Playlist "Psyche van het Folk", Radio Centraal, Antwerpen. With extra comments by R.Pavlin. FORMER YUGOSLAVIA : PROGRESSIVE MUSIC, part 2 : HISTORICAL AND MUSICAL IMPORTANT GROUPS / CLASSIC TRACKS. * Part 1, Progressive Hard Rock : DRUGI NACIN & NEPOCIN,TIME,YU GRUPA. * Part 2, DRAGO MLINAREC * Part 3, Prog & Space Psych : TAKO,DJORDJE ILIDJIN,IGRA STAKLENIH PERLI. Introduction by R.P. : "I want to write something general about rock music in former Yugoslavia. The first rock records (singles and EP's) were released in early sixties. They contains mostly cover versions of Italian, American and British artists. The first rock album was released in 1968 (Grupa 220 - Nasi dani). Only a couple of Yugoslavian rock albums were released till the mid 70's. The groups from that period often took two parallel directions - they played commercial pop music and released pop singles (sometimes with obscure material on B sides), but they play different (progressive) music on concerts and albums (examples: Korni Grupa, Indexi, Pro Arte...). The records companies started to release more rock albums when the group Bijelo Dugme became a huge success. By the way, I miss Korni Grupa on your second radio show. Their first album from 1972 has similar status as the first Time album. You have probably noticed that some music styles came to Yugoslavia with delay. Modra Rijeka (Indeksi) from 1978 sounds more like British progressive music from early 70's, The first Igra Staklenih Perli could also be released in late 60's in western european countries." R.P. Many groups listed here seem to have had influence of Uriah Heep or similar Groups, such as Deep Purple,..). "Yes, you are right. I have never noticed that but it is true" R.P. * PART 1, HARD ROCK / PROG : DRUGI NACIN & NEPOCIN Taped Pictures Drugi Nacin & Nepocin : Drugi Nacin (YU,1975) Tr.3, "Na Mom Dlanu" 10 min Tr.4, "Lile Su Kise" 5 min 15 The first tracks were more hard rock styled, fine after a second listen. After these tracks it's even better hard rock flavoured progressive. Tr.2, "Carstvo Samoce" for instance is very good hard rock / Heavy Prog. with heavy metal touches. Track 3 is a very nice Uriah Heep like track, with good duo electric guitar solos. "The first Drugi nacin album was recorded in 22 hours. The record was sold relatively well and was repressed many times. I have 4 or five different vinyl copies in my collection." R.P. Taped Pictures Drugi Nacin & Nepocin : Svijet Po Kojem Gazim (YU,1977) MD5, "Zena Neumornha Hoda" 3 min 18 The style is still somewhat similar. With nice parts, but more hard rock. This track has a very good double layered electric guitar play. "Nepocin was in fact another group with some DN members. I have met an author (Kordej) of the sleeve illustration once, he is respected author of comics books." R.P. From "Ponovo na Putu" (1983) : I did not take anything. The two tracks I heard were too plain MOR. (Taped pictures distr. Contact : taped.pictures@siol.net) "I expected more from this album, but it was in fact reunion of the group because of the nostalgic reasons." R.P. INDEXI I did not like much from the two tracks I heard from Indexi (1968?), Plima (1972), "Modra Rijeka" (1978) I thought the group INDEKSI was a different one but it isn't. " t is the same group. Plima came from their first (compilation) album, which contains some more commercial oriented songs and some Procol Harum oriented prog. "Modra rijeka" album is quite good, it is in fact in early 70's progressive rock style. It is similar to "Kameni cvjetovi", but better." R.P. LEB I SOL I have a compilation tape by them. Didn't find it very special. "They were more or less jazz-rock band. Some material from their second album (Leb i sol 2) is promising with Macedonian folk influences." R.P. NA LEPEM PRIJAZNI Nika Distr. Na Lepem Prijazni : What a time to make a fool of you (YU,1980 ; re 1994) Some good guitar, all right but not incredible. The track "Daljevidi" has the most inventive guitar playing. "I personally like this one. It is not a perfect record, but it is close to the Rock in opposition style." TIME Croatia Rec. Time (YU,original recording date ? reissue 1986) Tr.6, "Za Koj Zivot Treba Da Se Rodim" 11 min 11 30 At first I was reminded at a Niemen release. Typical 70's hard prog styled prog, with an emphasis on the organ/ keyboards. Possible with Deep Purple influences as well, but still beyond description, a nice progressive record. This is my favorite track. "The first album was recorded in 1972 (or 1971, I have to check). More similar material is available on vinyl compilation