New from U-Rock Records: Sarajevo Opens a New Chapter with the U-Rock® Records International Imprint

Sarajevo is entering its next chapter. The British hard-rock project, founded by vocalist and songwriter Pete "Wolf" Lacey in 1988, has become the first band signed to a new international imprint being developed through U-ROCK® Records with Tatsuya Gontani in Japan. The partnership begins with a newly prepared Best Of collection designed to introduce Sarajevo to listeners in Japan while making the band's history and current music available to a wider international audience.

A Name With History

Sarajevo took its name from the Bosnian city where the 1914 assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand helped set the First World War in motion. The name was chosen in remembrance of those whose lives were lost in the conflict that followed.

During its original five-year run, Sarajevo developed a substantial following in the United Kingdom and built its reputation through extensive live work. The band's first period included the 1993 album Tomorrow in the Hands of Yesterday's Man, a video for the self-titled track "Sarajevo," and the live video Live, in the Hands of the Gods. The band's history documents television exposure through BBC2, MTV and VH1, along with UK radio airplay. Sarajevo appeared alongside performers including Ian Hunter, The Almighty, Dr. Feelgood, Chris Farlowe, Maggie Bell and Ricky Byrd of Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. The original run concluded with an appearance at the Hells Angels Bulldog Bash Festival in Long Marston, England. The band disbanded in 1993 as the rock market shifted dramatically — but the Sarajevo name and its music did not disappear.

Reconnection and Reinvention

The original musicians reconnected during the 2020 lockdown period and recorded together again. By then, careers, families and other commitments made a permanent reunion impractical. Lacey chose to continue Sarajevo in a different form: rather than force the project back into a fixed lineup, he developed Sarajevo into a songwriter-led international recording project. Lacey maintains the original musical concept and creative direction while selecting musicians whose strengths fit each recording.

The Japan Market Release

The new agreement is a Japan-market physical release and promotion partnership — a limited Best Of collection manufactured in Japan through U-ROCK® Records Japan, introducing three decades of Sarajevo to a new audience. The band retains full ownership of its masters and publishing.

More on the release date and track list as Schedule A is finalized. — U-Rock® Records