Nevenko, La Cherga mixes reggae and dub influences with traditional Eastern European music. Where did that idea come from?
Nevenko Bucan (programming, electronics): "All members of La Cherga were involved in other projects in the past and with La Cherga we really wanted to do something new. We're based in Graz, in Austria, known for its very famous jazz academy (Universität Für Musik Und Darstellende Kunst Graz, red.). Personally I worked with Balkanizer in the past and as a deejay I was involved in the dub scene for many years, mainly playing electronic dub and some reggae. In 2001 I started experimenting with the combination of dub and the sounds from the Balkan. I felt I had something, but in my opinion it would work better with a live band, so I went in search of some good and open-minded musicians. It took me quite some time to find them, but eventually we started recording in 2007 and our debut album, 'Fake No More', was really recorded in a record time of less than two months. Although we were very excited with the music we had created and when we presented the record to various record labels around Europe, they were equally enthusiastic."
What can you tell me about the band name La Cherga?
Nevenko Bucan: "In Romani "cherga" means "a bunch of people" often wandering around without a purpose or direction. You could say it's a word to describe gipsies, as they fit the description, but we too are now immigrants and there are definitely links between the choice of that band name and the course of our lives."
You just mentioned you started out as a dub and reggae deejay. What is that scene like in Austria? Is there even a scene to speak of?
Nevenko Bucan: "Oh yes, it really developed in the nineties with people like Kruder & Dorfmeister running at the forefront of this avant-garde dub movement. Some of my stuff was also featured on one of their G-Stone Recordings compilations. The only thing lacking were bands, because this scene was all deejays. I want to mention though that although this first album was mainly dub-inspired, that doesn't mean we won't be experimenting with other things in the future. I don't feel I want to be pinned down on the dub thing too much. We've already written a few new songs and they are more drum & bass-oriented and who knows what the future will bring."
What is the title of the album, 'Fake No More', all about?
Nevenko Bucan: "Well, the last few years the so-called Balkan sound has suddenly become very popular and this has resulted in a lot of bands being out there that are just crap. Too many of these bands are just in it for the money. With La Cherga we wanted to make a difference and not just play the same old folk tunes over and over again or remix them and put a dance beat over them, but really create something new. I also hate the term Balkan sound; it just doesn't exist. There are many countries in the Balkans, each with its own sound. The roots of La Cherga for example are 100% Macedonian. I think you could interpret that title as our slogan; it's an opinion we wanted to express."
The album is in great part instrumental in nature, how important is the message in the music for you guys?
Nevenko Bucan: "Our lyrics have a lot of irony in them. Because there are already so many crap Balkan bands out there, we didn't want to take ourselves too seriously and so we decided to take that ironic stance. We certainly have no political message, because in the words of Irina Karamarkovic: "We consider ourselves to be a post-pessimist movement."; we just want to dance, party and make pop music. In a way we're like the orchestra on the Titanic; everything around us is going to hell, but we keep on playing. We're just trying to create our own micro-universe without feeling the need to go and shout big messages."
You recorded the album with Irina Karamarkovic, but now you're touring with another singer (Anka Ilijasevic, red.). Is she completely out of the picture now?
Nevenko Bucan: "No, she still wants to work with us in the future, but she wasn't prepared to come on tour with us because she has her own jazz quartet to think about. She's an excellent songwriter, a great jazz vocalist and she definitely has a crazy personality. In the future I'd like to work with other people as well though; that way it's easier to create different vibes. The core of the band really consists of four people Trajce Velkov on trumpet, Kiril Kuzmanov on sax, Muamer Gazibegovic on guitar and me on samples."
With the kind of music you guys play, you're invited to both world music and pop/rock events. Where do you feel most at home?
Nevenko Bucan: "We try to feel at home wherever we have to play really, because by mixing different styles like dub, gipsy music, jazz and so on, we're trying to break these imaginary boundaries that separate the different musical genres. By being original and authentic we try to fit in just about anywhere. Nationalism and patriotism are so passé you know! (laughs)"