The Sarajevo band "Teška industrija" has been on the music scene for 40 years. However, already at the end of the '70s, the musicians decided to stop working, only to wake up three decades later and play again. Today, "Teška industrija" performs a lot, and on September 19, they will share their music with the people of Cetinje, on the Dvorski trg together with Toni Cetinski.
Ivica Propadalo, the bassist of Industria, talks to Vijesti about the upcoming concert, old times, successes and new audiences.
Last month, you were supposed to perform in Montenegro, but the organizers canceled the concert at the last minute, because you had an accident. What happened?
Unfortunately, life is unpredictable and full of surprises. Things happen without our will. Namely, I had a traffic accident on the way to Cetinje. Thank God, there were no major consequences, except material ones.
What will you do to make up for what was missed, what can the audience expect at your concert in Cetinje?
Heavy industry is a band that delivers a lot. We don't do a concert for the sake of a concert. We play for our audience to have fun first and foremost. Our successful album "Bili smo raja" talks about Sarajevo's pop-rock school, and gives the audience a unique pleasure with songs from some of the better musical times. It is an album with covers of songs by our friends - Merlin, Crvena Jabuka, Plavo Orkestra, Halid Bešlić, Zdravko Čolić, Dugmet, Index, Kema, and of course, there are also our original songs.
You have done a lot of processing. Have you ever been rejected by any of the performers and is it easier to make a cover or write an original track?
No one has ever rejected us... The album contains songs by our friends and collaborators. Namely, Vedad Hadžiavdić and I were in Zdravko Čolić's first backing band... Goran Bregović, when I asked about the cover of his song, said: "Friend Ivica, it will be an honor to be on that album". I can tell you that it is not easy to process or write your own song, so that you succeed.
You perform a lot. Where are you most welcome, where do you like to play the most?
Our house is ex-YU, ie. former state, regardless of the fact that we currently operate from Zagreb. Looking back five years, Slavonia, Vojvodina and Montenegro are areas where we have been very well received. We still remember our victory with our Kem and the song "May rains" at Sunčani skala in Herceg Novi.
You have been on the scene for 40 years, but you took a short break of only ten years. What do you think, would Heavy Industry, if there was no break, be the same as it is now, or maybe it would be better?
Two years ago, we celebrated that anniversary in the sold-out Vatroslav Lisinski Hall in Zagreb. Our friends Zdravko Čolić, Zoran Predin and, unfortunately, the now deceased Kemal Monteno and Arsen Dedić were there with us. It was a memorable evening that was recorded by the cameras of HRT... And the break was big. And what would happen if she wasn't there? I think that Heavy Industry would be even better positioned in the region. But we are also satisfied with this.
And why did you take a break? Many argue that the reason is that you could not match the great White Button.
Nobody could follow the white button at that time, of course not even us. Heavy industry had one problem. We were ahead of our time, we were an alternative. We played songs that lasted 15-20 minutes each. Unlike Dugmet, there were no hits, just good songs for live concerts. There were few radio songs that you can't live without.
What does the Sarajevo school of pop and rock look like today? Does it exist?
It's not like the 70s. But it exists, thanks first of all to the Dubioza collective, and to bands that are outside Bosnia and Herzegovina: Banned Smoking, Crvena Jabuka and us... Surely it is no longer what it used to be. Unfortunately, we have memories and nostalgia for some better times.
At the beginning of the year, you released the single "Zapleši". Are you satisfied with how it was received by the audience?
When you have a very successful cover album, then you need a lot more time and energy to succeed with original songs. We have success in the region with our songs, including the single "Zapleši". In Macedonia, we played on Radio Space 24 times a day for seven days. If it weren't for that, we wouldn't even have had the opportunity to play in such an iconic place as Dvorski trg in Cetinje. And with our great Toni Cetinski.
What do concerts mean to you, do you sometimes run out of energy?
Concerts are the biggest treat, we enjoy them to the fullest. There is no fatigue here. And we are driven forward by our love for music and our loyal audience, which ranges from 7 to 77 years old.
Really, what is your audience like today, who makes it up?
There are no rules, but mostly they are young. Our advantage is that we can play everywhere and for all tastes. We play from the heart, honestly, which the audience recognizes and rewards. We are at an advantage because our audience is distributed throughout the region. You cannot deceive her, she quickly exposes you and punishes you. We are looking forward to Cetinje, we will do our best. I am glad that my friend and colleague, the Montenegrin-Croatian painter Dimitrije Popović, will be in the audience. This time I will not disappoint him with my absence. For those who don't know, I'm also first and foremost a painter, and only then a musician.
After a 32-year break, you woke up in a completely different, new time. Was it difficult to adapt and how did you pull yourself together?
I personally haven't played in 30 years. But the desire was there all those years. The strongest link in all of this is our guitarist, composer and arranger Vedad Hadžiavdić. He woke me up and together with the beautiful and vocally unsurpassed Lea Mijatović we made a winning combination. Of course, there are still young forces - keyboardist Fran Šokić and drummer Robert Domitrović who gave new blood and energy to the band.
Many vocalists have gone through the band, from Seid Memić Vajta, through Marta Kuliš to the current singer Lee Mijatović. Who is easier to work with - male or female vocalists?
It's easiest with Leo. He likes band, music and concerts. It is very simple and there are no problems with it. When the band returned again in 1997 with White, it was not easy. Time had taken its toll. And I personally do better with women. (laughter)
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