Waste some more of your precious time and read stuff we wrote and some of the interviews from various international fanzines and mags...
YOU'RE NOT ALONE fanzine #4, Netherlands,
Can
you tell something about the history of Red Union?
-we're
around since early 2000 and none of us ever had a band before that. It was
almost our first "meeting" with the instruments (except Guitarist).
Line Up: Ljuba -Bass, Dasko -Vocals,
Nenad -Guitar and backing vox, CHiatto -Drums. We're making music and gigging
wherever and whenever that's possible and trying to have some fun without
cash...And have a say when necessary!
-Well, ever since we saw those pants, we thought how cool that would be for a
band name. And whenever you tell the whole story behind the name, one can easily
realize the reality of all wars. It's all trading and business...
- Ljuba and me were making zines and contributing to the scene since I don't
know when (we had a zine when we were 13). Now I do SCAB zine with one of my
best friends who is not in the band (Vlada). We do it as a "punk culture
bulletin", covering the stuff we like and trying to move this
"underdeveloped" scene of ours. Sometimes we get way more support for
it from abroad than from here! Check out www.scabzine.com and see how we're
doing. Also, Ljuba, Nenad and me are graphic designers and we always help other
bands, projects with designs, illustrations, layouts wherever we can...
-Well, we recorded a 5 track demo CD and sent it to some 15 labels abroad
(because there are no labels here and I'm kinda tired of all the DIY publishing
over the years) and got 11 replies. We couldn't believe it! We thought that no
matter how good we were, nobody would really care to have a Serbian band on the
roster. And I wouldn't blame them: Label wants a band that can tour, sell stuff
in their own country...and we need visas (almost impossible to get), people over
here can't afford our records with EU prices. Mark was great and enthusiastic
and gave us really great offer: A full length album, promotion and all the
following stuff and plans to pull out a nice EU tour for us. You gotta
appreciate that!
-It's much better without people in jets trying to kill you! Actually, that
whole NATO shit was just a cherry on the top of the cream made of different
wars, crises and permanent state of emergency in the last 12 yrs. I must admit
it's slightly better, but I would still like to try to live anywhere else for
some time...Just to see how it is when you can travel and find your peace...
What
are your experiences from the time the war was still going on which you’ll
never forget?
-I understand how interesting this may sound to folks in the west, because they
always ask us that question! The wars "in which Serbia never took
part" were terrible. I can only imagine the lives of the folks living in
the zones of actual combat. We were kids, but I can remember the feeling when
you and your friends fear for your older brothers and fathers not to be
mobilized by the military police. All those older friends with their
horror-stories from the frontline and young guys with no legs and in steel
coffins. I remember it all as one loooong cloudy, rainy day with powercuts at
night. But on the other hand, we were kids and tried to have some fun. Throwing
hand grenades in Danube...
How
do you see the future for Serbia?
-Not very bright! People are very poor and nationalism is still strong...Hope
dies last they say!
The
international community intervened in the Balkan war, and now many former
leaders are prosecuted at the international court in The Hague. What’s your
opinion on that? Don’t you think it’s better to do it yourselves?
-I don't give a fuck about those assholes! Of course I'd like to see some
western "directors of the play" in court as well! But, even if it's a
paradox that the folks who did their best to boost the war (international
community) are now putting their former sidekicks on trial, I think our courts
(both in Serbia and Croatia) are not yet able to prosecute war crimes because of
the strong nationalism and stupid morons who see that scum as national heroes. I
hope they're all get the worst...
Did
the whole Balkan war have any effect on the hardcore/punk scene? You here in
many former communist countries of a growing movement … is that also the case
in Serbia?
-Scene has suffered (whose song is that?) and we had some stupid 'skinhead' and
even "punk/HC" bands in 1990 singing songs in the praise of war. But
during the crisis, punks were the ones to rebuild bridges. Now, we have a big
scene but since we lost the touch with the world, it's pretty confusing....
You
give a clear anti-fascist message … Are there many kids still to be convinced
of the wrongness of fascism?
