I guess I never said, but those of you who know me better than just from these posts know that I despise Facebook. Like honest to god hate it. It's became a pool of negativity, people moaning and bitching and complaining on it all day. So much hate, so much anger,..ridiculous. I recently found out another reason to ''fuel the flames of my fury''. I mean, I suppose it's not a recent thing. It's recent to me because I barely use my profile these days. The thing is there's a ''memory'' option now that allows you to scroll through posts on the day through the years. Now I've been a member of Facebook for a damn long time, and a pretty active member in the early days, so you can imagine that there's a shit ton of highly cringe worthy posts. But what really set me off was the fact that it was my birthday last week which I spent pretty much channeling my inner Bridget Jones. Cake and wine on the sofa, bitching about how last year I was celebrating at a Cher concert. Fuck you Corona. Anyways, scrolling through posts on my birthday, those ''memories'' posts? God good that was a stab to the heart. Messages from people that are no longer in my life, people that are long gone. Friendships that didn't work out…it sucks. So thank you Facebook for this ''brilliant'' idea. Can't wait for more memories I most definatelly DON'T want to see.
So instead of more complaints…I decided that sometimes you gotta write about things you know best. Well, actually, I had quite some issues writing about my own country the other day. I suppose knowing it well and looking at it differently makes it hard to really decide what to write about to make it interesting to other people. There's 50 plus pages I could write on my favourite towns in this country alone, so narrowing it down? Or even deciding which photo to post…yeah that's hard.
But this post shouldn't be. It's about my favorite Slovenian band. And though we have / had quite a number of amazing bands (especially in former Yugoslavia where there was pretty much nothing but rock bands) this one will always remain my favorite band. Plenty of reasons for that but I suppose the strongest one being that they are just badass.
''Šank rock''. The word ''Šank'' translates to ''bar''. Poetic isn't it? What do you need when you're leaning against a bar drinking a nice cold beer? Rock of course. Brilliant name to be honest. Easy, funny, cool. I wrote a bit about them before when rambling about their shows and ''my favorite boys'' but honestly I'm too lazy to check back what I wrote so if some facts repeat I apologise. Else, learn it, live it, love it right?
Now the band formed in 1982 and just looking at them would give you an idea right away why I'm obsessed. You know, leather, Harley shirts, long hair. Though this was in the 90's but… ( click me )
...you get the idea right? Hah. some things just never change. Rock ballads and singers with pretty long hair and I'm dead. While we're at it, I said it before and I'll say it again 2020 sucks so if you need me I'ma head back to the 80's if that's okay with all y'all. All the music! All the musicians! The high waisted jeans and short leather jackets with big hair. Ah! Paradise right there. Young Axl Rose, Sebastian Bach, Jani Lane, Richie freakin Sambora? I'd be a band whore we all know it. Lol. God knows why he put me on this earth 10 years later.
Ok so the band formed in 1982 as I said in a town few km away from me. A town I actually despise and always say that they are the only highlight in it, which believe me is true. First album with the original lineup titled ''Pridite na žur'' (the cover makes me crack up everytime I see it. The hair, the clothes, lol) was released in 1987 soon after they got a manager who was a musician himself. Don't you think that that is how it should be? Only actual musicans or say ex musicians should be managers? Because like there's so much exploitation and abuse of musicians by their managers it's ridiculous. So people who understand them should be the ones to manage them. People that care about music above money. Yeah I'm a dreamer I get it but it sure as hell would be nice.
Anyways with the manager the band really took of, they had a huge media breakthrough and were suddenly famous all over Slovenia while playing mostly down at the sea side. No surprise there, if I was a musician so would I. The nicest places in this country as I said are down by the sea. Is this a good time to say I miss it terribly? Not the band, sea side. Well the band obviously too, no concerts a year is worse than a death sentence for me believe me, but atm I meant sea side. The salty air, sunny skies, nicer people…sigh.
I keep getting sorta carried away, hard to stay on topic. After 1988 when first lineup changes happened and two members left, the band did two more albums ''Dobro in zlo'' which translates to ''good and evil''. I suppose I best shut up right now else I'd have a ''couple'' of things to say on that topic. In 1990 the third album came out ''Jaz nimam noč za spanje'' / ''my nights are not for sleeping'' I guess, close enough, hard phrase to translate. It's my favourite album in my own language by far. BY FAR. All of the songs are great, all of the music is great, the picture on the back is bitchin. I love everything about it.
