Albanian rock
Encyclopedia
Albanian rock describes music in Albania
, Kosovo
, and other Albanian-inhabited areas closely related to western rock. It has a wide variety of sub-genres like heavy metal
, punk
, alternative
and death metal
. Albanian rock music first started in Kosovo through bands like Gjurmët
, Lindja and later Jericho, and is continued today by most notably Asgjë Sikur Dielli
, Por-no, Cute Babulja, Blla Blla Blla
, Bojken Lako, CROSSBONES, and Retrovizorja. In Albania
, the first rock concert was organized by Aleksander Gjoka in 1989. Only after the collapse of communism in Albania did the first rock groups appear there. The first rock band in Albania was Megaherz, founded by guitarist Bledar Sejko, after the fall of communism, he went on to form Thunderway, with Elton Deda a thrashmetal band which recorded the first rock album in Albania called "The Executioner's Orders", on cassette. Meanwhile, Bojken Lako was experimenting rock with his first band, The Fishhook, who released one album on cassette. The first recorded rock album on CD in Albania was released in 1997 by Crossbones entitled Days of Rage.
, Kosovo
(then Yugoslavia
) was made of both Serbian and Albanian bands. Some of these bands, like MAK had both Albanian and Serbian musicians. Another bi-ethnic band was FAN also based in Mitrovica.
Pristina was the most important city for Albanian rock music during the 80's. In the mainstream circles Gjurmët (founded 1981) were among favorites. Their combination of rock with "muzikë qytetare" laid the foundation of Albanian rock. Other known bands that formed during this period were Ilirët, 403, Telex, Seleksioni 039, Minatori and Menkis. On the other hand, the underground music was more leaning towards punk
. Most notable underground rock/punk band of Pristina in the 80s was Lindja with its lead musician Luan Osmani (lead guitar). The beginning of the 90's introduced other rock bands and individuals that played mainly in Kosovo like Troja
, Dardan Shkreli, Blla blla blla
and Elita 5 (from Macedonia).
In Albania the most prominent rock bands and individuals only appeared after 1990. Before that period rock music was prohibited. Although youth groups found ways to listen it through clandestine channels. Bojken Lako is considered as one of the most influential rock musicians in Albania. Some notable rock bands include Akull Thyesit (Icebreaker) from Elbasan (first rock album Lindja e Ujkut), Meteor from Durrës, Djemt e Detit, Albatros, Grupi X, and singers like Gjergj Jorgaqi (who sang for a short while for Thunderway), Redon Makashi and many others. Guttersnipe was a short-lived punk band from Tirana in the early 90s (one song was released on the compilation "last Call for the Lost Scenes vol.1" 7" vinyl on Tian An Men 89 Records in France. The guitarist, Eduard Dashi, went on to play as a session musician, while the vocalist, Klodi Agostini emigrated to Denmark.
Qelbanix were the first progressive band in Albania and in 2008 they released their first and last album "Infinit Relativ" with double cd. In this album there is an artwork for every song of it made by Qelbanix. While in 2011 Projekti was another musical project from albania, the first one to compose trip-hop music by celist Mardit Leki. The alternative band Linda ne Boten e Cudirave was created in 2009 with leader signer and guitarist Linda Rukaj, who later on in 2011 she released her single acoustic album "Jam" (I am) which was written and composed by her. She was the first female artist in Albania to be a singer songwirter and guitarist.
In the extreme music scene, Syrgjyn from Tirana, is the first albanian death metal band to release an album in June 2010. The album "Manifest of Essence" is an indie metal/death metal/industrial self-produced. The band is the only official albanian extreme metal act still performing.
During parallel governance (1989–1999) and after the 1999 war
in Kosovo several new bands emerged, among which most famous are Diadema, KEK ("Kombinat Elektrikë e Kosovës" = Kosovo Electrical Plant), 7me7, The Hithat, Cute Babulja, Por-no, Gre3n, Retrovizorja.
In Macedonia the main Albanian rock/punk band is considered Blla Blla Blla founded in 1989. Their influence can be seen not only in Albanian but also in Macedonian rock music. Another Albanian band from Macedonia is Shekulli i Dreqit (Century of Blood), metal from Struga.
After 2004 many alternative rock band appeared forming a new wave. Many bands formed, dissolved than re-formed. Bands like Gillespie, The Bloody Foreigners, and Gre3n (ceased existing in 2008). Also the Glasses, the Dizzies (with some band members of Gillespie) Freelancers most of them debuting in 2009. During those years in Albania they were lots of alternative and rock bands like Permit of Stay, Germs, Ora 3, The Room, 00 Genti, The S Forest...