-Yes! There is always a need for appeal. Especially when you have some major
political parties openly flirting with fascism. Not to mention that a normal
human cannot stand to see anyone beaten or killed because of its nationality.
We've seen enough of that. And also, some pseudo-historians (nationalists) are
trying to minimize the importance of anti-fascist
struggle in WW2. And that is something we're m really proud of !
In
the song ‘Land of the living dead’ you describe a situation which is quite
alarming. Isn’t there social help enough for the victims of this war?
-No! You should see the refugees in collective accommodation facilities (more
like stables!) and ruined folks, war invalids...Those things make me very sad
and even more angry!
Other
lyrics (Ultimate stupidity / I hate girls like you / Student radio) deal with
people who stopped thinking for themselves. I can understand west European/US
citizens are like that. But in a country where so much happened in the last
decades I wouldn’t think of such behaviour. Can you try to explain how that
can happen? Do you think there elements in human society which cause this kind
of behaviour?
-I think that every nation and society has its own kind of public stupidity. We
may be more aware or more educated (in sense of the number of
facts we were taught). But still, people here are fooled with fake goals
and deviated ideals. Not to mention the young ones who are now bombed equally
both with domestic indoctrination and "outside" idiotism. The curse of
transition!
Music
wise you’re able to combine the streetpunk of US Bombs/Mad Parade with the
melodic punk sounds of The Clash/Stiff Little Fingers/Guitar Gangsters, do you
know any other bands who try to create this combination and why did you choose
for it? Where do you get your inspiration?
-Here,
there aren't many such bands... I don't know why! I
divide all music in two groups: 1. music that i like (regardless of genre) and
2. bad music that I hate. Simple as that...There are so many great bands from
which you can hear great stuff and they simply pour ideas in your head. That's
were we get inspiration for music.
You
just played about 30 something gigs … how is it possible to release such a
mature and good produced album with such little experience?
-Thank you very much for that! If you say so...I don't know. "It's a
chemistry between those 4 people..." (Joe Strummer). We knew exactly what
we wanted and we were just doing what we thought it was the best to achieve it.
I think one must LISTEN to the music if the wants to make music.
Are
there many bands visiting your country for shows etc?
-That's one thing that's constantly improving! We have both small and
established bands coming here these days. We had Misfits last week. There's a
problem of different economical standards between us and the rest of the world.
Only the bands who are willing to be on "a positive zero" in cash
agree to come. There is always huuuuge crowd and some bands never get so much
audience again but you gotta keep the tickets price low
You
guys have a motto … FIGHTING FOR WHAT’S RIGHT SINCE 2000 … can you explain
what you mean with what’s right?
-That
means: Whenever there is a mean situation and you must take a stand, don't
hesitate!
You
included with every song a quote, why did you do that? And where the hell did
you find them all?
-We wanted to show that we're not inventing the wheel here. There were always
good and wise folks who tried to explain and improve things. Even if you oppose
them ( we have Goebbels' quote!) , you can still learn something useful from
them. Some of the quotes we knew and have used earlier and some we found for the
that occasion.
Do
you have any last words for the Dutch audience?
-We know some Dutch! Neuk me. Piip me. Ik klaarkomm (?)...I learned it
from cable TV, late at night! I don't know why but porn channels have Dutch
subtitles here! Why is
"Bavaria" a Dutch beer"? Why is orange NL's color? It's not on
the flag. www.yourenotalone.tk
ISPOD
ZEMLJE web-magazin, Septembar 2003
Aj
mi za pocetak objasni jednu stvar- o cemu se radi u tom NS-u? Toliko dobrih
rokenrol bendova, jedinstvenih na ovim prostorima, a tako mala produktivnost!?
U cemu je problem!?
