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1985-1986: Prehistory The 2-2-2-7 group emerges on the very firm Slovene hard core scene of the time: Bozo (guitar; ex-UBR), Jani (bass; ex-Epidemija), Dare Kuhar (drums; ex-Odpadki Civilizacije), and David Krzisnik (vocal). The name of the group was picked simply from someone’s identity card. In 1986 they participate at the Novi Rock festival. At this occasion they are entitled to use - free of charge - the Top Ten studio facilities to record one song. 2-2-2-7record four tunes in a single stroke, without breaks. Nobody, not even the producer Janez Krizaj, notices the surplus of three pieces. And tone technicians at Radio Student prefer to play them in sequence. After 1986, 2-2-2-7sink
into self-oblivion because of successive enrolments of the members into
Yugoslav National Army.
1991-1993: Reincarnation In 1991, Jani and Bozo start anew, and they are joined by Macek (drums; ex-Komakino, before also Buldogi, Niet, and Lublanski Psi). 2-2-2-7 become an instrumental trio. They perform in Slovenia, Italy, Czechoslovakia, and the Netherlands. Gradually they widen their viewpoints of music: from hard-core roots emerges a creative mixture of most varied approaches and influences. What results is an unusual music collage which perplexes music critics in their attempts to designate - at least provisionally - their music style. Therefore, 2-2-2-7 simply adopt the name of their cover organisation for the designation of their creativity - the stripcore music. Together with the business manager of Strip Core, Katerina Mirovic, they are finally prepared to embark on their way into show business. In 1992, Radio Slovenija enables them to record the first three songs. Precisely at that time the band strengthens with a new member - Vuk Krakovic, violinist with a classical musical education (of Belgrade origins), who introduces more subtle tones into the music of the group. Together they record the piece Rolling Stoned. As the result is good, the further co-operation is resolved. The tune Watch-A-Gonna Do? gets the lyrics sung by Macek, while The Big Blues remains a classic instrumental trio. Franci Rainer produces all three pieces. After hardening with some more concert experiences, 2-2-2-7 enters the Tivoli Studio to record more material for their first album, produced by Aldo Ivancic (Borghesia). The record already has its title – Stripcore. However, complications with publishers continue deep into 1993; the CD is finally released as a self-edition by Strip Core (Forum). Besides ten newly recorded tunes the CD also brings three songs recorded live at the Novi Rock festival. The band also designs the cover of the record. More and more texts to tunes are being written, and thus the band starts to search for a singer (him or her) – with no success. In the meanwhile, Macek and Vuk sing at the concerts. In September 1993 follows the first media-resounding performance at Novi Rock (again!); Jovo (ex-Howitzer) decides on the spot to accept the offered position of drummer of the band, while Maèek takes over the role of singer. Marko Kovacic directs a videoclip for
two combined tunes (which somewhat confuses television personnel): I’ve
Seen That Head Before is a remake of the Grace Jones classic, while Like
It Like It Is Is a quickplay outburst of unobstructed energy. The set design
for the videoclip are graffiti made by the members of the group, with which
Strip Core has been participating at solo and group exhibitions at home
and abroad.
1994-1995: With Brains and Tumors, Please! Then come several concert tourings in 12 European countries (Slovenia, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Yugoslavia), and the consolidation of the outlined course of development. In the spring 1995 they record the material for their second album in the Pan studio in Krajn, engineered by Franci Rainer and produced by Dare Hocevar (ex-Laibach, Sokoli). The elemental hard-core skeleton and rushing bass lines combine with jazz gags, gallows melancholy and odd ethnic rhythms, out-and-out crossed by expressive violin. The title is a logical consequence: No Brains No Tumors. Besides nine original songs and an adaptation of Tom Waits, the CD also brings four documentary recordings by 2-2-2-7 from 1986. Again, the CD and tape are released as self-editions under the label of Strip Core in April 1995. Together with Mirko Simic they make a videoclip for the neurotic title song No Brains No Tumors, a highly cracked and definitely the fastest videoclip in which more than 520 shots follow one another in less than three minutes. The video features the Fourklor physical dance theatre, with which 2-2-2-7later collaborate as composers and performers of music for their dance performance. In June 1995, 2-2-2-7participate at the Druga Godba festival (with Marc Ribbot and the Klezmatics). Around that time they release a 7-inch record, Sarlo budi njezan, which is (also) homage to the most unique Yugoslav group (Sarlo Akrobata) of the early 1980s. The blue-coloured single in a transparent cover - and in limited edition - is to acquire the status of nostalgic rarity. In August 1995, Oliver Marceta, painter and student of animation film in Vienna, shoots his childlike drawings in grounded coffee and makes an animation videoclip for the song Innocent When You Dream (from the single and CD); its strong allegories appeal primarily to fine artists. Later, in the beginning of 1998, the videoclip wins the award for the best script at the MCM Atlas Musique Awards in Cannes. This time, 2-2-2-7invite
Studio Torax to design the cover of the single and CD. While the single
cover is impeccable, the CD cover and the poster provoke auspiciously controversial
reactions: behind the inscription No Brains No Tumors features a photograph
by Sinisa Lopojda, presenting an aborted human foetus in the arms of a
Michelangelo-like angel.
