Zabranjeno pušenje () is a Bosnian
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band formed in
Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its a ...
in 1980. The group's musical style primarily consists of a distinctive garage rock sound with
folk
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Folk Plus or Fol ...
influences, often featuring innovative production and complex
storytelling
Storytelling is the social and cultural activity of sharing stories, sometimes with improvisation, theatrics or embellishment. Every culture has its own stories or narratives, which are shared as a means of entertainment, education, cultural pre ...
. Currently, the band consists of founding member, vocalist and guitarist
Sejo Sexon, longtime drummer
Branko Trajkov, guitarist
Toni Lović, bassist
Dejan Orešković
Dejan Orešković (born March 24, 1970), also known by his nickname Klo, is a Croatian record producer and guitarist. He is a current member of rock band Zabranjeno Pušenje and a former member of heavy metal band Divlje jagode.
Life and career ...
, and violinist and keyboardist
Robert Boldižar.
The band was formed contrary to the then prevalent
Yugoslav punk rock Punk rock in Yugoslavia was the punk subculture of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The most developed scenes across the federation existed in the Socialist Republic of Slovenia, the Adriatic coast of the Socialist Republic of ...
and
new wave, closely associated with the
New Primitivism cultural movement and the radio and television satire and
sketch comedy
Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. The form developed and became popular in vaudeville, and is ...
show ''
Top lista nadrealista''. They were one of the most popular musical acts of the 1980s in Yugoslavia, selling hundreds of thousands of records. Many times they got in trouble with the
authorities for their, usually mild and sympathetic, criticism of the
socialist
Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...
system, and the habit of making light of issues considered sensitive at the time. The band's first lineup, originally named Pseudobluz bend Zabranjeno Pušenje, featured guitarist Sejo Sexon and vocalist
Nele Karajlić, alongside drummers
Fu-Do then
Šeki Gayton, bassist
Munja Mitić, keyboardist
Seid Mali Karajlić, saxophonist and flutist
Ognjen Gajić
Ognjen Gajić (born 1963), is a Bosnian–American intensive care physician, pulmonologist, university professor and a former musician. He serves as a Clinical Informaticist and a Critical Care Specialist of the Pulmonary Medicine Department at th ...
, guitarist
Mustafa Čengić, and synthesizerist Zoran Degan. Their debut studio album ''
Das ist Walter
''Das ist Walter'' () is the debut studio album by Yugoslav band Zabranjeno Pušenje released on April 10, 1984. It was released through Jugoton in Yugoslavia.
The album title is the closing line from the 1972 partisan film ''Walter Defends Saraj ...
'' (1984) was initially released in limited circulation; the final count was 100,000 copies sold, setting a record for exceeding the initial release by 30 times. Their subsequent album ''
Dok čekaš sabah sa šejtanom
''Dok čekaš sabah sa šejtanom'' () is the second studio album by Yugoslav band Zabranjeno Pušenje released on June 11, 1985. It was released through Jugoton in SFR Yugoslavia. It is the band's first double album.
Following the unexpected succ ...
'' (1985), also released through
Jugoton, was boycotted by the mainstream media due to troubles with Communist authorities. In 1986, Šeki Gayton, Mitić and Čengić chose to leave the group, while drummer
Faris Arapović
Faris Arapović (1970 – 18 September 2019) was a Bosnian drummer. He was widely known as a drummer of Sarajevo-based rock bands Zabranjeno Pušenje and Sikter. Also, he was a founder of Sikter.
Career
Arapović joined a Sarajevo-based rock ...
, bassist
Darko Ostojić
Darko Ostojić (; born 23 March 1965), known by his nickname Ogi, is a Bosnian musician and actor. He first found mainstream success for his portrayal of Minka and Cane Prebranac in the TV Sarajevo series ''Top lista nadrealista''. Also, he was a ...
, guitarist
Kowalski and keyboardist
Dado Džihan
Jadranko "Dado" Džihan (born 24 May 1964), also credited as Dado Jehan, Waves and Patterns, is a composer, music producer and sound master from Bosnia and Herzegovina. A member of New Primitives, Top lista nadrealista an art movement of Sarajevo ...
joined in.
During the second half of 1980s with the new lineup of the band released two albums ''
Pozdrav iz zemlje Safari'' (1987) and ''
Male priče o velikoj ljubavi'' (1989) through
Diskoton
''Diskoton'' was a major record label in SFR Yugoslavia, based in Sarajevo, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The company ceased to exist in 1992, with the outbreak of the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The studio was destroyed along ...
.
During 1992, the band split followed the
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War ( sh, Rat u Bosni i Hercegovini / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. The war is commonly seen as having started ...
, Nele Karajlić continued working in
Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
under the names
Nele Karajlić & Zabranjeno pušenje and
Emir Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra, while Sejo Sexon and other members rejoined in Sarajevo, using the original name, continuing the band's career released the fifth studio album ''
Fildžan viška
''Fildžan viška'' () is the fifth studio album by Bosnian rock band Zabranjeno Pušenje, released in 1997. It was released through Dallas Records in Croatia and Slovenia, and Nimfa Sound in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It's the first album where Sejo ...
'' (1997) with the changed lineup. The band's 1990s lineup alongside Sejo Sexon featured the leader of the New Primitivism movement
Elvis J. Kurtović, vocalist
Marin Gradac
Marin Gradac is a Bosnian musician who is a trombonist for the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra. Formerly, he was a member of a Bosnian garage rock band Zabranjeno Pušenje.
Career
In 1996, Gradac accompanied Sejo Sexon and Elvis J. Kurtović, ...
, a guest on the 1987 album bassist
Dragan Bobić, guitarist
Sejo Kovo
Sead "Sejo" Kovo (born 1970) is a Bosnian guitarist and songwriter. Formerly, he was a member of a Bosnian garage rock band Zabranjeno Pušenje.
Life and career
Kovo was born and raised in Sarajevo, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1970.
In 199 ...
and violinist
Bruno Urlić. After one temporary drummer, Branko Trajkov joined the group in 1996. The same lineup recorded the album ''
Agent tajne sile'' (1999). In 2000, Kurtović, Kovo, and Gradac left the group, while guitarist and producer
Dragianni joined the group and played on their subsequent album, ''
Bog vozi Mercedes'' (2001). That album was followed five years later by ''
Hodi da ti čiko nešto da'' (2006). In the mid-2000s, Dragianni, Bobić, and Urlić chose to leave the group, while guitarist Toni Lović, bassist Dejan Orešković, and violinist Robert Boldižar came to their seats. The band's ninth studio album, ''
Muzej revolucije'' (2009), was released on the Anniversary of the
October Revolution
The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key moment ...
in almost all
former Yugoslav countries, on the same day. The band released their tenth studio album, ''
Radovi na cesti'', in 2013. Their eleventh studio album was released in 2018, titled ''
Šok i nevjerica''. The twelfth and another double studio album ''
Karamba!'' was released in 2022.