Pošto
ne znam tačno šta je drugim ljudima u glavi, pokušaću da probam da
nagađam. Mislim da nedostatak motivacije leži u nemogućnosti napretka.
bendovi se skupe, vežbaju, odrade par svirki, snime nešto ako imaju sreće
i onda...Ništa! To nikuda ne ode, niko ne čuje, retko koga zanima. Pošto
ovde govorimo samo o kvalitetnim bendovima (one koji ne znaju šta bi tačno
hteli da sviraju da ne pominjemo) dodao bih i ogrooomno razočaranje bendova.
vežbaš, trošiš novac na put i opremu a ništa ti se ne vraća i
entuzijazam splasne...
Eto
recimo, i vi ste dio te kreativne NS price, ali radite punom parom. Album je
nedavno izasao i to u Njemackoj, ukoliko se ne varam? Koliko je po tebi,
potrebno cimanja da bi dobio ono sto zelis, makar u ovoj prici i ovdje, u ovoj
zemlji?
Mi smo se zezali prvih nekoliko meseci (tamo 2000.), Ali kada smo shvatili da
nam se jako sviđa to što radimo, da se sviđa još nekome, odlučili
smo da probamo da nešto uradimo sa svim tim. Ali stvarno. Da izađemo iz
vrzinog kola lokalne scene. Potrebno je mnogo cimanja, volje i vremena ali ako
imaš iole jasnu viziju, nešto moraš postići. Imali smo i sreće da
sam ja imao malo više pojma o tome kako se stiže do izdavača jer se
"bavim pank scenom" malo duže. Mislim da je presudno bilo to što smo
odlučili da zanemarimo domaće likove i odmah pošaljemo snimak napolje...
Eto,
da kazemo nesto i o albumu koji je nedavno izasao?
Album "Rebel Anthems" je izašao za Nemačku izdavačku kuću
Bandworm. Na njemu je 13 punk rock pesama. Bandworm je veoma zadovoljan prodajom
(sprema se drugi tiraž) i odličnim recenzijama u magazinima i fanzinima.
Pokušali smo da sa malo para i puno volje i ideje snimimo ploču u maniru
onih ploča koje rado slušamo...Snimali smo u već kultnom "Adamovom
Studiju" (DMT, Mightz Dogz) u Kamenici i užasno nam je drago da
imamo prijatelja kao što je Adam bez kojeg to ne bi tako ispalo...To je ploča
koja popravlja život iz korena - Svako domaćinstvo bi trebalo da je
ima na polici!
Cujem
da je album izasao ili treba izaci na vinilu. To je fina stvar, imati nosac
zvuka u tom formatu?
Jeste! Nama je baš bilo bitno da nekako potvrdimo to sve. Ipak vinil jeste
prava stvar i kao dokaz da si nešto postigao. malo to glupo zvuči ali
veliko je zadovoljstvo slušati svoje stvari na gramofonu. Jelena Karleuša i
Kanda Kodža I Nebojša nemaju vinil, wooohoo!!! Kad je nasloniš preko The
Damned ili SLF, sve ti nekako lepo u stomaku...
Jedna
od odlika koje krase Red Union, jeste to, sto pricate svoju pricu sa stavom,
iskreno. Bar je ja tako dozivljavam. Medjutim, koliko ta prica ovdje danas, ima
prodju? Koliko ljudi cuju to sto vi pricate, ili su sve usi uprte u dezurne
bukadzije koje fura B 92 recimo, za potrebe propagandnih skupova kad se rusi
vlast I slicno…?
Kad imaš potrebu da nešto kažeš tako da te puno ljudi čuje, očito
je da ti je do toga jako stalo i da ti to muči dušu. Nikada nećemo
propustiti priliku da jasno ukažemo na idiotizme i zlo kada se negde pojave.
Meni je stvarno tragično da gledam "rokere" i "urbance"
kako guslaju uz klero-fašističke napeve. Ne samo da je to stvar ličnog
neslaganja. mi smatramo da to vodi raspaljivanju užasnog zla. Ne znamo
koliko to ima prođu ali i ne zanima nas. Nama ovo nije posao od kog živimo
i ne vidim razlog da lažemo sami sebe, savijamo kičmu i udovoljavamo domaćim
trendovima.
