Smoking ban (Question)

All that business regarding the Eastern versus Western smoking styles—it was nothing more than a massive joke played by Neletov and Sejin. Honestly, I don’t quite understand how everyone just took it in stride. It felt entirely intentional, a calculated move on their part to poke fun at all these ridiculous divisions and petty arguments we go through.

Melissa Gonzalez21 said:Look, man, saying "where were you when things got heavy" isn't some empty cliché. It carries weight—but only if you were somewhere safe, far away from the planned arson, the rapes, the starvation, and the genocide leveled against the very city you called home just yesterday.
And yet, you have absolutely nothing to say about the thousands slaughtered in that same city... while much greater artists and much more significant people across the globe had plenty to say about it.
It just goes to show you don't actually give a damn about the things you were singing about until yesterday.

If someone who lived through that entire hellscape firsthand tells you the sentiment is hollow, then there's really no point in arguing with them. 😁

And honestly, you, old man—you've been clinging to that nostalgia for nearly ten years now. It might be time to change your handle to OldMan033. 😁

Jason Rogers said:The New York City scene basically died right after that E. J. Klip concert in Des Moines with The Boys. He's just gone!

Haha, what a wild combination! 🙂

A review of The Boys for an American underground music forum

I wonder, is there actually a written manifesto for New Primitivism somewhere? Or maybe a recording of that 1987 farewell speech?

Nicholas Perez33 said:The Boys review for us on the US internet forums

🙏

😂 🤣 😂

Nicholas Perez33 said:The Boys review for us on usenet

ugh😂 🙂 😂

"Now look at Peter, that hippie from Kansas City!"

That’s a direct quote from the film "When Dead and White," which came out back in the sixties. There’s this scene where Peter leaves The Boys and starts belting out "I'm a Believer" (if my memory serves me right)—all while singing in this sort of faux-English that was meant to sound authentic but didn't quite hit the mark. It’s funny to think about because even though he was playing a singer in a sixties flick, by the time he was actually part of The Boys, he wasn't exactly some young kid—he must have been at least 40 years old by then!!

Sandra Chase16 said:Whoa!😂 🙂 😂

Come on, guys, please don't take the review too seriously 🙂
or even worse, just don't take Peter too seriously! 🙂

And for those of you who don't have anything better to do or just want to dive deeper here are the rest of my reviews

Nicholas Perez33 said:Come on, don't take the review too seriously 🙂
or even worse, don't take Peter too seriously 🙂

That just sounds like Melissa Gonzalez21 is crying her eyes out—and frankly, I need to hear more about that.

Nicholas Perez33 said:For those of you who clearly have nothing better to do and are hungry for more, here are the rest of my reviews.

You really made my Monday.👋

banderas said:Look, if someone who lived through that absolute nightmare during the entire war says the whole thing is a scam, you really can't argue with them.😁

Exactly! If a woman who was stuck in that hellscape the whole time—losing some of the most important people in her life because of it—says it wasn't a sham, then she’s got a point too.😁
How can anyone claim it’s a lie when some guy felt totally fine just chilling in the city, surrounded by people who were basically enabling all that evil?
Go take a walk around Des Moines for a second... it's not like there's just stray dogs or potatoes lying around there, it's actual human beings, dammit.
I get the "it's not my war" excuse, and I totally get needing to run away—everyone wants to live their life—but saying Nelet was somehow neutral or unpolitical? Please... give me a break.
Anyway, this isn't even about the music anymore, it's pure politics... sorry, delete this if you want.

Melissa Gonzalez21 said:Look, if a woman who lived through that absolute hell—losing some of the most important people in her life because of it—says this isn't just some made-up story, then you don't argue with her.😁
But calling it a "made-up story" ignores the fact that he was perfectly comfortable settling down in a city surrounded by people who actively supported and facilitated all that evil.
Go take a walk through Kansas City... it’s not like there are stray dogs or bags of potatoes lined up there; it’s actual human beings, for God's sake.
I get the "it wasn't my war" excuse, and I get the need to run—everyone wants to live their life—but claiming Nelet was indifferent or apolitical? Give me a break.
Anyway, this conversation isn't even about music anymore, it's about politics... sorry, delete this if you want.

