City of Čakovec Grad Čakovec
Flag
Nickname(s): Grad Zrinskih
City of Čakovec Location of Čakovec in Croatia
Coordinates: 46°23′10.58″N 16°26′08.57″E / 46.3862722°N 16.4357139°E / 46.3862722; 16.4357139
Country	Croatia
County	Međimurje County
RC diocese
Government
• Mayor	Branko Šalamon (SDP)
Area
• Total	72.8 km2 (28.1 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
• Total	27,227
	(municipality total)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	40 000
Area code(s)	040
Vehicle registration	ČK
Highest point	146 m
Website	http://www.cakovec.hr

Čakovec (pronounced [t͡ʃâkɔ̝v̞et͡s]) is a city in northern Croatia, located around 90 kilometres north of Zagreb, the Croatian capital. Čakovec is both the county seat and largest city of Međimurje County, the northernmost, smallest and most densely populated Croatian county.

Population[link]

The city administrative area of Čakovec includes the following settlements:^[1]

The adjacent villages of Belica, Nedelišće, Pribislavec, Strahoninec and Šenkovec are seats of separate municipalities, although they are all located within 5 kilometres of the city's centre.

The total population of the city's metropolitan area, with all of the aforementioned villages is approximately 45,000.^{[citation needed]}

In the 2001 census, the city of Čakovec had a population of 15,790 within its limits, which is a slight decrease from 1991 census in which it was populated by 15,999 people. With its surrounding suburbs included it had a population of 30,455 as of 2001 census.

The city's present day population primarily consists of ethnic Croats at 93%, with the largest minority being Roma at 3.6% of the municipality. Other ethnic groups are Serbs, Hungarians, Slovenes and Albanians. Today's population is estimated to be around 20,000 people within the city limits.

History[link]

A Monument to Nikola Zrinski at the Republic Square

Old Town of Zrinski

Old Town of the Zrinskis (The Tower of the palace fortifications)

Zrinski Palace

Secession palace

Saint Nicholas' Church

According to the geographer Strabo's reports in the 1st century, today's location of the city of Čakovec was the site of Aquama (wet town) in Roman times and at the time a marshland, a military post and a legionnaire camp.

The name Čakovec (Hungarian: Csáktornya, German: Csakathurn or Tschakathurn) comes from the surname of the count Dimitrius Csáky. With the beginning of the 13th century he erected the timber fortification which was later named Csák's tower (Croatian: Čakov toranj). It was mentioned for the first time in 1328 and the place appeared in the official books in 1333. From 1350 to 1397, it was in the possession of the Lacković family. The period of more significant economic and cultural growth of Čakovec is considered to have started in 1547, when Nikola Šubić Zrinski of Szigetvár became the owner of the area. At that time the castle was lavishly decorated, surrounded by a park and sculptures of famous army leaders and monarchs. Duke Juraj IV Zrinski granted privileges to the inhabitants of the Čakovec fortress and its suburbs on May 29, 1579. This was the starting point for Čakovec to become a free market town and the date is celebrated today as "City Day". The castle which was owned by the Zrinski family between the 16th and the 18th century is known today as the "Old Town of the Zrinskis" (Stari grad Zrinskih) and considered as the landmark of the city. It is located in the Zrinski Park (Perivoj Zrinskih) only a few steps from the downtown and the central square respectively.

In 1738 the city was devastated by an earthquake, in 1741 by a fire and another earthquake hit it in 1880. At the end of the 18th century, the owners of the town became the counts Feštetić and it was turned into a big estate where industry, crafts and trade developed. In 1848 the ban Josip Jelačić captured Čakovec from the Hungarians and joined it to Croatia. The first railroad track was built here in 1860 and helped to connect Budapest with the ports Rijeka and Trieste. The town was connected by railroad with Mursko Središće and Lendava in 1889 and in 1893 electrical power was introduced. Čakovec was the seat of a district (Hungarian: járás) in Zala county of the Kingdom of Hungary until 1918. It again became part of Hungary between 1941-1944 during World War II, until it was captured on the 6 April 1945 by the Soviet Red Army with Marshal Fyodor Tolbukhin in command.

