La Strada (band)

La Strada was a Serbian band from Novi Sad. Even though the band released only one album, it is considered a highly influental band.

Infobox musical artist
Name = La Strada


Img_capt = Reformed La Strada in 1985
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = Novi Sad, Serbia
Genre = New Wave
Alternative
Rock

Years_active = 1979 – 1981
1985 – 1987

Label = Ding Dong
PGP RTB
M Produkcija Radija Novi Sad

Associated_acts = Luna
Pekinška Patka
Ekatarina Velika
URL = [http://www.geocities.com/pumajkar_zin/luna-lastrada.html Slobodan Tišma unofficial page]
Current_members = Slobodan Tišma
Zoran Lekić
Ilija Vlaisavljević

Past_members = Danijel Stari
Boris Oslovčan
Siniša Ilić
Dragan Nastasić
Siniša Sekulić
Predrag Ostojić
Ivan Fece
Zoran Bulatović
Jasmina Mitrušić
Žolt Horvat
Robert Radić

History

New Wave era

The band was formed by Slobodan Tišma (guitar, lead vocals) also known as Deda (Grandpa), a rock veteran and poet, and called it La Strada by Federico Fellini movie La Strada. The rest of the band consisted of Danijel Stari (bass guitar, arangements), Boris Oslovčan Bora (bass guitar), Siniša Ilić Siki (guitar) and Dragan Nastasić Gane (guitar) and a temporary drummer Siniša Sekulić Sekula. The band functioned with two bassists because Stari did not want to perform live and his live replacement was Oslovčan and drummer Sekulić also did not perform live so they used a drum machine instead.

This lineup made their first recordings in the Vranešević brothers studio which consisted of three songs "On", "Sat" and "Narcis" which were often broadcasted on radio Novi Sad's shows "Yu Pop Scena" and "Novi Vidici" hosted by Dragan Gojković Goja who was monitoring the fast growing world New Wave scene at that time. After the recording of the tracks both band's guitarists left the band and were replaced by Predrag Ostojić Preža (guitar) and Ivan Fece Firchie (full-time drummer). The band made their first live appearance in 1980 in Novi Sad's club No. 1. The lineup Tišma, Oslovčan, Firchie and Ostojić also played as an opening act for Električni Orgazam. In May 1981 the band performed at Subotica Youth Festival and at the Danube park's handball playground as an opening act for the band Film. The last appearance the band made in Belgrade's KST in June 1981. Due to a misunderstaning, bassist Oslovčan left the band and was replaced by Zoran Bulatović Bale (from Pekinška Patka) and Ostojić so Tišma remained the only guitar player. Even though the band was well accepted at Štrand and Pančevo both opening for Lačni Franc, the band ceased to exist. Tišma, Firchie and Bale with Marko Vukomanović of Pekinška Patka formed a new band called Luna.

Reformation

When Luna disbanded in 1985, Tišma and Stari along with former Luna keyboard player and bassist Jasmina Mitrušić Mina, Žolt Horvat (guitar) and Robert Radić (drums) (both from Kontratitam and Gomila G) reformed La Strada. In Džuboks magazine's vote La Strada was pronounced as the greatest expectation of 1985. After performing in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Zagreb and other venues, the band entered the studio and recorded material for their debut album, produced by Mitar Subotic Suba which was released in 1987 through radio Novi Sad's M Production, one of the greatest labels in Serbia during the eighties. The recording and release of the record was financed by radio Novi Sad and the record was released in 500 copies. Unlike Luna's sound, the band presented combination classic pop and rock sound combined with Tišma's poetry.

Breakup and post breakup

After the release of the album, Horvat, Stari and Mina left the band and were replaced by Zoran Lekić Leki (guitar) and Ilija Vlaisavljević Bebec (bass). This lineup entered the studio to record six new studio tracks which were never released and after performing at several venues the band held their last concert in Subotica in 1987.

Tišma persued a career as a poet and released two poetry books. The first entitled "Mairizmi" released in 1995and two years later the second called "Vrt kao to" which was a collection of poems published in Polja and Index magazines and in Letopis Matice Srpske during the seventies. Vlaisavljević became a Boye member and Lekić went to Obojeni Program.

Discography

* "Hotel Klub Virginitatis" (Various Artist MC, Ding Dong, 1980)
* "Demo Top Vol. 3 - Ventilator 202" (Various Artists LP, PGP RTB, 1985)
* "La Strada" (LP, M Produkcija Radija Novi Sad, 1987)

Notes

References

* Bogomir Mijatović, " [http://www.plastelin.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=232&Itemid=103 NS rockopedija, novosadska rock scena 1963-2003] ",izdavač: SWITCH, 2005

External links

* [http://www.last.fm/music/La+Strada La Strada at Last.fm]