How the Yugoslav Breakup Changed the Rock Scene
The Yugoslav rock scene, largly centered around the Sarajevo School of Pop and Rock, was large from the 60s into the 80s.
However, the 90s completely changed the game. The destabelizing political situation, and the wars that followed, led to many popular bands undergoing hitatus, yet some still continued to release albums.
How it all unfolded
Previously, Yugoslavia consisted of seven republics: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia, and Serbia. Croatia was first to break apart in 1991, which led to Bosnia and Herzegovina make that decision in January of 1992, which eventually led to the already strong war in Croatia spreading south. The Seige of Sarajevo, in particular, was the largest, and longest-lasting segie on a capital city in political history.
What happened to the music?
While some bands were able to issue albums in the early 90s (1992 at the latest), many went on a long hiatus after that and some former members even relocated to other countries. For example, long-time guitarist/songwritter of Crvena Jabuka (Red Apple), Zlatko Arslanagich, left for London in the summer of 1992 before moving to Toronto three years later. Zijo Rizvanbegovich, of Valentino (another popular Sarajevo band) fame moved to Germany, and many other band's members parted ways.
To complicate matters, many also had to change record labels as 1991 saw the downfall of popular record label, Jugoton. A Zagreb-based company, it released many albums by popular artists all over the nation throughout the 60s, 70s, and 80s, before it changed name to Croatia Records. While some stayed on the new label, many elected to go to other labels such as the Sarajevo-based Diskoton, albeit that one was also short-lived.
All Was Not Lost
Even when some popular bands were not making music in the early to mid 90s, some bands still continued. Most noteable was Zagreb band Prljavo Kazalishte (The Dirty Theatre), who even held a spectacular Christmas concert in 1994 - around the ending of Croatia's War of Independence.
Further, many artists that were popular in the 70s and 80s also issued greatest hits packages for their fans - sometimes even one or two newly recorded songs. The aforementioned Crvena Jabuka issued, in 1993, a compilation titled Ima Neshto od Srca do Srca ("There is Something From Heart to Heart"), the title taken from a song off their 1988 album Sanjati (To Dream).
With the looming Britpop scene, the time saw many boy bands such as Eva Braun from Vecej, Serbia.
In the northern reaches, long-timers such as Oliver Dragojevich continued to make albums. This era also saw new musicians on the scene such as Croatian pop singer Alen Vitasovich.
But some eventually got back together
After several years of long fighting and suffering, the peace in the region started to restore. The mid 90s saw the return of several bands from the 80s that were once popular in the time before the war. Crvena Jabuka was one of the first back on the scene with a triumphant comeback album. In the late 90s and early 2000s, bands like Prljavo Kazalishte also returned to recording music and issuing albums on a regular basis. Sarajevo's Valentino, did not come back until the early 2000s.
But some quickly abandoned
While many bands managed to regain their popularity and get back to the routine of recording and touring, others did not have such an easy time. Sarajevo's Plavi Orkestar (The Blue Orchestra) is perhaps one of the best examples. After their 1999 album Infinity, they went into a hiatus since 2000 and did not come back until 2012.
Jura Stublich & Film were also another example of a band that did not continue very long. They issued two greatest hits albums in 1994 and 1996 respectively, and the original band did reunite for a few shows in 1998, but since the turn of the century, they have yet to release another album. Despite this, they still hold concerts regularly.
However, the 90s completely changed the game. The destabelizing political situation, and the wars that followed, led to many popular bands undergoing hitatus, yet some still continued to release albums.
How it all unfolded
Previously, Yugoslavia consisted of seven republics: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia, and Serbia. Croatia was first to break apart in 1991, which led to Bosnia and Herzegovina make that decision in January of 1992, which eventually led to the already strong war in Croatia spreading south. The Seige of Sarajevo, in particular, was the largest, and longest-lasting segie on a capital city in political history.
What happened to the music?
While some bands were able to issue albums in the early 90s (1992 at the latest), many went on a long hiatus after that and some former members even relocated to other countries. For example, long-time guitarist/songwritter of Crvena Jabuka (Red Apple), Zlatko Arslanagich, left for London in the summer of 1992 before moving to Toronto three years later. Zijo Rizvanbegovich, of Valentino (another popular Sarajevo band) fame moved to Germany, and many other band's members parted ways.
To complicate matters, many also had to change record labels as 1991 saw the downfall of popular record label, Jugoton. A Zagreb-based company, it released many albums by popular artists all over the nation throughout the 60s, 70s, and 80s, before it changed name to Croatia Records. While some stayed on the new label, many elected to go to other labels such as the Sarajevo-based Diskoton, albeit that one was also short-lived.
All Was Not Lost
Even when some popular bands were not making music in the early to mid 90s, some bands still continued. Most noteable was Zagreb band Prljavo Kazalishte (The Dirty Theatre), who even held a spectacular Christmas concert in 1994 - around the ending of Croatia's War of Independence.
Further, many artists that were popular in the 70s and 80s also issued greatest hits packages for their fans - sometimes even one or two newly recorded songs. The aforementioned Crvena Jabuka issued, in 1993, a compilation titled Ima Neshto od Srca do Srca ("There is Something From Heart to Heart"), the title taken from a song off their 1988 album Sanjati (To Dream).
With the looming Britpop scene, the time saw many boy bands such as Eva Braun from Vecej, Serbia.
In the northern reaches, long-timers such as Oliver Dragojevich continued to make albums. This era also saw new musicians on the scene such as Croatian pop singer Alen Vitasovich.
But some eventually got back together
After several years of long fighting and suffering, the peace in the region started to restore. The mid 90s saw the return of several bands from the 80s that were once popular in the time before the war. Crvena Jabuka was one of the first back on the scene with a triumphant comeback album. In the late 90s and early 2000s, bands like Prljavo Kazalishte also returned to recording music and issuing albums on a regular basis. Sarajevo's Valentino, did not come back until the early 2000s.
But some quickly abandoned
While many bands managed to regain their popularity and get back to the routine of recording and touring, others did not have such an easy time. Sarajevo's Plavi Orkestar (The Blue Orchestra) is perhaps one of the best examples. After their 1999 album Infinity, they went into a hiatus since 2000 and did not come back until 2012.
Jura Stublich & Film were also another example of a band that did not continue very long. They issued two greatest hits albums in 1994 and 1996 respectively, and the original band did reunite for a few shows in 1998, but since the turn of the century, they have yet to release another album. Despite this, they still hold concerts regularly.
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