Recent years[link]

In the late 1990s and throughout the 2000s several modern buildings were built and opened to the public. In 1999 a brand new bathing resort including four indoor swimming pools and a jacuzzi was opened as a part of the city's center for sports and recreation. In 2003 a renovated sports hall, originally built in the 1970s and belonging to the constructional high school, was also opened as a part of the center for sports and recreation and hosted several group matches of the 2003 World Women's Handball Championship. Beginning in the late 1990s and early 2000s several large shopping centers and automobile showrooms emerged in the city, mostly in its northwestern part. Čakovec was also rewarded twice with The Green Flower award for the tidiest continental city in Croatia in 2008 and 2009. Čakovec is the first city of the former Yugoslavia to have installed completely electronic information spots, that are located at the Republic Square and Franciscan Square in the Center and at the Square of Saint Anthony of Padua in the Jug district. Also the city opened up their new university called MEV - Međimursko veleučilište u Čakovcu (University of Međimurje in Čakovec). In the last decade the city has developed to be one of 10 cities with the highest GDP in Croatia. The city is also known as the city of traffic circles, as it removed, during the late 1990s and early 2000s, all of their traffic lights in the inner part of the city and replaced them with traffic circles or rotaries which practically eliminated traffic jams. The only traffic lights in the city are located on the southern bypass. Although Čakovec in global standards is a small city, its large working force which comes from all over the county, its location and meaning in the region often caused many traffic jams on the crossroads, because of the traffic lights.

Economy[link]

The city of Čakovec has highly developed industry and it is the focal point for communication, business, trade and education in the Međimurje County. The economy of the city is based on textiles, footwear, food processing and metal plants. The Čakovec-based company TIZ Zrinski is the largest printing and publishing company in the county as well as one of the major such companies in northern Croatia and many books sold in the country are printed in this factory. The city is also a base for some companies engaged in building materials, construction and plastics. Some of the largest companies based in the city include the textile and clothing manufacturers Čateks and Međimurska Trikotaža Čakovec (MTČ) as well as the footwear manufacturer Jelen, while the companies Čakovečki mlinovi (bakery) and Vajda (meat products) are major fresh food suppliers in the city. This one of the most developed region in all Croatia. People are very friendly and openhearted!

Education[link]

The city of Čakovec currently has three elementary schools and several secondary schools including a Gymnasium and high schools that offer education for jobs in technology, crafts, economy and construction. The Teacher's Training College (Croatian: Visoka učiteljska škola) is the only institution for higher education that lasts more than 3 years. The city actually opened their own university called MEV - Međimursko veleučilište u Čakovcu (The University of Međimurje in Čakovec), but it is only for 3 years studies or 180 ECTS points, and that is for Computer Science and for The Management of Tourism and Sport. The city is also known for its school of animated film ŠAF (Škola animiranog filma), which is also a host of an international animated film workshop in the summer.

Sights, facilities and events[link]

The Culture Centre

Most of the historical buildings in the city of Čakovec are located in its center or nearby park. The city's old core has been beautifully preserved and renovated. In the Zrinski castle there is a local museum protecting 17,000 valuable items. Another noteworthy building in the city is a palace built in the Vienna Secession style (Secesijska palača) located at the central square as well as the Saint Nicholas' Church (Crkva Svetog Nikole), which is located in the downtown about 100 meters from the central square. At the central square there is also the Zrinski monument. The Southern Čakovec (Čakovečki jug) is a relatively new neighborhood and therefore it mostly has modern houses and buildings including the Church of Saint Anthony of Padua (Crkva Svetog Antuna Padovanskog) and a new elementary school with a sports hall and outdoor basketball and handball grounds and a running track.

At the central square there is also a library, a theater, cinema, a large shopping center and a few confectioner's shops and restaurants. Other business objects in the downtown are mostly boutiques, bookshops, electronics stores and financial companies. A hospital and the central bus station are located only a few steps from the downtown. The largest hotel in the city is located across the park about 300–400 meters from the central square, but there's also a smaller one only a few steps away from the downtown.

From the cultural events several concerts and theatrical shows are held more than once a week. At the central square there is a theater building called Centar za kulturu (Cultural center) and projections of the new cinema movies are almost daily part of its program. The center also hosts theatrical shows Thursdays as a part of the show called Čakovec četvrtkom (Čakovec Thursdays), which became sort of a cultural trademark of the city. Several art exhibitions also take place in the building through the year. Throughout the summer, the central square hosts several cultural events and open air theatrical shows are also held in the atrium of the Zrinski castle. In late July and early August there's a large traditional fair at the central square and other streets in the downtown. Since 2002 the city also has its own annual outdoor auto show that takes place in May around the bathing resort at the premises of the city's center for sports and recreation. There's also an entertaining program and fireworks at the central square every year during the celebration of the New Year.

