In the mid-'80s, an unusual artist appeared on the Italo Disco scene - the Briton Eddy Huntington. In an era when most genre stars were Italian or German, a young Englishman stood out. His main hit "USSR" - a track with an unexpected political charge - stood out even more. Here's this interesting artist's career.
From England to Italy
Eddy Huntington was born in 1965 in England. In the early '80s, still very young (18-19), he ended up in Italy, looking for opportunities in the music industry. For Italian producers, a young Englishman with good English and attractive looks was a valuable find.
In the '80s there was demand in Italo Disco for "foreign" artists - people who could sing in clean English and look international. Huntington matched those requirements. Plus he was young, which made him a "fresh face" for the industry.
Meeting the Producers
In Italy, Huntington met producer Paola Vecchione and her colleagues working in the Italo Disco industry. They saw potential in the young Englishman - and began work on his debut material.
The project was conceived as commercial Italo Disco with a "twist" - a British performer. That was meant to set him apart from the many Italian genre artists.
USSR: a Provocative Hit
Huntington's main hit was the 1986 track "USSR." It was a provocative idea for mid-'80s - a composition titled "USSR," performed at the Cold War's peak. The lyrics were about a love story with a girl from the Soviet Union - a subject that in reality was almost impossible for most Europeans.
The track became a hit in several European countries and - paradoxically - in the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc themselves. For Soviet youth, a song with such a title performed by a Western artist sounded almost like a direct address to them. That gave the track special emotional power.
Up and Down and Other Work
Besides "USSR," Huntington released a series of other singles - "Up and Down," "Bang Bang Baby," "Meet My Friend" and others. They had moderate success, especially on the Eastern European market, but didn't reach the level of "USSR."
The album "Hunt Up" (1987) gathered material from Huntington's active period. This was quality Italo Disco with the signature "foreign" tinge - thanks to the performer's British accent.
Style and Delivery
Unlike many Italo Disco artists, Huntington actually sang his own tracks. He had a pleasant tenor, good English pronunciation, the right emotional delivery. No vocal virtuosity, but a clear individuality.
Visually he stood out from his Italian peers - light hair, British looks, a slightly different style of clothing. That worked as a marketing advantage, especially in the Eastern European market where any "Western-ness" was prized.
Political Undercurrent
"USSR" was an unusual song for 1986. At the peak of the Cold War, a Western artist released a composition referring positively to the Soviet Union. Some critics saw it as a détente gesture. Others - simply commercial calculation on a popular topic.
Huntington himself in interviews of the time presented the track as a romantic song with no deeper political meaning. But the context of the era added an extra dimension - it was impossible to listen to a song with such a title in 1986 without political associations.
Eastern Europe Responded
In the Eastern Bloc Huntington became especially popular. "USSR" literally exploded in the Soviet Union - it was one of the few Western songs even the official press discussed. Youth enthusiastically took the track as a sign of the Western world's attention to them.
Huntington's concerts in the late '80s and '90s in Eastern European countries drew big crowds. For many viewers, the chance to see the performer of "USSR" live was a memorable event.
Decline and Return
By the late '80s, as with many Italo Disco artists, Huntington's activity dropped. The genre was giving way to new styles, and the young Englishman didn't try to radically reinvent himself. He moved into relative shadow.
In the '90s and 2000s he occasionally performed at retro events but didn't show mass activity. A full return happened only with the general Italo Disco renaissance of the 2010s.
Retro Festivals
From the 2010s, Huntington has been active at retro festivals, especially in Eastern European countries. He's invited to '80s parties in Russia, Poland, Czechia, Germany. "USSR" remains the main number in his sets - the audience knows and loves this track more than any of the others.
It's interesting to observe how the song's political context has changed. In the '80s "USSR" was provocative. Today it's simply a nostalgic artifact of an era that has passed into history. The track's title no longer stirs the same emotions as it did at the moment of release.
New Recordings
In recent years Huntington has been recording new material - in retro style and with modern Italo elements. He collaborates with current producers, takes part in collaborations with other genre veterans. It's a typical strategy for an artist who wants to stay active.
New recordings don't become hits on the scale of "USSR," but they let Huntington keep a creative identity and connection with his audience. For retro fans, it's valuable content.
A Special Bond With Russia
Huntington has a special bond with Russia and the former Soviet countries. His concerts there are always well attended, people remember and love him. For him, that's not just a market - that's the public that gave him his main success and continues to support him for decades.
In interviews, Huntington often speaks warmly about his Russian fans. That mutual affection is part of his brand, and it's explainable. The artist knows that it was in this region his work left the deepest mark.
A Place in History
Eddy Huntington is an interesting example of how Italo Disco worked as an international genre. A Briton singing Italo Disco about the Soviet Union is a unique crossing of cultures and geographies. In the traditional sense there's no "Italo" here - neither an Italian performer nor an Italian subject. But aesthetically it's pure Italo Disco.
That shows the genre's flexibility. Italo Disco could adapt to different performers, subjects, political contexts - while keeping its recognizable formula. Huntington is one of the best examples of that flexibility.
USSR Across the Decades
"USSR" today sounds completely different than in 1986. The country it was named after is no longer on the map. Political tensions between West and East have faded (though they've returned in new forms). The generation for whom the track was a provocation has grown mature and nostalgic.
But the song itself keeps working. When "USSR" plays at a retro party, the audience recognizes it instantly, sings along, remembers.
In 2019, "USSR" was used in the Russian-language series "Chernobyl. Zone of Exclusion" in a 1986 discotheque scene - exactly when the track appeared. A functionally precise coincidence: a song Soviet youth was copying onto cassettes the year it came out returned to a screen depiction of the same era thirty years later - as the very authentic soundtrack it actually was.