Atheist Rap

Atheist Rap is a Serbian punk rock band from Novi Sad.

History

1980s

The idea of forming Atheist Rap came to vocalists Aleksandar Popov, also known as "Dr. Pop", and Vladimir Kozbašić, also known as "Pećinko" ("Caveman") at the Rambo Amadeus concert, which took place on November 29, 1988 at the local club Mašinac, but the band was officially formed on January 1, 1989. They merged with members of Fluorel Tatchkash, Vladimir Radusinović "Radule" on guitar, and Zoran Zarić "Zare", on bass, and Stevan Gojkov "Goja" (from Kapetan Leshi, Fear of Dog, A Better Life Zine), took over the drums.

The first live appearance the band made in late 1988 at the Petrovaradin Fortress' Beogradska kapija. After the appearance, the band, with the repertoire consisting of two songs, had another performance, on May 22, 1989, with several local acts. Before the appearance, Popov wrote the song "O.R.A.", which was performed by Popov on vocals, Kozbašić on backing vocals, with the band improvising to the lyrics. The performance provided the band a cult status, despite not having any recordings released. The band also got invitations to perform at several Novi Sad clubs, while writing new material. At the time, the band had rehearsals and partially lived at the Yellow House in Novi Sad, until it was bulldozed by the local authorities.

1990s

On January 1990, the band performed at the alternative music festival called Bolje uživo nego u mrtvo (Better Live Than Dead), and made first recordings on June 1990, but the beginning of the Yugoslav wars at the beginning of the 1990s stopped the band from releasing the first CD release in the region. It was a four-song EP, recorded at the Barba studio in Bukovac, entitled Compact Disc, consisting of the songs "Gusti sok" ("Thick Juice"), "Stomak eliminator" ("Belly Eliminator"), "Novosadski vašar" ("Novi Sad Fair") and "Gril 13" ("Grill 13"), that Croatian label Jugoton never put out of press, and, as a result, the material was never released in this format. One of the songs from the EP, "Gusti sok", appeared on the various artists compilation Novi Sad Vol. 2.^[1] The EP was also to be released by the Novi Sad record label Start Today Records. Despite the EP not being released, the band promoted the recordings through radio and television broadcasts, which increased their popularity. At the end of 1990, Flourel Tatchkash and Elba drummer Aleksandar Milanov "Atzke" joined the group with Gojkov switching to guitar, and the new lineup had the first live appearance at the KUD Sonja Marinković.

It was at the insisting of Tetcha Morales (manager, guitar) and Voja Žugić (Scorned Records, Three Pals Zine) that the band recorded their debut album Maori i Crni Gonzales (Māori and Black Gonzales), recorded at the Do-Re-Mi Studio in Novi Sad by the end of 1992, and released it in 1993. Despite the humorous lyrics of the songs "Ljubav" ("Love"), featuring the sampled speech of Josip Broz Tito, "Wartburg limuzina" ("Wartburg Limousine"), "Blu Trabant" ("Blue Trabant") and "Plitka poezija" ("Shallow Poetry", named after the first Pekinška patka album, and a mixture of cover versions by Pekinška Patka), the album had low sales. However, the band received the Album of the Year Award at the Brzi Bendovi Srbije (Fast Bands of Serbia) festival, where they occasionally performed under pseudonymous names Božidara Starog Punk (Old Božidar's Punk) and Električni Jurica (Electric Jurica). "Wartburg limuzina" and "Blu Trabant" became hits in Serbia and Republic of Macedonia. The latter appeared on the American compilation Delite Elite, featuring indie bands from the USA and Europe. Maori i Crni Gonzales was rereleased by Take It Or Leave It Records in 1994, and again in 1996 by the same record label, featuring four bonus tracks from the never released EP Compact Disc. The album also featured live versions of "Ljubav", "ORA je pravi način da..." (YWA Is the Real Way To...") and "Ritam" ("Rhythm"). Despite the political and economic situation in the country, the band presented the release at live performances in major cities.

