SEARCHING FOR QUALITY

After the concert, we talked to Dušan Kojić “Koja”.

Your music helps preserving alternatives. How do you feel about modern music industry?

Sadly, the modern music industry is slowly sinking because of the difference in perception and understanding of music. Downloading is the main thing, but it's something that doesn’t actually exist. There are no more tangible things. There is an image that goes with the downloaded songs but it is just not the same. The mysteriousness of rock'n'roll has disappeared and the bands don’t have any depth. This music cannot be turned up since it is already very loud. On the other hand, there are many bands that create stoner rock and this kind of music is good. I also like drum metal, although I am not a metal fan. Some people keep talking about punk, but I feel this chapter is over. Punk was popular twenty or thirty years ago. I think we should go back to the instruments.

You and your band are in the search of quality. Are you successful in that?

I think we are successful as a band. Our last album was a surprise for a lot of people, since it is different than the rest. We reached another level with this album. We love pure rock and the dynamic that it offers is what modern music lacks. If you take something to the extreme, you lose that dynamic. We want to go the other was. It seems easy, but it really isn’t.

You create music with bass, drums and vocals. Why the minimalism?

I began performing as an 18-year-old boy in the band Šarlo Akrobata. We were very successful because we created something new and there wasn’t much of a competition. After I joined the band Disciplina Kičme I began leaning towards bass and drums. I was very young and didn’t know that combination gives you more space for crating the rhythm. So we have the rhythm and we need the sound. It doesn’t matter if you create it with a guitar, synth or bass, it should be precise, minimalistic and dynamic. The function of the vocal is conveying the message and advice to the audience. It is very simple and I like simplicity.

You lived and worked in London. How did that experience influence your work?

Before moving to London, I had visited the city for a few times. It was during the eighties when London was interesting because of post-punk and new wave scene. In London, the big labels make the rules and prefer bands with an image. The ration between music and image is 50: 50. So it was clear I had to go to London. Our band consisted of two Croats and two Serbs. After I came to London, I realized they don’t understand our out-of-the-box music. Everything is created according to a template: the music, the bands and the lyrics. But I decided to stay and found a singer and a drummer. We released three albums; two for the English market and one for the ex-Yugoslavian area. I still think I should have chosen New York instead, though.

You directed a movie and recently released an album. What are your plans for the future?

You never know. The movie I directed (Fank-I-Lastiš Crnog Zuba) began spontaneously. The movie consists of recordings of jam sessions, which turned out very well. There are no documentaries about that in our area. I may create another movie, I don’t know. And I think it is too soin to be talking about a new album. The concept of an album is different than in the past. You create singles and film videos and after they air on the radio, you release an album. I am sure I will create something new soon, I am not sure when and what will it be.

How do you like Lent and Maribor?

I’ve performed in Maribor before. We were here fifteen years ago, I think. I love being here and I love the idea of a summer festival that offers entertainment for all. It makes culture popular.