Dik Dik

Milan-based ensemble Dik Dik achieved success by rendering American and British pop songs in Italian and cutting fresh versions that resonated locally. Among their standout recordings were adaptations of the Mamas And The Papas' "California Dreaming", Tim Hardin's "If I Were A Carpenter" and the Turtles' "Happy Together".

An African gazelle celebrated for its leaps supplied the band’s name; during the early 1960s the group briefly performed under the titles Dreamers and Squali. It first assembled as a trio consisting of guitarist and backing vocalist Erminio "Pepe" Salvaderi together with elementary-school companions Pietruccio "Peter" Montalbetti on guitar and Giancarlo "Lallo" Sbriziolo handling lead vocals and guitar.

Once drummer Sergio Panno and keyboardist Mario Todaro joined, the lineup reached its current five-member configuration, and in 1966 the band notched an Italian success with the Beatle-esque debut single "1-2-3".

After keeping a lower profile through the late 1970s and 1980s, Dik Dik returned in 1997 with the charting release "Isole In Viaggio". Later projects encompassed the 1999 single "Kalifornia" along with the 2000 collections "L'Isola Di Wight E Altri Successi" and "Sogno Beat".