By the time the band released their second studio album Ja eventualno bih ako njega eliminišete (I Possibly Would if You Eliminate Him), released in 1995 through PGP-RTS, guitarist Gojkov had already left the band. The album was named by an acronym "Jebanje" ("Fucking") and featured fourteen songs, including "Ovca" ("Sheep") and "Ćurka" ("Turkey") which the band recorded for the Fazoni i fore children's TV show and for which the lyrics were written by poet Ljubivoje Ršumović, and "Tetoviranje" ("Tattooing"), which featured a lyrical parody of Ekatarina Velika song "Tattoo".^[2] The band's lyrical style was based on the rap dialectics backed with heavy punk rock riffs crossed with rockabilly and ska elements. The lyrics for the songs featured quotations from acts such as Kićo Slabinac, KUD Idijoti, Ekatarina Velika, The Clash and Soundgarden. Between the songs, the band inserted recordings from the Nacionalna klasa movie and sampled speech sections. The album was produced by the band themselves with Vojislav Aralica.^[2]

A series of successful concerts in Serbia, Republic of Macedonia and Republika Srpska, which followed the release of the album, had been stopped by the illness of Zarić, who soon after died of lung cancer on February 14, 1997. He was replaced by Zoran Lekić "Leki", who previously worked with Ove Sezone Vedri Tonovi, Telegram Sam, Naučnici, Luna, La Strada, Obojeni Program, Love Hunters, Plavi Ptičić Prepeličić, and worked with the group on the release of Ja eventualno bih ako njega eliminišete in 1995. The band set off on a previously arranged tour of Slovenia and, having returned, started working a new album, entitled Druga liga zapad (Second League West), released by Hi-Fi Centar. The album, produced by Marinko Vukmanović, featured cover versions of Paraf song "Narodna pjesma" ("Folk Song") and The Clash single "Tommy Gun", with lyrics in Serbian language entitled "Tomi Gan", and miniatures "Atheist Rap II" and "Atheist hor" ("Atheist Choir"), dedicated to the deceased bassist Zarić.

In the meantime, Hi-Fi Centar rereleased the band's second album on CD. The band also appeared on the various artists compilation Punk You All with a cover version of Paraf "Narodna pjesma" and Dead Kennedys "Too Drunk to Fuck", released by Hi-Fi Centar in 1998, and recorded live at KST in Belgrade on October 26, 1996. During 1998, the band performed at the Gitarijada festival in Zaječar with a new member, guitarist Slobodan Fekete "Barbun", and in autumn, with KUD Idijoti, Goblini and Sikter, the band performed in Sarajevo at the ruined hall of the city train station. They also had appearances several times in Rijeka, Pula and Zagreb.

2000s

The mainstay band members: Aleksandar Popov "Dr. Pop" and Vladimir Radusinović "Radule" performing with Atheist Rap

In 2000 the band took part in the campaign Vreme je... Izađi na crtu (It's Time... Get Out There) whose aim was to motivate the people to vote against Slobodan Milošević on the upcoming elections. On October of the same year band went on a Croatian tour, playing at Močvara (Zagreb), Uljanik (Pula) and Palah (Rijeka). The following year the band released the compilation Predsednici Predsedništva Predsednika (Presidents of the Presidency of the President), which featured a newly recorded version of the song "Sarajevo", and a new song "Lopovi i žace" ("Cops and Robbers").

The compilation album release was followed by absence of concert activities as Kozbašić and Fekete left the band and Radusinović started playing bass in Bonebreaker. Fekete was replaced by Dušan Ječmenica "Dulles", who played in bands KNO, Mitesers, Out Of Control, Bonebreaker, Generacija Bez Budućnosti and Boye. The new lineup of the band recorded their fifth album, Osveta Crnog Gonzalesa (Revenge of Black Gonzales), released through Multimedia Records in 2005. The album was recorded and produced by the band themselves. The album featured new songs "Pritilend" ("Prettyland"), "Bluz južne pruge" ("Southern Rail Blues"), "Elit luk i voda" ("Elite Onion and Water") and the previously released song "Lopovi i žace". In the meantime, the band performed at several festivals, including Nisomnia in Niš, EXIT 03 in Novi Sad and Zagreb Open-Air.

