U Skripcu

U ?kripcu (Serbian Cyrillic: ? ???????; trans. In A Pinch) was a Serbian rock music group from Belgrade, notable as participant in the Artisti?ka radna akcija project as well as for their later works. History Formation and breakup (1980 - 1984) The band was formed by three high school friends Zoran "Vule" Vulovi? (keyboards), Milan "Del?a" Del?i? (vocals, guitar for a short period of time) and Aleksandar "Vasa" Vasiljevi? (guitar).

History
[edit] Formation and breakup (1980 - 1984)

The band was formed by three high school friends Zoran "Vule" Vulovi? (keyboards), Milan "Del?a" Del?i? (vocals, guitar for a short period of time) and Aleksandar "Vasa" Vasiljevi? (guitar). The three used to write amateur theatre plays and in 1979 decided to form a band. The group was initially called Prolog za veliki haos and then Furije furiozno furaju. The three also worked as associate journalists for the Mladi novi svet show airing on Studio B radio station.

In 1980 the band was renamed U ?kripcu, adding two more members - drummer Milo? Obrenovi? and bassist Aleksandar "Luka" Luki?. The band's first recordings, tracks "Ju?no vo?e" and "Pamflex dom" were released on the Artisti?ka radna akcija compilation in 1981. The beginning of their career is also connected to the "Pamflex" concept. Pamflex was an imaginary company, invented by Del?i?. The songs were actually commercials for imaginary products, as the band members considered advertising to be the finest form of art. Part of the concept was also reading of ironic and comical speeches, usage of Pamflex flags and using theater language style.

During 1981, the band had numerous live appearances in Belgrade and Zagreb, and soon established a bit of a following. Their debut album Godine ljubavi (released by PGP RTB) did not feature Luki? on bass, who was at the time serving the mandatory Yugoslav People's Army stint, and was replaced by Idoli bassist Zdenko Kolar, who recorded bass sections. During the tour, Dejan Gruji? from the band Bra?a played bass. The band established a team of co-workers who collaborated on their next releases, producer Sa?a Habi? and album artwork designers Slobodan ?ajin and Mom?ilo Rajin. The album's most notable tracks were "Ti ima? dosta godina", "Hamuamule", "Samuraji", "Kao u boji" and "Pole?e" dealing with various theme orientations. After the album release, Sa?a Dragi? became the band's manager.

In 1983 the band signed a contract with Jugoton and released the album O je! and the EP Nove godine!. The album was well accepted by the audience and the critics and the Rock magazine voted the album the best release of 1983. Guest appearances featured Gordi bassist and arranger Slobodan Svrdlan, ?or?e Petrovi? on keyboards, Nenad Jeli? on percussion and Jovan Milojkovi? on saxophone. The tracks "Beograd spava", "Kockar" and "Si?i do reke" were the most notable tracks on the album. The Nove godine! (trans. "New Years!") EP was intentionally released during the New Year holidays and featured five songs including the title track, also released on single, and the hit "Koliko ima? godina"[1].

In 1984, Luki? returned to the band and together they toured mainly in Croatia and in 1985 the band released Budimo zajedno! which was a combination of pop and electronic music. It featured a new version of "Hamuamule", "Tama me prati", "Crni an?ele", "Baj, baj". Due to the inability to achieve the success of the previous records the band ceased to exist.
[edit] Reformations and reunions (1986 - 2006)

Del?i? finished drama studies at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade and started writing theatre plays. Vasi? and Luki? worked as producers and with Obrenovi? and Aleksandar Ralev formed the band Ko?ava. Vulovi?, having returned from the Yugoslav People's Army decided to form his own band, Bang Bang, featuring himself on vocals. Since Del?i? became a part of the project, the two decided to reform U ?kripcu in 1986. They recorded new material with musicians from Zagreb, drummer Davor Vidi? (from Kristalno Plavo), bassist Dario Kumele and guitarist Zdravko Jurkovi?. In the meantime Del?i? went to serve the Yugoslav People's Army, so Vulovi? decided to change the lineup featuring musicians from Belgrade, vocalist Aleksandar Taba?, bassist Dejan "?kopi" ?kopelja, guitarist Zoran Veljkovi? and drummer Marko Milivojevi?. The album U ?kripcu was produced by Rijan Nemurin, guest appearances featured Aleksandar Vasiljevi? and Vlada Negovanovi?. The album was not commercially successful, the only track becoming a minor hit was "Vreme je za nas", and the band disbanded.

Del?i?, having returned from the army, started preparing his first solo album. The album was never released and U ?kripcu reunited once again featuring original members Luki?, Vulovi?, Del?i?, Vasiljevi? and Disciplina Ki?me drummer Ratko Ljubi?i?. The band released Izgleda da mi smo sami in 1990. It was produced by Luki? and Vasiljevi? and, beside the title track, "Ako ti ka?em" became popular songs. On the retrospective evening of the Belgrade Spring festival, the band performed a cover version of "Stjuardesa" by Radoslav Graji? and the recording appeared on the Beograde compilation in 1991.

When the Yugoslav wars started, the band became inactive and reformed only for major events like the Student's protests, Gitarijada festival, etc. and in the meantime prepared some new material, which was never released. Part of the material was used on the Familija debut album Narodno pozori?te, featuring Vasi? and Luki? and Vampiri members Dejan "Peja" Pejovi?, Dejan "Dexi" Petrovi? and Goran "Ged?a" Red?epi. The material written by Del?i? appeared on his first solo album Del?a & Sklekovi.

In 2000, the band's song "Ako ti ka?em (Je, je, je)" appeared on the Taped Pictures various artists compilation Automania 2 - Pop Hidraulic[2], and in 2006 on the Del?a & Sklekovi concert at Belgrade's Dom Omladine, the original U ?kripcu members appeared as guests. In December 2008, a live album was released, entitled Ljubilarnih 20 i ne?to godina - Live, recorded at the band's 2006 performance in Dom Omladine, released as Del?a, a i U ?kripcu[3].