History
Background
What would eventually become Zabranjeno Pušenje was started in 1979 by sixteen-year-old
Nenad Janković
Nenad (; Cyrillic script: Ненад) is a male personal Slavic names, name of Slavic origin common in countries that speak Slavic languages. It is more widespread in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and North Macedonia than i ...
(later to become known as dr. Nele Karajlić) and eighteen-year-old
Davor Sučić (later Mr. Sejo Sexon), two teenage friends and neighbors who attended
Sarajevo Second Gymnasium secondary school and lived in the same apartment building on Fuad Midžić Street in the Sarajevo neighborhood of
Koševo
Koševo ( cyrl, Кошево) is a neighborhood in the municipality of Centar in central Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located between the older parts of the city under Stari Grad and the newer more modern parts of the city under the ...
. Already infatuated with and deeply immersed in
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...
, the two fanatically absorbed various musical influences from Yugoslavia and abroad, all the while desperately trying to achieve a basic level of technical proficiency on their instruments — at this stage, Nele Karajlić played the
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
, an instrument he previously studied in
music school for a short time before dropping out, while Sejo Sexon played the
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...
. Both possessing very limited musical knowledge, despite displaying boundless enthusiasm, the duo struggled with everything from simply tuning their instruments to producing the simplest of melodies.
Sexon and Karajlić soon expanded their setup by adding
Ognjen Gajić
Ognjen Gajić (born 1963), is a Bosnian–American intensive care physician, pulmonologist, university professor and a former musician. He serves as a Clinical Informaticist and a Critical Care Specialist of the Pulmonary Medicine Department at th ...
, another neighborhood teenage friend who possessed some basic musical knowledge having attended a music school. Though by Karajlić's own admission, Gajić played the piano better than him, Gajić decided to switch over to
flute
The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...
as an homage to his favorite band
Jethro Tull. He managed to become comfortable on a new instrument fairly quickly, soon becoming a bit of a musical authority among this now three-piece.
Since each of the three teenage members of the group (by now informally known as Pseudobluz bend) lived with their parents, the band rehearsals also took place in their parents' apartments, mostly Karajlić's and Gajić's.
Before long, Sexon brought in
Zenit Đozić
Zenit Đozić (born 8 October 1961) is a Bosnian actor, humorist, television producer and former rock drummer.
Career
Known under nicknames Zena and Fu-Do, Đozić started his entertainment career as a drummer of Sarajevo-based garage rock ban ...
(a.k.a. Zena, later to become known as Fu-Do), his new classmate at Second Gymnasium who had recently moved to Sarajevo from
Bugojno
Bugojno ( sr-cyrl, Бугојно) is a town and municipality located in Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated on river Vrbas, to the northwest from Sarajevo. Acco ...
, to be the band's drummer. Adding
percussions
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Excl ...
, that actually consisted of pots and pans, to their setup created new problems as the noise during rehearsals became unbearable for Karajlić's parents and Gajić's mother so the members set about looking for a suitable rehearsal space.
1980–1983: Early years
In fall 1980, in accordance with the newly passed law in Yugoslavia requiring high school graduates to immediately serve their
compulsory military service
Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...
in the
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army (abbreviated as JNA/; Macedonian and sr-Cyrl-Latn, Југословенска народна армија, Jugoslovenska narodna armija; Croatian and bs, Jugoslavenska narodna armija; sl, Jugoslovanska ljudska a ...
, nineteen-year-old Sexon had to report to the army, which meant being away from Sarajevo and the band for a whole year. With Sexon temporarily gone, the band got a new member –
Mustafa Čengić (a.k.a. MuČe or Mujo Snažni) who brought in
Mladen Mitić (a.k.a. Munja or Mitke) on
bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
. They were occasionally accompanied by
Mirko Srdić (later to become known as Elvis J. Kurtović), Zoran Degan, Boris Šiber,
Samir Ćeremida, etc. In December 1980, they managed to get the band on the bill of a
Želimir Altarac Čičak
Želimir Altarac "Čičak" (21 August 1947 – 26 March 2021) was a Bosnian rock promoter, poet, songwriter, music critic, and publicist.
His pioneering work with various Sarajevo-based rock acts, in both creative and organizational capacity, ha ...
-organized new music showcase at
Dom mladih
Dom Mladih ("Youth Centre Skenderija") is a multifunctional venue of modern concept and interior, located in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as part of Skenderija, which is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, consisting of a dance hall wit ...
in Sarajevo held under the "Nove nade, nove snage" ('New Blood, New Hopefuls') mantra. The event would be the band's first-ever live public performance though they did play a small show at Sarajevo's Fifth Gymnasium for their friends a few days earlier on 30 November 1980 as preparation for the Dom mladih gig. Shortly before Čičak's show at Dom mladih, the band changed its name to Pseudobluz bend Zabranjeno Pušenje. Over time, they dropped the first part and continued as just Zabranjeno Pušenje for brevity.
Their first recording, song "Penzioneri na more idu zimi" (), was made for
Radio Sarajevo in early 1981.
From May 1981, Karajlić and occasionally a few other band members became additionally involved with the ''
Top lista nadrealista'' radio segment, which aired weekly as part of the ''Primus''
program
Program, programme, programmer, or programming may refer to:
Business and management
* Program management, the process of managing several related projects
* Time management
* Program, a part of planning
Arts and entertainment Audio
* Progra ...
on
Radio Sarajevo's channel two. "Penzioneri na more idu zimi" began to get some modest airplay on Radio Sarajevo throughout the year, leading to an increasing number of youths in the city making the connection between the band and the weekly comedy radio segment. In early fall 1981, along with many other upstart Sarajevo bands such as Zov, Formula 4, Ema, Cod, Rezonansa, Super 98, Negra, Žaoka, Ozbiljno Pitanje, Linija Života, Lucifer, Tečni Kristal, Tina, and Bedž, Zabranjeno Pušenje got booked for a multi-act gig as opening acts for headliners
Indexi,
Bulevar
Bulevar ( sr-cyr, Булевар; English language, English: Boulevard) is an urban neighborhood of the city of Novi Sad, Serbia. Its name simply means "boulevard" in Serbian language, Serbian. Bulevar is not a traditional city neighborhood; it is ...
,
Paraf
Paraf was a punk rock and later post-punk band from Rijeka, Croatia, known as one of the pioneers of punk rock in the former Yugoslavia.
History
Punk rock years (1976-1980)
Following the expansion of punk rock in Europe, teenagers Valter ...
,
Zana,
Aerodrom,
Laboratorija Zvuka
Laboratorija Zvuka ( sr-cyr, Лабораторија Звука; trans. ''Sound Laboratory''), credited as Laboratorija (''Laboratory'') only on some of their releases, was a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Novi Sad in 1977. Noted for t ...