Transportation[link]

The city of Čakovec is easily accessible by road or a railroad track. It has two train stations. The main train station of Čakovec and Čakovec - Buzovec. The road infrastructure is good and includes a new expressway connecting the Hungary border-crossing point in Goričan with Zagreb, Karlovac and the coast of the Adriatic Sea. There is also a southern bypass which was built in the beginning of the second half of the first decade in the 21 century. The city is connected to local municipalities with an efficient public transportation system and itself it has two train stations and a central bus station which also has a taxi service available and is located near to the central square. In the suburb village of Pribislavec there's also a small sports airport organizing an annual aeromeeting as well as panoramic flights over the city and county in the summer. The airport is located approximately three kilometers east from the downtown.

City districts and neighborhoods[link]

Čakovec Jug

The city districts/neighborhoods (Croatian: gradske četvrti/kvartovi)

Panorama of the northern Čakovec Center

Panorama of the northern Čakovec Center

The Old Town of Zrinski in the City Park

The Old Town of Zrinski in the City Park

Sports[link]

The sports-related activities in the city of Čakovec are mostly centered in its northwestern part, where the center for sports and recreation is located. The center includes a football and athletics stadium with 7,000 places, an indoor hall mostly used for handball, basketball and volleyball matches and a bathing resort, where several swimming schools are organized throughout the year.

Sports clubs[link]

• IHK Pozoji, an inline hockey club
• KK Željezničar Čakovec [1] - ninepin bowling club
• KK Vajda, a basketball club
• NK Čakovec, a football club in the Croatian Third League
• NK Međimurje, a football club in the Croatian First League
• RK Perutnina Pipo IPC, a handball club in the Croatian First League of Handball, also played some matches at the international level
• TK Franjo Punčec, a tennis club
• Disc Golf club Zrinski [2]

Gallery of Čakovec[link]

This section looks like an image gallery. Wikipedia policy discourages galleries of random images of the article subject; please improve or remove the section accordingly, moving freely licensed images to Wikimedia Commons if not already hosted there.

Travnik - a residential part in Jug, the southern part of the city

• JUG Panorama front.jpg

  A look at the north

• JUG Panorama back.jpg

  A look at the south

Mixed pictures of the city

• 

  The new monument to Nikola Zrinski Sigetski

• 

  Coat of arms of the Ernušt family, owners of the town in the 15th and 16th century

• 

  Town center

• 

  Farewell - Zrinski monument in the Castle courtyard

• 

  View at the north-east from the hospital

• 

  Inside the fortifications of the Old town

• 

  Zrinski Guard, historical military unit, marching

• 

  Čakovec in the 18th century

• 

  Čakovec Charter: Duke Juraj IV Zrinski granted privileges to the inhabitants of Čakovec on May 29, 1579.

International relations[link]

Twin towns — Sister cities[link]

Čakovec is twinned with: Čakovec is currently twinned with these four cities or municipalities:

• Nagykanizsa, Hungary
• Płońsk, Poland
• Schramberg, Germany
• Velenje, Slovenia
• Kiryat Tiv'on, Israel

Notable people[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

This list contains some of the notable people who were either born in Čakovec, lived in the city for a longer time or were in some significant way related to it.

• Lidija Bajuk, musician
• Lujo Bezeredi, sculptor and painter
• Srećko Bogdan, football player/manager
• Robert Jarni, football player/manager
• Ladislav Kralj-Međimurec, artist
• Dražen Ladić, football goalkeeper
• Ivana Lisjak, tennis player
• Franjo Punčec, tennis player
• Rudolf Steiner, philosopher
• Josip Štolcer-Slavenski, composer
• Filip Ude, gymnast
• Juraj IV Zrinski - soldier, politician and patron
• Juraj V Zrinski - soldier and politician
• Nikola Zrinski, soldier, poet and philosopher
• Nikola Šubić Zrinski - soldier and politician
• Petar Zrinski, soldier, politician and poet
• Vinko Žganec, folklorist

References[link]

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2011)

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Čakovec

• City of Čakovec official website (Croatian)
• Čakovec Online news portal (Croatian)
• Čakovec Tourist Board (Croatian)

v t e Subdivisions of Međimurje County Towns Čakovec (seat) Mursko Središće Prelog Municipalities Belica Dekanovec Domašinec Donja Dubrava Donji Kraljevec Donji Vidovec Goričan Gornji Mihaljevec Kotoriba Mala Subotica Nedelišće Orehovica Podturen Pribislavec Selnica Strahoninec Sveta Marija Sveti Juraj na Bregu Sveti Martin na Muri Šenkovec Štrigova Vratišinec

Coordinates: 46°23′09″N 16°26′00″E / 46.38583°N 16.4333333°E / 46.38583; 16.4333333

