Foje was one of the most successful and best known rock bands in Lithuania.

History

Foje was formed in the present-day

Antakalnis Antakalnis (''literally'' lt, 'the place on hills', adapted in pl, Antokol) is an eldership in the Vilnius city municipality, Lithuania. Antakalnis is one of the oldest, and largest historical suburbs of Vilnius City. It is in the eastern se ...

Secondary School in

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...

by Andrius Mamontovas, Arnoldas Lukošius and Darius Tarasevičius in 1983 under the name of Sunki Muzika ("Hard Music"), few months later Algis Kriščiūnas joined the band. In 1984 it was renamed to Foje (literal meaning: "

foyer A lobby is a room in a building used for entry from the outside. Sometimes referred to as a foyer, reception area or an entrance hall, it is often a large room or complex of rooms (in a theatre, opera house, concert hall, showroom, cinema, etc. ...

"). Through its years, the band survived a number of lineup changes, and released over 10 albums. The group cited several influences, including the sound of

the Stranglers The Stranglers are an English rock band who emerged via the punk rock scene. Scoring 23 UK top 40 singles and 19 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are one of the longest-surviving bands to have origin ...

, as well as the 1980s post-punk movement (for example the notable nod to Depeche Mode on Foje's 1989 electronica album ''Žodžiai į Tylą''). These influences were combined with the often gloomy, desperate lyrics of the band's leader Andrius Mamontovas. In 1997 the band performed three farewell gigs in the Lithuanian cities of

Klaipėda Klaipėda (; ; german: Memel; pl, Kłajpeda; russian: Клайпеда; sgs, Klaipieda) is a city in Lithuania on the Baltic Sea coast. The capital of the eponymous county, it is the third largest city and the only major seaport in Lithuania ...

, Kaunas and

, with attendance of 60,000 in the final performance on 17 May in

Vingis Park Vingis Park ( lt, Vingio parkas) is the largest park in Vilnius, Lithuania, covering . It is located in a curve of the Neris River, hence its Lithuanian name: 'vingis' means "bend", "curve"; the same meaning has the historical Polish name of the ...

of Vilnius. After disbanding Mamontovas started a solo career. Two of the band's songs - " Laužo šviesa" ("The Light of the Bonfire") (1986) and "Meilės nebus per daug" ("There will not be too much love") (1994) - were voted by the media professionals into the Top 20 best Lithuanian songs of the 20th century in 2000.">"Radiocentras" išdalino apdovanojimus
by ''

Baltic News Service The Baltic News Service (BNS) is the largest news agency operating in the Baltic states. Founded in April, 1990, by a group of students (the founding CEO was Allan Martinson), it sought to inform foreign correspondents in Moscow of development ...

Members

* Andrius Mamontovas (1983–1997) - Vocals, guitar, drums, keyboards * Arnoldas Lukošius (1983–1989, 1992–1997) - Keyboards, accordion * Algis Kriščiūnas (1983–1985, 1992–1997) - Drums * Darius Burokas (1986–1988, 1990–1997) - Bass, keyboards * Darius Tarasevičius (1983–1985) - Bass * Romas Rainys (1985–1988) Bass, Guitar * Eugenijus Pugačiukas (1985–1991) - Drums * Saulius Valikonis (1986–1988, 1989–1991) - Saxophone * Gediminas Simniškis (1988–1989) - Bass * Jaunius Beinortas (1988–1989) - Guitar * Robertas Meržvinskas (1988–1989) - Saxophone * Robertas Griškevičius (1989–1990) - Keyboards

Discography

*1989 - Geltoni krantai (Yellow Shores) (MC) *1990 - Žodžiai į tylą (Words Into Silence) (LP, MC) *1991 - Gali skambėti keistai (It Might Sound Strange) (LP, CD, MC) - first CD album in Lithuanian music history *1992 - Kitoks pasaulis (A Different World) (LP, CD, MC) *1993 - Vandenyje (In The Water) (LP, CD, MC) *1994 - Tikras garsas (The Real Sound) (MC) *1994 - M-1 (dancemixes) (CD, MC) *1994 - Aš čia esu (I Am Here) (MC) *1994 - Aš čia esu (LP Picture Disc) *1995 - Kai perplauksi upę (When You Swim Across The River) (CD, MC) *1995 - Live On The Air (MC) *1996 - 1982 (MC, CD) *1997 - The Flowing River EP (CD) *1997 - Mokykla (School) (MC) *1999 - Vilnius - Kaunas - Klaipėda (CD, MC) *2002 - Paveikslas (The Picture) (CD, MC) *2006 - Kita paveikslo pusė (The Other Side of the Picture) (CD) *2013 - AM+FOJE=30 (AM - Andrius Mamontovas) (CD)

References

External links

Foje official website
{{Authority control Lithuanian rock music groups Musical groups established in 1983 Musical groups disestablished in 1997 1983 establishments in Lithuania 1983 establishments in the Soviet Union 1997 disestablishments in Lithuania Music in Vilnius Soviet rock music groups