Leader Gino Yevdjevich became a professional musician in his native Sarajevo when he was 16, making a good living playing commercial music. All that changed in 1991, when the war in the former Yugoslavia began. With no money and precious little food or electricity, the local artistic community made art for itself -- and found it well received as locals braved snipers and bombs to get out of their houses.
However, he left for the U.S. in 1994 under the sponsorship of singer Joan Baez and ended up in Seattle starring in a play with music about the Sarajevo conflict, Behind God's Back.
The band Kultur Shock came after the play closed, playing acoustic music in restaurants. Advised by Krist Novoselic (who has his own Croatian roots in the Balkans) to play louder, they began doing so -- and found themselves thrown out of the restaurants.
After a brief hiatus, they returned to play Seattle clubs with guitarist Mario Butkovich, who'd been persuaded to move from his new home in Portland. Brad Houser (New Bohemians, Critters Buggin') took the bass slot, with Amy Denio and Jessica Lurie filling out the horn section.
In 1999, they recorded and self-released Kultur Shock Live in Amerika, which documented the outfit at the first full stage of their development. While the music they played was all traditional, the treatment of it certainly wasn't, with loud electric guitars complementing the twist-and-turn horn lines. It was, Yevdjevich admitted, "a party album," and though often impressive, it didn't do them full justice.
Changes in personnel ensued. Houser left, to be replaced with Masa Kobayashi from Tokyo, and a second guitarist, Bulgarian Val Kiossovski. With that lineup, they began to make their first studio record, along the way signing with Kool Arrow, the label run by Faith No More's Billy Gould, and continuing to play local gigs as well as touring up and down the West Coast. The album, FUCC the I.N.S., appeared in late 2001, followed by Kultura-Diktatura in 2004 and We Came to Take Your Jobs Away in 2006.
In October 2008 Mario Butkovic and Masa Kobayashi left the band and the new line-up included some already known to the band musicians like:
Guy Michael Davis - well known for his amazing bass work with the bands Sage (mid 90s), Guardian Allien and BenJovi, is the new bassist, he plays banjo and bunch of other strange instruments, considering he grew up in Indonesia.
Paris Hurley - a violinist extraordinair substituted for Matty Noble for month and a half during the summer tour '08. In the process of it she became part of the band and was a natural choice for the forthcoming "Integration" album and the touring season.
Amy Denio recorded and toured with the band as a sax and clarinet player on 'Fucc the INS' and 'Kultura-Diktatura' .*
The last album "Integration" is released in 2009.
* from the interview of Val Kiossovski for the Bulgarian online radio Tangra Mega Rock http://radiotangra.com/?page=int&lng=en&id=183
Kultur Shock are:
Gino Srdjan Yevdjevic (Bosnia)- vocals, trumpet, djumbek
Val Kiossovski (Bulgaria) - guitar, vocal
Chris Stromquist (USA) - drums
Guy Davis (Indonesia, USA) - bass, banjo
Matty Noble (USA)- violin
Paris Hurley (USA) - vocal, violin
Amy Denio (USA) - clarinet, saxophone, vocal
Words
Kultur Shock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
in the hood I abandoned
for the scream of a mother
that I took for granted
For the look in the eye
of a girl I loved
(for the old) school yard
where my senses grew up
For the war and the peace
and the lost and the found
for the shame and the pride
that I lightly compound
For the dear and the wanted
for the hated and zero
for the sake of anonimous
(riveting) hero
For the sick and the poor
for the healthy and rich
for my ex wife
that I call a bitch
For the whore and the virgin
for the priest and the pimp
for the cop and the hostess
the lousy and weird
Od milijon godina
Mi puka sirotinja
Hodi meni Lane moje
Ooo...
Od milijon godina
Mi puka sirotinja
Dođi kući Lane moje
Ooo...
For the women in the jail
and the razor blade Mary
for the sources of evil
and the timeless chimeras
For the wine in my glass
and the yesterday's pass
for the many new names
I forget like an ass
(If I smell like an ass, if I look like an ass,
if I act like an ass- fuck me- I’m an ass!)
For the blood in the vains
for the glory and pains
for the rioters, ministers,
weirdoes and lame,
For the fusion for me and you
somewhere and then
for the power of words
we don't have to pretend.