Prljavo kazalište
Mladen Bodalec (center) and Jasenko Houra (right) performing on stage
Background information
Origin	Zagreb, Croatia (Yugoslavia 1977-1991)
Genres	Pop-rock
Years active	1977-present
Labels	Jugoton, Suzy, CBS Records, InterService, Croatia Records, Dallas Records
Associated acts	Ciferšlus Parni valjak Dorian Gray ZOK Patrola ITD band
Members
Mladen Bodalec Jasenko Houra Nino Hrastek Tihomir Fileš Zlatko Bebek Jurica Leikauff
Past members
Davorin Bogović Zoran Cvetković Damir Lipošek Fedor Boić

Prljavo kazalište (meaning in Croatian language: Dirty Theatre) is a rock and roll band from Zagreb, Croatia. Since its formation in 1977, the group changed several music styles and line ups but remained one of the top acts of both the Croatian and the former Yugoslav rock scenes.

Biography[link]

Beginnings[link]

Prljavo kazalište was formed in 1977 in Dubrava, part of Zagreb, the capital of the then SR Croatia. Founding members included: Jasenko Houra (rhythm guitar), Zoran Cvetković a.k.a. Zok (lead guitar), Nino Hrastek (bass guitar) and Tihomir Fileš (drums). Its first vocalist became Davorin Bogović, although they were thinking about taking Davor Gobac (later of Psihomodo pop) instead. All of them, except Houra, previously played in another band called Ciferšlus (Zipper), but after he joined them to form a new group, they opted for the name Prljavo kazalište after an episode of the satirical Italian comic book Alan Ford, which was very popular in the former Yugoslavia.

In its early beginnings, Prljavo kazalište's was a Punk band, although they initially wanted to sound like The Rolling Stones for whom they maintained a great admiration. The group performed live for a first time in 1978 at a gig organized by the magazine Polet where they were noted for their furious punk image and stage performance. In the same year, Prljavo kazalište released its first single, the punk rock sounding Televizori for the major record label Jugoton. It featured three songs: Televizori, Majka and Moje djetinjstvo. In 1979, Suzy Records released their second single Moj je otac bio u ratu. That song was included in the compilation album Novi Punk Val compiled by Igor Vidmar, along with Pankrti, Paraf and other prominent artists of the former Yugoslav Punk scene.

First album[link]

In 1979, they released their first eponymous album, produced by Piko Stančić, for Suzy Records. It was promoted when the group performed as a support act of the Yugoslav band Bijelo dugme at a concert held at the JNA Stadium. During the recording sessions, Zoran Cvetković left the band and was replaced by Marijan Brkić. The album soon came to prominence all over the former Yugoslav federation for its social commentary and provoked the then-ruling one-party system, additionally because it also featured probably the first gay-themed song in Yugoslavia titled "Neki dječaci (Some Boys)" (followed later by "Retko te viđam sa devojkama" by Idoli). The authorities valuated the album as "šund" ("kitsch") and hence they imposed higher taxes on its sale price, while the records considered "truly artistic" enjoyed a reduced tax rate. Despite that, the group was not banned and it could freely continue to work and sell records, because non-aligned Yugoslavia was not so strict regarding censorship as the other communist states. Although the band played on the album in a rudimentary manner, the media and the public proclaimed it one of the best debut albums ever released in Yugoslavia. The record sleeve was designed by Mirko Ilić and featured a parody of the famous John Pasche's Tongue and Lips design with an added safety pin, representing the band's equal respect for both punk rock and The Rolling Stones.

[edit] Crno bijeli svijet

On their second album titled Crno bijeli svijet (Black and White World) released in 1980, Prljavo kazalište affiliated with the New Wave music, accepting a more polished image and sound. The album, again produced by Piko Stančić and released for Suzy, was recorded in Milan, Italy. The album included several Ska and Two Tone songs such as the main single Crno bijeli svijet and Mi plešemo, meaning We Dance, although the original title was supposed to be Mi pijemo (We Drink). Also, it featured a cover version of Sedamnaest ti je godina tek by the notable retro traditional pop singer Ivo Robić. The record was a major success and Prljavo kazalište became one of the leading acts of the former Yugoslav New Wave scene (called Novi Val in Croatian).

Soon afterwards, Davorin Bogović left the group. Reasons included disagreements with the other band members or his inability to withstand the pressure of extensive touring and recording, as the band was already in the top of the Yugoslav rock scene and had tight schedules.

