Kontraritam

Kontraritam (Serbian Cyrillic: ???????????; trans. The Counterbeat) was a new wave band from Novi Sad, notable as the first ska band in Serbia. The band was formed in Autumn 1980 by former Gomila G members ?olt Horvat (guitar) and Robert "Robi" Radi? with Jan Pavlov (keyboards, vocals), Dimitrije "Mita" Radulovi? (bass, vocals). The band also featured guitarist Sreten Srele Kova?evi? who left his former band Pekinška patka after the release of their debut album Plitka poezija . Beside the guitar Kova?evi? played saxophone, which he took up playing a few months before joining the band.

The band was formed in Autumn 1980 by former Gomila G members ?olt Horvat (guitar) and Robert "Robi" Radi? with Jan Pavlov (keyboards, vocals), Dimitrije "Mita" Radulovi? (bass, vocals). The band also featured guitarist Sreten Srele Kova?evi? who left his former band Pekinška patka after the release of their debut album Plitka poezija . Beside the guitar Kova?evi? played saxophone, which he took up playing a few months before joining the band.

After a few club appearances and with the help of Vitomir "Vita" Simurdi?, the band managed to appear on the Subotica Youth festival. Due to the death of Josip Broz Tito, the festival was held in November and not in May, as it was originally played. Even though the band did not win the festival, it got positive reactions from the audience and critics.

In December 1980, the band appeared at the Grok festival, held at the Novi Sad fair. They also played as an opening act for Haustor, Prljavo Kazalište and Idoli. With the help of the producer Aleksandar "Aca" Pra?i?, the band recorded a few songs, which provided the media presentation of the band.

After the Hipodrom festival in 1981, Radulovi?, who went to serve the Yugoslav People's Army, was replaced by Boris "Bora" Oslov?an. Soon after, the band sinned a contract with the Beograd disk record label, but the material recorded for the debut album was released by Jugoton in June 1982. The album was recorded in the "Meta Sound" studio and featured the recordings of both Radulovi? and Oslov?an on bass.

In the meantime, the band changed several lineups, but frequently performed live. Their appearance with Obojeni program and Grad at Dadov in Belgrade during September 1981 was one of their best performances as the band had three encore calls.

During the early 1982 the band performed mainly in Novi Sad. In the meantime, Horvat and Oslov?an went to serve the Yugoslav People's Army and the new member became Luna drummer Ivan Fece Firchie as the new guitarist. Soon after, the band ceased to exist. The song "Sretne noge" ("Happy Legs") appeared on the third place of Studio B's "Diskomer" the top ten list and the song "?o?o, vrati se" appeared on the Vru?i dani i vrele no?i various artists compilation. In 1994, the band's song "Sretne noge" appeared on the various artists compilation Niko kao ja - jugoslovenski novi talas.

The band was reformed by Kova?evi?, Pavlov, Radulovi? and the new drummer Predrag "Buca" Jani?i? and together they performed in local clubs. In spring 1983 Kova?evi? went to serve the Yugoslav People's Army and the band split up. Horvat moved to Germany, Radi? joined Love Hunters, Pavlov moved to Canada, Radulovi? works in Elektrovojvodina and Oslov?an works as a chef in a restaurant in Moscow. Kova?evi? formed his own company Audiokonstruktor. In 2008 he performed a reunion show with his former band Pekin?ka Patka at Exit festival.