Aleksandar Acko Zaric, also known as Alekz Oxygen, was born in Zemun, Serbia 18.11.1975. The racket he was making when he was an infant was replaced by the sound of drum in his fifth year of life, and then exchanged by the accordion two years later.
But, since that was not enough, Alex started to play the guitar in his 12th year of life, thusly discovering a new dimension of music from which he did not leave.
When he was 14, he formed his first serious band called "Infarkt" with whom he worked for 3 years, until the formation of 16 8 23 (1992.-1999.) where he held the authorised tandem together with his godfather Vuk Popadic ( www.vukpopadic.com)
The band functioned for seven whole years and during that time, he released 2 EPs and 2 LPs. Being a member of 16 8 23 was an unforgettable experience.
16 8 23 will stay remembered as one of the leading underground bands in Serbia from the beginning and middle of 90s, but also as a band which is the owner of a censored video clip during the era of Slobodan Milosevic (song Gas Chamber).
The name Oxygen, first appeared as a thought during the NATO bombardment of Serbia (march-june 1999) when Alex replaced his Wah Wah pedal with a pedal for anti-aircraft Bofors gun which is produced in Sweden btw. To put it simply, the one thing which everyone missed, including Alex was oxygen and fresh air. Several months later after the demise of band 16 8 23, the idea and thought of Oxygen will come to fruition.
Still loyal to hard funk rythm Alex turns to electro influences in his new band Oxygen (breakbeat, drum n' bass, jungle, dub) but also to jazz as a consequence of musical evolution, of course not forgetting the god of music and sound, Jimi Hendrix.
The band in the original line-up functioned from 2000 till 2005. when Alex moved to Vienna, Austria and during those five years he recorded many performances, most notably performance at the Exit Festival 2004 ( www.exitfest.org). Also, he was working as a tone realiser, editor, and montager on Radio Stara Pazova. Together with MC Nancy he directed and lead the only serbian break beat, jungle & drum n' bass broadcast north of Belgrade.
Since 2005. (the year he moved to Vienna, Austria) Alex corporates with many bands, such as DocSick (www.docsick.at ), PhunkMafia, The Freak Controllers ( www.thefreakcontrollers.at.tt ), Ahududu, Acid Jazz Orbits. Also, he started to dedicate himself more to DJ performances, and continues to work under alias Alekz Oxygen. His sets can be heard on several famous austrian radio stations such as FM4, Play FM, Orange Radio Of course, there is also MC Coppa ( www.mccoppa.co.uk) Alex's favourite party companion.
Although Oxygen has gone through a lot of changes, Alex still continues to breathe in the same rhythm with some new people, and new ideas.
People and bands with whom Alex owes gratitude for what he is are:
Milica Zaric, Jimi Hendrix, Milija Zaric, Anita & Milica Djordjevic ( www.allseasons.org ), AC/DC, Milovan Zaric, Aleksandar Sasha Savic, Vuk Popadic, Dragan Jovanovic( Chika Gandra ), Nevena Bogdanovic ( Nancy MC ), Petar Lowpez Petrovic, Dragana Zaric , Disciplin A Kitschme, Partibrejkers, EKV, Rambo Amadeus, Freestylers, Breakbeat Era, Jimmy Smith, Herbie Hancock, John Scofield, James Brown, Bob Marley, George Clinton, Funkadelic, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against The Machine, Body Count, Jamiroquai, Jazzanova, Prodigy, Full Cycle, Metalheadz………and the rest which have been forgotten unintentionally.