, and
Bijelo Dugme
Bijelo Dugme (trans. ''White Button'') was a Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslav rock music, rock band, formed in Sarajevo, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1974. Bijelo Dugme is widely co ...
– all part of the 'Mladost Sutjeske' event commemorating and celebrating the
Battle of Sutjeska
Case Black (german: Fall Schwarz), also known as the Fifth Enemy Offensive ( sh-Latn, Peta neprijateljska ofanziva) in Yugoslav historiography and often identified with its final phase, the Battle of the Sutjeska ( sh-Latn, Bitka na Sutjesci ) ...
from
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. Held at
Skenderija
Skenderija is a cultural, sports and trade center located in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In the area of 70,000 square meters there are multipurpose halls where various sports, cultural and trade events are organized throughout the year, as ...
sports arena on 3 October 1981, it was the band's biggest show to date and they left a memorable impression as singer Karajlić and drummer Đozić were about to leave for their mandatory army services just as guitarist Sexon was completing his.
1984–1989: Breakthrough and rising fame in Yugoslavia
The band performed around Sarajevo for two years before beginning to record material for a debut album during Fall 1983 in producer a modest studio owned by "Paša" Ferović. The shambolic recording process took seven months before the album named ''
Das ist Walter
''Das ist Walter'' () is the debut studio album by Yugoslav band Zabranjeno Pušenje released on April 10, 1984. It was released through Jugoton in Yugoslavia.
The album title is the closing line from the 1972 partisan film ''Walter Defends Saraj ...
'' got released by
Jugoton in April 1984 in the small print of 3,000 copies, clearly indicative of the label's extremely low commercial expectations. The line-up was altered and now Nenad Janković's younger brother keyboardist
Dražen Janković (a.k.a. Seid Mali Karajlić) and drummer
Predrag Rakić (a.k.a. Šeki Gayton). Though the album was initially released in the small print, the final count was 100,000 copies sold, setting a record for exceeding the initial release by 30 times. In Autumn 1984, they embarked on a 60-concert nationwide
concert tour, making them one of the biggest Yugoslav rock attractions after just one album.
During that tour, at their concert in
Rijeka
Rijeka ( , , ; also known as Fiume hu, Fiume, it, Fiume ; local Chakavian: ''Reka''; german: Sankt Veit am Flaum; sl, Reka) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located in Primor ...
on November 27, 1984,
Nele Karajlić declared, referring to an amplifier that had just broken down, "Crk'o Maršal. Mislim na pojačalo." (), which was recognized as a pun on
Marshal Tito
Josip Broz ( sh-Cyrl, Јосип Броз, ; 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980), commonly known as Tito (; sh-Cyrl, Тито, links=no, ), was a Yugoslav communist revolutionary and statesman, serving in various positions from 1943 until his death ...
's death, landing the band in trouble.
They were criticized by the media and a campaign against them resulted in the canceling of their concerts and the removal of ''Top lista nadrealista'' from the air. The affair got attention of the
Yugoslav Security Administration (UDBA), as well. They were rescued by some leading liberal intellectuals, and magazines such as
Polet,
Mladina and
Slobodna Dalmacija, who raise their voices in the defense of the group members and that affair snaps without prison sentences.
Later, Sexon said that their amplifiers weren't even Marshall, and that it was a joke.
In this atmosphere, the band recorded their second, double album ''
Dok čekaš sabah sa šejtanom
''Dok čekaš sabah sa šejtanom'' () is the second studio album by Yugoslav band Zabranjeno Pušenje released on June 11, 1985. It was released through Jugoton in SFR Yugoslavia. It is the band's first double album.
Following the unexpected succ ...
''
() in the infamous
SIM studio
SIM Studio (also known as Studio Smolec) is a Croatian recording studio owned by Vladimir Smolec and Tomo in der Mühlen founded in the 1980s in Zagreb. Productions of SIM studio sold in tens of millions LPs of all the most influential Yugoslav ...
and released it in July 1985. The album has received widespread acclaim from critics, but was boycotted by the media. Following promotional tour had extreme difficulties due to concern of the concert hosts and the enormous presence of the state police, as a reflection of the Marshall Affair.
Despite several top concerts such as at
Pionir Hall in Belgrade,
Poljud
Gradski stadion u Poljudu ( en, City Stadium in Poljud), better known as Stadion Poljud ( en, Poljud Stadium) or simply Poljud, is a multi-use stadium in Split, Croatia, which has been the home ground of Hajduk Split football club since 1979. Th ...
in Split or
Dom Sportova in Zagreb, tens of thousands sold tickets, the tour had a rather disappointing conclusion as the following year Šeki Gayton and Mustafa Čengić left the band in search of a more secure means of making a living. Mladen Mitić left in late 1986 after contributing to the development of the third album.
The rest of the band was working on a subsequent album and slowly assembled a new band lineup, featured drummer
Faris Arapović
Faris Arapović (1970 – 18 September 2019) was a Bosnian drummer. He was widely known as a drummer of Sarajevo-based rock bands Zabranjeno Pušenje and Sikter. Also, he was a founder of Sikter.
Career
Arapović joined a Sarajevo-based rock ...
and guitarist
Predrag Kovačević (a.k.a. Kova or Kowalski) and bassist
Emir Kusturica
Emir Kusturica ( sr-cyrl, Емир Кустурица; born 24 November 1954) is a Serbian film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and musician. He also has French citizenship.http://www.serbia.com/emir-kusturica-artist-builder-and-anti-glo ...
. At the time, Kusturica was notable filmmaker who won the
Palme d'Or at the
1985 Cannes Film Festival
The 38th Cannes Film Festival was held from 8 to 20 May 1985. The Palme d'Or went to the ''When Father Was Away on Business'' by Emir Kusturica.
The festival opened with ''Witness'', directed by Peter Weir and closed with ''The Emerald Forest'', ...
and was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...
with the ''
When Father Was Away on Business
''When Father Was Away on Business'' ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Otac na službenom putu, Отац на службеном путу) is a 1985 Yugoslav film by Serbian director Emir Kusturica. The screenplay was written by the Bosnian dramatist Abdulah Sid ...
''.
This refreshed lineup, in collaboration with some studio musicians such as bassist
Dragan Bobić and back-vocalists
Dado Džihan
Jadranko "Dado" Džihan (born 24 May 1964), also credited as Dado Jehan, Waves and Patterns, is a composer, music producer and sound master from Bosnia and Herzegovina. A member of New Primitives, Top lista nadrealista an art movement of Sarajevo ...
and
Darko Ostojić
Darko Ostojić (; born 23 March 1965), known by his nickname Ogi, is a Bosnian musician and actor. He first found mainstream success for his portrayal of Minka and Cane Prebranac in the TV Sarajevo series ''Top lista nadrealista''. Also, he was a ...