albums. The second and the third Time albums are much weaker." R.P. YU GRUPA Hi-Fi Centar Yu Grupa (YU,1973,-re '96-) Tr.2, "Covek I Marsovac" 6 min Tr.6, "Devojko Mala Podigni Glavu" 5 min 11 41 First half is hard rock with very fine moments. Second half is nice, sweet song based progressive rock. "Covek I Marsovac" has a very good guitar playing. Second track is such a sweet rock song. Hi-Fi Centar Yu Zlato (YU,1976,-re '96-) Tr.2, "Kosovski Bozur" 5 min Tr.5, "Bio Jedan Pas" 4 min 9 50 Several songs, like "Nona" and "Kosovski Bozur" are Balkan folk influenced (heavy) rock songs, with inventive electric guitar melody adaptations. "Kosovski Bozur" first instrumentatal part reminds me at better examples of 70's Turkish Anatolian folkrock. The middle part is more bluesrock. This is a good compilation album of live ? outtakes and singles. "I am not sure that this album contains any live recordings. I like "Nona" and "Kosovski bozuri", but much of the songs have terrible lyrics. They maybe sound better if you don't understand the words!" R.P. 1. POP MASINA From "Kiselina" (1973), "Si Zemlja Svetlosi" (1974), I had two tracks. Plain heavy rock. I did not choose either track. "The album is quite good, not very original, but the material is on high quality level. " R.P. 2. DAH From "Samo Jedna Noc" (1973), "Veliki Circus" (1974) I had 2 tracks of plain heavy rock, but I did not choose them. "These records are highly collectable, but the music is not very special, I agree" R.P. 3. GRUPA 220 From "Slike" (1975) I heard one heavy rock track, but I did not choose it. "This is in fact the second Grupa 220 (Grupa 220 II), the musicians who recorded the first D. Mlinarec solo LP. They changed the name to "Parni Valjak" later and they still exist. They play commercial music now." R.P. 4. SMAK & RADOMIR MIHAJLOVIC -TOCAK Heavy bluesrock. Did not like it so much. "Some early singles are interesting, but they never released good album. The best album is "Stranice naseg vremena", but is not available on CD." R.P. 5. LEB I SOL From "Leb I Sol" (1978) I heard two tracks. Didn't find a bit too pop prog..) "They recorded better music later. The first album is quite awful John McLaughlin or Al Di Meola oriented jazzrock." R.P. 6. GALIJA Heard two tracks from Galija from their first album (1979). With organ and keyboards, guitars, vocals. Soft progressive rock. Nice, but I choose not to take any of these tracks. "I had this album a long time ago, but I sold it. Your description is good." R.P. SEPTEMBER I did not find any recording from this band so far. I am not sure if they're listed here all right. "Interesting group with musicians from Slovenia and Croatia. The first album has nice cover, the music is close to jazz rock with keyboards and violin. It sounds a little bit cold, but they are good musicians. The second album "Zadnja avantura" is more softer, some tracks are close to early Santana records. Not available on CD." R.P. * PART 2 : DRAGO MLINAREC From "A ti se ne Daj" (1971) : MD6, "Srebri se Mraz" 5 min MD7, "Posmrtna Osveta" 3 min 8 58 Song oriented with nice electric guitars / accurate evolving rhythm / beautiful bass. I especially like "Srebri se Mraz", a beautiful song with progressive band. "The first album is hard-rock oriented, but good." R.P. From "Psjeme s Planine" (1972) Sound much more mainstream in style. I did not choose any of the three tracks I heard. "You have (I guess) heard short tracks. The record also contains two long organ lead progressive jazz (rock tracks)." R.P. From "Rodjenje" (1975) The title track "Rodenje" contained some good improvised (prog) rock, still this track is very much song based, and its vocal melody line is not so melodic. "This record also contains one 10min+ long track." R.P. From "Negdje Postoji Netko" (1977) MD8, "Jedrenjak" 7 min 65 From the 2 tracks I heard I like the track "Jedrenjak", its accompaniment. Still very song based. "The last very good Mlinarec record, but song based, it is true." R.P. From "Sve je u Redu" (1979) I heard only one track, but I didn't choose it. From "Tako Lako" (1979), I heard two tracks, From "Sabrano" (1980) and "Pomaknuto" (1983) I hear two tracks. These were more mainstream. "I have all these records, but I don't recommend them. For collectors and fans only." R.P. PART 3 : FROM PROG TO PSYCHEDELIC : TAKO From "Tako" (1979?) : MDX6, "Druga Strana Mene" 8 min 73 Nice instrumental tempered progressive track (keyboards, electric guitar solo's, flute). From "U Vreci Za Spavanje"(1980) : MDX7, "U Vreci za Spavanje" 7 min MDX8, "Dolina Leptira" 6 min 13 90 