Bijelo Dugme - Former Yugoslavia's Greatest Rock Band

In today's blog post, we will examine perhaps one of the GREATEST rock bands of the former Yugoslavia. Bijelo Dugme (The White Button), which by sound is largely influenced by the heavy metal likes of Deep Purple, Zeppelin, and Sabbath; however in culture, they were most simillar to the Beatles. In fact, there was a Dugmeania in the former Yugoslavia in the late 70s akin to Beatlemania in the US in the 60s.

The brainchild of the band was a young man named Goran Bregovich, aka Brega. He was born on 3, 22, 1950 in Sarajevo to a Serbian mother and a Croatian father. At some point, his mother enrolled him into a music school with violin as a chosen instrument, but around twelve he was expelled showing lack of interest. Consequently, his mother bought him a guitar in his early teenage years.

Brega's first bands were high school bands. He played bass guitar for Beshtije (The Beasts). At a  br in 1969, Bregovich met Zeljko Bebek who was part of a band called Kodeksi (The Codexes). They needed a bass player and Bebek was supposidly digging Brega's bass playing. Bebek himself possesses something of what I would call an "Ian Gillan voice," in particular with the highest and lowest notes in the register.

In the early 70s, Kodeksi shifted positions and Bregovich was moved to lead guitar. The band was made up of four of Bijelo Dugme's future members. Apart from the aforementioned Brega and Bebek, there were Zoran Rejich (bass) and Milich Vukashinovich (drums). Then in September 1971, Brega took up studying philosphy at University of Sarajevo, but soon dropped out and started a new group called Jutro (The Morning) which featured Ismet Nuno Anrautalich (whom I personally know). Finally in late 1973, Bijelo Dugme was born. Its starting lineup featured Brega, Bebek, Zoran Rejich, Goran "Ipe" Ivandich (drums) and Vlado Pravdich (another member I actually knew briefly in my childhood living in Palm Springs, keyboards).

Released in the fall of 1974, their debut album Kad bi Bio Bijelo Dugme (If I Were a White Button) laid down the sound for much of the decade. Featuring a mix of art rock, hard rock, and even prog rock (n the title track especially), the record became a hot seller months after its initial release, and was certified Gold in 1975. Hits from the album were the title track, Ne Spavaj Mala Moja Muzika dok Svira (Don't Sleep Little Girl While the Music Plays) about a young man conving a girl to go out dancing with him in that her parents will never know, as well as Selma written by Vlado Dujak about a girl he met many years ago who was traveling (that "Selma" spoke in an interview a few years ago of the train and such).

Their 1975 follow-up Shta bi Dao da si na Mom Mjestu (What Would you Give if You Were Me) was recorded over a two-week period in November in, wait for it...AIR Studios! with producer Neil Harrison and engineer Peter Henderson (who would later go on to work with Supertramp). Coincidence or not, Roxy Music were recording their Siren record and said they like what they heard from Bijelo Dugme EVEN IF they did not understand the language). The LP features Bebek doubling on bass as Rejich injured his middle finger two days before recording. However, he directed Bebek and came up with bass lines. The title track was even recorded (but not realeased) in English as Playing The Part. This LP was another hit seller, and I would encourage you to listen to it in its entirety. In fact, the opening chord of the title track is taken from the Yes song Roundabout as well as the ELP song Fron The Beginning.

Their third LP Eto Bash Hochu (There! I Really Will) was released in '76, but recording was marred by technical difficulties, not to mention a drop in sales. Bebek doubled on bass again as  Rejich was sent to serve a mandatory year in the People's Army. The big hit from that one was the lengthy, Sanjao sam Nochas da te Nemam (I Dreamed Last Night of Not Having You). The instrumental passage is quite exciting. The record was again made at AIR Studios in London with producer Neil Harrison, and features Milich Vukashinovich on drums (his first time since Kodeksi) and Laza Ristovski on keyboards, and is the only once to feature Vukashinovich.

As sales were bad, and Bregovich had to serve in the military himself, a free, farewell gig was organized at Belgrade's Hajduchka Chesma (Hayduk's Fountain), which was taped for the 1977 live LP Koncert kod Hajduchke Chesme (The Conert by Hayduk's Fountain).

However in the late 1970s, Bijelo Dugme sprung back to life. Their 1979 record Bitanga i Princeza (The Brute and the Princess) was a big rebound. Recorded at AIR Studios, the LP featured shorter songs and classics such as the Styx-like title track. Pravdich returned on keyboards for this record and drummer Jiji Yankelich was chosen as the new drummer.

With the new decade, came new direction for Dugme. Their 1980 follow-up Dozivjeti Stotu (Live to 100) was full of new wave such as ska and even slight punk. The band reinvented their image and cut their hairs to match the new style. As a result, they played a concert at the Kulushich club in Zagreb on April 5, 1981, which became the title of their second live record 5 April 1981.