1996-1997: Theatre Your Mother! Since Vuk is more and more absent because of his study engagements, the group begins to think about new expressive means. The compilation of Elvis’ remakes for the Elvis de Luxe project by the Grapefruit Theatre includes a 2-2-2-7piece Maj Vej, a rephrasing of "Elvis’" song My Way speaking about the last day of life of the great singer; besides the violin they experimentally use accordion (Matej Gerzelj), bisernica - Panonian sitar (Ilija Terrah), and samples of Sid Vicious, Nina Hagen, Frank Sinatra, and of the drunk, stoned and fat Elvis Presley, of course. In May 1996 they record - with Aldo I. in the Alien studio - the music for Do I Dream the Memory Or Do I Remember the Dream, a dance performance by Fourklor. Sergej Arko (ex-Dicky B. Hardy, bass) joins the band on clarinet and saxophone, and he works and performs with them until the release of their third CD, while Vuk leaves to study in London. At the end of October 1996, the band
performs live in The Drug of the Natyon, a multi-media project by various
artists staged in Copenhagen, European Cultural Capital of the year. The
next year of 1997 passes by quickly in numerous concerts, in preparations
for their third record, and in leisure which mainly makes them nervous.
1998: Bibibisabi? During the creation process of their new album 2-2-2-7suddenly realise that the most decisive revival in the flood of various revivals would be if the group would start to imitate no one but itself. But since 2-2-2-7never really understood themselves, the ensuing outcome is interesting: perhaps their most mature record entitled Bi Bi Bi Sabí. Even before its release the band tours in Norway (a nice country), with stops in Denmark and Germany. Once again they perform as a classic rock quartet with drums, bass, guitar, and vocals. The title of the new record is adapted from Basque (in original: bi bi bi zazpi), while the lyrics are written in the "sandwich-language" package: four songs in Slovene, three in English, one in the Slovene-English mixture, two in the late SerboCroat; one title is translated into French, one text in Slovene has a SerboCroat title, and one text vice versa; in between, chickens cluck centrifugally and sheep bleat naturally. Moreover, the record includes two violin instrumentals from the Fourklor performance. Regretfully, Tijuana Toads did not get the copyrights. The producer and music engineer of Bi Bi Bi Sabí is Franci Rainer. The basic material was recorded in Robi’s place, Studio Poludio in Svetinje, and vocals, saxophone, and percussion in Gajic’s Faktor in Kodeljevo, Ljubljana. The material was mixed in Studio Tivoli as a customer of Borut Berden’s Studio Ritem. Besides the Macek-Bozo-Jani-Jovo quartet the following guests appear on the record: Sergej on saxophone, Marjan Stanic on tarabuca and bongos; Maja Pavlin with her accompanying vocal; and Vuk (persisting only in the bonus track). Again, the CD booklet was designed by Strip Core, while the photographs are the work of photographer Damjan Kocjancic, who also designs lighting at 2-2-2-7concerts. This time, the CD and tape are released in the co-production of Strip Core (Forum Ljubljana) and Helidon (ZOM). Together with the record comes first
a videoclip for the song Lolitka - The Girl with Ice-Cream Eyes, directed
by 2-2-2-7and the well-noticed
rolling circus of Ana Monro, and produced by Forum Ljubljana and VPK.
Successive hit number 2-2-2-7 final! After an especially successfull
split-up of the band in summer 1999, the ultimate act of the 2-2-2-7 number
followed: descent from the underground to the ground floor! Some years
of unintentional transposing of old tapes, search for the lost or misplaced
audio-tapes with mostly by chance recorded shows from the rich tours of
the 2-2-2-7 band, prospered with two CDs: selection of practically all
that has been preserved in the period of 1995 (with the show in MKNZ in
Ilirska Bistrica) and 1999 (last documented show of the band, Schuetorf,
D, April 1999) is some kind of “the fejst of 2-2-2-7”, - you can find on
both discs 28 (!) songs from all three 2-2-2-7 albums plus raritetes from
the single and samplers. All songs are recorded live - as 2-2-2-7 should
be the best live (as the authorities claim). On the CDs you can also find
some ultrasignificant radio jingles and halfdrunk concert intermezzo’s,
which come quite natural. Therefore a part of the history.
DISCOGRAPHY: V/A CD SLO. I.R.P. 1/92 (SKUC-Ropot
& Nika Distribution)
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