Atomsko sklonište
Encyclopedia
Atomsko sklonište is a Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...

n and former Yugoslav hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...

 band, formed in Pula
Pula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...

 in 1977. The band is known primarily for its strong anti-war
Anti-war
An anti-war movement is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term can also refer to pacifism, which is the opposition to all use of military force during conflicts. Many...

 lyrics.

1977-1987

The band's history begins in 1968, when a play entitled Atomsko sklonište and directed by Boško Obradović premiered in People's Theatre in Pula. The play featured a choice of the world anti-war
Anti-war
An anti-war movement is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term can also refer to pacifism, which is the opposition to all use of military force during conflicts. Many...

 poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...

, including two of Obradović's poems: Kuga u Danangu (against Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

) and Vaclavske Namjesti (against Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia
Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia
On the night of 20–21 August 1968, the Soviet Union and her main satellite states in the Warsaw Pact – Bulgaria, the German Democratic Republic , Hungary and Poland – invaded the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic in order to halt Alexander Dubček's Prague Spring political liberalization...

). For several years Obradović had an idea of a rock band performing songs featuring his lyrics, and in 1977, in front of the kafana
Kafana
Kafana , kafeana , kavana are terms used in the former Yugoslav countries for a distinct type of local bistro which primarily serves alcoholic beverages and coffee , and which sometimes also has a live band.The concept of a social gathering place for men to drink...

 Jadran in Pula, which was a gathering place for local musicians, he offered his lyrics to a group of musicians. The agreement was soon made, and the band Atomsko Sklonište was officially formed on February 26, 1977. The first lineup of the band featured Bruno Langer (a former Beat Stones, Fantomi, Logaritmi, and Boomerang member, bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

), Sergio Blažić (vocals), Dragan Gužvan (guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...

), Eduard Kancelar (keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...

), Saša Dadić (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

), and Rudolf Grum (backing vocals). Blažić, Gužvan and Dadić previously performed together in the band Hush.

The made their first success with a performance on the 1977 Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....

 BOOM festival
Boom Festival
The Boom Festival is a biennial festival which takes place in Portugal.The festival features music, paint, sculpture, video art, installations cinema, theater and a concept of crosspollination of different art forms....

. In the spring of 1978 they performed at the Subotica Youth Festival, and during the same year their debut album Ne cvikaj, generacijo (Don't Be Afraid, My Generation) was released. The album featured hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...

 sound, with anti-war and cataclysmic lyrics, heavily inspired by hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...

 ideology, which was even in Yugoslavia already discarded. The album brought hits "Pomorac sam, majko", "Kinematograf našeg detinjstva" and "Ne cvikaj, generacijo". The band gained the publics attention with the statements that they perform punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...

, unusual clothing style and photographies made by the photographer Tone Stojko from Maribor
Maribor
Maribor is the second largest city in Slovenia with 157,947 inhabitants . Maribor is also the largest and the capital city of Slovenian region Lower Styria and the seat of the Municipality of Maribor....

. The band would later record music for the song "Zaspao si u mojoj kosi", released by Stojko's wife Neca Falk.

The band's second album, Infarkt (Heart Attack) was released with a book of photographies by Stojko, and featured hits "Pakleni vozači" and "Djevojka br. 8". After the album release Kancelar left the band due to his studies, and was replaced by Paul Bičandžić. The band maintained their popularity on their live appearances which featured unusual scenery
Theatrical scenery
Theatrical scenery is that which is used as a setting for a theatrical production. Scenery may be just about anything, from a single chair to an elaborately re-created street, no matter how large or how small, whether or not the item was custom-made or is, in fact, the genuine item, appropriated...

, such as barbed wire
Barbed wire
Barbed wire, also known as barb wire , is a type of fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strand. It is used to construct inexpensive fences and is used atop walls surrounding secured property...

, and during a concert in Tivoli Hall in Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...

 there were three hundere yellow umbrella
Umbrella
An umbrella or parasol is a canopy designed to protect against rain or sunlight. The term parasol usually refers to an item designed to protect from the sun; umbrella refers to a device more suited to protect from rain...

s opened above the stage, referring to the band's song "Žuti kišobran" (Yellow Umbrella). The band gained a loyal fanbase, although the critics generally did not like the lyrics written by Obradović. The band recorded their third album U vremenu horoskopa (During the Time of Horoscope
Horoscope
In astrology, a horoscope is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, the astrological aspects, and sensitive angles at the time of an event, such as the moment of a person's birth. The word horoscope is derived from Greek words meaning "a look at the hours" In...

) on the peninsula Stoja near Pula, in the Mobile One mobile studio, previously used by AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...

. The album was produced by John Etchells and Bill Ainsworth. At the time Bilandžić left the band ant formed the band Lilihip, and Atomsko sklonište continued as a quartet
Quartet
In music, a quartet is a method of instrumentation , used to perform a musical composition, and consisting of four parts.-Western art music:...