In 1991 they decided to replace their guitarist and brought cough my baby cough Bor Zuljan to the band. OH MY GOD you guys he is amazing. I keep saying he could chew an apple with one hand and play with the other. Or in a naughtier version he could play with one hand and choke you with the other hah. Seriously the man is amazing, he has a god given gift. All other band member changes aside, they actually made an album in the USA back in 1995 called ''Shut up and play'' and there were some disagreements about whether they will stay in USA to continiue their career or go back home. Thank fuck they came back just saying because our music scene sucks enough on it's own without losing literally the best band we have.
It's kinda driving me mad you know. This illusion and drive and obsession with USA. Okay if you're a musician in my country and get the chance take it but say, Finish rockers? What's the point in recording in America that's already over flowing with music? Finland it literally the best country for rock and metal scene and you wanna go to US and create generic mainstreem music? Kill all your originality? Now that I just don't understand. I guess I should go see LA for myself and see what's so fascinating about it. Though I doubt I'd like it. I'm just a small town girl, pretty sure I'd be far more fascinated by the small towns down south. But never mind that back to the band.
Band broke up twice, once in 1998 and once in 2011, then in 2014 they played an ''exclusive show'' on the local festival (yearly event and I am still moping because we didn't have it this july. Fuck you corona), it was supposed to be a one time thing but thank god they decided to continiue their work together because it resulted in an album called ''Restart'' Brilliant aint it? And also my second favourite album titled ''Nekaj več'' (something more) in 2017. That album had the best tour. I saw ''a couple'' concerts and each one was too perfect for words. Wait a second, I just counted past members, literally ten of them. Lol. That's kinda crazy.
This album was recorded in ''Studio Tivoli'' in Ljubljana, which was founded in 1973, it moved some time ago into a smaller location but today it's a studio with 40 plus years of experience and it produced some many albums we love. I think it actually may be the oldest studio on this side of Europe. Thing I read that somewhere. Gosh imagine being the owner of that. The studio written down on the biggest names in music business. Or just records everyone loves. Hell. Must be amazing.
Some of the songs on this album are literally songs you can't listen to online. As incredible as it sounds but they're not on youtube. How crazy is that? Like is there anything that is not on youtube? Clearly these songs.
You can however find the three of my faves ''Le 17'', ''Jaz nimam noč za spanje'' and ''Vse je odšlo''. Le 17 of ''Just 17'' is perfect. Funny lyrics, great guitars, amazing voice and you just have to love it live. Obviously everything is better live but this one really is because the band sounds better live and they're rather ''playful'', teasing eachother, they're funny, adorable and not to mention talented af of course.
''Jaz nimam noč za spanje'' the title track of this album is just beyond badass. It's my jam you guys, the song I love most in this language. Well okay there are some I like more but this one is a solid top five fave. I love the lyrics about the lifestyle that would kill me, same days at work everyday, running home after it to catch the evening news, ''slave of life'' during the day and letting lose during the night. Washing the day off with a bottle of beer, turning the music up and turning the bullshit (politics and news in general these days) down. Yeah okay we weren't doing much letting lose these days and we'll be doing even less of that in the following weeks if we're to believe the dark ominus things our government is saying these days. The news literally sounds like that final transmission in MCR's music videos (dramatic eyeroll). But point was, this is the song I love to scream along to most on their live shows and thank fuck they play it each time. So when it comes on, you know where I'll be. Front row, screaming along, hair flipping about hah.
I'm so used to seeing them at least once a year. Or twice…or like 10 times. Move along okay, true love is true love. it's been hell this 2020 I tell you. I keep saying and I'll say it again, I don't know how people live, without concerts, without culture, without events, because I swear on all the gods I'm about to jump out of my skin. Everything and everyone annoys me at this point. Like, I gave up on that dream of seeing My Chemical Romance next year in July or Guns N' Roses again, but I actually bought tickets to see Steel Panther. Small show in a club, which maybe, possibly could go through and I swear if anyone or anything fucks that up for me this entire city will burn. Assuming the show goes through though, still means that my first concert since last October will be in June next year…and I will die before that comes along. So y'all, pray for me. Thank you.
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