Renegat

RENEGADE Renegade is one of the bands the Bulgarian rock painfully needs. The boys from the town of Plovdiv follow closely their own author stream, for which – noone knows why – they are accused to be “imposing”. All the band’s songs are in Bulgarian and the continuous release of albums, videos and DVDs shows a good activity and condition. The last could be easily checked if one goes to a concert of theirs - sound, lights and pyro effects are always present and made professionally. RENEGADE after their concert in Rousse. 11-th January 2008. THE BEGINNING (1999 – 2000) In 1999 the faith, in occasion or not, meets together three musicians that will later become the foundation of the rock band Renegade. Konstantin Katsarov (vocals) goes to Stoio Popov’s studio (guitars) in a time when regarding music he is only a fen, he works as a bodyguard in a night club. The connection is made by musicians playing in the above mentioned club, who literary “hear” his talent and invite him to make his first recording. Not much later Tony Karaatanasov (rhythm guitar and ideologist) joins them – at that time he is also vocal of Full Max. In this narrow formation the three of them make the song “Alone”, which marks the beginning of the studio project, later in it part are taking Veselin Tachev (bass), Ivan Gaydarov (drums), Hristo Dzholov (keyboards) as more songs are made. As guest musicians also appear Venelin Tsvetkov (bas), Christina Turnovska from Galileo (vocals) and Radiana Zaduma (vocals). DEBUTE (2001 – 2002) So, in 2001 the “Alone” album is finally completed and is released on the music market, while for the pilot song a video was shot. The band still has no live performances. Instead of this they begin working on their second album, but already with a new drummer – Alex Boyanov. The first appearance of Renegade on stage comes in the next 2002. It happens on an appropriate place – the National Palace of Culture, where in the musical competition, in the category “Tune of the year” their song “Ice world” takes the second place. The early Renedade with Vesko Tachev (on the left) and Hristo Dzholov (hidden) DAYS OF CHANGE (2003) In 2003 the second album of Konstantin Katsarov and Renegade is already a fact. It is called “Ice world”, and in it part take Christina Tarnovska (vocals), Dimitar Stremski – “the lizard” from Acid Dust (vocals) and Dimitar Kliunkov from Catch 22 (drums). The band shoots also videos of the songs “Ice world” and “It’s all over”. This year appears to be crucial for the development of Renegade due to a couple of important changes – regarding the members of the band and the live performances. Another Plovdiv rock band – Catch 22 – stops its activity to put the beginning of the real Renegade. Konstantin Katsarov and Stoio Popov are joined by Petur Marinov – Valjon (guitar), Vassil Avreyski (bass) and the drummer Dimitar Kliunkov. Although not an official member of the band, Tony Karaatanasov remains a true friend to whom no substitute could be found. The second important step is the decision of the musicians to start an active concert activity – so the studio work remains on second ground. In the summer of 2003 Renegade make their first concert live. Together with the Plovdiv Drama Theatre the band performs the theatrical rock play “Foursome”, as the spectacle was later released on a CD “Live - limited edition”. By the end of the year they perform their first own concert behind the borders of Bulgaria – in Serbia, ans parallel to the live performances, the musicians also continue recording new songs. The song “Russian Roulette” wins the casting for soundtrack of the one named TV game of the Bulgarian National Television and a video is shot to it. The new members – Dimitar Kliunkov, Petur Marinov and Vassil Avreyski GETTING THEIR WAY (2004) In May 2004 Renegade organize and perform a charity concert for the children suffering from cancer – the concert is called “ The City, RENEGADE and Friends” and is performed at the Ancient Theatre of Plovdiv. During the guest musicians supporting the charity event are Sylvia Katsarova /LZ/ and Zvezdi /Agate/ who nowadays continue to take part in some of the band’s performances. Another participants are Tony Georgiev /Defender/, Dimitar Stremski /Acid Dust/, Petar Paunov /Catch 22/, Radiana Zaduma and Vesela Boneva, as well as Peter – the keyboards of Defender. Towards the end of the same year, the recording of the next album “Rockofobia” was completed. It has great variety and includes some duet songs with Zvezdi /Agate/- (“Nothing