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
, and other Albanian-inhabited areas closely related to western rock. It has a wide variety of sub-genres like heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, alternative
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
and death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
. Albanian rock music first started in Kosovo through bands like Gjurmët
Gjurmët
Gjurmët was an Albanian rock music band from Kosovo. The band lasted from 1980 until 1986 and was composed of five members. Vocalist of the group was Migjen Kelmendi, now a known journalist and publicist. In 2002, the project published Gjurmët LP tracks, a collection of songs with high recording...
, Lindja and later Jericho, and is continued today by most notably Asgjë Sikur Dielli
Asgjë Sikur Dielli
-History:The band was created in the mid 90s when Alban Nimani and Bujar Honduzi met and decided to work together. The duo made a lot of rehearsals and gigs in Pristina before they met their bass player Visar Qeska. Asgjë Sikur Dielli was formed in 1996 after series of gigs in Kosovo...
, Por-no, Cute Babulja, Blla Blla Blla
Blla Blla Blla
Blla Blla Blla is an Albanian-Macedonian rock band from Skopje. It was formed in 1998 by then band members Idriz Ameti, Ermal Skupi , Nikola Bocvarov and Blagojce Penov. Later, after Ermal left the band to be replaced by Krenar Ismaili . Idriz Ameti is the singer. Most of the songs are in Albanian...
, Bojken Lako, CROSSBONES, and Retrovizorja. In Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, the first rock concert was organized by Aleksander Gjoka in 1989. Only after the collapse of communism in Albania did the first rock groups appear there. The first rock band in Albania was Megaherz, founded by guitarist Bledar Sejko, after the fall of communism, he went on to form Thunderway, with Elton Deda a thrashmetal band which recorded the first rock album in Albania called "The Executioner's Orders", on cassette. Meanwhile, Bojken Lako was experimenting rock with his first band, The Fishhook, who released one album on cassette. The first recorded rock album on CD in Albania was released in 1997 by Crossbones entitled Days of Rage.
Brief history
Yugoslavian influence among Albanians in Kosovo was also present in rock music. The first known Albanian rock band was called Blue Star appeared in 1964 in Pristina, later they renamed it to Modestët. In the beginning of the 70's, rock music stage present in Kosovska MitrovicaKosovska Mitrovica
Kosovska Mitrovica , is a city and municipality in northern Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous district....
, Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
(then Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
) was made of both Serbian and Albanian bands. Some of these bands, like MAK had both Albanian and Serbian musicians. Another bi-ethnic band was FAN also based in Mitrovica.
Pristina was the most important city for Albanian rock music during the 80's. In the mainstream circles Gjurmët (founded 1981) were among favorites. Their combination of rock with "muzikë qytetare" laid the foundation of Albanian rock. Other known bands that formed during this period were Ilirët, 403, Telex, Seleksioni 039, Minatori and Menkis. On the other hand, the underground music was more leaning towards punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
. Most notable underground rock/punk band of Pristina in the 80s was Lindja with its lead musician Luan Osmani (lead guitar). The beginning of the 90's introduced other rock bands and individuals that played mainly in Kosovo like Troja
Troja (band)
Troja is an Albanian heavy metal band which was founded by Bujar Berisha , Florent Bajrami , Violand Shabani and Agron Ejupi in 1990 in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo.- Band history :The band was founded in 1991...
, Dardan Shkreli, Blla blla blla
Blla Blla Blla
Blla Blla Blla is an Albanian-Macedonian rock band from Skopje. It was formed in 1998 by then band members Idriz Ameti, Ermal Skupi , Nikola Bocvarov and Blagojce Penov. Later, after Ermal left the band to be replaced by Krenar Ismaili . Idriz Ameti is the singer. Most of the songs are in Albanian...
and Elita 5 (from Macedonia).
In Albania the most prominent rock bands and individuals only appeared after 1990. Before that period rock music was prohibited. Although youth groups found ways to listen it through clandestine channels. Bojken Lako is considered as one of the most influential rock musicians in Albania. Some notable rock bands include Akull Thyesit (Icebreaker) from Elbasan (first rock album Lindja e Ujkut), Meteor from Durrës, Djemt e Detit, Albatros, Grupi X, and singers like Gjergj Jorgaqi (who sang for a short while for Thunderway), Redon Makashi and many others. Guttersnipe was a short-lived punk band from Tirana in the early 90s (one song was released on the compilation "last Call for the Lost Scenes vol.1" 7" vinyl on Tian An Men 89 Records in France. The guitarist, Eduard Dashi, went on to play as a session musician, while the vocalist, Klodi Agostini emigrated to Denmark.
