Rozetta -

Rozetta Stone was an American hard-rock vocalist who released the 1980 album Where’s My Hero on 20th Century.

Background

Born Rosa Diliberti, she emerged as Rozetta Stone on the New York club scene, where she formed a songwriting partnership with keyboardist Blake Levinsohn. After the local Private Stock label issued a 1978 album by a group called Rosetta Stone (an Irish Bay City Rollers spinoff), Diliberti shortened her billing to Rozetta. In 1979, she signed with 20th Century-Fox, which linked her with Yes/ELP producer–engineer Eddy Offord.

Where’s My Hero

Rozetta released her singular album, Where’s My Hero, in March 1980 on 20th Century-Fox.

Seven Rozetta–Levinsohn collaborations form most of the program. Rozetta wrote “Man of Steel” alone and co-wrote “Pick Me Up” with Blackjack guitarist Bruce Kulick. Bassist Tim Landers joined from Al Di Meola’s touring group, while drummer Vinnie Colaiuta came from Frank Zappa’s band. Philippe Saisse served as musical director, and David Sancious added guitar to four tracks.

“Pick Me Up” flares with a fast, compact arrangement; blunt guitar figures meet glossy keyboard chords beneath an urgent, straight-ahead belt. “Keep On Fighting” commands recurring calls and hold-on responses with forceful projection. “Where’s My Hero” pleads through recurring questions, a self-rebuking middle passage, and a sustained theatrical appeal.

“Voodoo” coils around a repeated bass opening, odd-meter accents, flanged piano figures, and rapid rhyme chains. “Paradise Lost” declares repeated warnings across harmonically dense chord changes, Minimoog solos, layered synthesizer parts, and lush backing responses. “On to You” drives a prominent solo through a direct, hard-edged arrangement.

A1. “Pick Me Up” (3:02) – Stone, Kulick
A2. “Keep On Fighting” (3:44) – Stone, Levinsohn
A3. “Where’s My Hero” (5:26) – Stone, Levinsohn
A4. “Voodoo” (3:56) – Stone, Levinsohn

B1. “Paradise Lost” (3:30) – Stone, Levinsohn
B2. “Nothing But a Heartache” (3:49) – Stone, Levinsohn
B3. “On to You” (3:51) – Stone, Levinsohn
B4. “Man of Steel” (3:50) – Stone
B5. “Bad News” (3:35) – Stone, Levinsohn

Sessions spanned summer through late 1979 at Levon Helm’s barn studio in Woodstock, where Offord operated his remote setup. Offord and Saisse co-produced the album; Offord and Rob Davis engineered the sessions, while Levinsohn directed the mix. Masterdisk in New York mastered the record.

Offord entered the project after co-producing and engineering Just As I Thought by David Sancious & Tone. He next produced 1980 albums by Blackjack (Worlds Apart) and Billy Squier (The Tale of the Tape). Co-producer Saisse came from Narada Michael Walden’s band and contributed keyboards to Splendido Hotel by Al Di Meola and Motives by Andy Pratt.

The front sleeve shows Rozetta in pale draped clothing against a blue-gray field, with pink script and a narrow album title across the upper edge.

20th Century-Fox serviced “Pick Me Up” to US radio in 1980 as a mono/stereo promotional single.

In January 2018, Enterprise Music restored the nine-track album to digital circulation.

Later Activity

Rozetta supplied lyrics and melody to the unreleased 1984 Bruce Kulick demos “Our Love’s on Fire” and “Fall Into Me.” English keyboardist Peter Wood co-wrote the 1990 title “Beat of the World” with Rozetta.

Discography: