Prog-Sphere forums

captain_boban 
4 stars
THE GAME OF THE GLASSBEADS ( Igra Staklenih Perli ) History
The band was formed in Belgrade, Serbia, in the atticks of the mystic Cubura, when Goran Lakic - Svaba came from Germany with impressions of the Secrets of the Oriental Pillgrims (from Herman Hesse : " Glasperlenspiel " ) . He met the guitar player Vojkan Rakic and the percussionist Predrag Vukovic, and so, the first recordings of the Game of the Glassbeads were made. The band cultivated the music style of the Can and Pink Floyd, but also of the Tangerine Dream and Holgar Czukay. The first public success was on the concerts in the Belgrade Student Center and soon became very popular throughout cultural centers of then former Yugoslavia. Promoting an esoteric musical expression, the ISP (as many called the Game) was strikingly not fitting into the idea of the "show-business " and the entertainers of the local musical business. This resulted in a pioneer outbreak and a battle on the music scene. Only two albums were published by this Belgrade Band. The firstborn "ISP" and "The Garden of Light", as the second. Both were very well accepted, noticed both by the public and the critics, with solid number of prints at the time, in view of the type of the music this band played. Their last public concert was in 1985, in the well-known Belgrade's concert hall Sava Center, on the occasion of the group concert dedicated to the anniversary of the music magazine ITD (transl. "ETC.") Members of the Band continued their careers in other bands or music solo projects. By the beginnning of the 90's, Thomas Werner came to the city with an interest to publish the old material of the ISP from the end of the 70's. The old demo materials and recorded local concerts fill in the music image of the first Game on three CDs, printed for the German Record House Kalemegdan Disk, acquiring thus the status of a bootleg albuma for their non-studio sound quality. Many Belgrade musicians of the time played the "game" in this band. Out of the regular team, the following took part in this Game: guitar players such as Goran Vejvoda (now in Paris), Ivan Pajevic (presently in Brussels), Aleksandar Zikic (well-known Yugoslav rock critic), then the guitar player and poet Boyan Kveder (at the present in London), bass players Drasko Nikodijevic (now in New York), and Slobodan Trbojevic (presently in LA), and the late keybord player Zoran Zagorcic (El.orgazam), or the drummer Ivica Vdovic Vd (Charlo the Acrobat) both of them tragicaly past away during the 90's. One should certainly highlight the only female vocal as guest on the second album "The Garden of Light" ( RTB 1979) , vocal artist Dragana Saric, later known as Baby Doll. It was her firs recorded vinyl records and beginning of her vocal career. There is also many other who directly suported the band , like Goran Cvetic with his famous 70's laser show , or the fotographers Goran Grbic ( later well known TV lighting designer ) and rock artist Gordan Skondric.Support come also from rock reporters from Belgrade's zine " Dzuboks" (transl."Jukebox") such as Radovan Vujovic , Momcilo Rain ( also editor in SC culture Belgrade) and many others. The Game of the Glass beads attracted all those defiant, brave and real players of the music expressions of the time in Belgrade, the end of 70's and the beginning of 80's. They left a deep music trace of their love towards music and life, and the free expression of their personal attitude in the visions of the future that awaits us, the one worth fighting for. The sunny Belgrade's Cubura waits today for some new brave kids.

Captain Boban LA.CA 90265

Igra Staklenih Perli Vrt Svetlosti ("The Garden of Light") full album 1980 + Soft Explosion Live 1978 full-length live recorded album at Belgrade's Student Center, 1978

Buldožer Okrutni bogovi istoka ("Cruel Gods of the East") 1980









Buldožer Novo vrijeme ("New Weather") 1980













Buldožer Karlo ("Carlo") 1980














Buldožer Jeftini slatkiši ("Cheap Sweets") 1980

R.M. Točak Specijalka (untranslatable) (instrumental) 1982






R.M. Točak Mantilja (untranslatable) (instrumental) 1982

Porodična Manufaktura Crnog Hleba Noć ("Night") 1974








Porodična Manufaktura Crnog Hleba Čovjek i pas ("A Man and a Dog") 1974

Now it's morning on the first day of spring, and Belgrade is covered by snow, which is pretty unusual for Serbia at the begining of springtime. I'm looking out the window and I don't like that picture with snowy trees and grey sky.
The best song for this morning is this Smak's song.
The song contains an amazing synth solo by the original Smak's line-up keyboardist Lazar 'Laza' Ristovski (RIP). Vocals by Dado Topić (ex-Time).

Smak Zašto ne volim sneg ("Why I Do Not Like Snow") 1981







English translation:


Why I Do Not Like Snow

A pale night
Echo, the voice torn apart
Why I do not like snow?
Why I do not like snow

A frozen pain tonight
Builds a temple of snow
Weeping’s all I know
A cold glow around
White noise, the last sound

A pale night
Echo, the voice torn apart
Why I do not like snow
Why I do not like snow

A glitter in the night
That’s my winter lie
It builds frozen heaven
As a dream, but awaken
White mound, the last sound

Why I do not like snow?

Miki Petkovski Iluminacija ("Illumination") 1979








Miki Petkovski Katarza ("Chatarsis") 1979









Miki Petkovski Sinteza ("Synthesis") 1979










Miki Petkovski Sinteza ("Synthesis") 1979












Miki Petkovski (feat.Boris Aranđelović, ex-Smak) Ko je u pravu ("Who Has Right?") 1979











Miki Petkovski Budjenje ("Awakening") 1979

Smak live in Kragujevac, Serbia, 1992 (full concert, open-air)