History

In early 1990's Mim� Caravano and his friend Mario Crescenzo formed a small band named Crecason in their home city, Salerno. The members were Mim�, Mario, Gonzalo (Mim�'s brother), Diego (Mim�'s and Gonzalo's cousin) and Maurizio (Mario's brother).

This band wasn't successful and they only had performances at some local caf�s. Diego wanted the band become professional, but Maurizio left because for him music was only for hobby. Diego suggested Massimo De Divitiis join the band to replace Maurizio. Massimo was a schoolmate of Diego's, and at that time he attended Graphic Art study in Milan. He also has great talent in music. What to say, this band was still unsuccessful.

Having not enough money to buy instruments, they tried not to use music. Diego's brother, Ciro, joined the group. As well as Diego, Ciro also has great talent in vocal arrangement (Family talent, maybe!). It turned out that many people liked the old songs that were re-arranged by Diego and Ciro. They had more offers to have performances at some caf�s, and eventually they met producer Claudio Mattone who then took this unique group for recording.

So why did they name the group "Neri per Caso"? It was because they often got confused of what to wear on stage, and used to wear blacks, or neri in Italian, as the simplest choice. But it turned out that they often had the same thoughts: wearing blacks without appointments. Once Mattone asked why they were wearing blacks. They answered spontaneously: Just by chance. In Italian: per caso. So...there goes "Neri per Caso"!

In 1995 (with the song Le Ragazze) and 1996 (Mai Pi� Sola) they competed in 'Festival della Canzone Italiana' or 'Festival di Sanremo', a festival for Italian new singers. They were one of the finalists in 1995, and were in the sixth place in 1996. This festival is undoubtedly their "road to success" to begin their career as a professional music group.

Unfortunately, an internal conflict occurred when they were making Angelo Blu (2000). As a result, Massimo left the group in the mid part of December 2000. So Giuseppe "Joe" Barbieri, a talented musician who had gained his own popularity in Italy whom they met at a festival in summer 2000, was called to substitute Massimo. After a quite complicated process, Joe was in, but being still under contract with Sony Music, until the mid part of 2001 he was only singing Massimo's parts in Neri per Caso's performances.

What to say, Joe can't be a member of Neri per Caso. While working on La Raccolta (2002), Neri per Caso encountered problems with EMI. Joe had to leave whereas he had tried his best to match Neri per Caso's musical concept. As Joe's substitute, they called Massimo back. He didn't refuse, and Massimo has officially re-joined Neri per Caso since the first part of 2002.