, released ''
Pozdrav iz zemlje Safari'' () through
Diskoton
''Diskoton'' was a major record label in SFR Yugoslavia, based in Sarajevo, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The company ceased to exist in 1992, with the outbreak of the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The studio was destroyed along ...
in 1987. Diskoton
censors had some objections and the song "Our Proposal for the Eurovision Song Contest" had to be renamed, since the song included comments on the depressed state of the economy and the lack of freedom of expression. The album again included a number of hit songs, such as "Pišonja i Žuga", "Hadžija ili bos", "Fikreta", "Dan Republike", and returned the band to stardom. The album was recorded in Sarajevo and mixed in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, UK, while the
record producer
A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...
was Sven Rustempašić, a Seattle-based producer born in Sarajevo. The following tour, which included 87 concerts, was the largest Zabranjeno Pušenje tour thus far and the band was by that time regarded as one of the Yugoslav rock powerhouse alongside
Azra
Azra was a Croatian and Yugoslav rock band that was one of the most popular acts of the Yugoslav new wave music of the 1980s. Azra was formed in 1977 by its frontman Branimir "Johnny" Štulić. The other two members of the original line-up were ...
,
Bijelo Dugme
Bijelo Dugme (trans. ''White Button'') was a Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslav rock music, rock band, formed in Sarajevo, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1974. Bijelo Dugme is widely co ...
and
Parni Valjak. In January 1988, the band received a
gold record for 100,000 copies sold.
In October 1988, the band released their fourth album ''
Male priče o velikoj ljubavi'' (). The songs were mostly written and produced by Sejo Sexon. The album featured opera singer Sonja Milenković, violinist Dejan Sparavalo and
Goran Bregović as
backing vocal and guitar player. The album was an average success. The band embarked on the tour with
Bombaj štampa and the rest of ''Top lista nadrealista'' crew (those who didn't play in the band already). The tour (a combination of
theatre
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...
and rock and roll, an idea by Sejo Sexon, was a great success and regarded as the best tour of 1989 with around 60 concerts and more than 200,000 visitors.
1990–1995: Band split and transitional period
Nele Karajlić and Sejo Sexon, the band's
leading duo, were getting on increasingly colder terms and the Yugoslavia-wide tour with
Bombaj Štampa and ''Top lista nadrealista'' during early 1990, though hugely commercially successful, only exacerbated their fractured business and personal relationship.
The band broke up in late summer 1990 when Sejo Sexon informed Karajlić about no longer being interested in playing with him. Sejo Sexon, Darko Ostojić and Faris Arapović left the band due to different views on the band vision more than the political differences in Yugoslav leadership in the late 1980s.
In that time, Sejo Sexon and Ostojić worked on their
solo record for Diskoton, but that studio album went unreleased due to the start of the
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War ( sh, Rat u Bosni i Hercegovini / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. The war is commonly seen as having started ...
.
Arapović joined the Sarajevo-based
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
band
Sikter
Sikter is a Bosnian alternative rock band from Sarajevo. The band was formed in 1990 as a punk rock project of a few students, but became one of the most successful Bosnian rock bands. The name of the band is translated as ''Buzz Off''!
From 19 ...
.
In April 1992, the
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War ( sh, Rat u Bosni i Hercegovini / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. The war is commonly seen as having started ...
began. Nele Karajlić had fled to
Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
and continued working under the name
Nele Karajlić & Zabranjeno pušenje, later better known as
Emir Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra. Sejo Sexon, along with
Elvis J. Kurtović, Zenit Đozić, Boris Šiber and the band's
album cover
An album cover (also referred to as album art) is the front packaging art of a commercially released studio album or other audio recordings. The term can refer to either the printed paperboard covers typically used to package sets of and 78-r ...
designer Srđan Velimirović, remained in
besieged Sarajevo, taking part in the wartime spinoff of ''Top lista nadrealista''.
In late June 1992, ''Top lista nadrealista'' crew started to work on a 15-minute weekly
radio shows
A radio program, radio programme, or radio show is a segment of content intended for broadcast on radio. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series. A single program in a series is called an episode.
Radio networ ...
. In August 1993, after 50 odd shows on radio, the group shot and aired four television episodes. Sejo Sexon produced a soundtrack for TV series and a
theater play
A play is a work of drama, usually consisting mostly of dialogue between characters and intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. The writer of a play is called a playwright.
Plays are performed at a variety of levels, fr ...
''Top lista nadrealista''.
After the
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War ( sh, Rat u Bosni i Hercegovini / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. The war is commonly seen as having started ...
Sejo Sexon moved to
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
, Croatia where he lived for some time. Later he came back to Sarajevo and together with Elvis J. Kurtović, who occasionally worked on the band's recordings, restored Zabranjeno pušenje. After reunion of the band in 1996, Sejo Sexon and Elvis J. Kurović had more than 300 occasions where then performed live ''Top lista nadrealista'' across Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
,
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
,
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
, and
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
.
That tour was supported by the
USAID
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. With a budget of over $27 bi ...
office in Sarajevo.
1996–2001: New beginnings in the post-Yugoslav area
In 1996, Sejo Sexon and Elvis J. Kurović accompanied with members of the ''Top lista nadrealista''
pit orchestra
A pit orchestra is a type of orchestra that accompanies performers in musicals, operas, ballets, and other shows involving music. The terms was also used for orchestras accompanying silent movies when more than a piano was used. In performances ...
such as
Sejo Kovo
Sead "Sejo" Kovo (born 1970) is a Bosnian guitarist and songwriter. Formerly, he was a member of a Bosnian garage rock band Zabranjeno Pušenje.
Life and career
Kovo was born and raised in Sarajevo, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1970.
In 199 ...
,
Đani Pervan
Đani Pervan is a Bosnian musician, songwriter, record producer, and sound engineer.
Life and career
Pervan was born and raised in Sarajevo, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is a self-taught musician.
In 1985, Pervan joined rock band Letu Štuke ...
,
Dušan Vranić
Dušan Vranić, known by his nickname Duco, is a Bosnian musician who is a member of the Darko Rundek's band. Formerly, he was a member of a Bosnian garage rock band Zabranjeno Pušenje.
Life and career
Vranić was born and raised in Sarajev ...
, and
Samir Ćeremida had become the core of the renewed band's lineup. During that time, the band works on their new studio album. The fifth album of Zabranjeno pušenje ''
Fildžan viška
''Fildžan viška'' () is the fifth studio album by Bosnian rock band Zabranjeno Pušenje, released in 1997. It was released through Dallas Records in Croatia and Slovenia, and Nimfa Sound in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It's the first album where Sejo ...
