Feature / One Question Interviews
Fonija

Words: Dennis • January 23, 2018

Fonija
Fonija

Deni Krstev (Fonija)

SPB: Fonija is changing their sound on every record so far. There is a certain risk attached to that: alienating your fanbase. How is this turning out for Fonija, do you have a strong fanbase that sticks around? And are you inspired by certain bands that kept changing and developing?

Deni: Heraclitus wrote that you cannot enter the same river twice. Why should we keep recording the same record over and over again if we think, listen to and feel differently? We want to be a band that stands the test of time and we want to leave an interesting story behind us. The only way to leave some legacy, to keep the audience and ourselves amused is to do something different each and every time. Of course, there is a tradition of doing radical changes from the musical point of view (but keeping the same philosophy all along) found in a lot of Macedonian bands like Leb i Sol, Mizar and Bernays Propaganda, we're just (deliberately or not) continuing that tradition. Of course the constant change of sound caries a risk of alienating our audience, but I'm more scared of doing the same old trick on every record. It's just pointless and I think by doing so, we would be underestimating our audience's musical intelligence. I strongly believe that we're growing along with our audience. 

 

Dennis • January 23, 2018

Fonija
Fonija

Related features

Fest 23 – The Wrap

Music / Fest 23 • November 15, 2025

Pure Joy The 23rd FEST in Gainesville, Florida recently wrapped up. Scene Point Blank has been to the majority of them over the past two decades, beginning at FEST 5. I've personally attended roughly half of them. And at FEST 23, I saw 44 bands in 3 days (an even … Read more

The Saints

Interviews • November 14, 2025

As The Skids sang, The Saints are coming!.......Storming North America! The Saints ’73-’78 land on North American soil in early November and will feature original Saints members, guitarist Ed Kuepper and drummer Ivor Hay, and filling out this lineup is singer Mark Arm (Mudhoney), guitarist Mick Harvey (The Birthday Party … Read more

UK Subs

One Question Interviews • November 6, 2025

Charlie Harper (UK Subs) SPB: As someone who is used to performing and being on stage, how has the book release process been similar or different than playing music to fans? Harper: It’s a bit of both but as I’ve made a few records, the book is so much more … Read more

Beth Seymour & The Lizzies

One Question Interviews • November 5, 2025

Beth Seymour (Beth Seymour & The Lizzies – vocals / guitar / production) SPB: You’re essentially releasing back-to-back albums this year. How did you choose that approach in getting these out to the public? Seymour: There are a few reasons that I chose to release back-to-back albums within 3 months … Read more

Brain Fog

One Question Interviews • November 4, 2025

Jeff “El Jeffe” Seeley (Brain Fog – guitar) SPB: What is a record you love that would surprise people? Seeley: Hi, It’s El Jeffe, guitarist and song writer for Brain Fog, an Okanagan hardcore punk band. My favourite punk rock record right now is Dancing With The Curse by Get … Read more

Related reviews

Fonija

Mislev EP
Balkan Veliki (2017)

Fonija became one of my favorite punk bands… correction: favorite bands with the release of Mojot Pekol. I never heard of this Macedonian band before that release, but boy, that album left a lasting impression. It’s an album I still come back to on a regular basis. The album (...Bez Ime) and split with Culture Development (Magla) that followed are … Read more

More from this section

UK Subs

One Question Interviews • November 6, 2025

Charlie Harper (UK Subs) SPB: As someone who is used to performing and being on stage, how has the book release process been similar or different than playing music to fans? Harper: It’s a bit of both but as I’ve made a few records, the book is so much more … Read more

Beth Seymour & The Lizzies

One Question Interviews • November 5, 2025

Beth Seymour (Beth Seymour & The Lizzies – vocals / guitar / production) SPB: You’re essentially releasing back-to-back albums this year. How did you choose that approach in getting these out to the public? Seymour: There are a few reasons that I chose to release back-to-back albums within 3 months … Read more

Brain Fog

One Question Interviews • November 4, 2025

Jeff “El Jeffe” Seeley (Brain Fog – guitar) SPB: What is a record you love that would surprise people? Seeley: Hi, It’s El Jeffe, guitarist and song writer for Brain Fog, an Okanagan hardcore punk band. My favourite punk rock record right now is Dancing With The Curse by Get … Read more