probably Ronny and Vangelis met through their record label, as they were both signed to Polydor at the time.

In 1982 she released a third and final single, ‘To Have And Have Not' b/w ‘Blue Cabaret’, produced by Georg Kajanus and Peter Godwin. That same year she started performing, first at the Old Vic in April 1982 and later at the Dominion Theatre in London, backed on stage by a young Hans Zimmer (now a famous film score composer) and Warren Cann (of Ultravox fame).

She continued working with a number of other New Romantic artists, like singing the duets ‘This Strange Obsession’ with Zaine Griff on Yukihiro Takahashi’s (of Yellow Magic Orchestra fame) album “What, Me Worry?” (1982), and ‘This Lady Is A Tramp’ with Steve Strange (of Visage fame). RonnyBackDespite all her efforts, neither the single releases nor the performances resulted in a break-through for Ronny. As quickly as she started her musical career Ronny dissapeared from the scene when she decided to move back to France. There she worked behind the make-up counter of a department store in Paris, started a family and has lived in the south of France and Thailand.

 

Tracklist and credits

  • Compare Me With The Rest (Part One)
  • Compare Me With The Rest (Part Two)

Music by Vangelis.
Lyrics by Ronny.
Produced by Vangelis.
Sleeve design by Alwyn Clayden.
Photography by Peter Ashworth.
Make-up by Jasmine.
 


RonnyLabelFrontDiscography

7” single

12” maxi single

Unfortunately these songs were never released on CD.

 

Recording studio

The songs with Ronny were recorded in Vangelis' own Nemo Studios in London.

 

RonnyLabelBackReview

The first part has a simple effective melody and a nice, gentle beat to it. From the sounds Vangelis plays it becomes very obvious this single was recorded somewhere during or after the “Friends Of Mr. Cairo” sessions. The organ sound from “Back to School” is heard throughout and the whole arrangement is slightly reminiscent of “State Of Independence”. Especially so at the end, in the chant-like section, where Dick Morrissey joins on multiple saxophones to bring the song to its festive end.

The second song is one of those typically fluid, dreamy pieces by Vangelis, heavy on piano and atmosphere. Here he uses that special organ sound as also featured on “Outside Of This” from “Mr. Cairo”. Ronny takes the opportunity to do her Marlene Dietrich-impression, with the low voice and improvisatory air. All of which makes this into quite a beautiful little B-side of this single by the nowadays completely forgotten chanteuse.

Review by Ivar de Vries.

 

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