'' () is released through
Dallas Records and Nimfa Sound in 1997. Sejo Sexon produced the album and wrote all songs with some help of Elvis J. Kurtović. ''Fildžan viška'' was produced four singles; "Možeš imat' moje tijelo", "Mile Hašišar", "Pubertet" and "Fildžan viška". Music videos for those single are produced by the band members. Production know-how from ''Top lista nadrealista'' has proven to be valuable in recording music videos,
which were rated very well in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
where the band performed regularly. Touring musicians were Sejo Sexon, Elvis J. Kurtović,
Predrag Bobić, Zoran Stojanović, Nedžad Podžić,
Marin Gradac
Marin Gradac is a Bosnian musician who is a trombonist for the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra. Formerly, he was a member of a Bosnian garage rock band Zabranjeno Pušenje.
Career
In 1996, Gradac accompanied Sejo Sexon and Elvis J. Kurtović, ...
,
Bruno Urlić and
Branko Trajkov, while Samir Ćeramida and Đani Pervan performed occasionally.
The same lineup released the first live album ''
Hapsi sve!'' through
Croatia Records and A Records in 1998. The songs are recorded over two nights at
Dom Sportova, in Zagreb on July 10, 1997, and at the Metalac schoolyard in Sarajevo on September 25, 1997. In the same time, the band had two guest appearances of
Rambo Amadeus at their concerts for the ''Fildžan viška'' album promotion in Sarajevo. Those appearances were the first
post-war
In Western usage, the phrase post-war era (or postwar era) usually refers to the time since the end of World War II. More broadly, a post-war period (or postwar period) is the interval immediately following the end of a war. A post-war period c ...
performance by a
Serbian-Montenegrin artist to the
Bosnian Federation. In early 1997,
Dario Vitez became
executive producer
Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...
,
public relations
Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing and disseminating information from an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a nonprofit organization) to the public in order to influence their perception. P ...
manager and
tour manager
A tour manager (or concert tour manager) is the person who helps to organize the administration for a schedule of appearances of a musical group (band) or artist at a sequence of venues (a concert tour). In general, road managers handle tour deta ...
of the band.
The writing and formation of the band's next album, ''
Agent tajne sile'' () began immediately following the culmination of the promotional tour for ''Fildžan viška'', in the start of 1999, at the
Bjelolasica Olympic Centre in
Gorski kotar, Croatia. The album was recorded in Rent-A-Cow Studio in
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
, the Netherlands in March 1999 and produced by Sejo Sexon and Zlaja Jeff Hadžić. ''Agent tajne sile'' is released in June 1999 through
TLN-Europa, an
independent record label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...
founded and own by Sejo Sexon. The record produced four singles; "Pos'o, kuća, birtija", "Agent tajne sile", "Jugo 45" and "Pupoljak". The record's third single, "Jugo 45", was the band's fastest-selling single, debuting on top of the Bosnian and Croatian charts. The band began another tour in support of ''Agent tajne sile'' in 1999, beginning with promotional concerts in Bosnia and Croatia with the touring lineup: Sejo Sexon, Marin Gradac, Elvis J. Kurtović, Predrag Bobić, Bruno Urlić,
Dragomir Herendić, and Branko Trajkov. In a short while, Marin Gradac and Elvis J. Kurtović chose to leave the group due to other commitments. Gradac went to finish
Sarajevo Music Academy
The Sarajevo Music Academy or Music Academy , University of Sarajevo ( bs, Muzička Akademija Univerziteta u Sarajevu or MAS) is a Faculty of Music of University of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
History
Sarajevo Music Academy was found ...
and joined
Radio Sarajevo Orchestra
An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families.
There are typically four main sections of instruments:
* bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...
, while Elvis J. Kurtović began writing his solo album.
In early 2000, the band came back to the Bjelolasica Olympic Centre to work on the band's seventh album. In the meantime, the band got a new member; world-class percussionist
Albin Jarić, better known as Jimi Rasta, who worked previously with musicians such as
Dave Stewart and
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...
.
''
Bog vozi Mercedes'' () was record by
home made production in improvised studios in Bjelolasica and
Ivanić Grad Ivanić ( sr-Cyrl, Иванић, ) is a Croatian and Serbian surname.
* Delfa Ivanić (1881–1972), Serbian painter, humanitarian and writer
* Dragutin Ivanić, Croatian pilot
* Dušan Ivanić (born 1946), Croatian-born Serbian literary histori ...
from March to June 2001. This record was planned to be a
noncommercial break from the major music projects. No one expected that it would become one of the most selling Zabranjeno pušenje albums. The album is released in December 2001 through TLN-Europa and
Menart Records
Menart Records is a Slovenian full-service record label with partner companies also in Croatia and Serbia.
History
Menart Records started in 1996 in Slovenia only, founded by Boštjan Menart.
Activities
Menart Records is the exclusive Sony Music ...
, and went on to sell more than 35,000 copies. Sejo Sexon wrote and produced four music videos, out of six released.
For the song "Arizona Dream" the band won the 2002
Davorin Award for the best rock song. The concert tour by the band in support of their seventh studio album had 250 concerts.
In 2001, the band members took a part in a
social responsibility project in which they organized music workshops for children and youth who were victims of
land mine
A land mine is an explosive device concealed under or on the ground and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically detonated automati ...
s. Project was supported by embassies of
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, Norway and the U.S. in Zagreb.
2002–2011: Continued success
In 2002, the band went on the
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
n tour. On May 26, they had recorded the band's second live album at the
Casa Loma Ballroom
Casa Loma Ballroom is a historic dance hall in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri. It is located at 3354 Iowa Avenue in the city's Gravois Park, St. Louis, Gravois Park neighborhood.
History
The Cinderella Recreation Hall and Dance Academy was b ...
in
St. Louis,
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
. In 2004, the band released ''
Live in St. Louis''. This live album featured two new music videos, "Zenica Blues" and "Posljednja oaza (Fikreta)". They made the video for their 1980s hit ''Zenica Blues'' following the 20th Anniversary of the song's release. The video was shot in the
Zenica prison
The Zenica prison (''Kazneno-popravni zavod zatvorenog tipa Zenica'', ''KPZ Zenica'', ''K.P. DOM'', ''Zenička kaznionica'') is a closed-type prison located in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was opened in 1886. It was the largest prison in Yu ...
. In 2003, Zabranjeno pušenje was awarded for their outstanding live performance on the
Baščaršija Nights
Baščaršija Nights (also known as Nights of Baščaršija; Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian: ''Baščaršijske noći'' / Башчаршијске ноћи) is the biggest culture festival in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Taking place througho ...
festival in Sarajevo.
During 2004, Albin Jarić, Bruno Urlić and Dragomir Herendić left the group due to other commitments. Jarić devotes himself to family life in
Kranj
Kranj (, german: Krainburg) is the third-largest city in Slovenia, with a population of 37,941 (2020). It is located approximately northwest of Ljubljana. The centre of the City Municipality of Kranj and of the traditional region of Upper Carniol ...
