Operace Artaban

Czech Oi! band Band History The band started in 1997. Their first line-up was: Kabanos (bass,vocals), Beňo (drums), Hodnej Pepa (vocals), and Ned (guitar). Before this, Kabanos and Beňo played together in a well known HC punk band Los Sommros and in an Oi! punk band No Passaran. After a few years playing in these bands, some of the members decided to start a more serious band about real street life…and Operace Artaban was born! After their first gig (with the German band Monkey Shop in 1998 at Boomerang club in Brno), Hodnej Pepa decided to quit skinhead and quit the band along with Beňo. They then joined a metal band called Sinuum. So, Miloš (ex-drummer of punk-metal band 1000 let od ráje) joined Operace Artaban, along with Jara ´Pig´ Kořínek, who became the singer. After a while, Ned lost his enthusiasm for skinhead and was replaced by their metal friend Zelinka. With this line-up, the band recorded their first album in 1999. At first they only made an MC, but later in the autumn of 2000, they released the same album as a split CD with Slovakian band Incident 96 on the label Bass Riot. The band played many gigs (Anti society fest 99, with Vanilla Muffins in Prague, with Zóna A in Boskovice, and also many gigs in Pilsen, Budapešť, Bratislava and Hradec Králové). In their hometown Brno, unfortunately the band had some conflicts with the local police, who shut down an Operace gig with Zóna A and The Protest. Operace Artaban was later boycotted by most Brno clubs because of the violent reputation of their fans. Due to this , the band couln’t even be listed on posters, and only played at punk concerts, whenever they were invited on stage! It looked like the line-up would hold, but three weeks before their gig in Prague with Loikaemie, without warning Jara announced he was quitting the band. Right away, the band held try-outs for a new singer, and decided on their good friend Srnda. In just 14 days, he had to learn all the lyrics for the gig with German cult Oi! band, Loikaemie, in Prague, where 150 people turned up! After a few gigs (Budapest, Hradec Kralove, Dunajov, Brno, and Blansko), the band started to prepare a new album. At this time, Guitarist Zelinka announced that after recording the new album, he would only play a few more gigs before quitting Operace and continuing with his other band. So, again, Operace needed a new member. By chance, they spoke about it with their friend Ondras, who at the time didn’t have any experience on the electric guitar, and had never played in a band. But he was willing to work hard and after only 3 months, he surprised everyone by playing at the 3rd Statl Mini Fest (October 2001). The line-up had become a 100% skinhead band! At this gig, there was an album release party, where they baptised their new CD, ”Pani Kluci”, with beer! Now – the band is painstakingly working to show their best form! Oi! History II We played several gigs during the winter 2002 (i. a. Prague, Pilsen, Budapest) and some new songs started to rise (Polopravda, “Skinhead’s here” and “István Josef” based on the true story – ugh!). Our auditions took place at Kabanos 2 – 3 times per week. In these times we did one gig a month approximately (České Budejovice, Budapešť). In June we played together with Crusaders, Zona A and almost all currently playing czech and hungarian Oi! And Oi!punk bands on the first Streetkids party in Brno. In the autumn Kabanos had to move and we lost excellent place for auditions. We were accepted by Kejkla, who has a studio in his parents house and was starting new band Mad pigs. But some goddie bamboozled to milksop Kejkla, that nazis offered a reward for an information about our audition place, so we had to move again. And again were accepted into the similar conditions by Mario and Kontrawim. Unfortunately, Mario had and hard accident and his studio was closed. That’s why, nowadays we share the studio with almost twenty other bands and even have to pay a rent there! At the end of 2003 we finished 6 new songs and Rabiat records issued it like a split with Zaciatok Konca called Skinhead condomhood. It was christened on Statl fest were Skinhead’s here clip was made. This gig was a premiere for our new guitarist – 13 years old George Bush (ex Soudruzi). Because he’s teenager, we educate him by slaps and call him fairily “Reject” We played several times in Germany (Torgau, Chemnitz), had a tour with Perkele and during the summer 2004 played in Hungarian on Punk Island festival (here we’re unsuccesfully assaulted by some black-men, but after the hood removal we found they’re not niggers ) For Streetkids compilation issued in 2004 by Rabiat records were two new songs recorded: “Join us” and popularly – scurrilous lilt “They fucked our Annie”, which won’t be issued any more. In the 2004 we’re playing more frequently then ever (incl. i. a. Italy), this year we returned to Anti – fest. Although the promoters tried to let us play at the beginning, we imposed into the prime time In the autumn Ondras has left the band (he’s not able to spend so much time with a band), meanwhile we’re working on new songs for new CD… History III. Another gigs are coming one by one, what means more and more time taken by playing. As Srnda would like to attend more time to his planned family, we agreed on his going off the band when new CD is recorded and new singer is found and trained. Furthemore, we are still looking for a new guitarist, because everything stays on Zmetek after Ondras has left. Most of summer 2005 we spent in Davos studio in Vyskov and the result is new CD „Spolecenstvi dobraku“ (Society of goodies) (which also includes clip of the same name). New singer Iggy was firstly introduced to public on the last show in Sklepy in Boskovice on August, 26. We are looking forward to coming gigs in Czech rep., Germany and Hungary, after the summer break caused by recording. On December´s show in Brno, where our new CD was baptised, said Srdna good bye to band definitely. Second guitar, Martin, rehearse with us by now as well. Many gigs waiting for the band in the first half of 2006, among others to Poland for the first time. Martin is introduced to public in Liberec on February, 3 and seeing that Zmetek felt sick at the eleventh hour true baptism of fire is waiting for him. History IV. We did many gigs in traditional places in Czech rep. and Hungary either in clubs or in open air festivals during 2006 and the first half of 2007. Among others we took the farest place on the east OA has ever played – Budapest. Moreover we did several gigs abroad (Ethiopia, India, Hungary) and it seems that clearly bright future is awaiting us… However great envy is coming from socalled political activists, despite that they are of small number still spreading lies and slanders about our sympathy to extremism with never-dying effort. However we are accustomed to imputation of leftism from right-wingers and rightism from left-wingers. Who is able to read or has his own ears can find everything in our lyrics... Band´s configuration was changed again in May 2007 – past some events conflicting with friendship was István substituted by Stryc Bim (Uncle Bim), who had some experiences from Glejt (a band from Dubnany), so he is able to do his first gig with OA in Zalaergeszeg (Hungary) after just a few rehearsals. By now, we are working hard on next new songs, which are fluently incorporated into our current shows... more ... operaceartaban.wz.cz Read more on Last.fm. 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