ŠKM Banda named itself after fallen national hero Štefan Kovač - Marko, the organiser of resistence movement against fascist occupation forces at the beginning of WWII in the Prekmurje region.
Štefan Kovač Marko Banda (abbr. ŠKM Banda) is a guitar ‘post-rock’ quartet from the village of Beltinci in Prekmurje region, rebuilt from the members of defunct band Avant-Garde in 2003.
In past seven years they came out with three albums, all three published by Prekmurje based God Bless This Mess label. Their debut album was Patentat (2005). It was followed by Šamar-janka (2008). Their latest release with recordings of live performance in the studio of public Radio Slovenia is called Izštekani, named after the respectable broadcast show modelled on well-known international example (Unplugged).
The band drew broader attention after involvement with Club Marathon in 2005. In the past years they have extended and mastered the fusion of elements from various music genres – including rock, guitar noise, jazz-like and hardcore licks and strong rhythmic pulse. Concerts around Slovenia and abroad followed.
They performed together with colleagues, folkies from the town of Beltinci, Mlada Beltinška banda at Druga Godba Festival 2010.