(For the grass in the pipe
for the raki of mine
for the kicks in the ass
and the touch of the sky,
for the fatherless child
and the motherless land
for the truth that we will never have to pretend...)
Od milijon godina
Mi puka sirotinja
Hodi meni Lane moje
Ooo...
Od milijon godina
Mi puka sirotinja
Dođi kući Lane moje
Ooo...
The lyrics to Kultur Shock's song Words are a reflection on the different experiences and people that have shaped the singer's life. The first stanza speaks about leaving behind the noise of the streets and the old school yard where they grew up. They also mention the woman they loved, possibly lost, and the mother they took for granted. This verse seems to evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing for a place or time that is no longer accessible.
The second stanza includes a range of diverse experiences and people, from the sick and the poor to the healthy and rich, the ex-wife, the whore, and the virgin. The singer recognizes the complexities and contradictions of life, acknowledging the shame and pride that they compound. They also mention an anonymous hero and highlight the importance of their actions, even if they are not recognized or remembered.
The final verse is a call to celebrate diversity and the power of words to bring people together. The singer mentions rioters, ministers, weirdoes, and lame people and emphasizes the value of their contributions. They also mention the fusion of identities and the possibility of finding common ground. The last line, "for the truth that we will never have to pretend," seems to suggest that the singer values honesty and authenticity above all.
Overall, this song is about the different experiences, people, and emotions that shape us as individuals. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing and celebrating diversity, as well as the power of words to bring people together.
Line by Line Meaning
For the noise of the boys
in the hood I abandoned
for the scream of a mother
that I took for granted
I left behind the loud disturbances of my old neighborhood and instead prioritize listening to a mother when she is truly upset, not just brushing off her screams.
For the look in the eye
of a girl I loved
(for the old) school yard
where my senses grew up
I am grateful for the memories and experiences I had in my old school yard, where I fell in love and grew as a person.
For the war and the peace
and the lost and the found
for the shame and the pride
that I lightly compound
I acknowledge and hold responsibility for how my actions contribute to both chaos and calm, loss and discovery, shame and pride.
For the dear and the wanted
for the hated and zero
for the sake of anonimous
(riveting) hero
I recognize the value in all types of people- those I cherish and those I despise- and understand that even those who go unnoticed can be truly captivating in their own way.
For the sick and the poor
for the healthy and rich
for my ex wife
that I call a bitch
I try to appreciate the full spectrum of lifestyles and relationships, but I still harbor resentment and bitterness towards my ex wife.
For the whore and the virgin
for the priest and the pimp
for the cop and the hostess
the lousy and weird
There is no specific person or job title that I completely despise or venerate, and I try to approach everyone with an open mind and curiosity.
Od milijon godina
Mi puka sirotinja
Hodi meni Lane moje
Ooo...
For millions of years, my impoverished people have been calling out for Lane (either a person or a metaphorical home) to come save us.
For the women in the jail
and the razor blade Mary
for the sources of evil
and the timeless chimeras
I am aware of the injustices in the world, and recognize that even those who seem to embody evil or mythical creatures face real struggles and pains.
For the wine in my glass
and the yesterday's pass
for the many new names
I forget like an ass
(If I smell like an ass, if I look like an ass,
if I act like an ass- fuck me- I’m an ass!)
I try to cherish and make the most of each present moment, but also acknowledge when I make mistakes and am forgetful or foolish.
For the blood in the vains
for the glory and pains
for the rioters, ministers,
weirdoes and lame
I understand that all people, regardless of status or behavior, have their own struggles and experiences that make them human.
For the fusion for me and you
somewhere and then
for the power of words
we don't have to pretend.
I believe in the deep emotional connections that can be forged between individuals and the potential for language to truly express our thoughts and feelings with authenticity.
(For the grass in the pipe
for the raki of mine
for the kicks in the ass
and the touch of the sky,
for the fatherless child
and the motherless land
for the truth that we will never have to pretend...)
There are moments in life- whether it be through drugs or music or rebellion or simply staring up at the stars- where we can feel truly free and in touch with a higher power. I also recognize the pain and suffering that comes with abandonment and unsupported children, and vow to always be truthful in my actions and beliefs.
Od milijon godina
Mi puka sirotinja
Dođi kući Lane moje
Ooo...
For millions of years, my impoverished people have been calling out for Lane (either a person or a metaphorical home) to come back to us.
Contributed by Allison R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.