Kalemegdan Disk - ROCK FROM EASTERN EUROPE

Croatia Records Release Information

It’s time for a new “Time” – A new vinyl edition cut at half speed at the Abbey Road Studios has arrived!

At the end of 2019, Time’s first album “Time” experienced the most luxurious reissue on vinyl with a large accompanying booklet including lyrics and exclusive photos, as well as remastered songs from the original tapes. That it is one of the best albums of all time in our region is indicated by the fact that in 2020 it was the best-selling vinyl in the region which was printed in several editions.

Two years later, it’s time for a new “Time”, this time in an LP edition cut at half speed at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London. Half Speed Master is a technology invented by Abbey Road, and it is about recording music at half speed on lacquer, which improves the frequency spectrum, i.e. enables a richer sound compared to classic recordings. Following the example of world discographers, after Indexi’s “Modra rijeka”, Croatia Records for the second time resorted to this type of production, and the Half Speed Master was worked out by the engineer Miles Showell.

Croatia Records Release Information of the LP edition from 2019

Reissue of the cult album “Time” by the supergroup Time after 47 years on luxury vinyl

The group Time, as the name of the band itself says, was a note of a time, timeless, moreover ahead of all trends in terms of production and music. Their first studio album “Time” from 1972 has been a jewel of the Yugoslavian discography.

As frontman Dado Topić once pointed out, they did not want to be like others, but wanted to play something unique and different. Maybe that’s where the “Time” comes from, because this supergroup created a progressive rock sound that cannot be heard in the discography even today. They were founded by the manager and producer Vladimir “Miha” Mihaljek, who saw something special in all of them that deserved a special treatment.

“Vedran Božić, Ratko Divjak, Tihomir “Pop” Asanović, Brane Lambert Živković, Mario Mavrin and Dado Topić recorded a brave album of their time. The appearance of this record has been a precious moment of eternity greater than all difficulties. In the recorded sound, you can hear not only the mastery of the musicians, but also the wealth of their souls. It is our value response to the global musical events of the early seventies”, Petar Popović, journalist, rock critic and publicist, has written in the notes to the edition.

“At a time of absolute dominance of progressive rock, the 1972 debut was incredibly appreciated and successful. Even commercially. The album was welcomed as a rock herald, and Time as a true supergroup. Listening to what is happening on the global scene, which has been networked by prog rock supergroups, as well as the situation on the home ground, Mihaljek correctly concluded that the moment is right for a domestic response as well. And he hit it!”, Zlatko Gall, music critic, journalist and publicist, has written also in the notes to this reissue, which comes with exclusive photos by the legendary photographer Marko Čolić, and biographies of the band and members of the first line-up.

A part of this line-up gathered this Thursday in the Croatia Records Studio, where the vinyl reissue was officially presented, which comes in a luxurious package and with remastered songs from the original tapes. Along with numerous fans of Time and their progressive rock, gathered the musicians Vedran Božić, Tihomir “Pop” Asanović, Ratko Divjak and the music critic Vladimir “Miha” Mihaljek. At the beginning, a short documentary film was shown that describes the years from the formation of Time to the release of their first album.

“Through this interest in renewing the album, Time has shown that that they were ahead of their time, and in our time it was a band for musicians, not for the audience, because they were still making up their minds. Even today, they could play in their full line-up and that also in large arenas. The music is going round and round and I think our grandchildren will also like the group Time”, Vladimir “Miha” Mihaljek pointed out, whose photo is on the cover of the album and as he said it was the only time he took a photo with them.

“I am glad that this reissue is the confirmation that our music has remained a classic of our rock beginnings. I am especially happy that the sound and the pressing of the record is of better quality than it could have been then, even if the old edition will always remain a rarity for me. The first album was great because of the honesty, but also because of the recording method itself. Due to the natural atmosphere of the recording on four channels, some details and characteristics of the individual musicians came out, so everything is listened to with a special experience,” says the legendary guitarist and member of Time, Vedran Božić.

“I am very glad that Croatia Records released this record again and I think that the young audience will accept this sound even today as it did in the seventies. There was one phenomenal thing in the group Time – everyone gave what he could play best stylistically, and technically there were no problems. Everyone brought his own style and a new way of playing was created, and musically it was perfect. Even today, when you listen to it – it is something phenomenal”, proudly points out another musical virtuoso, the organist Tihomir “Pop” Asanović.

“We were always special and we just wanted to play, and everything else comes naturally if you are good. Everything was possible then and it seems like it happened yesterday. We loved Time and we loved playing and that was the best feeling,” said Time’s drummer, Ratko Divjak.

“In my opinion, the first album of the group Time is the best album of all time in our area, it is rock music that was ten years ahead of its time. Our obligation as publisher was to mark it with dignity this year, and we did it in this festive mood. I am happy about this day!” said the director of Croatia Records, Želimir Babogredac.

“The concept of supergroups often leads to entropy of the system and some loud members of their groups do nothing when they unite in a supergroup. I am looking at it in the context of the first or at least one of the first two or three serious rock groups in our country. We know how important Drago Mlinarec and Grupa 220 were, but this album “Time' is “the rock album” of “the rock group” of truly outstanding members in terms of authorship and playing. The album has remained relevant even today, which is also the credit of the manager Miha, and it was the first real model of the functioning of a rock band in Yugoslavia, even in the business sense, which Bijelo Dugme (White Button) would later develop even more. However, Time is the embryo from which many things emerged later. ”, emphasized the music critic, journalist and publicist Aleksandar Dragaš.

And indeed, Time started a new musical era, but even today they remain fresh, invincible and unique. One of the most important names in the history of rock music in this part of Europe – the supergroup Time.

Istina mašina: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6i9JxBG75o

Pjesma no. 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILasyqUNbxQ

Hegedupa upa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLbuZQqYo44

Kralj alkohol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9_g8MnNC0U

Za koji život treba da se rodim: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF3WVcIxaoQ

Special on the occasion of the vinyl reissue (on Serbocroatian): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC8G0bfxibY&t=276s

Tracklist

Side A

1. Istina mašina 4:45
2. Pjesma no. 3 5:55
3. Hegedupa upa 5:12

Side B

1. Kralj alkohol 7:06
2. Za koji život treba da se rodim 10:05