Center za dehumanizacijo (CZD)

Since its inception in 1984, Center za dehumanizacijo (CZD) has been an important catalyst for the alternative music scene in Slovenia. In two decades CZD has developed its own distinctive variation of punk rock music, characterised by strong lyrics and stage presence. In 2003 CZD performed at the opening ceremony for Graz 03, European City of Culture, and in September 2004 the band was the Slovene representative at the first Punk! Kongress in Kassel, Germany.

In 1986 when CZD's first album was released, the band performed together with the groups Lačni Franz, Pankrti, Gastrbajtrs and Masaker as the first punk initiative at the Ljubljana Student Residency. It then embarked upon numerous concerts around Slovenia and the then Yugoslav republics and toured to Austria, Germany and the Netherlands. The group’s video Center za dehumanizacijo 1985-1991 appeared at the birth of the new state of Slovenia, and in 1992 the album Hanging Paradise was released, containing many songs with provocative content. Acoustic performances and a book of lyrics (Veselje in radost se budita) followed. CZD played an important role at the No Border Jam Festival and then released compilations. The record Ajajajajajajajaja was released in 1995, combining punk roots with experimental music patterns. In 1996 the new CD Pokozlane trate and the book CZD: Ethnologic outline of the rock group by Rajko Muršič appeared. The band was invited to the first Zgaga Rock Festival and subsequently performed at the legendary Novi rock concert. In 1987 CZD received the Golden Bird Award, a distinguished Slovene award for young creativity. The next CD, Slepa vera ('Blind Faith'), featured further punk and hard core developments. On the band's 2003 album Gverilci brez mej ('No Border Guerillas'), it was accompanied by the Tamburaški orkester Cirkovce (within the 'Unplugged' version broadcast on Ljubljana Radio). The next CD, Forma živa ('Form Alive'), included the e-Book 'I saw them in my dream'. 2004 saw a new initiative, the American-Slovene avant-garde music project Punkappella (Dušan Hedl, Bojan Tomažič, Mike Pride, Jessica Pavone), which was launched and presented in Germany and New York. Some Punkappella songs have been interpreted by CZD, for example, 'I am broke' was a music video hit on Radio-Television Slovenia (RTV Slovenia).

The Center za dehumanizacijo line-up consists of: Dušan Hedl (guitar, vocals), Boštjan Imenšek (guitar, vocals), Franci Novak (drums), Bojan Tomažič (sampler, effects, vocals) and Silvo Zemljič (bass, vocals). All their albums are recorded at the Studio at the Border.

Center za dehumanizacijo (CZD)

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