Side A – The history of the largest Italian record company: documentary

Previews and guests

Side A – The story of the largest Italian record company, a Think Cattleya production in collaboration with Rai Documentari and with the collaboration of Motion Content Group, is broadcast this evening, Friday 12 April, in prime time, at 9.20pm, on Rai 3 , with the second and final episode. The documentary, freely inspired by the literary work “Once upon a time there was RCA” by Maurizio Becker, is written by Matteo Lena and Carlo Altinier, directed by Lena himself and produced by Giovanni Stabilini and Martino Benvenuti. The editing is by Daria Di Mauro and Mauro Sanson, the executive producer is Nausicaa La Torre and the creative producer Emanuele Cava.

From the roaring years of the economic boom to the revolutionary 70s, up to the darker 80s, in the docuseries on the Italian RCA we witness the profound change in our country which goes hand in hand with the cultural one. And with music that changes: from the introduction of the 45 rpm record, to the birth of the first summer hits, the advent of the jukebox, the Piper and the “long hair”, without forgetting the more intimate and romantic songwriting. An unforgettable era, told through the precious contributions of many former RCA employees, the journalists Gino Castaldo, Maurizio Becker and Giulia Cavalieri and some great masters of Italian song: Riccardo Cocciante, Gino Paoli, Ron, Shel Shapiro and Edoardo Vianello.

We will learn more about their stories, and those of many other RCA artists who changed Italian music forever, such as Gianni Morandi, Lucio Dalla, Francesco De Gregori, Antonello Venditti, Renato Zero, Claudio Baglioni and Rino Gaetano. The history of the record company merges with the paths of the individual artists, with their peculiarities and their most iconic performances, giving life to an original and engaging story. The precious treasures, kept in the Rai and Luce archives, have also made it possible to bring to light many background stories and anecdotes that occurred within the walls of what at the time could be considered a true city of music. An incredible journey, dedicated to music and entertainment, to discover the successful figures who have forever marked Italian music and culture.

How many episodes

How many episodes are planned for Lato A, the documentary that traces the history of the RCA record company? Two episodes in total are scheduled, on 5 and 12 April 2024, at 9.20 pm on Rai 3. Here is the complete schedule.

• First episode: April 5, 2024
• Second episode: April 12, 2024

Streaming and TV