Claudio Simonetti (born February 19, 1952 in São Paulo) is a Brazil-born Italian composer who has specialized in the scores for Italian and American horror films since the 1970s. He studied at the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome.

Biography

He was also the keyboard player for the Italian progressive rock band Goblin, which initially formed under the name Cherry Five.

Simonetti is probably best known for his electronic score to the George A. Romero classic Dawn of the Dead, but is also highly regarded for his work on the films of Italian horror maestro Dario Argento, with whom he has worked almost exclusively since 1975. Goblin's score to his film Profondo rosso was one of the highest-selling horror movie soundtracks ever produced.

When Goblin disbanded in 1979, Claudio began his solo career as an electronic musician. However, the band reunited in 2000 to score the Argento film Sleepless and received outstanding critical acclaim.

Beginning in 1978, Claudio founded a number of electronic disco projects. In 1979, with Giancarlo Meo, he formed perhaps his best-known project behind singer Vivien Vee (Viviana Andreattini), whose song "Give Me a Break" became a minor hit in the American dance charts. Later Vivien Vee tracks particularly "Blue Disease" from 1983, showcased some of the darker and edgier sounds familiar from the Goblin years. Another project was Easy Going, with "Fear" from 1979, also an American hit. In 1983, he was the central member of the Italo disco group Crazy Gang.

In 1999, Simonetti formed the heavy metal band Daemonia, which has recorded updated versions of Goblin favorites in addition to original material. Daemonia has also contributed tracks to U.S. DVD releases of Italian horror movies. He composed the title track "Mater Lacrimarum" for The Mother of Tears soundtrack in 2007, which features background vocals by Dani Filth.

In 2009, Claudio collaborated with the Los Angeles heavy metal band Rusty Eye. He played keyboard on "Mondo Cane" and "Wings of the Demon" from the album Possessor.

In 2013 he also played keyboard on "Aggregat 4" track from Simulakrum Lab album, vintage synhesizers music project created by Paolo Prevosto.