About

Antonio Iannella is a storyteller, a songwriter, and a stroke survivor.

He lives on the outskirts of Melbourne’s west and can be often found knee-deep and head-down in creative pursuits, either wandering lost in his imagination, punching words into his trusted MacBook, or peacefully crafting music in his humble recording studio, Studio four99.

Antonio’s sudden near-fatal health scare whilst on a family holiday in Vietnam was the springboard that led him to finally pursue his love for writing stories. As a disabled creative, his primary focus over the years—apart from managing his health and caring for his daughter and dog, not necessarily in that order—has been Saigon Siren, his debut memoir. 

 

  • Managing a stroke life is often a challenge. Stroke plays dirty and is full of surprises.

    The best approach for me is to take a holistic approach. Focusing on all components of life: nutrition, exercise, sleep, creativity, socialising, meditation, sleep, rest ...

    Finding a balance between them all with an aim to achieve small improvements supports a healthy lifestyle. Providing me with tools to manage my disability.

  • Life itself is a great inspiration. Digging through emotions, feelings and thoughts opens small windows of opportunity for me to explore through. Developing concepts that create an imagery of emotions makes my heart race.

  • Yes. I have a few story ideas that are bubbling away.

    One of those ideas is at rough draft stage and the other two are still orbiting in my imagination.

  • I was away from school the day our year 7 (age 12) music class was allocated their instruments. Guitar, Bass, Drums, Trumpet--the cool instruments--were all taken. So I was lumped with the Clarinet. We attempted to perform, very poorly, 18th-century classics: Bethoven, Mozart, Bach--it was disastrous.

    By year 9 I moved onto the Saxaphone and was part of a five-piece Rock and Roll band playing Bill Haley and the Comets tunes: 'Rock Around the Clock' and 'Shake, Rattle and Roll.' For a bunch of fifteen year olds, who didn't even know who Bill Haley was, we sounded fairly decent.

  • For the most part of being a musician, I was a guitar player. My stroke affected the function of my left 'fretting' hand.

    These days I play one-handed piano/keyboards. I've adopted a simple technique that enables me to compose, produce, record, and perform.

  • Yes. Writting lyrics, melodies, and composing music is what I enjoy most. And now that I have my own recording studio, I love to lose myself in producing those musical ideas into ready to release songs.

  • I provide music production and recording services. Click on the 'Recording Studio' page above to view images and hear music that was recorded/produced at Studio four99.

‘Pursuing one’s passion is the journey of discovery’