Peppe Farnetti, one of the pioneers of the Italian music scene and considered Italy’s first DJ at Rome’s historic Piper Club, has died at the age of 79. With him, a prominent character in the Italian beat scene, who converted the Roman club into a nexus of European youth culture in the 1960s, passed. Farnetti joined the Piper at a time when the DJ profession did not exist in its current form. Initially charged with overseeing a sophisticated sound system built to support a new notion of live entertainment, he ended up creating a career for himself. Between shows, he recognized that the audience couldn't be left in quiet, so he started playing records during the pauses, selecting each tune according to the mood of the room. At a period when the majority of Italy was still listening to traditional music, Farnetti looked to the United States. He incorporated sounds that were still relatively unknown in the country onto the Piper dance floor, following the innovations of Motown, soul, and the emerging rock scene. Farnetti's work extended beyond music; he experimented with projectors and slides, generating hallucinogenic effects using a craft style that foreshadowed modern visual performances. His work also helped shape the atmosphere surrounding Pink Floyd’s appearance at the Piper. The British band discovered a psychedelic culture-infused setting in Rome, complete with liquid lighting, double images, and a performance concept that aimed to blend music with perception.