Lots of nicely sounding keyboards dominated progressive in first track. Second is comparable next to Igra Staklenih Perli, but then in a progressive style, not as a space psychedelic. I heard a few more tracks from the album : soft prog rock with organ, el.guitars, drums, vocals. Also "Igra Devojcice" is a enjoyable as an instrumental. "Tako albums are nice (vinyl versions looks fantastic, too), but I think their music is overrated." R.P. DJORDJE ILIJIN From "Zabranjeno Prisluskivanje" (1983) : MD14, "Balkanska Meditacija" 6 min 96 Meditative cosmic psych track. Flutes, lots of church organ like keyboards, bird noises, then electronic repetitive paterns, drums. Is a good introduction to play before Igra Stakleni Perli. IGRA STAKLENI PERLI From "Drives" (rec.1977 ?) : MD13, "Return" fragment 4 min 8 100 Calm cosmic psych track. I didn't hear the rest of the album. Fine track only to show the evolution ; the next played tracks (from their first album) were more essential. "This album was made from old rehearsal tapes, which were overdubbed in the 90's. It sounds surprisingly good." R.P. From "Igra Stakleni Perli" (rec.1978) : Tr.1, "Gusterov Trg"(=Lyzzard Square ?) 5 min Tr.3, "Putovanje v Plavo" 7 min Tr.5, "Majestetski Kraj" 6 min 17 118 A style between psych period of Pink Floyd and early Hawkwind. Fantastic. The group was actually musically inspired by Pink Floyd and Tangerine Dream. I content they were inspired by Buddhism and its enlightenment, Zen Buddhism, Timothy Leary, Acid. The bass player considered his playing as performing a mantra. May be that is what psychedelic music should be all about ? Recommended, a must have (*****). Most psychedelic album from former Yugoslavia I know. "It is the definite YU psychedelic album (and the only 70's yugoslavian psychedelic group)" R.P. From "Soft Explosion live" (1979?) MDX1, "Lyzzard Square" 5 min (shortened : faded out) MDX2, "Mushroom" 4 min (shortened : faded out) MDX3, "Solar Modus" 3 min MDX4, "Voyage into blue" 6 min 23 136 Keyboards dominated cosmic early Hawkwind styled psych. I wondered at first if the first track was a Hawkwind song or not ; if it is, it's a very good version in Hawkwind related style. Only the vocals weren't mixed so perfectly or sung that good (on this live recording), but the playing is very interesting compared to the version on the '78 album. The second song, "Mushroom" is clearly under influence of Pink Floyd('s "Heart of the sun"). Must have been a good concert to experience. There are many, may be too many similarities in tracks/ songs / style with earlier '78 album without really being as fabulous. "Voyage Blue" follows an interesting psychedelic sounding rhythm patterns (in 11/8 ?). "Live recordings on ordinary cassette deck from the faculty for stomatology in Belgrade. Good document." R.P. From "Inner Flow" (?) MDX5, "Inner Flow" 13 min 150 Enjoyable space psych track. Still not as good as the first album. "Rehearsal tapes, some came from the period before their first album." R.P. About the 80's : Some interesting records were recorded in the 80's, but they represent (with few exceptions) post punk music styles. And what do you think of Laibach ? I am not exactly a fan of this group. I have seen 4 or 5 Laibach concerts (some of them from the early phase of the group). The shows were fascinating, but I didn't enjoy the music - it was never close to my taste. I have listened some old vinyl records a week ago and they are not so bad, but my oppinion is that the music was never very important in this case anyway. The whole "Neue Slowenische Kunst" project is an interesting concept." R.P. I personally like Laibach classical arrangements which they used mostly around 1986. Nova Akropla, and the second site of MacBeth I think were musically very strong. My next radioshow, former Yugoslavia part 3, was mostly about Laibach. Playlist at http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/files/YUG_80.txt -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More info: http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/YUPROG.html For former Yugoslavian Prog with folk influences : http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/YU.html Other playlists about former Yugoslavia : http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/files/yug_folk.txt and http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/files/YUG_80.txt Other playlists : http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/2003.html General page for radioshow related webpages : http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/