Block Out (band)
Block Out | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Origin | Belgrade, Serbia |
Genres | |
Years active | 1990 – 2014 |
Labels | Take It Or Leave It, ITMM, Metropolis Records, Multimedia Records, Long Play |
Past members | Milutin Jovančić Nikola Vranjković Dragan Majstorović Danilo Pavićević Vladan Lazarević Dean Dimitrijević Miljko Radonjić Aleksandar Balać Dragoljub Marković Dejan Hasečić |
Block Out was a Serbian alternative rock band formed in Belgrade in 1990. They were one of the most notable acts of the 1990s Serbian rock scene.
Originally formed under the name Ad Hoc, the band was initially
History
Formation and early career (1990–1993)
Block Out history begins with the
At the beginning of the
Nikola Vranjković-led era (1994–2013)
In 1994 Block Out released their debut album
In early 1996, revolted by the current situation in Serbia, the band recorded the track "Leto na Adi" ("Summer on Ada"), which, due to the lack of space. was not released on their second album, but appeared as a bonus track for the 2001 reissue of Crno, belo i srebrno.[3] In 1996 the band's second album, Godina sirotinjske zabave (The Year of Poverty Amusement), was released, featuring the material written by Vranjković during the six years of the band existence.[3] The main themes on this album were closely related to the end of socialism and the subsequent social changes.[3] The band's new members Aleksandar Balać on bass guitar and Dragoljub Marković (who at the time also performed with Ništa Ali Logopedi) on keyboards debuted on the album.[3] The album was produced by Aleksandar Radosavljević and as guests appeared Danilo Pavićević (guitar), Miša Savić (keyboard) and Nebojša Zulfikaprašić (guitar).[3]
In 1998 the band's third album,
The band performance at Belgrade's Students' Cultural Centre on 11 September 1999 was recorded and released in 2001 on the double CD/triple musical cassette release Između dva zla (Between Two Evils).[3] The following year, Vranjković released his poetry book Zaovdeilizaponeti (Forhereorfortake). The book included his poems as well as all his lyrics written for Block Out. In addition to the book came his first solo album of the same title, characterized by calmer, minimalistic and acoustic music, but still in the vein of Block Out's melancholic atmosphere.[2] In 2002 the band appeared on the Milan Mladenović tribute album Kao da je bilo nekad... Posvećeno Milanu Mladenoviću (Like It Happened Someday... Dedicated to Milan Mladenović), with the cover of the Ekatarina Velika track "Soba" ("Room").[4] In February 2003 the band entered the studio, starting to work on the album under the working title Nema više lakih protivnika (No More Easy Opponents').[2] In the meantime, Marković left the band and was replaced by Dejan Hasečić, a former Speed Limit and Slaves member.[3]
In April 2004 the band released their fourth album entitled
In 2011 the band released the CD single "Beograd spava" ("Belgrade is Sleeping"), a cover of the song by the Yugoslav band
Vranjković's departure and breakup (2013–2014)
On 1 September 2013 the band had their last performance with Nikola Vranjković on a one-day festival in Niš, where they performed alongside Van Gogh and Bajaga i Instruktori.[11] Several days after the festival, Jovančić, through his official Facebook profile, stated that Vranjković, author of all Block Out songs of the last almost 20 years, is no longer a member of Block Out.[12] Vranjković's departure saw mixed reactions by the fans, with some expressing support to the band and others expressing doubt the band will keep the quality without Vranjković's songwriting.[13]