, Slovenia. Herendić completed his own studio in Ivanić Grad and get focused on his production career. Urlić took over
band-leadership of the
Macedonian folk band Ezerki & 7/8 from Zagreb. and started his
studio music and production career.
In a short period without guitarists and violinists, Sejo Sexon, Trajkov, and Bobić began the writing and formation on sketches of something that will evolve in three years to the double-full-length studio album. In a short period of time, violinist
Robert Boldižar and guitarist
Toni Lović joined in.
Boldižar was touring musician in 1997, while the band's violinist Urlić was on leave to
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, France. The new lineup immediately began to wrap up music for the next album and went on a short tour. Meanwhile, keyboardist
Paul Kempf step in the empty seat. In 2005, right after record producer Denis Mujadžić (a.k.a. Denyken) joined the record project, Sejo Sexon got the opportunity to write a
film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues, which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to ...
for the 2006 Bosnian
action comedy film ''Nafaka'' directed by Jasmin Duraković.
On that project he got an opportunity to collaborate with prominent musicians of different genres, such as:
Halid Bešlić
Halid Bešlić (; born 20 November 1953) is a Bosnian folk singer and musician who has been performing professionally since 1979. Bešlić's singing career was one of the most successful in Yugoslavia, and continues today throughout the entire ...
,
Arsen Dedić,
Lucija Šerbedžija
Lucija Šerbedžija (born 8 June 1973) is a Croatian theatre and film actress and model, a daughter of actor, Rade, and a sister of film director, Danilo Šerbedžija. She is probably best known in the English-speaking world for her role in ''The ...
, and the Mosque Choir Arabeske. On June 26, 2006, the song "Nema više", the first single from their upcoming album and ''Nafaka Soundtrack'' as well, was released and became a
hit single
A hit song, also known as a hit record, hit single or simply a hit, is a recorded song or instrumental that becomes broadly popular or well-known. Although ''hit song'' means any widely played or big-selling song, the specific term ''hit record' ...
. Sejo Sexon wrote this song with a Bosnian prose writer and playwright
Nenad Veličković
Nenad Veličković (born 1962) is a Bosnian writer and playwright. He lives in Sarajevo. Recent activity
In 2017, Nenad Veličković has signed the Declaration on the Common Language of the Croats, Serbs, Bosniaks and Montenegrins
Montenegrins ...
. On November 16, 2006, the band released their eighth studio album ''
Hodi da ti čiko nešto da!'' (), their first double album since ''Dok čekaš sabah sa šejtanom'' (1985).
Although the concert tour was truly enviable as in the time before, the period after the 2006 album release, next to the Australian Tour and the concerts in Paris and London, brought two great disappointments to the band, cancellations of the significant concerts in Belgrade and Sarajevo. At the first, there was a cancellation of the Sarajevo Concert as a result of the voracity of the
Sarajevo Film Festival Board, who managed to redirect the concert's sponsorships to the Festival's budget.
Next hit was wresting the 29 November Concert in Belgrade by former band members settled in Belgrade and gathered around
The No Smoking Orchestra
The No Smoking Orchestra, frequently credited as Emir Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra, is a Serbian garage rock band formed in Belgrade in 1993.
The band was formed in 1993 by Nele Karajlić who, after relocating to Belgrade from Sarajevo, ...
. The band had the ''Day of the Republic'' project in which 29 November should become the traditional concert date for Belgrade fans.
In September 2008, a longtime bassist Predrag Bobić left the bend after a farewell concert at Zagreb's lake
Bundek
Bundek is a park in the Novi Zagreb - istok city district of Zagreb, Croatia. It is located north of the Zapruđe and Središće neighborhoods. Bundek was renovated during 2005 to turn a badly maintained lake into a tourism and events center of No ...
. Afterwards, guitarist
Dejan Orešković
Dejan Orešković (born March 24, 1970), also known by his nickname Klo, is a Croatian record producer and guitarist. He is a current member of rock band Zabranjeno Pušenje and a former member of heavy metal band Divlje jagode.
Life and career ...
, former bassist of
Divlje jagode, joined the group and played on their subsequent album.
The ninth studio album ''
Muzej revolucije'' () is released on November 7, 2009, on the 92nd anniversary of the
October Revolution
The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key moment ...
. The album is released on the same day through various record labels in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,
Montenegro
)
, image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Podgorica
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, official_languages = M ...
, Serbia and Slovenia.
The record produced five singles; "Modni Guru", "Kladimo se", "Kada Sena pleše", "Tvoja bosa stopala" and "Samir-time". In 2011, Sejo Sexon directed a
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
for the third single of ''Muzej revolucije'', entitled "Kada Sena pleše". It was his directorial debut. Also, he wrote the script for the same music video. On June 25, 2012, the band released the video for "Samir-time", the fifth and last single of ''Muzej revolucije''.
2012–present: Tenth studio album and recent years
In 2012, Sejo Sexon and Toni Lović entered the studio to begin writing for their tenth studio album. On October 10, 2013, ''
Radovi na cesti'' () was released through
Croatia Records and
Dallas Records. The album was met with mostly positive reviews from the critics. The record produced six singles; "Boško i Admira", "Ti voliš sapunice", "Tri kile, tri godine", "U Tvoje ime", "Klasa optimist" and "Kafana kod Keke".
On December 28, 2013, Sejo Sexon and Zabranjeno pušenje celebrated 30th Anniversary of the band with their fans on a concert in
Skenderija
Skenderija is a cultural, sports and trade center located in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In the area of 70,000 square meters there are multipurpose halls where various sports, cultural and trade events are organized throughout the year, as ...
, Sarajevo. In January 2016, saxophonist and flautist
Lana Škrgatić joined the band.
As a new band member, she appeared for the first time in the 2016 music video for the fifth ''Radovi na cesti'' single "Klasa optimist". Keyboardist Paul Kempf left the band in early 2017. The band appeared on two biggest Serbian music festivals in 2017, they performed live at the
EXIT Summer of Love 2017 in
Novi Sad
Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; hu, Újvidék, ; german: Neusatz; see below for other names) is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pan ...
, and at the
Belgrade Beer Fest.
On October 31, 2018, the band released their eleventh studio album ''
Šok i nevjerica'' (). The songs were mostly written and produced by Sejo Sexon and Toni Lović. The album featured Bosnian
rapper Sassja and Bosnian singer and composer
Damir Imamović
Damir Imamović (born 1978) is a Bosnian musician, singer, composer and author of the traditional music of Bosnia and Herzegovina, "sevdalinka" or "sevdah". The winner of "The Best Artist of Europe" in 2021 Songlines World Music Awards.
Early l ...
. In November 2019, Lana Škrgatić parted ways with the band to join a female music band.
