Saint Rock & ERIKA CECCHINI: a capsule chronicle

1998

mid-January
during rehearsals at the Teatro Renda (Cosenza, Calabria) for the second leg of a Fabrizio De André tour, Mark is given a demo tape of Erika (Lutte Berg on guitar, Erika singing in Italian) by a friend of hers.
back in Milan, knocked out by the tape but at the time uninclined to invest time and money in a major production, Mark passes the tape to a producer friend based in Calabria (where Erika is living).

spring-winter
unsatisfied with attempts to collaborate with other producers in Calabria and Rome, Erika and her friend call back occasionally asking Mark to reconsider. Mark discovers that Erika speaks excellent English and also writes lyrics in English.

late '98
Mark decides to propose co-producing Erika to a partner in a small record-label venture based in Rome. the partner listens to her demos and freaks, immediately setting up a meeting between himself and Erika.
Erika starts intensive work on new material in English.

1999

January 8th
Mark receives an email with the lyrics to Erika's new songs, and soon thereafter Erika enters the studio for a further demo session, in which she accompanies herself on acoustic guitar, performing 12 songs in English. The demo includes "No birds flying" and "Seeing the mist dissolving".

late February
during rehearsals for Laura Pausini's World Tour 1999 in Foligno (Perugia), Mark & Erika first meet. They see each other again briefly a few times in Rome over the next few months.

late May
Erika comes along to Conegliano (Treviso) for the presentation of bassist Stefano Cerri's solo CD.

July 19th
Mark brings Erika up to Milan to start preproduction; for the next year, she and Mark meet on a roughly weekly basis, interrupted by a few months for Mark's work on Franca's CD. The first tune he arranges is "No birds flying".

October 28th
concert in Milan.
Mark (ac. guitar, piano, kb), Carlo Montoli (ac. guitar), Luca Colombo (el. guitar), Stefano Cerri (el. bass), Maxx Furian (drums) (FOH engineer: Gianluca De Marinis)

early December
Mark's partner opts out of the project and Mark decides without hesitation to carry on under his own Saint Rock label.

2000

May 10th
final contracts signed.

between June 17th and September 20th
recording and mixing at Metropolis Recording in Milan - roughly 5 weeks worked - (with engineer Marco Priori)

October 2nd, 3rd & 17th
mastering at Nautilus Mastering, Milan (with engineer Claudio Giussani)

November 8th
CD graphics finished (with graphic designer Alberto Bonanni)

December 13th
first batch of copies arrive!

December 21th
first copies placed in Milan's gay record store "Castro Market" (who offer it online as of mid-January 2001: www.castromarket.it).

December 23rd
interview with Isa Fiorentini for Babilonia (published in February 2001).

December 29th
interview with Freddy Varady for Gentlemen's Options (published in July 2001).

2001

early January
copies placed in some of Milan's 'hipper' stores.

January 14th
interview with Claudia Mauti for www.gay.it.

January 18th
copies placed in Milan's "Virgin Megastore" (piazza del Duomo).

January 19th
(Erika's 26th birthday!) Claudia's interview is posted on www.gay.it/elle.

January 24th
copies placed in "Libreria Babele Galleria", Milan, Europe's largest gay bookstore (www.libreriababele.it)

February 1st
copies placed in "Libreria Babele", Rome.
Babilonia's February issue comes out with Isa's interview/review (plus cover pic of Erika).

early February
online sale now available from www.saintrock.com, www.castromarket.it, www.gay.it, and www.libreriababele.it (with press release).

early April
the April number of Elle carries a rave review by Stefania Cubello.

late April
Erika is chosen to headline the closing concert of Milan's huge Gay Pride festival (June 23rd).

May
Erika finishes work on demos for her second album.
Mark puts together the band for the June concert.

June 1st
19000 copies of "Pride" - with a two-page interview by Roberto Cangioli and new photos - start spreading all over Italy.

June 9th
rehearsals begin for the Gay Pride showcase concert.

June 23rd
concert in Milan, Cascina Monlué.
Mark (ac. guitar, kb, whistling), Eros Cristiani (2nd kb), Carlo Montoli (ac. guitar), Claudio Bazzari (el. guitar), Marco Micheli (el. bass), Maxx Furian (drums), Marcello "Bread" Schena (percussion, backing vocals)
(FOH engineer: Marco Priori)

July
A piece on Erika in "Gentemen's Option" mag hits the news-stands.

August 30th
Erika appears in one of Italy's top-selling weeklies, l'Espresso.

Fall
Mark puts together a small trio for Erika's club promotion dates in the new year.

November
Lesbian bi-monthly mag "Towanda" runs an article