I
samim tim se namece pitanje- koliko mislis da su sve te anarho i
antiglobalisticke price koje provijavaju ovim krajevima, istirpovane ili realne?
Moze li se o tome, uopste ozbiljno pricati ovdje?
Mislim da su ozbiljne i realne u onoj meri koliko te stvarno pritisnu. Ja
stvarno mislim da onaj ko je eksploatisan zbog divljanja svetskog slobodnog tržišta,
treba da se buni kako god ume i može. jasno je da mi nismo (još uvek) zemlja
divljeg kapitalizma, ali jel treba da sačekamo da to postanemo pa da se sa
tih pozicija bunimo? Ne očekujem da ćemo mi kao bend promeniti svet
ali isto tako ne damo da svet menja nas. Samo zato što je neki cilj daleko ne
znači da se ne treba truditi u tom pravcu.
Zivis
u Vojvodini, Srbiji danas,
svirate tu i kapiram da imate svoju publiku ovdje, ali I vani. Gdje vas
ljudi vise kapiraju?
To "vani" je za sad samo Makedonija, Hrvatska i Mađarska. Evo,
sada čekamo svoju prvu EU turneju. U oktobru idemo u Austriju, Nemačku,
Belgiju, Holandiju...da odsviramo nekih 20ak svirki. Svuda gde smo do sada bili,
bilo nam je fenomenalno a posebno bi izdvojili Makedoniju gde smo se odlično
proveli sa Concrete Worms. Ljudi nas lepo prihvataju svuda...svuda ima dobrih
ljudi a takve bi uvek voleli da okupljamo na našim svirkama!
A
posebno mi se svidjela i obrada “Partisan”, kojoj ste ugradili bas onu preko
potrebnu punkoidnu dimenziju…
Da, to je koncertni favorit...kad čuješ tako lepu, "podižuću"
borbenu pesmu koja super zvuči i u originalnoj akustičnoj verziji, hoćeš
da je prisvojiš i doteraš. Mi smo je aranžmanski skroz promenili. U toj pesmi
ima dosta naših vrednosti jer govori o tome šta dobar čovek radi u zlom
vremenu. Takođe, bilo nam je muka da gledamo nacionalističke istoričare
kako pokušavaju da obezvrede antifaštičku borbu u 2. sv. ratu kod nas. Ta
pesma je i nauk za budućnost.
Nedavno
ste svirali i na Exitu. Kako ti se cinila ta prica, upliv gitarskog zvuka na tu
manifestaciju. Iskren ili marketinski potez organizatora?
Bilo je fino. Žurili smo da gledamo Chumbawambu...Ne vidim kako je
organizator profitirao postavljanjem te male bine? Osim ako ti i Vlatko
Stefanovski, Rare i Negativ nisu gitarski heroji? Jeste žalosno da je to trend
ali ne treba posustati ili sliniti kao neka Slađana Milošević što
niko neće da te sluša i da ti sise i dupe neke super-drolje odvlače
mlade sa koncerata. Meni je Exit ove godine bio i više nego zadovoljavajući
i nadam se da će u tom pravcu i nastaviti.
Kako
teku stvari sa SCAB- zineom? Meni je to jedno od najzanimljivijih punk stiva u
Srbiji. Na zalost, gotovo I jedino.
Hvala ti! Sada smo se Vlada i Ja više preorjentisali na net i tamo
regularno ažuriramo stranicu sa novim intervjuima, recenzijama. www.scabzine.com
Pokušavamo da ga vodimo kao glasnik globalne punk-rock kulture...Hteli bi smo i
da ga redovnije štampamo ali toliki finansijski gubitak je teško pregrmeti.
Bilo bi fino kada bi ljudi rađe dali tu mizernu sumu nego tražili
načine da ga dobiju za dž i time nas onemoguće da radimo.
Vidim
da imate sjajnu saradnju sa Mad Butcherom. Kako je doslo do toga?