In 2020 and 2021, during the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, band members recorded 16 new songs for the new studio album. All songs were written and produced by Sejo Sexon and Toni Lović, while the arrangement is jointly signed with other band members. For the first time in 15 years, they collaborated with Elvis J. Kurtović, a former band member. Thus, in June 2020, they released a single and a music video for the song "Korona hit pozitivan" (), which was made in collaboration with Kurtović. In April 2022, the third live album ''
Live in Skenderija Sarajevo 2018
Live may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film
* ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film
*'' ''Live'' (Apocalyptica DVD)
Music
*Live (band), American alternative rock band
* List of albums ...
'' was released. The new studio album, the twelfth and the double, ''
Karamba!'', was released on June 3, 2022. The album was announced with the song "Ekrem" and its new music video, directed by Tomislav Fiket, and in the title role of Ekrem was the actor Asim Ugljen.
Musical style
In the early 1980s, when the rest of the
Yugoslav popular music scene followed the trends in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
of the early 1980s, chiefly
punk rock and
new wave, Zabranjeno Pušenje were part of a unique rock movement centered in
Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its a ...
that forged its own path. This movement, for the most part, centered on simple, youthful,
garage rock
Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock and roll that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The sty ...
, with
folk
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Folk Plus or Fol ...
influences and a distinctive Sarajevo urban feel called
New Primitivism.
The songs range from punk rock to rock, frequently arranged to feature trumpets and saxophones, adding to the band's unique sound, along with many samples and soundbites from the period. Zabranjeno Pušenje captured the feel of Sarajevo, its idols and local heroes along with tales of love and loss, in a distinctive and often humorous way. Very visual and cynical, the band's lyrics were progressive enough to show the last stages of Yugoslav socialism (songs "Dan republike", "Srce ruke i lopata", "Abid", "Guzonjin sin"), alternate clubs ("Pišonja i Žuga u paklu droge", "Javi mi"), as well as providing morbid hints for the
Yugoslav Wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related#Naimark, Naimark (2003), p. xvii. ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and Insurgency, insurgencies that took place in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, SFR Yugoslavia from ...
("Kanjon Drine", "Zvijezda nad Balkanom").
Members
Current
*
Davor Sučić (
a.k.a. Sejo Sexon) –
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...
,
lead vocals
The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...
, backing vocals (1980–1990; 1995–present)
*
Branko Trajkov (a.k.a. Trak) –
drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
,
percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
, acoustic guitar, backing vocals (1996–present)
*
Toni Lović –
electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gui ...
,
acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
(2004–present)
*
Robert Boldižar –
violin
The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...
,
keyboards
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
, backing vocals (2004–present)
*
Dejan Orešković
Dejan Orešković (born March 24, 1970), also known by his nickname Klo, is a Croatian record producer and guitarist. He is a current member of rock band Zabranjeno Pušenje and a former member of heavy metal band Divlje jagode.
Life and career ...
(a.k.a. Klo) –
bass
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range:
** Bass (instrument), including:
** Acoustic bass gui ...
(2008–present)
Source
Zabranjeno Pušenje
/small>
Former
*
Faris Arapović
Faris Arapović (1970 – 18 September 2019) was a Bosnian drummer. He was widely known as a drummer of Sarajevo-based rock bands Zabranjeno Pušenje and Sikter. Also, he was a founder of Sikter.
Career
Arapović joined a Sarajevo-based rock ...
– drums (1987–1990)
* Kristina Biluš – backing vocals (1999)
*
Predrag Bobić (a.k.a. Bleka)
(credited as Dragan Bobić) – bass (1996–2008)
*
Mustafa Čengić (a.k.a. Mujo Snažni) – guitar, backing vocals (1980–1986)
*
Samir Ćeremida – bass (1996–1998)
* Zoran Degan (a.k.a. Poka) – keyboards (1980–1983)
*
Zenit Đozić
Zenit Đozić (born 8 October 1961) is a Bosnian actor, humorist, television producer and former rock drummer.
Career
Known under nicknames Zena and Fu-Do, Đozić started his entertainment career as a drummer of Sarajevo-based garage rock ban ...
(a.k.a. Fu-do) – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1980–1983; 1985)
*
Dado Džihan
Jadranko "Dado" Džihan (born 24 May 1964), also credited as Dado Jehan, Waves and Patterns, is a composer, music producer and sound master from Bosnia and Herzegovina. A member of New Primitives, Top lista nadrealista an art movement of Sarajevo ...
– keyboards (1987–1990)
*
Ognjen Gajić
Ognjen Gajić (born 1963), is a Bosnian–American intensive care physician, pulmonologist, university professor and a former musician. He serves as a Clinical Informaticist and a Critical Care Specialist of the Pulmonary Medicine Department at th ...
–
saxophone
The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to pr ...
,
concert flute
The Western concert flute is a family of transverse (side-blown) woodwind instruments made of metal or wood. It is the most common variant of the flute. A musician who plays the flute is called a flautist (in British English), flutist (in Ame ...
, keyboards (1980–1987)
*
Marin Gradac
Marin Gradac is a Bosnian musician who is a trombonist for the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra. Formerly, he was a member of a Bosnian garage rock band Zabranjeno Pušenje.
Career
In 1996, Gradac accompanied Sejo Sexon and Elvis J. Kurtović, ...
(a.k.a. Mako) –
trombone
The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the Brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the Standing wave, air column ...
, vocals (1996–1999)
*
Dragomir Herendić (a.k.a. Dragianni) – lead guitar (1999–2004)
*
Dražen Janković (a.k.a. Seid Mali Karajlić) – keyboards, backing vocals (1980–1981; 1984–1987)
*
Nenad Janković
Nenad (; Cyrillic script: Ненад) is a male personal Slavic names, name of Slavic origin common in countries that speak Slavic languages. It is more widespread in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and North Macedonia than i ...
(a.k.a. Dr. Nele Karajlić) – lead vocals, keyboards (1980–1990)
*
Albin Jarić (a.k.a. Jimi Rasta) – percussion (2001–2004)
*
Paul Kempf (a.k.a. Pavo) – keyboards (2005–2017)
*
Predrag Kovačević (a.k.a. Kova / Kowalski) – guitar (1986–1990)
*
Sead Kovo (a.k.a. Sejo) – guitar (1996–1999)
*
Emir Kusturica
Emir Kusturica ( sr-cyrl, Емир Кустурица; born 24 November 1954) is a Serbian film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and musician. He also has French citizenship.http://www.serbia.com/emir-kusturica-artist-builder-and-anti-glo ...
– bass (1987)
*
Mladen Mitić (a.k.a. Munja) – bass, backing vocals (1980–1986)
*
Darko Ostojić
Darko Ostojić (; born 23 March 1965), known by his nickname Ogi, is a Bosnian musician and actor. He first found mainstream success for his portrayal of Minka and Cane Prebranac in the TV Sarajevo series ''Top lista nadrealista''. Also, he was a ...
(a.k.a. Ogi) – bass (1987–1990)
*
Đani Pervan
Đani Pervan is a Bosnian musician, songwriter, record producer, and sound engineer.