Personal” and “The Beast in me”) and Vesela Boneva (in new versions of “Dream” and “The Last Night” – songs from the first album of the band). Guest musicans are also Peter /Defender/ - keyboards, Tony Karaatanasov – vocals and quartet INTRO. Four songs are shot on video - “Russian Roulette”, “Dream”, “The Beast in Me” and “Nothing Personal”. The promotion of the album is made at the Plovdiv club “Marmalade” in the beginning of December. After the album was completed, the band changed its drummer once again. The new face is Vladislav Hristov, who up to then played in Defender. CONCERT PERIOD (2005 – 2006) With the beginning of 2005 starts the work on the new album in which the band makes experiments in other styles of the rock music, as well as in different sounds. In April, after a show in club-restaurant “Total Sport” in Plovdiv, the first Renegade DVD is released, which includes all the videos shot up to then, an interview and two bonus tracks from live performances. Four months later the band takes the invitation to participate in a prestigious Rock Festival in Zajcar – Serbia, where they play together with Zvezdi and Denis from Agate, and during September on the Summer Theatre in Plovdiv there was a three days rock fest, where headliners are The Crickets, Signal and Renegade. The video of the song “There is no...” from the incoming new album has been shot and presented in “Fina 5” restaurant-panorama in Sofia. In 2006 the preparation of the “Insomnia” album is on focus, and towards the end of the year the band makes concerts in “Universiada Hall” (opening the “K1” fights), club “Snatch” in Plovdiv (for the 6-th birthday of Renegade), and in “The Library” club in Sofia. At the show in Plovdiv part takes the well-known Bulgarian guitar player Ivan Lechev, whom Konstantin Katsarov meets in the TV game “Vote of Confidence”. This game of BTV gives the chance to the talented vocalist to acknowledge and make friends with the popular Bulgarian singer Annie Lozanova, who later takes part in the promotional concert “Insomnia” in Sofia saying that she believes in the Bulgarian rock mostly because of Renegade. INSOMNIA (2007 – 2008) Renegade gave a sleepless night to the fans in Rousse. In May 2007 Renegade made two shows in Sofia – on the annual festival “A flower for Gosho” in the South Park, and in Swinging Hall Club. Four months later on the Varna Summer Theatre the musicians from Plovdiv became a part from the national tour of the most emblematic band of the Bulgarian heavy-metal – Agate. Towards the end of the year the long expected fourth album “Insomnia” is released, where Dimitar Stremski – the Lizzard takes part again ( in “Betrayed”), this time together with Svetlio – The Brush (in “It Hurts”) The promotion of the CD is marked with the first tour of the band, despite the fact that the concerts are organized “from town to town”. The road starts from Plovdiv club “Marmalade” where special guests are Zvezdi and Silvia Katsarova. The second stop is “Backstage club” in Sofia, where they are joined by Annie Lozanova, and the next show is in Varna at the “Otets Paisii” community centre. The fourth concert had been appointed for 19.01 in “The Profitable Building” in the town of Rousse, but at the last moment the municipality under the pressure of the producers of Music Idol 2, changed the date to 11.01, nevertheless that the two events were supposed to be led at different halls. Due to this change Silvia Katsarova couldn’t take part in this concert as listed in the advertisement, and the only guest musician although having enough authority even alone was Zvezdi from Agate. All this, together with the snow storm some days before couldn’t interfere – the big hall is full enough and the public as well as the band will keep a wonderful memory of the incredible sound and the powerful performance of Renegade. Among the promotional concerts of “Insomnia”, Renegade take part in the concert tribute to Iron Maiden in “Black Box” club in Sofia, related to the release of Paul Stenning’s book “30 Years of the Beast” in Bulgarian. The interesting events don’t stop and in the end of February the band makes a concert ... in the jail in Kazichene. The performance aims making the raw material for a concert DVD of the band, and also a video of the song “Abyss”,made in the beginning of March, in which participates the famous Bulgarian actor Hristo Shopov. The Renegade concerts– a really spectacular rock show. Biography written by Venelin Ivanov Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.