Distrito 14

Saragossa 1984-2008 (Spain)

 

1982 Formed in Zaragoza (Spain). The group comprising of Mariano Chueca (vocals and guitar), Alberto Moliner (Bass), Tito Gracia (vocals and guitar) and Javier Paricio (Drums) enter the city of Zaragoza’s 1st Rock Contest; although not winning they made a favourable public and media impression.
1983
Numerous performances and an offer from a local promoter to record their first record in Germany.

1984 Their first recording in the “Record Way Tom Studios” (Frankfurt, Germany) is produced by Günter “Hubby” Huppert; they also make a video clip with film director Javad Barazany.

1985 Artistic differences impede the final editing of the record. Changes in the group leave as members Mariano, Tito and newly recruited Iñaki Fernández (on drums). They create a parallel group named Pecora Jarris with other Collaborating musicians.

1986 It was a time for composing and exhaustive rehearsals with the new group’s line up.

1987 Recording 2 songs for the “Monegros” compilation album.
Mariano, Tito and Iñaki decide to break up the Pecora Jarris project and continue the threesome as Distrito 14.

1988 Back to composing and rehearsals.

1989 The single “Volver a caer” (“Fall Again”) was released on the independent record label “Interferencias”. They appear on the same bill as Johnny Thunders.

 

1990 Alberto Moliner (Bass) of the original line up returns to the group. Work then begins on new songs incorporating guitarist Ollie Halsall (Soft Machine, Kevin Ayers, Radio Futura...).

1991 Together with Ollie they record a first cut that contains the song “Dias de Gloria” (“Glory Days”) bringing the immediate attention of recording companies. Enrique Mavilla piano, organ and acoustic guitar player joins the group.

1992 Signing up with EMI they record their new record “El cielo sabe” (“Heaven Knows”), and appear on the same bill as Peter Hammill on 12 October in Zaragoza.

1993 “Dias de Gloria” (“Glory Days”) a special edition mini LP is released with the album “El cielo lo sabe” (“Heaven knows”) reaching widespread acclaim in The Peninsula.

 

 

1994 Francisco Jaraba substitutes Tito’s guitar playing. Work then starts on new songs. Locked away in an old farmhouse near Zaragoza, which they call “Milagro” (“The Miracle”). The farmhouse is owned by, John Evans, a North American with a great love for music, who later becomes executive producer of the new record “La Calle Del Sol” (“Sun Street”).

1995 Recording in “Sonoland” (Madrid) the group direct and edit on their own label “Grabaciones El Milagro” (Miracle Recordings) their new disc “La Calle del Sol” (Sun Street”). After favourable reviews from the Spanish music critics the record is played and reviewed within media and institutions of Santiago in Cuba; creating an intense interest in the group.

 

1996 The cultural organisation in Santiago (Cuba), organizes a tour in the eastern side of the island where an enthusiastic recognition of the group’s work is achieved. To date they are the only known non Cuban pop/rock group to have been allowed to perform in this area.
A diploma from the Town of Santiaguero for artistic and human merit was awarded. On their return to Zaragoza they record their first live record “Noches con sol” (“Nights with Sun”).

 

 

1997 With the general release of “Noches con sol” it gets the attention of a North American producer who organizes an intense tour of California and Nevada, in June. By now a big recognition of their work was acclaimed by the Latin-American pop and rock media critics. On their return to Spain they get a shared billing -with Placebo- in the Spanish David Bowie tour.

1998 With Juan Millan taking on drums another tour of the East side of Cuba is undertaken. There, live from Santiago “A mitad del camino”(Halfway) was recorded, incorporating the Santiago String Chorus, produced by Carlos Martos and mixed later at Sonoland (Madrid). This is still the only live record to be recorded in Cuba by a Non-Cuban band. They also perform in the spectacular Teatro Heredia in Santiago.

 

1999 “A mitad del Camino” goes on general sale. This disc-book contains a diary of the recording of “Diario de un Sueño” (Diary of a Dream) written and composed by Mariano Chueca (vocals, guitar).During the 3 months of Tour of America “Noches con Sol” was released having a tremendous impact on the Latin and American Media with reviews in the newspaper Newsday (New York).
They perform at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, on two occasions on the same bill as The Jaguares, Fabulosos Cadillacs and Rabanes. Having an audience of over 12000 people. Towards the end of the Tour they record a new live record at Martyr’s (Chicago) with the infamous Jack Letourneau (Yardbirds, Animals, Andy Summers) as producer.