Mi izdajemo za Bandworm a ne za Mad Butcher. Ali, svejedno...Za sve ovo vreme
koliko radimo SCAB i imamo bend upoznali smo se sa velikim brojem divnih i
kreativnih ljudi širom sveta. Što se tiče MBR, on nam je dobar prijatelj
i sigurno ćemo se pojaviti na nekoj od njegovih kompilacija ili tako nešto...
E,
nedavno mi se javio jedan skinhead, samoproklamovani srpski sovinista, sa pricom
kako on I ekipa briju nacionalizam na Baju Malog Knindzu. Kao, puste Baju,
napiju se I srbuju. Zanima me tvoja dijagnoza te pojave?
Ne znam šta da ti kažem, pozdravi ga...Baja MK sam za sebe govori dovoljno. Nas
više zabrinjava infiltracija fašizma i crkvenog uticaja u popularnu kulturu.
BMK je ipak zabava za uglavnom neobrazovane . Sada takva ideologija se ušunjava
u sve domene kulture. 357, Partibrejkers, ovi sa "pesama iznad istoka
i zapada". Ljudi za koje znaš da su slušali Clash, Ramones, Iggyja ili
Sonic Youth a ipak propovedaju i opravdavaju mržnju i crkvenu dogmu...To nas
brine a ne provereni ludaci sa kojima znaš na čemu si.
Sta mislis, koliko je moguce napraviti jedan antifasisticki koncert u
Srbiji, bez mogucnosti da dodje do nekog incidenta, kao onog recimo prije neku
godinu, na Gay paradi?
Naravno da je moguće i to već treću godinu za redom dokazujemo sa
drugarima iz novosadskih bendova (THE PENETRATORS). Bitno je ne primiti se na fašističke
pretnje i ne plašiti ih se. Treba raditi ono zbog čega ćeš
mirno da spavaš. Znajući da si uradio nešto što će sprečavati
zlikovce da ponižavaju, povređuju i ubijaju ljude.
Kako ti se cini punk scena u Srbiji danas? S kojim bendom se najbolje kapirate?
Vidim da ste nedavno izasli I na onoj kompilaciji sto je napravio Marko sa SHCP
sajta?
Jako je dobro kad nađeš srodne duše u vidu drugog benda da se pomažete.
Naš najomiljeniji drugari sa scene su CONCRETE WORMS iz Mladenovca/BGa. Mi
nismo ni malo slični muzički ali to su nam dobri prijatelji koje nikad
ne bi upoznali da nismo u bendovima. Imamo slične stavove i volimo da
sviramo zajedno. Oni slušaju muziku kakvu mi sviramo a ne sviraju je i
obrnuto. Nije ovo neka ogromna scena tako da se svi mi manje-više podržavamo i
družimo. Čak i ako ti se neki bend i ne sviđa muzički, oni su
obično dobri ljudi i gledaš da im pomogneš. Eto recimo, mali Marko je
jako dobar i posvećen dečko i uvek ti je drago da sretneš nekog
takvog i onda uradiš sve da mu pomogneš. Njegov SHCP sajt je sve bolji i bolji.
Navikli smo na to da malo ko šta kreativno ovde radi pa nam je samim tim svako
takav dobar. I tvoj sajt je sasvim OK, sviđa ti se Red Union, zaključak:
Bravo care!
I
daj mi reci, zasto Red Union ne svira cesce? I sta se planira s bednom u nekoj
bliskoj (ili daljoj) buducnosti?
A gde to da svira? Koliko često možeš da dodješ u BG a da ne postaneš
dosadan? Ili bilo gde drugde? Za ove ovde prilike i standarde naših 40ak dosadašnjih
svirki je prilično puno. Mi zaista sviramo svuda gde smo pozvani i ni jedno
mesto nam nije malo i loše. Eto, malo smo se prokurvali od kad smo izdali ploču
i videli sveta pa tražimo samo koliko-toliko dobru opremu za svirku i lovu za
put. Ko zna kakvi ćemo biti kad se vratimo sa trulog zapada...žene, droga,
alkohol...U planu je znači ta turneja, svirke i novi album krajem 2004.
Budite zdravi, dobri i lepi... www.ispodzemlje.com