Qelbanix were the first progressive band in Albania and in 2008 they released their first and last album "Infinit Relativ" with double cd. In this album there is an artwork for every song of it made by Qelbanix. While in 2011 Projekti was another musical project from albania, the first one to compose trip-hop music by celist Mardit Leki. The alternative band Linda ne Boten e Cudirave was created in 2009 with leader signer and guitarist Linda Rukaj, who later on in 2011 she released her single acoustic album "Jam" (I am) which was written and composed by her. She was the first female artist in Albania to be a singer songwirter and guitarist.
In the extreme music scene, Syrgjyn from Tirana, is the first albanian death metal band to release an album in June 2010. The album "Manifest of Essence" is an indie metal/death metal/industrial self-produced. The band is the only official albanian extreme metal act still performing.
During parallel governance (1989–1999) and after the 1999 war
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
in Kosovo several new bands emerged, among which most famous are Diadema, KEK ("Kombinat Elektrikë e Kosovës" = Kosovo Electrical Plant), 7me7, The Hithat, Cute Babulja, Por-no, Gre3n, Retrovizorja.
In Macedonia the main Albanian rock/punk band is considered Blla Blla Blla founded in 1989. Their influence can be seen not only in Albanian but also in Macedonian rock music. Another Albanian band from Macedonia is Shekulli i Dreqit (Century of Blood), metal from Struga.
After 2004 many alternative rock band appeared forming a new wave. Many bands formed, dissolved than re-formed. Bands like Gillespie, The Bloody Foreigners, and Gre3n (ceased existing in 2008). Also the Glasses, the Dizzies (with some band members of Gillespie) Freelancers most of them debuting in 2009. During those years in Albania they were lots of alternative and rock bands like Permit of Stay, Germs, Ora 3, The Room, 00 Genti, The S Forest...
Main bands and individuals
- FARAZIMUS
- GjurmëtGjurmëtGjurmët was an Albanian rock music band from Kosovo. The band lasted from 1980 until 1986 and was composed of five members. Vocalist of the group was Migjen Kelmendi, now a known journalist and publicist. In 2002, the project published Gjurmët LP tracks, a collection of songs with high recording...
(dissolved) - Minatori
- Lindja
- Cute Babulja
- Blla Blla BllaBlla Blla BllaBlla Blla Blla is an Albanian-Macedonian rock band from Skopje. It was formed in 1998 by then band members Idriz Ameti, Ermal Skupi , Nikola Bocvarov and Blagojce Penov. Later, after Ermal left the band to be replaced by Krenar Ismaili . Idriz Ameti is the singer. Most of the songs are in Albanian...
- TrojaTroja (band)Troja is an Albanian heavy metal band which was founded by Bujar Berisha , Florent Bajrami , Violand Shabani and Agron Ejupi in 1990 in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo.- Band history :The band was founded in 1991...
- Gillespie
- KEK (dissolved)
- Por-no
- Megaherz
- Crossbones
- Bojken Lako
- The Fishhook
- Thunderway
- Gentjan Bushpepa
- Meteor
- Djemt e Detit
- Shekulli i Dreqit
- Guttersnipe
- Jericho (Jericho Walls)
- Gre3n
- the Dizzies
- the Glasses
- the Freelancers
- Garazhat e Bardha
- Retrovizorja
- Diadema
- Fullstop
- Kthjellu
- Toxin
- Djemtë e Detit
- 7me7
- 403
- Gjergj Jorgaqi
- Aleksander Gjoka
- Albatros
- Akullthyesit
- Kozanostra
- Redon Makashi
- Ritfolk
- HUMUS
- Edison Bregu
- Lufte Popullit
- Asgjë Sikur DielliAsgjë Sikur Dielli-History:The band was created in the mid 90s when Alban Nimani and Bujar Honduzi met and decided to work together. The duo made a lot of rehearsals and gigs in Pristina before they met their bass player Visar Qeska. Asgjë Sikur Dielli was formed in 1996 after series of gigs in Kosovo...
- Permit of stay
- Noise Seed
- C.O.D.Y.
- Ora 3
- Linda ne boten e çudirave
- Votra
- The Hithat
- 00 Genti
- Babuka
- Germs
- Elita 5
- Iliret
- Projekti
- Arber Elezi
- Elton Deda
- Purgatory
- ODA
- Trix
- Xuxi
- B.B.Poqi
- Adrian Rrusta
- Fisniket
- TNT
- The S Forest
- Astrit Dili
- The Bloody Foreigners
- Meta
- Haliband
- LuTuS
- Lindja
- Syrgjyn
- The Room
- NA
- Hapat
- Black Storm
- Gverr
- Qelbanix
- PainKiller
- Nihil
- Satrap
- Zoterr
- Natfron