Rock with a message
Good Charlotte, Blink 182 and Simple Plan are not punk. Rebellion is fundamental to the subculture, not eye-liner. Only 20 years ago censorship was prevalent in Eastern Europe -“ The No Smoking Orchestra, a band from Sarajevo, responded with punk music, developing an ironical-satirical movement with political impact. They are bringing their passion and strength to Sydney in a one-night-only performance.
In Tito’s Yugoslavia, punk music was marginalised, existing in bitter conflict with the cultural and political establishment. The birth of the New Primitives marked the first music-directed movement against the socialist system.
Our fight against [the] system was not typical confrontation with stupid words. It was much wiser. We had jokes and double meaning songs -“ we resisted something we did not like, founding member and lead vocalist Dr Nell Karajlic told Sydney Star Observer.
We had and still have a strong energy. [People] believe because of the way we sang and played. We caused a big problem, but we survived -¦ communism was not as strong after WWII [sic].
With the highly consumerist culture of 21st century Western society Karajlic and The No Smoking Orchestra believe now is just as urgent a time to stand up for what is right.
Now we have more reason to fight. We are trying to wake everyone up, people are sleeping. Emotion has been lost in industrial music that covers the planet.
29 June at the Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House. Tickets $64/$99, bookings: call 9250 7825 or visit www.sydneyoperahouse.com.