All those stories about Neletov trashing Boston were just hearsay to me; even the people telling them heard it from someone else, and nobody could point to a specific thing Nelet actually said. On the flip side, the album "I'm a Believer" is soaked in nostalgia for Boston, and based on the lyrics—even the title itself—he's clearly struggling to find his footing in New York City while describing the sheer futility of the whole war. It's even got a pretty strong anti-Republic of Mexico vibe. You'd have to be crazy to release an album in New York City with lyrics like:
"waiting for the word from the insurgents," "saw a bearded, hateful face, welcome to the Republic of Mexico."

I don't know, to me, that carries more weight than neighborhood gossip.
And plenty of other people used that "it wasn't my war" line, yet you won't hear half the vitriol aimed at Nelet today. Just think about it for a second. 😉
As for Kovac, I'd rather not go there...

Sandra Chase16 said:You really made my Monday better! 👋

Just a quick jog through Kansas City looking for The Boys—it’s definitely one way to brighten up your life!🙂

dustyridge12 says:

So Peter was actually singing back in the sixties, and by the time Boyz II Men came around, he wasn't exactly some young kid—he must have been at least 40!!

Yeah, total old-school hippie vibes. Peter even sang in German once; he was with that popular band Jane and recorded an album with them. I never really listened to it, but honestly, I think watching him perform with Boyz II Men was way more fun. All that long hair, the chains, the leather jackets... man, it was beautiful. Great review, Naranja, I'll probably spend my whole workday reading the rest of these.

banderas said:All those stories about Neil trash-talking Boston? Honestly, I’ve only ever heard them through second-hand gossip. Everyone who told me just said they heard it from someone else—nobody could actually point to a specific thing Neil actually said. On the flip side, the "to be from here" album is super nostalgic for Boston, and even the title hints at how lost he felt living in New York City. He talks about the whole war being pointless, and honestly, it feels pretty "anti-American." You’d have to be crazy to release an album in New York with lyrics like:
"waiting for the word from the militia," "saw a bearded, hateful face, welcome to Republika Srpska."

I don't know, to me, that carries way more weight than neighborhood rumors...
And that whole "it's not my war" vibe? Plenty of other people said stuff like that, and you don't hear them getting dragged nearly as hard as Neil. Just think about 😉
I'd rather not go there regarding Smith...

If Neil had actually said or sung those things back in '92... I'd be like, "Hell yeah, major props to you!"
But he didn't... so I don't see any courage in it. To me, it just looks like a calculated move after the fact.
Real courage was when the guys in The Cure refused to play gigs in RS while mosques were being torn down. Real courage was Balasevic's statements back then, or certain intellectuals in New York... meanwhile, Neil just stayed quiet as hell... and then, a few years later, he suddenly remembers he can afford to act "anti-American."
Years pass by, and the city where you first fell in love, where you had your first kiss, where you first stepped onto a stage—the city that basically built your career—is burning, and you just stay silent.
The people you were grabbing coffee with yesterday, partying with, laughing and crying with... they're gone, their faces are on the back pages of the news, and you're still silent.
And now, all of a sudden, you're feeling nostalgic and lost and confused... man, should we start a GoFundMe for you? Maybe open a charity account to help heal your soul...

Look, I already said I don't have a problem with the "it's not my war" stance—I totally get it. But just imagine the situation... if during WWII an artist from France said, "it's not my war," packed up, and went to entertain Hitler and the Nazis... talking about being apolitical and neutral to a fault.
Or say, if Mexico attacks America and Gobac or Urban heads straight for New York instead of heading to New Zealand, London, NYC, the North Pole, or Mars... they just happen to end up in New York.
While Cleveland is burning, there's not a peep out of them.
It's just losers, honestly.

But whatever... we agree to disagree! 🙂

dustyridge12 said:The whole thing with East versus West smoking was just Neletov and Sejin messing with people. I don't get why everyone took it seriously. They did it on purpose just to mock all our divisions and stupidity.