 

 

2000 “Live in Chicago” is released in Spain, even thought the group spend the whole year performing around The US. They are invited to do a concert at the Independent Music Festival SXSW in Austin (Texas).
The Tour is interrupted to open the venues of the Sting Spanish tour. They participate in the first edition of very important alterlatino festival -The LAMC- in New York. Towards the end of the year the record “Live in Chicago” reaches the shops on the Miami DLN label. In November at the Paragon Studios in Chicago, two new songs are recorded as part of a new album with Jack Letourneau producing and the collaboration of Tomas Ford of Candle Box and get Christie Love Fame. This was the inspiration for their current album “El sueño de la tortuga” (“The Dream of the Turtle”).

2001 Continuing with the tour of the U.S. Alberto decided to leave the group once again, with Enrique covering for the absence of a Bass player. Once again they perform at The LAMC in New York. Armid rave reviews in the Anglo-Hispanic Media CMJ. Also acclaims from important Latin media “La Banda Elastica” of Los Angeles RPDT of Chicago, Boom of Miami and +Vertigo and Clandestino in New York City. In appreciation of the group’s talent and hand work they were invited to record 7 songs live on the satellite radio station “Sirius Satellite Radio”, in New York City.
In June it was decided to return to Spain to start recording The Album “El Sueño de la Tortuga”.

 

2002 The group reverts back to a Trio Consisting of Mariano (vocals and guitar), Enrique (Bass and keyboard) and Juan (Drums). That winter they spend 3 months isolated away from the world in a XII century Monastery in Veruela (Zaragoza), where the new songs start taking shape.
In the spring, at Sonoland, recording commenced with Carlos Martos producing. Mané Larregla joins the group as official guitarist, and Antonio Vega collaborates in the choral recordings of the song “Valium & Champagne”.

2003 As recording continues Mariano performs solo in 2 Christmas guitar concerts in New York, invited by the magazine +Vertigo.

2004 On the 17th May Dro East West a subsidiary label of Warner Spain, the new album “El Sueño de la Tortuga” is released. It was also decided by the group to change the numerals 14 into written word form. Hence Distrito 14 becomes Distritocatorce (14th District).
Even before being issued in the U.S., their first single of the album “Valium & Champagne” stays in the Nº1 spot of the listings of Radio Arte in Chicago. At the “Luna Lunera” festival on the 12th August they perform again alongside Peter Hammill with guest musician Gustavo Siibert on keyboard and Jaime Lapeña on violin and viola.
On October the 1st they receive awards for best album for “El Sueño De La Tortuga” and best single “Valium & Champagne” at the “Aragon’s Music Awards”.
On October the 3rd they play to a full capacity house in the church of the monastery in Veruela, being filmed and recorded for use in future projects.

2005 Three singles and three video clips from the album "El Sueño de la Tortuga" are published.
In November Mariano Casanova gives 15 solo concerts during a tour troughout the US. This tour begins with a performance at a showcase in Hollywood before the delivery of the Latin Grammys. After this performance Mariano toured venues in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Chicago and New York.

2006 During this year Mariano changes the order of his surnames, using his mother's maiden name in first place, becoming Mariano Casanova since then. Juan Millán leaves his position at the drums and distritocatorce (now only made up of Enrique and Mariano) decide to withdraw from stage to prepare the sound mix and video production of the “Concierto en Veruela” CD-DVD. They only break this self-inflicted retirement to share the stage with Jackson Browne at Luna Lunera Festival in Sos del Rey Católico, in a very emotional concert.
On November 21 goes on sale "Concierto en Veruela" CD-DVD to start the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of distritocatorce. This new work is a CD and a DVD with the concert, three video clips and a fascinating documentary about the before, during and after that performance at Veruela.

 

 

2007 Distrito 14 is back on stage on January 22 giving a concert at the Teatro Principal in Saragossa that was sold out. A few weeks later they receive two awardas at the "Premios de la Música en Aragón", one for best audiovisual for "Concierto en Veruela" and another, loaded with emotion, dedicated to their career.
During June, Quique and Mariano anounce the end of the band and a final farewell concert sharing the stage with the components that were a part of the band throughout its history and guest artists who had collaborated with Distrito 14 in the past.

2008 The farewell concert was held in Zaragoza on February 9, 2008, and was shot by film director Juanma Bajo Ulloa as a basis for making a feature documentary on the history of the group, which he directs and signs as the screenwriter. This documentary entitled "The Story of a rock group" starts off in big international film festivals worldwide.