Hi so you have been playing for quite long time so can you tell us how things started? Introduce us the band, tell anything secret…

Who came with idea to start the band Zona A and how did you found the name?

Zona A was founded in spring 1984 as a fuse of two members of band Paradox and two members of band Ex-Tip. It was my idea to make it like this. The name was at first ANTIZONA, but it didn´t fit to bureau because they were afraid that it meansANTI(communists)ZONA so we made the name shorter on A-ZONA and next step was to put the A at the end of the name.

 

Your first project was band „PARADOX“ why did you quit with this?

Paradox was playing since 1980 but guitarist Leďo wasn´t satisfied with drummer and he wanted to play with Ozi from band Ex-Tip, so we disbanded Paradox after four years.

 

You had a cooperation with label EMI/MONITOR but you crossed to INFLAGRANT RECORDS, why? Which label is better and which worse and in what things?

At first we cooperated with state label Opus and with ANKlabel of Petr Růžička. Monitor was our third label. At first the cooperation was good, but there were some personal changes, they closed their branch in Bratislava so we decided to release our things by ourselves. Big label as EMI is is better in making promo for the band and it has got better contacts in shops. On the other hand they keep major part of the money. When you make everything on your own you have everything under control.


 

You made a videoclip not long ago „Prečo to tak vždycky skončí“(„Why things end in this way“). Can you tell us what is the clip about and who shot it?

It is animated clip and it was made up by our friend Agda Bavi Pain who is screenwriter and writer and he had helped us with previous clip“Bratislavska dievčatá“. The clip is about the starts and the ends, and Agda made the clip which is about some more then the idea of song which is about romantic relationships.

 

You have been playing for more then 25 years..which is such a long time…do you feel any changes in the scene? And if yes..what changes?

Of course that we feel changes. Playing during era of communism was very difficult. For many prohibitons and restrictions we can´t play for some time. We can´t even travel to socialistic Poland, because police seized our passports. Every gig which was OK in that time was our personal victory in fight against the evil regime. Some gigs vere forbidden, after some we were arrested, we were cross-questioned by STB(secret police)..and nowadays….we can play almost what we want. Second difference is the fact, that in that time we had to pay everything for ourselves, even the gas and nowadays we become some money for the gig. But the main difference is that you weren´t allowed to drin on gigs during communism and there were too little girls. And nopwadays many beer and many girls on the gigs…great and amazing!

 

 

You have song with name„Cikánský problém“(„Gypsy problem“) which critisize this minority. Who is the author and whose was the idea? Have you some problems with that song?

The main part of the lyrics was made by me somewhere in 1984 or 1985. I haven´t no idea how to end it so I put it into drawer. It didn´t mean it like to critisize gypsies but the government which gave them an advantage. The lyrics was finished by our acordeonists Elvis(nowadays singer of Karpina). Song became a hit but we stopped playing it circa in 1990/91 when the united scene of skins and punks became devided into ultraleft and ultraright part and on our gigs were people from both specters and they were making a mess. They were searching for something in that song which wasn´t there.


 

Are you planning any new album, video or any change?

We want to release new album next year, we have around about 7-8 songs so we have to do something more. We also want to release some DVD with our history. And change …it will be our image because our drummer Tuleň wants to grow a beard.

 

Which bands influence you in music and lyrics?

First composer Leďo (he was playing with us from 1984 to 2002) was influenced by Sham 69, Clash, Adicts and Elvis Costello. Revo who became composer after him was influenced by only band Ramones. And my lyrics was infuenced byAdicts,

Ramones a Boys.

 

What is the worse and best thing which happened to you on the gig?

The worst thing on the gig is the fact when there are no women. But it doesn´t happening to us. Of course some excentric pricks who wants to have all attention of people aren´t good on concert. I was pleased when there is lack of women in front of the stage but we were also happy when we could play with our heroes like – Adicts and Boys.I was pleased also by Captain Sensible, when we played on some festival before Damned. After the gig he came to our car and he told us that he like our music which is full od power and melody.

 

So you want to add something at the end? Some greetings, swears…

Yes I want to greet all readers which can go through this wise interview and thank them for patience.