Antis
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{{distinguish|Antis Township, Pennsylvania}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| Name = Antis
| Img =
| Img_capt =
| Img_size =
| Landscape =
| Background = group_or_band
| Alias =
| Origin = [[Lithuania]]
| Genre = [[New Wave (music)|New Wave]]<br>[[Post-punk]]<br>[[Art rock]]
| Years_active = 1984-1990 <br> 1996, 2003, 2005 <br> 2007-present
| Label = [[Melodya]]<br>CCS<br>Zona
| Associated_acts =
| URL =
| Current_members =
| Past_members = Algirdas Kaušpėdas<br>Petras Ubartas<br>Vaclovas Augustinas<br>Linas Buda
| Notable_instruments =
}}
'''Antis''' was a [[Lithuania]]n [[postmodernist]] [[Rock music|rock]] [[Musical ensemble|band]]. The name is the Lithuanian word for "[[duck]]" and is also slang for a false mass media sensation.
==History==
===Establishment===
In 1986 in the last days of the [[Soviet Union]], there was an alternative music explosion in Lithuania. Before then all "western low quality music" was officially forbidden with lists of proscribed bands including [[Ramones]], [[AC/DC]], and [[Alice Cooper]]. ''Antis'' was a politically motivated band that played proscribed music in several styles including [[ska]]. They also wrote their own songs with jaunty horns and witty ironic lyrics.
Algirdas ‘Pablo’ Kaušpėdas founded ''Antis'' in 1984 as a joke to entertain attendees at a New Year party that he organised for the architects' union in [[Kaunas]]. The band's performance was such a success that word of it spread all over Lithuania.
In January 1986 a horn section from Vilnius joined the band and Petras ‘Sniegius’ Ubartas (another architect who was a composer, trumpeter and guitarist) took over the musical leadership of the band so that Pablo could concentrate on lyrics and promotion. ''Antis'' was invited to play at the semi-underground festival at [[Vilnius University]] and at similar events.
===Gaining popularity===
At the ''Lituanica’86'' festival ''Antis'''s performance overshadowed those of the headline [[Russian rock]] stars ''[[Aquarium (group)|Aquarium]]'' and ''[[Bravo (group)|Bravo]]''. The subsequent publicity turned ''Antis'' into a national sensation and they became known as one of the best rock bands in the whole of the former Soviet Union. Antis grew to such popularity that their audiences numbered hundreds of thousands. They toured most of [[Europe]] and the [[United States]].
Algirdas Kaušpėdas designed a dramatic live show with painted faces, besuited musicians, motorbikes, and spaceship models on stage. The band made three video clips, which were later used in the 1986 musical film ''Kažkas Atsitiko'' (Something Happened). Kaušpėdas' lyrics were sharply critical of the Soviet regime; an appealing stance for many people during [[Perestroika]]. Personnel changes improved the band's musicianship and their music became more sophisticated. Early ''Antis'' was heavily influenced by ''[[Talking Heads]]''. One of their biggest hits was a cover version of a ''[[Men at Work]]'' song. Later Sniegius added sounds derived from the work of [[Frank Zappa]].
At the end of 1986 ''Antis'' recorded their eponymous debut album at Melodya's [[Vilnius]] studio. The LP was released in 1987 and became one of the best-sold records in Lithuania. Their second album was recorded in 1988 in the CCS studio in [[Warsaw]]. The band planned to release this independently but Melodya objected and the ensuing litigation delayed release by a year. The last recording session took place in a Vilnius studio in 1988. Those songs with some selected numbers from the Warsaw session appeared as ''Anties Dovanėlė'' (Antis' Present) in 1989.
===Disbanding===
Anties gave their final tours in the second half of 1989 and early 1990 including the appearances at festivals in Italy, Austria, Germany, France and USA, where they participated at the NY New Music Seminar and played at the [[CBGB]].
In 1990 Algirdas Kaušpėdas quit music for politics and then returned to architecture. The rest of the band continued rehearsing and composing, and auditioned some new vocalists but Pablo proved to have been the heart of the band, so they broke up. Some members left the music business and others joined other projects. Kaušpėdas manages a design company and is still an important figure in Lithuanian music and culture.
===Aftermath===
In 1994 Zona/BMK released two ''Antis'' MCs. The EP ''Bjaurioji Antis'' (Ugly Antis) included the earliest amateur recordings from Kaunas, before the arrival of the horns. ''Retas Paukštis'' ([[Rare Bird]]) contained all the songs that had not been released on the Melodya albums. The final album ''Geriausios Dainos'' was a 'best of' compilation, released on CD and MC formats by Zona/BMK in May 1995.
Algirdas Kaušpėdas, formed the ''Antis Orchestra'' briefly in 1996 using past members and session musicians to recreate the Antis sound for three open-air concerts as part of the Lituanian Rock March. Most of the original members also reformed briefly in 2003 to promote the release by Zona of most Antis recordings on four CDs (''Kažkas atsitiko'', ''Antis'', ''Ša!'' and ''Dovanėlė'') and a box-set ''Visa Antis''.
===Resurrection===
On [[October 13]], [[2007]] band's front man announced, that after 17 years of silence (The last album was released in 1990) the band is finalizing a completely new album, that will be released due [[Christmas]] . The band released a short promo song "Mes rimti" (Lit. We're serious) online to promote the upcoming album. Although many people found it fresh and unique, some older fans found the album to be just a symbol, that the band just wants to jump back to the former glory and get more money than before (It is believed, that the launch of the [[MTV Lithuania]] channel made them step up to this, although officially unconfirmed).
==Members==
*[[Algirdas Kaušpėdas]]
*[[Petras Ubartas]]
*[[Vaclovas Augustinas]] (keyboards, vocal) (born 1959) played in ''[[Saules laikrodis]]'' before joining ''Antis''. Since 1992 he has been chief conductor and artistic director of the Vilnius Municipality Choir ''[[Jauna muzika]]''.
*[[Linas Buda]] (Drummer) (born 1962 in Kaunas) played in ''Roko laboratorija'' before joining ''Antis''. In 1988 he joined the jazz quartet ''[[Sasnauskas Quartet|Sasnauskas]]''.
==Discography==
*''Kažkas atsitiko'' (1986)
*''Antis'' (1987)
*''Ša!'' (1988)
*''Anties Dovanėlė'' (1989)
*''Visa Antis'' (2003) (compilation)
*''Ančių dainos'' (2007)
==See also==
*[[Lithuanian rock]]
*[[Music of Lithuania]]
[[Category:Lithuanian music]]
[[Category:Lithuanian musical groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1986]]
[[fr:Antis]]
[[lt:Antis (roko grupė)]]