By the end of March, 2005, the band started touring, performing at about thirty concerts, including the performances at the Split Gripe and the concerts at NS Time club. In 2006, the band appeared in the Jovan Đerić documentary about Novi Sad punk rock scene, Bilo jednom... (Once upon a Time...). During the same year, Atheist Rap appeared on the Pankrti tribute album Pankrti 06 with the cover of the song "Modro nebo" ("Livid Sky"),^[3] Ljubiša Georgijević tribute album, with the song "Delfin" ("Dolphin"),^[4] and the Novi Sad Student's Cultural Center compilation Novosadska punk verzija 1978–2005 (Novi Sad Punk Version 1978–2005) with the song "Atheist Rap".^[5] The following year, the band performed at the Exit festival^[6] and released a DVD featuring a live performance the band held at KST in Belgrade and promotional videos for the tracks "Pritilend", "Igraš grubo" ("You're Playing Rough"), "Dve žrtve godišnje" ("Two Sacrifices a Year") and "Audio Pula Video Split".^[7] In 2007, the band performed at the Niš Beer Fest^[8] and the following year at the Belgrade Beer Fest^[9] and Alternative Rock festival in Belgrade.^[10]

Atheist Rap performing live in Šabac in 2007

In 2009, the band started a 20th anniversary tour, performing at various venues,^[11] including the June 6 performance in Novi Sad, where as guest appeared Canadian actor Rob Stewart. Stewart, having heard the about the popularity of his former TV show Tropical Heat had in Serbia and being a symbol of the students' protests in 1996 and 1997, came to Serbia. Stewart appeared as guest on the band's song "Slaughteru Nietzsche" (from the album II liga zapad) dedicated to him.^[12]

The band released their fifth studio album Priče matorih pokvarenjaka (Tales of Old Perverts) on November 30, in two formats, the mp3 version, available for free digital download at the band and the Serbian Converse official site, and a limited edition CD released by SKC Novi Sad, featuring four bonus tracks.^[13] During the first twenty four hours, the album was downloaded in 7500 copies.^[14]

2010s

On July 7, 2011, the band opened the twelfth Exit Festival with their performance on the Main Stage.^[15] In August, the band performed in England, in Barfly club in London on August 5, and on Rebellion Festival in Blackpool on August 7.^[16]

In April 2012, the band released the single "Mene za budžu" ("Vote Me for Hot-Shot").^[17] In March 2013, the band members, together with the members of Dubioza Kolektiv and Hladno Pivo, recorded a cover of KUD Idijoti song "Ja sjećam se" ("I Remember") as a tribute to deceased KUD Idijoti frontman, Brako Črnac "Tusta". The song was released on Dubioza Kolektiv album Apsurdistan.^[18] In May, the band appeared on the tribute album to the band Brkovi entitled Brkati gosti (Guests with Mustaches) with a cover of Brkovi song "Usamljen-oženjen" ("Lonely-Married").^[19] At the end of 2013, the documentary Slaughter Nick for President, dealing with popularity of Tropical Heat in Serbia and featuring the band was released.^[20]

In February 2014, the band released the single "Drugo pakovanje" ("Different Package") and started a tour across Serbia and Croatia in order to celebrate their 25th anniversary.^[21] In autumn of 2014, the band participated in a tribute album to Novembar, entitled Tako mlad i tako čist (So Young and So Clean), with a cover of Novembar song "Ko je sunce ubio?" ("Who Killed the Sun?").^[22] In April 2015, the band went on a German tour, which will feature eleven concerts.^[23]

Legacy

In 2011, the song "Fatamorgana" ("Mirage") was voted, by the listeners of Radio 202, one of 60 greatest songs released by PGP-RTB/PGP-RTS during the sixty years of the label's existence.^[24]

Discography

Studio albums

• Maori i Crni Gonzales (1992)
• Ja eventualno bih ako njega eliminišete (1996)
• II liga zapad (1998)
• Osveta Crnog Gonzalesa (2005)
• Priče matorih pokvarenjaka (2009)

Compilation albums

• Predsednici Predsedništva Predsednika (2001)

Video albums

• Live In KST (2008)

Other appearances

• "Usamljen oženjen" (Brkati gosti, 2013)
• "Ko je sunce ubio?" (Tako mlad i tako čist, 2014)

References

• EX YU ROCK enciklopedija 1960–2006, Janjatović Petar; ISBN 978-86-905317-1-4
• NS rockopedija, novosadska rock scena 1963–2003, Mijatović Bogomir, SWITCH, 2005

External links

• Official site
• Atheist Rap at YouTube
• Atheist Rap at Discogs

See also

• Punk in Yugoslavia