Life and career
Pervan was born and raised in Sarajevo, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is a self-taught musician.
In 1985, Pervan joined rock band Letu Štuke ...
– drums (1996)
* Nedžad Podžić (a.k.a. Počko) – keyboards, backing vocals (1996–1998)
*
Predrag Rakić (a.k.a. Šeki Gayton) – drums (1983–1986)
*
Mirko Srdić (a.k.a. Elvis J. Kurtovich) – backing vocals (1996–1999)
* Zoran Stojanović – electric guitar (1996–1998)
*
Lana Škrgatić – saxophone, concert flute, backing vocals (2016–2019)
*
Bruno Urlić (a.k.a. Prco) –
violin
The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...
,
viola
The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...
, keyboards, backing vocals (1997–2004)
*
Dušan Vranić
Dušan Vranić, known by his nickname Duco, is a Bosnian musician who is a member of the Darko Rundek's band. Formerly, he was a member of a Bosnian garage rock band Zabranjeno Pušenje.
Life and career
Vranić was born and raised in Sarajev ...
(a.k.a. Duco) – keyboards, backing vocals (1996–1997)
Timeline
Awards and nominations
, -
, rowspan="2" , 2002 , , "Arizona Dream"
, Best Rock Song
,
Davorin Awards
,
, ''Bog vozi Mercedes''
,
, -
, ''
Bog vozi Mercedes''
, Best Album Cover Design
,
Davorin Awards
,
,
Dario Vitez & Srđan Velimirović
,
, -
, rowspan="2" , 2003 , , ''www.zabranjeno-pusenje.com''
, Best Artist Website Design
,
Davorin Awards
,
, Dario Vitez
,
, -
, Zabranjeno pušenje
, Outstanding Live Performance
,
Baščaršija Nights
Baščaršija Nights (also known as Nights of Baščaršija; Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian: ''Baščaršijske noći'' / Башчаршијске ноћи) is the biggest culture festival in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Taking place througho ...
,
,
,
, -
, 2004 , , 20th Debut Album's Anniversary
, Honorary Award "50 Years of Popular Music"
,
Davorin Awards
,
,
,
, -
, 2005 , , ''
Live In St. Louis''
, Best Live Album
,
Davorin Awards
,
,
,
, -
, rowspan="9" , 2007 , , ''
Hodi da ti čiko nešto da''
, Rock Album of the Year
,
Davorin Awards
,
,
,
, -
, rowspan="2" , "Dobro dvorište"
, Rock Song of the Year
,
Davorin Awards
,
, ''Hodi da ti čiko nešto da''
,
, -
, Rock Music Video of the Year
,
Davorin Awards
,
, ''Hodi da ti čiko nešto da''
,
, -
, rowspan="2" , "Nema više"
, Rock Song of the Year
,
Davorin Awards
,
, ''Hodi da ti čiko nešto da''
,
, -
, Rock Music Video of the Year
,
Davorin Awards
,
, ''Hodi da ti čiko nešto da''
,
, -
, Zabranjeno pušenje
, Rock Performer of the Year
,
Davorin Awards
,
,
,
, -
,
Sejo Sexon
, Best Male Singer
,
Davorin Awards
,
,
,
, -
, Zabranjeno pušenje &
Arsen Dedić
, Collaboration of the Year
,
Davorin Awards
,
,
,
, -
,
Toni Lović
, Best Pop/Rock/Urban Guitarist
, Status Awards
,
,
,
, -
, rowspan="2" , 2010
,
Dejan Orešković
Dejan Orešković (born March 24, 1970), also known by his nickname Klo, is a Croatian record producer and guitarist. He is a current member of rock band Zabranjeno Pušenje and a former member of heavy metal band Divlje jagode.
Life and career ...
, Best Pop/Rock/Urban Bassist
, Status Awards
,
,
,
, -
,
Robert Boldižar
, Best Pop/Rock/Urban Violinist
, Status Awards
,
,
,
, -
, 2015
,
Dejan Orešković
Dejan Orešković (born March 24, 1970), also known by his nickname Klo, is a Croatian record producer and guitarist. He is a current member of rock band Zabranjeno Pušenje and a former member of heavy metal band Divlje jagode.
Life and career ...
, Best Pop/Rock/Urban Bassist
, Status Awards
,
,
,
, -
, rowspan="2" , 2017
,
Toni Lović
, Best Guitarist
, Mega Muzika Fender Awards
,
,
,
, -
, Zabranjeno pušenje
, Best Band
, Mega Muzika Fender Awards
,
,
,
, -
Discography
Studio albums
* ''
Das ist Walter
''Das ist Walter'' () is the debut studio album by Yugoslav band Zabranjeno Pušenje released on April 10, 1984. It was released through Jugoton in Yugoslavia.
The album title is the closing line from the 1972 partisan film ''Walter Defends Saraj ...
'' (1984)
* ''
Dok čekaš sabah sa šejtanom
''Dok čekaš sabah sa šejtanom'' () is the second studio album by Yugoslav band Zabranjeno Pušenje released on June 11, 1985. It was released through Jugoton in SFR Yugoslavia. It is the band's first double album.
Following the unexpected succ ...
'' (1985)
* ''
Pozdrav iz zemlje Safari'' (1987)
* ''
Male priče o velikoj ljubavi'' (1989)
* ''
Fildžan viška
''Fildžan viška'' () is the fifth studio album by Bosnian rock band Zabranjeno Pušenje, released in 1997. It was released through Dallas Records in Croatia and Slovenia, and Nimfa Sound in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It's the first album where Sejo ...
'' (1997)
* ''
Agent tajne sile'' (1999)
* ''
Bog vozi Mercedes'' (2001)
* ''
Hodi da ti čiko nešto da'' (2006)
* ''
Muzej revolucije'' (2009)
* ''
Radovi na cesti'' (2013)
* ''
Šok i nevjerica'' (2018)
* ''
Karamba!'' (2022)
See also
*
Top lista nadrealista
*
Shaderwan Code
Shaderwan Code is a Bosnian folk music
Like the surrounding Balkan countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina has had a turbulent past marked by frequent foreign invasions and occupation. As a result, Bosnian music is now a mixture of Slavic, Turkish ...
*
The No Smoking Orchestra
The No Smoking Orchestra, frequently credited as Emir Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra, is a Serbian garage rock band formed in Belgrade in 1993.
The band was formed in 1993 by Nele Karajlić who, after relocating to Belgrade from Sarajevo, ...
*
New Primitivism
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
*
External links
*
Zabranjeno Pušenjeat
Discogs
Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zabranjeno Pusenje
*
1980 establishments in Bosnia and Herzegovina
1980 establishments in Yugoslavia
Bosnia and Herzegovina rock music groups
Garage punk groups
Musical groups established in 1980
Yugoslav punk rock groups
New Primitivism