Block Out continued their activity, stating they will not perform songs written by Vranjković.[14] In December 2013 the band released the single "Reka" ("River"),[14] which featured Riblja Čorba frontman Bora Đorđević on backing vocals,[15] and on December 21 had their first performance without Vranjković, on a concert in Belgrade club Sioux. The concert was co-headlined by the band Popečitelji, with Block Out performance featuring Bora Đorđević as guest.[15] During the same month, Jovančić stated that the band is working on other new songs with producer Oliver Jovanović.[14]
In October 2014 it was announced that the remaining four members of Block Out would continue their activities under the name Čovek Vuk (The Wolf Man), stating Vranjković's acquisition of rights to the Block Out name in the Serbian Institute for the Protection of Intellectual Property as the reason for such a decision, Block Out thus ceasing to exist.[16]
Legacy
In 2021 the album
In 2000 the song "Manastir" ("Monastery") was polled No.100 on Rock Express Top 100 Yugoslav Rock Songs of All Times list.[18]
The lyrics of 9 songs by the band were featured in Petar Janjatović's book Pesme bratstva, detinjstva & potomstva: Antologija ex YU rok poezije 1967 - 2007 (Songs of Brotherhood, Childhood & Offspring: Anthology of Ex YU Rock Poetry 1967 - 2007).[19]
Members
Former members
- Milutin Jovančić "Mita" – vocals (1990–2014)
- Danilo Pavićević – guitar (1990–1993)
- Vladan Lazarević – guitar (1990–1991)
- Nikola Vranjković – guitar, vocals (1991–2013)
- Dragan Majstorović – bass guitar (1990–1995)
- Aleksandar Balać "Lale" – bass guitar (1996–2014)
- Dean Dimitrijević – drums (1990–1993)
- Miljko Radonjić – drums (1992–2014)
- Dragoljub Marković – keyboards (1996–2003)
- Dejan Hasečić – keyboards, guitar (2003–2014)
Discography
Studio albums
- Crno, belo i srebrno (1994)
- Godina sirotinjske zabave (1996)
- San koji srećan sanjaš sam (1998)
- Ako imaš s kim i gde (2004)
References
- ^ Janjatović, Petar (2007). EX YU ROCK enciklopedija 1960–2006. Belgrade: self-released. p. 257.
- ^ a b c d e Block Out biography at the band's official site Archived February 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Janjatović, Petar (2007). EX YU ROCK enciklopedija 1960–2006. Belgrade: self-released. p. 258.
- ^ Kao da je bilo nekad... Posvećeno Milanu Mladenoviću at Discogs
- ^ a b "BLOCK OUT: Block Out (DVD), popboks.com". Archived from the original on 2010-11-21. Retrieved 2009-05-01.
- ^ Pankrti 06 at Discogs
- ^ Block Out izdaje singl "Beograd Spava", balkanrock.com Archived March 13, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Merilin Menson šou u Areni", b92.net
- ^ "Block Out predstavili novi singl i najavili koncerte", timemachinemusic.org Archived 2012-10-13 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Novi singlovi iz majčice Srbije (Bjesovi, Block Out, Planeta Gruvlend, Viseći vrtovi Vavilona, Empathy Soul Project, Taš Pop Safari, Vrane kamene, S.A.R.S. feat. Dial-Up Lama, Zoran Predin feat. Lude žene, Hadži prodane duše)", zlihadzo.com Archived February 19, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Jelen “častio” Niš koncertima Block Outa, Van Gogha i Bajage", balkanrock.com
- ^ "Milutin Jovančić: “Nikola Vranjković više nije član grupe Block Out”", balkanrock.com
- ^ "Block Out snima nove pesme", timemachinemusic.org Archived December 24, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c ""Frontmen Block Outa za "Vijesti" o novoj pjesmi: "Reka" je korak dalje", vijesti.me". Archived from the original on 2013-12-20. Retrieved 2013-12-19.
- ^ a b "Novo lice Block Outa u beogradskom klubu Sioux", balkanrock.com
- ^ Bend 'Block out' odlazi u istoriju (VIDEO+FOTO) Archived December 11, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Antonić, Duško (2021). Kako (ni)je propao rokenrol u Srbiji. Belgrade: Take It Or Leave It. pp. 171–176.
- ^ "100 najboljih pesama svih vremena YU rocka". Rock Express (in Serbian) (25). Belgrade: 27.
- ^ Janjatović, Petar (2008). Pesme bratstva, detinjstva & potomstva: Antologija ex YU rok poezije 1967 - 2007. Belgrade: Vega media.