Zadnja stanica Prečko is a project by Renato Metessi, the former lead singer of the new wave band Patrola, and a post new-wave outfit Zvijezde, which both had seen success during the Eighties. Long time ago, nicht war? Renchi, as he is known to his friends, participated in many a project and sung in various bands ever since. Above all, he is known for his deep rock and roll convictions and dedication. Such r’n’r zeal brought him a status of a professional rock legend, which he cherishes and nurtures. While many music professionals became skeptical of such status, his tireless efforts never slowed down and others were much more inclined to grant him the status of a real legend.

Besides generally sharing with Renchi memories of the good bygone times, I am now grateful to him for his efforts as they brought me, and more importantly to my family an unexpected chance to taste the innocent rock of the past, once again, in it’s truest form. There were times before his and mine, when rock fans were prepared to go through great hardship and were prepared to put in great amount of passion in the humble process of listening to the music their generation was producing. They did so not only because they rightly believed they are a part of the wave of unprecedented social changes, but also because their generational coming out simply brought so much individual and group pleasures that it was impossible to give such concentrated effort to other activities. These simple yet full pleasures, from dancing, sweating, kissing and unfortunately sometimes fist-fighting, to laid back close and intent observations at the same, and the world at large made for an intgral reception of rock music that somehow is not consumed in this way anymore. Just feeling the warm summer breeze at Prečko while the bands were playing that evening in June brought all of it back. Cool beer and warm asphalt, electric guitar and a wish to have a good time.

This revisiting of old r’n’r days is dedicated to his neighborhood of Prečko, entitled Last Stop Prečko in honor of the tram line’s last stop. All in the know of the rock iconography will immediately recognize that last public transport stops from time immemorial symbolized the values of true suburban credibility. As in all rock fables, on a balmy early summer night in June, when the buds of expectations of the summer unfolding are laid under our feet we stepped over the grass and warm asphalt of the local school yard towards the stage where local band was performing. Since mid-Seventies, and the venerable Gaudeamus festival for young rock bands’ did I not hear rock played with the garage gusto and introvert passion that is an unmistakeable signature of such local music making. As one band followed the other, the succession of totally different stylistic preferences bore witness to the most obscure and liberal choice of music information that went into those unexpected styles. Is it possible that this guy wielding the axe actually arrived to this personal combination of folk and jazz without knowing about Pentangle, or did he share this great band’s music with his band-mates?

An interview would be needed to learn this, but you don’t interview nowadays the groups without Facebook and MySpace following, do you? Anachronistic as it might have been, sweet it was to hear music played by real people in their neighborhood. It not only reminded us how music used to be played, it also showed us that this way of life is still lived, cherished and even venerated by many people, much more than it would appear by following the sparkling surface of the social services.

For ya: http://vimeo.com/user3763591 .