The pinnacle was Bebek was hit around this time. The 1983 record Uspavanka za Radmilu M. (A Lullaby for Radmila M) was a massive flop though it did generate the hit Ako Mozes Zaboravi (If You Can, Forget). The record resulted in Bebek's decision to keep with his solo work (started in 1978) and leaving the band after ten years of contributions. In 1984, record company Jugoton released Sanjao sam Nochas da te Nemam: Velike Rock Balade after their 1976 hit of the same name as a summary of the previosu six studio albums.

With Bebek out, Bregovich was obligated to find a suitable replacement. He had initially prusued Alen Islamovich with the idea of joining Bijelo Dugme, but he had been touring with Divlje Jagode (Wild Strawberries) which had become a successful hard rock/metal band in the fomer Yugoslavia. Alen planned to move the band to the UK to make them famous worldwide (and even included future Whitesnake members). Instead the choice of singer was Mladen Vujichich-Tifa whose longer and shaky voice seemed to fit the band. With him, they released a self-title record in late '84 which was informally named Kosovska Djevojka (The Kosovan Maiden) as it featured the aforementioned painting by Serbian realist painter Urosh Predich. The record was made in several of the nations largest cities: Sarajevo, Zagreb, Skopije, and Belgrade. The opening track, Hey Slaveni (Hey Slavik People) is a version of the nation's then anthem. The opening to the track Padaju Zvijezde is comparable to the riffs found in songs like Van Halen's Jump or Pete Townshend's Let my Love Open the Door. The other solid hit from the album was the folk rock song Lipe Cvatu Sve je Isto K'o i Lani (Linden Trees Are Blooming, Everything Is The Same as Before.

The record sold over 400,000 copies and had a successful tour which featured a show at the Belgrade Fair with 27,000 spectatos. In the summer of 1985, Bijelo Dugme played at the 12th annual Youth Festival of Students in Moscow alongside another popular ex-Yu rock band of the day Bajaga & Instructori (Bajaga and The Instructors, which I'll write about in another blog post). The concert was marred by police riots and Bijelo Dugme held another two concerts in Moscow that summer.

By 1986, Divlje Jagode (known then as their English name The Wild Strawberries), collapsed. Conincidentally, Tifa exited the group. With this, Brega again pursuid Islamovich who finally accepted and sang on their last two records. That very year Pljuni i Zapjevaj Moja Jugoslavijo (Spit and Sing my Yugoslavia) was released. With Islamovich on vocals, the record featured one of their successful hits Ruzica si Bila Sada Vishe Nisi (You Used to Be a Rose, Now You're no Longer). The record was mostly imspired by the building political instability at the time in Yugoslavia. During their 1986-87 tour, Bijelo Dugme recorded their third live album, Mramor Kamen i Zeljezo (Marble, Stone, and Iron). The record also features studio recordings of their classic 1970s hits.

Their ninth album, Chiribirbela released in 1988 features more of the same folsky sound of the 1986 predecessor. In particular, the title track. The track's subject is a couple fantasizing what they would do if war were to break out (which was imminent then) and would actually happen several years later.

Their 1988-89 tour was going well however before a concert in Derventa, Islamovich experienced kidney pain and was booked into an area hospital. Many did not realize it, but this marked the end of Bijelo Dugme.

In the years since breaking up, Bregovich began writing film scores and other such side projects (with sound different from any Bijelo Dugme material). In particular in 1999 he worked with Polish singer, Kayah and the collaboration was released on the album Kayah & Bregovich. The album mostly features Bijelo Dugme covers. It is in Polish, but DO listen to it in full (you should find it on Amazon). Goran Ivandich, former drummer, commited suicide in 1994 in a Belgrade hotel room As for the vocalists themselves, they've all had modestly successful solo careers, some of which even started in the late 70s and 80s.

Bregovich formed his Weddings and Funerals band, which regularly tours and records - ocassionally playing live Bijelo Dugme covers. Then in 2005, when NO ONE expcted it, Bregovich reunited Bijelo Dugme featuring Zoran Rejich, both drummers, all three vocalists, and an ensamble of backing vocalists and string/woodwind players. They played in Sarajevo (Koshevo Stadium), Zagreb (Maksimir) and Belgrade (The Hippodrome). The Hippodrome was the largest show drawing 180,000 spectators, while 20,000 more hurdled outside the stadium. The Zagreb concert was released on DVD as was the entire tour footage on DVD and double CD in 2006.

The three vocalists have since regrouped as Bat (derived from their last names). They tour mostly the opposite side of the Atlantic (US and Canada) with 2006 being their first year of touring.