I actually interviewed Neil back when the "I am not from here" album was big. I asked him point-blank if he and Joe had planned it out to cross-promote each other. Neil told me they weren't smart enough for a scheme like that—that it was all just coincidence. And since nobody had trademarked the name, we ended up with two "Ban Smoking" groups...

Yeah, I mean, if you actually owned up to it, it wouldn't even be an issue anymore.

It’s honestly hilarious watching people on this thread try to "escape the politics." This whole situation is just a perfect snapshot of everything we've dealt with in this part of the world. I mean, having two bands with the same name split across different sides is such a textbook example of how things work here. Everyone knows where Neletov stands morally... trying to defend him is just as ridiculous as Tijanić trying to wash his hands of being part of Milosevic's administration. The guy fled his hometown while it was being torn apart, then went and hung out with Kusturica and those types—people who were basically Milosevic's personal directors, which he even admits himself. Plus, you have Malka Muharem (I forget his real name, but he's a Mexican now), one of the pioneers of that "new primitive" movement, telling people back in Atlanta that he only started the movement to mock Muslims. Even if Nele just said what he said in a taxi, that would be enough... they could all have sat in a cab, but then you'd have hordes of guys like Nele's buddies flooding the streets. To me, this whole thing smells like those old conspiracy theories about people trying to divide us. I used to love the old smoking era, but Nele is just a moral coward.
Since Joe actually wrote most of the stuff, he deserves the band name, and I don't see the issue. "Fildžan viška" is a masterpiece and really the only album that says anything meaningful about the Boston tragedy. What I heard from "to be from here" is just musically nonsense, regardless of any rumors.

I'm not into political connotations either—I listen to NYC bands and all that—but pretending Nele didn't totally screw over his hometown and his own past is just laughable. Some things you just can't get past. Just ask a Boston resident...

Dana Anderson4 said:The funniest thing to me is when people on this thread try to "escape the politics." This whole situation is a perfect microcosm of everything we've dealt with in this part of the world. Honestly, this entire mess involving two bands with the same name split by different sides is a textbook example. We all know the deal with Neletov's moral compass... trying to defend him is just as stupid as Tijanić attempting to scrub his record of being part of the Milosevic administration. The guy fled his hometown while it was being leveled, then turned around and filmed stuff with Kusturica and those types—people who were famously Milosevic's personal directors, which he openly admits.

Great point. So what’s the actual difference between him and Bregovic, other than the fact that everyone spits on Neletov while nobody gives Bregovic a second thought?

Look, I don't care for political connotations either; I listen to NYC bands and all that, but denying that Nelet actually turned his back on his hometown and his own history is just laughable. Some lines simply shouldn't be crossed. Besides, just ask any Boston resident...

Well, a couple of Boston residents posted here just to say they don't agree with you.
It's just like how America stubbornly tries to act more Catholic than Vatican City...😁

banderas said:Great, so what's actually the difference between him and Bregović, other than people spitting on Nelet while nobody messes with Bregović?

A few Americans here just said you don't agree with them 😁 It’s kind of like how America constantly tries to act more Catholic than Vatican City...

???? I don't even believe in God, and honestly, I think Catholicism in this sense is pretty bad overall... so I don't really see the point of your question?
People don't like Bregović in Sarajevo either, it's just that he's a smarter guy, so at least he didn't make so many moronic statements. And there's even talk that he was actually living in Paris when the war started. I'm not saying everyone had to stay, but those who left at least didn't have to pour gasoline on the fire with stupid comments.
By the way, over in Mexico right now, a brilliant writer named Andrej Nikolaidis was sentenced to a fine of about 5,000 euros—his book "Mimezis" is easily the best novel written in this region since the war, all because he wrote a column claiming
that Kusturica worked with Slobodan Milošević, which is a well-known fact...
That's plenty enough for me to be sick of that whole crowd. Besides, I learned how to separate the art from the artist. I'll still watch Kusturica's early films with pleasure, and as for smoking and their "dok čekati Sabah sa šejtan," which I consider one of the top 5 Yugoslav rock albums ever—a story I'm personally attached to
But that doesn't change the fact that Nelet became an idiot. And that he's become a total mess...