.

In 1980 the band recorded the live album Atomska trilogija (Nuclear Trilogy
Trilogy
A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...

) on a concert in Dom JNA in Pula. In 1981 they released their fourth studio album Extrauterina (Ectopic Pregnancy
Ectopic pregnancy
An ectopic pregnancy, or eccysis , is a complication of pregnancy in which the embryo implants outside the uterine cavity. With rare exceptions, ectopic pregnancies are not viable. Furthermore, they are dangerous for the parent, since internal haemorrhage is a life threatening complication...

), recorded with Etchells and Ainsworth as the producers in the Super Bear Studio, located in a monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...

 in the French Alps
French Alps
The French Alps are those portions of the Alps mountain range which stand within France, located in the Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions....

, and previously used by Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...

, Kate Bush
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...

, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...

, and Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...

. The album featured the band's new drummer Zdravko Širola. After the album was released the band ended their cooperation with Boško Obradović.

Langer became the band leader and the songwriter. In 1982 the band released the album Mentalna higijena (Mental Hygiene), recorded at the JAM Studio in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

. The album featured Mel Collins
Mel Collins
Mel Collins is a British saxophonist and flautist and session musician.He has worked in a wide variety of contexts ranging from R&B and blues rock to jazz, but is perhaps known for his work in progressive rock, as with King Crimson, Camel and the Alan Parsons Project.-Career:Collins has worked...

 on saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...

 as a guest. During the same year the band went to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

, where they recorded the album Space Generation for the foreign market. The album featured nine old Atomsko sklonište songs with English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 lyrics written by Dražen Met Premet. The band released the album through EEC under the name Atomic Shelter. In 1984 the band released the album Zabranjeno snivanje (Forbidden Dreaming). The live album Jednom u životu (Once in a Lifetime), recorded on the concert held at Tašmajdan Stadium on September 15, 184, and released in 1985, was the last album featuring Blažić on vocals. The band had the last performance with him on July 21, 1986, after which he died on January 18, 1987.

In 1986 Langer and Gužvan recorded the English language album This Spaceship and released it under the name Atomic Shelter. The album featured American musicians Wes Talton (vocals), Freddie Stuckey (keyboards) and David Presley (drums). The album featured six old rerecorded Atomsko sklonište songs and four new songs.

1987-present

At the end of 1987 Atomsko sklonište continued performing in the new lineup: Langer (vocals and bass guitar), Ranko Svorcan (guitar) and Nikola Duraković (drums). In 1990 the band released the album Criminal Tango. In August 1991, at the time when military conflicts in Yugoslavia
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...

 had already begun, Atomsko sklonište performed on Gitarijada
Gitarijada
Gitarijada is a musical festival held in Zaječar, Serbia in order to promote demo bands. Held since 1969, Gitarijada is one of the longest lasting festivals in Serbia and in South Eastern Europe and the largest festival of young and unsinged bands in South Eastern Europe...

 festival in Zaječar
Zajecar
Zaječar is a city and municipality in the eastern part of Serbia. According to the 2011 census the town has a population of 36,830, and its coordinates are 43.91° North, 22.30° East...

, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...

. In 1992 the band released the album East Europe Man, featuring Wes Talon on vocals. The song "Chinese Bike" entered the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

. In 1995 the band released the studio album Terra Mistica. In 1999 Nikola Duraković was replaced by Stjepan Bobić (a former Nola, The Spoons, and Messerschmitt member).

In 2003 One Records
One Records (Serbia)
One Records is a record label based in Belgrade, Serbia.Formed in 1999, its catalogue covers a fairly wide musical spectrum - from younger hard rock and heavy metal bands such as Alogia, Cactus Jack, Dargoron, Stratus, and others, to young Irish folk/Celtic rock bands Tir na n'Og and Irish Stew of...

 released the DVD entitled Atomsko sklonište, which features a collection of their videos and a recording of their performance at the 1991 Gitarijada festival.

Legacy

The album Ne cvikaj, generacijo was polled in 1998 as 47th on the list of 100 greatest Yugoslav popular music albums in the book YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike
YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike
YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike is a book by Duško Antonić and Danilo Štrbac...

(YU 100: The Best albums of Yugoslav pop and rock music).

Studio albums

  • Ne cvikaj, generacijo (1978)
  • Infarkt (1978)
  • U vremenu horoskopa (1980)
  • Extrauterina (1981)
  • Mentalna higijena (1982)
  • Space Generation (as Atomic Shelter, 1983)
  • Zabranjeno snivanje (1984)
  • This Spaceship (as Atomic Shelter, 1987)
  • Criminal Tango (1990)
  • East Europe Man (as Atomic Shelter, 1992)
  • Terra Mistica (1995)
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