I first came in contact with Punkreas from Montenegro when they played a gig in my hometown a while ago. They were awesome and impressed me much with their blend of streetpunk and hardcore, so a couple of months ago we started to write to each other and this interview came naturally, so read what they said for my zine.

YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR 15 YEARS NOW. FOR STARTERS, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE PUNKREAS TO THE READERS OF THIS ZINE? HAVE YOU EVER CHANGED LINEUP? HOW DID YOU START THE BAND?

First of all thanks for having us in your great webzine. Yes we’re on this road for 15 years,  this year we celebrate it on May 15th. I would say that we started a band while listening to punk rock mostly, but as we grew up as a humans we discover lots of other music and incorporate it in our music like ska, hardcore and classic rock, but we consider our band still as a punk rock. We changed few line ups- two bass players and one guitar player, but for long time three constant members are Dabo on vocal, Bula on guitar and I (Djola) on drums. Few years ago on bass guitar we have Veljko from another legendary bands DST and Autogeni trening. Last year we add second guitar Bojan and trumpet Stef (when we play bigger festivals). We realy don’t try to sound like someone even if it’s not possible today.

YOUR NEW EP HAS BEEN OUT FOR A WHILE. HOW WAS THE FEEDBACK? IT CAME OUT FOR NOCTURNE MEDIA. IS NOCTURNE MEDIA GONE AND NOT EXISTING ANYMORE? ARE YOU IN SEARCH OF NEW LABEL?

Yes our EP „1000 zasto, 1000 zato“ („1000 why, 1000 beacuse“, we took title from legendary book) came out for Nocturne media even it’s not existing anymore. The guy made new web portal Hardwire. We search for a new label and put our EP on English label Black bow records who put our EP on every digital platform. Also famous DIY label „Slusaj najglasnije“ from Zagreb, Croatia run by Zdenko Franic put our EP on his label and we’re proud of it. The feedback is really good, but we understand that people don’t listen to music like they used to and it’s really hard to reach audience anywhere. Also anyone who want to put our EP on their label we would love to give it.

YOUR LATEST VIDEO FOR THE SONG „NIJE KRAJ“(ITS NOT THE END) IS GREAT. HOW AND WHERE DID YOU RECORD IT? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT PROMOTING YOUR BAND WITH VIDEO CLIPS?

I’m glad that you like it. The story for that song and video is really touching. First we made record and my brother who is making videos and works as a director of photography came to genious idea. Now as you see in video our main character is former boxing champion Zoran Vujicic who has been diagnosed with fatal disease multiple sclerosis, and has been in wheelchair since then. We came to his house and asked him to be in our video because lyrics of the song are representing his fight for life. And in some way his disease is weaker than it was, and Zoran is feeling much better now, he has a great spirit, always smiling, and message of the song is his message, that you should never quit to fight. So in some weird way the song is just like it is written with purpose for him. And the video represents that struggle. We recorded the video on three locations. Home of revolution is one. It is ruined building in the center of our city (Niksic). The second one is Zoran’s home where we shot photos of him while he was doing exercises and the third one is Sports center in the city. We always try to shoot at least one video per record. For us it’s more fun than some marketing thing. When we get too old I’m sure we would love to see how we looked like when we were younger hahah.

IS THERE NEW MATERIAL IN PREPARATION? WILL THE NEW MATERIAL BE DIFFERENT FROM THE RELEASED MATERIAL IN ANY WAY?

Yes we already have some new songs that we’ll start to record this year. I think as we grow up it’s natural way that your next record sounds better and tighter. But main message and goal of our music will always stay the same.

YOU GUYS PLAYED IN CROATIA, HUNGARY AND SLOVENIA, DID YOU TOUR A LOT? HOW DOES PUNKREAS GIG LOOK AND SOUND LIKE?

We’ve been in Serbia, Austria and Romania also. We tour when we have time. I have to say that we already have booked tour in Slovenia, Serbia and Austria this summer, also there will be few Croatian gigs I hope so. But we don’t book regular tours. Well sound depends of few factors. Stage gear, sound man, etc. But we don’t think that this is so important for us. We played in dumps and big venues. It’s all about people. The gig will be great if people have energy like we do when we play. We give our 100% every time, and we’re totally drained after gig. The most important aspect of our music and touring are the people. The gig could be good and bad but we always made great friendships everywhere we go. So best part is before and after gig when we speak to people, hang out, drink beer. We remember it for the rest of our lives. Because we know how hard is for someone to promote punk and underground shows. Those people are real heroes, bigger than bands. Because you call me to play, give me food, beers and place to sleep. We appreciate it to the core. And I have to give my best for people who come to see us and pay the entrance.

WHEN I SAW YOU LIVE, YOU ALSO PLAYED SOME COVERS, FOR INSTANCE BY AGNOSTIC FRONT, WHAT BANDS DID INFLUENCE YOUR SOUND AS A BAND AND YOU AS MUSICIANS?

Yes we love to play some cover songs. As you mentioned Agnostic front. We played through the years many covers like Kud Idijoti, KBO!, Pasi, NBG, Cock Sparrer, Last resort, Booze and glory etc. We’re mainly influenced by our local bands DST and Dr Picasso, but there’s wide influence for us from Brittish street Oi punk to modern Californian sound. But i really have my respect to every single ex Yugoslavian punk band that still works and plays. For me they are heroes, and we consider every one of them our brothers in arms.

WHY IS UNDERGROUND NETWORK SO BEAUTIFUL? CAN YOU STILL REMEMBER THE FIRST GIG YOU WENT TO AS A FAN?

Underground network is great because there are people like you and many more. The great thing happened when we played in Novo Mesto, Slovenia last year. We stayed and drank with people from squat Sokolc. As we spoke and had fun we came to brilliant idea to reunite ex Yugosav countries in new one that we should called Euroslavia. We hate politics and the thing that ruined our lives. For us we’re are still one people, one nation and everywhere we go we meet great people from any country that feel same as we do. That’s the best stuff. People in the underground are equal.

IS THERE A BIG SCENE IN YOUR TOWN? ANY BANDS, VENUES, ZINES? HOW IS LIFE IN MONTENEGRO IN GENERAL?

As I said in previous question, politics ruined our lives. In Montenegro there’s still government that bombed city of Dubrovnik when there was bloody civil war. They are still stupid, shitty people, corrupted to the bone. They are still stealing everything, sell country, and give people nothing. Social justice is worse than ever. There’s no power of law and lot of criminals are still free. I suppose when I speak to the people in the region that everywhere is almost the same situation. So when we rise together we would make our lives better. The scene is really weak. There are few venues and few bands. Lot of bands exist for some time and quit. Some of them are old now and don’t play often. Lot of cover bands. With my friend I run a web site mulj.net that covers rock music for 10 years. That’s about it. In the region I think that we’re only better than Kosovo but I’m not sure…

SINGING IN ENGLISH VS SINGING IN YOUR NATIVE LANGUAGE?

It’s main goal for us to play in our native language. But in every record we put at least one song in English because native language of rock is English so it came natural for us. I think it’s same expression in both language.

THAT IS IT FOR THE FIRST TIME. IS THERE SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD AND I DIDNT ASK YOU?

I could say that I am preparing a book of mainly punk rock interviews I have done for the past 10 years. There will be over 200 interviews with lots of bands from ex Yugoslavia and the world. I hope that it will be out sometime before summer this year, and be sure that you’ll be the one of the first who will know when it comes out. Cheers to all your readers and support! Hope to see you this year somewhere.

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