Det slovenska bandet Joke Out var i Göteborg för några veckor sedan, då passade jag på att träffa bandet innan deras spelning för kvällen. Samtliga bandmedlemmar var närvarande och var delaktiga i konversationen. Bojan Cvjetićanin på sång, Kris Guštin på gitarr, Nace Jordan på bas, Jan Peteh på gitarr och Jure Maček på trummor.
How are you enjoying Sweden? You went to Malmö yesterday right?
Yesterday yeah. We have a day off today.We have only had one gig prior to this in Sweden, Stockholm, and it was really a really cool gig but unfortunately on that day we didn’t have time to stop and go to the city. Nace and I (Bojan) have been to Stockholm before, but we didn’t get to see it. But we got to see a bit of Malmö, it was great, it is a nice city. Well we only got to see the city center, but it was very cozy and very beautiful, very nice architecture, and wide streets. The people were very nice as well.
We also went to a Balkan restaurant which made us very, very happy
Was it good, authentic?
Yes, very good and authentic!
Do you usually have time when you’re out on tour to go around and explore?
Depends, if we have a free day before the show. Then we have the chance to check the city we are in. But if it is a day like today where we have a gig…we had a gig yesterday and today we have another gig it’s not really enough time to check out anything. Maybe a two-hour walk in the city.
But today we have spent it resting, we don’t want to lose the energy.
How did the band start? You are quite young, many of you?
It started as a mash up of two bands, a primary school band and a high school band. I (Bojan) had a band that started in 2011, and Jan and Kris had a band that started the second year of high school – around 2016. Then I went to see one of their shows, I think it was their first show.-
The first full length show.
- and I really liked Kris and Jans guitar playing. So I decided to tell our bass player Martin to stop the band we had and called in these two (Kris & Jan). Then Jure joined in the production of the first album and Nace came to the band straight after production of the second album.
And you all get along?
No, we hate each other and have six buses outside.
Did you know each other beforehand? Had you met prior?
Actually no, me (Bojan) and Kris met in primary school but very vaguely. I met Jan at his first gig, I saw Jure on Youtube playing for another band and I really like his head movement because he had this Ringo Starr head movement on the drums. I actually played with Nace before when he was playing bass for another artist and I was a guest on the show, but we didn’t have a friendship I would say.
How did Eurovision change your careers?
Well we didn’t have any shows in Sweden, or Finland or Norway. Like generally outside of Slovenia or I (Jan) would say the Balkans. Maybe we had one or two shows outside of Slovenia.
And it was for Slovenes.
We mostly played in Slovenia, even if we played a lot of gigs for a Slovenian band I (Jan) would say. After that (Eurovision) we gained a lot of followers. People that enjoyed our music from outside of our region and with that we could play shows abroad. We had our first big tour when we had like four or five small tours and did around 35 concerts outside of Slovenia last year. Now we got this 22 gig tour which is also insane. I (Jan) would say the main difference is that.
And now everyone wants to come 21st in Eurovision (says Kris)
Are you going to apply for Eurovision again or?
No (says everyone in unison).
It was fun for one time, and none of us regret doing it obviously. But once is more than enough for one lifetime (says Kris).
Was it too much work?
No, but it was such a unique experience. Like truly, there is nothing in this world I (Bojan) can compare it to at all. There are so many artists in this world, and each country has so many interesting acts and songs, and faces and stories. Honestly, like Kris said, for one lifetime – being there once, is enough. It is enough for you as an artist, it is enough for, I believe, the fans aswell. That is maybe the magic of Eurovision, seeing something different each year. I am pretty sure none of us have a single bad thing to say about it, honestly. It was so nice and so good, a complete blessing. We met so many great people through it, but it’s like we did that.
And now you are onto new things I am guessing? Are you going to release new music?
Everybody’s Waiting is celebrating one month today. There is new music incoming, directly after the tour we are flying from Scotland, Glasgow to Hamburg to the studio to record our third studio album. I believe the first new music will be out around June. June/July. From there on loads of new music.
Do you have any fun memories from your tours?
A lot of stuff.
I (Nace) can only think of the very stressful stories. Like when we were stuck in Munich.
Those kinds of stories are fun when you look back at them but not when you’re living them.
Traveling with a small crew.
Yesterday a girl had a sign that said ‘’ I have three nipples, can you give me a pic’’.
Did you give her one?
No, because I didn’t have any more.
That’s creative.
