Atomsko Sklonište (transl. Fallout Shelter) is a Croatian and Yugoslav hard rock band, formed in Pula in 1977. Known for their early anti-war concept, as well as their later hit songs, Atomsko Sklonište were one of the most prominent acts of the Yugoslav rock scene.

The formation of the band was initiated by , a poet who wanted a musical band to perform his cataclysmically imagined anti-war verses as lyrics to hard rock songs. The fusion gained the band immediate attention of the Yugoslav public and media. Their first two studio albums, Ne cvikaj generacijo and Infarkt, both released in 1978, brought them nationwide popularity, although Obradović's lyrics were often described by Yugoslav music critics as unrefined. The group ended their cooperation with Obradović after the release of their fourth studio album Extrauterina, released in 1981, with the group's bass guitarist Bruno Langer taking over the role of the band's leader and principal songwriter. Simultaneously with their career in Yugoslavia, the band recorded the English language studio album Space Generation in their attempts to break into foreign market under the name Atomic Shelter. After the death of the band's original vocalist Sergio Blažić in 1987, Langer and the guitarist Dragan Gužvan recorded the band's second English language album, entitled This Spaceship, with a group of American musicians. After Gužvan's departure, Langer remained the only original member of the group, and would be the band's only mainstay member in the following years. After the release of the band's latest studio album Terra Mystica in 1995, Atomsko Sklonište devoted themselves to live performances, releasing several live albums since. Although they do not enjoy large mainstream popularity as in the late 1970s and the first half of the 1980s, the group maintains a loyal fan base in Croatia and other former Yugoslav republics.

History

The beginnings (1968–1977)

thumb|Poet Boško Obradović (shown here in 1983) initiated the 1977 formation of Atomsko Sklonište, creating the band's cataclysmic imagery and writing their lyrics until parting ways with them in 1981.|left

The band's prehistory can be tracked to 1968, when a play entitled Atomsko sklonište premiered in Istrian National Theater in Pula. The play was directed by poet Boško Obradović and featured a selection of anti-war poetry from across the world, including two of Obradović's poems: "Kuga u Danangu" ("Plague in Danang"), directed against Vietnam War, and "Vaclavske namjesti" ("Wenceslas Square"), against Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia.

The band's second album, entitled Infarkt (Heart Attack), was released during the same year. The album featured nine old Atomsko Sklonište songs re-recorded with English language lyrics written by Dražen Met Premet. On 21 July 1986, the band had their last performance with Blažić in the Pula club Uljanik. and four songs from the album appeared on the various artists compilation Best of East Europe Rock SpinUp. The recording of the concert was released on the double live album Serđo živi in 2024.

Legacy

In 2014, a green area in Krležina street in Pula was officially named Sergio Blažić "Đoser" Field.

The song "Treba imat dušu" was covered by Serbian and Yugoslav singer Dušan Prelević "Prele" on his 1996 album Ja Prele (I, Prele). one incarnation of the Serbian rock band Osvajači on the 1999 album Vino crveno (Red Wine), Serbian alternative rock band Supernaut on their 2006 album Eli, and Croatian hard rock band Opća Opasnost on their 2019 album Karta do prošlosti (Ticket to the Past), the latter version featuring guest appearances by Bruno Langer Ranko Svorcan. The song "Ne cvikaj generacijo" was covered by Serbian rock singer Viktorija on her 2000 album Nostalgija (Nostalgia). The song "Pomorac sam majko" was covered by Croatian singer Marijan Ban on his 2003 album Staro zlato (Old Gold). In 2005, film director and guitarist Danilo Šerbedžija formed the band Fiji di Bruno Atomico in Pula, the group performing covers of Atomsko Sklonište songs with Italian language lyrics. In 2015, the same album was polled as 99th on the list of 100 Greatest Yugoslav Albums published by the Croatian edition of Rolling Stone. In 1987, in YU legende uživo (YU Legends Live), a special publication by Rock magazine, Jednom u životu was proclaimed one of 12 best Yugoslav live albums.

In 2000, "Treba imat dušu", "Ne cvikaj generacijo" and "Pomorac sam, majko" were polled No.15, No.30 and No.80 respectively on Rock Express Top 100 Yugoslav Rock Songs of All Times list.

Band members

Current members

  • Bruno Langer – bass guitar <small>(1977–present)</small>, lead vocals <small>(1987–present)</small>
  • Matija Dadić – guitar <small>(2018–present)</small>
  • Eric Vojak – drums <small>(2018–present)</small>

Former members

  • Sergio Blažić – lead vocals <small>(1977–1987; his death)</small>
  • Dragan Gužvan – guitar <small>(1977–1987)</small>
  • Saša Dadić – drums <small>(1977–1981)</small>
  • Eduard Kancelar – keyboards <small>(1977–1978)</small>
  • Rudolf Grum – backing vocals <small>(1977–1978)</small>
  • Paul Bilandžić – keyboards <small>(1978–1980)</small>
  • Zdravko Širola – drums, keyboards <small>(1981–1987; died 2019)</small>
  • Ranko Svorcan – guitar <small>(1987–2018)</small>
  • Nikola Duraković – drums <small>(1987–1999; died 2021)</small>
  • Aleks Černjul – guitar <small>(occasional live appearances only, 1990–2020)</small>
  • Stjepan Bobić – drums <small>(1999–2018)</small>

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

  • Ne cvikaj generacijo (1978)
  • Infarkt (1978)
  • U vremenu horoskopa (1980)
  • Extrauterina (1981)
  • Mentalna higijena (1982)
  • Space Generation (as Atomic Shelter, 1983)
  • Zabranjeno snivanje (1984)
  • This Spaceship (as Atomic Shelter, 1987)
  • Criminal Tango (1990)
  • East Europe Man (as Atomic Shelter, 1992)
  • Terra Mistica (1995)

Live albums

  • Atomska trilogija (1980)
  • Jednom u životu (1985)
  • Oni što dolaze za nama (2020)
  • Uživo Novi Sad 2022 (2023)
  • Serđo živi (2024)

Compilations

  • 1976 – 1986 (1996)
  • 76 - '86 Kolekcija hitova Vol.2
  • Atomsko Sklonište (2007)

Video albums

  • Atomsko sklonište (2003)

Singles

  • "Pomorac sam majko" / "Pakleni vozači" (1979)
  • "Bez kaputa" / "Tko će sad na zgarištu reći" (1980)
  • "Generacija sretnika" / "Gazi opet čizma" (1980)
  • "Night Launch" / "State of Mind" (1983)

References

  • Atomsko Sklonište at Discogs