[edit] Heroj ulice

In 1981, the group recorded its third album in the studio of Sjunne Ferger in Sweden. The album was produced by Tini Varga, featuring guest appearances by the percussionists Ferger and Miroslav Budanko and the saxophonist Janne Gustafsson. Since Bogović's departured, this time Jasenko Houra had to take over the position of a main vocalist. With this album, Prljavo kazalište gradually moved on to a more conventional rock, hence achieving great mainstream success across whole Yugoslavia. The album featured a tribute to Bruce Springsteen (the songs Heroj ulice and Široke ulice) and to Phil Collins in the ballad Noćas sam izašao na kišu. After the release of the record, Fileš and Hrastek were conscripted in the Yugoslav People's Army, so the group performed with the help of the drummer Dražen Šolc and the former member Zoran Cvetković who played bass this time. The latter released a solo album from which one song was included in the Vrući dani i vrele noći compilation and he later joined the group Dorian Gray in 1982.

[edit] Korak od sna

In 1983, Davorin Bogović returned to the band, and sang on their fourth album Korak od sna released jointly by Suzy and CBS Records, which featured the hit Sve je lako kad si mlad. That was Prljavo kazalište's last record with Bogović and after he left he was replaced as a frontman by Mladen Bodalec, the album's back vocalist, a former member of Patrola. Between others, on this album is song "Dobar vjetar u ledja" ("Good wind in the back"), which is some sort of homage to legendary Hollywood actor Montgomery Clift.

[edit] Zlatne godine

With Bodalec, the group released its fifth album Zlatne godine in the beginning of 1986. This record was pop-rock oriented and it included the successful hits: Ne zovi mama doktora, Sladoled and Ma kog me boga za tebe pitaju. Unlike their previous Suzy Records albums, this one was signed for Jugoton.

[edit] Zaustavite zemlju

In 1988, Prljavo kazalište released their sixth album Zaustavite Zemlju which included several hits such as Zaustavite zemlju, Marina, Moj bijeli labude and Slaži mi. The album, which was released for Suzy, included the song Mojoj majci which Houra tributed to his recently deceased mother. At that time, shortly before the upcoming breakup of Yugoslavia, tensions broke out between the constituent countries of the Yugoslav federation, so the issue of an eventual Croatian independence from Yugoslavia started to rise. Hence the lyrics Zadnja ruža Hrvatska (meaning: Last Croatian Rose) made the song very popular in Croatia, but also criticized in some parts of the rest of Yugoslavia due to (perceived) nationalist undertones, which were considered politically incorrect for the Yugoslav policy of brotherhood and unity. After the album's release, Marijan Brkić left to join Parni valjak and was replaced with Damir Lipošek. The band went on an international tour which culminated with a big open-air show played on October 17, 1989 on the Republic Square in Zagreb in front of approximately 200,000–300,000 people.

[edit] Sve je lako kad si mlad - LIVE!

In the following year, the group released its double live album titled after the song Sve je lako kad si mlad - LIVE!. Beside live material from the concert held in November 1988 at the Zagreb's Dom Sportova and from the performance at the ZG Rock Forces festival, it included few older studio tracks as well. The record sleeve again featured the band's logo as on the first album but on a black background.

[edit] Devedeseta

During the same year, Prljavo kazalište recorded a new studio album titled Devedeseta (meaning: Ninetieth, as in 1990), produced by Mate Došen, while the backing vocals were recorded by Davorin Bogović and Vesna Došen. The group also got a new member, the keyboards player Mladen Roško.

[edit] Lupi petama

In the beginning of the 1990s, Prljavo kazalište frequently played shows abroad for the Croatian diaspora. During the first years of the Croatian War of Independence, which established the Republic of Croatia as an independent state, the group paused its activities and in 1993 with the new keyboard player Fedor Boić (former member of ITD bend) released the album Lupi petama for InterService label with the patriotic war songs Lupi petama, Pet dana ratujem, subotom se zaljubljujem and others. The group adopted elements of folk music and a traditional tambura orchestra from Vinkovci appeared on their track Uzalud vam trud svirači. The record cover featured a plate filled with bullets. In 1994 Prljavo kazalište received the Croatian Porin music award for this album, but also in other categories as well.

[edit] Božićni koncert

In 1995 the group released a new live album recorded at the open-air concert held on Christmas Eve at Dolac Market titled Božićni koncert (Christmas Concert).

[edit] S vremena na vrijeme

In the end of 1996 the album S vremena na vrijeme with a luxurious cover came out for Croatia Records, however it didn't bring any fresh ideas. The recorded material was mixed and pre-mastered in London, UK with the help of Zoran Cvetković. The album included a guest appearance by Mel Gaynor, the drummer of Simple Minds.

[edit] XX Godina

Jasenko Houra formed a record label called CBS a pun to CBS Records for whom the group once released an album, and the abbreviation for the band's best known song Crno Bijeli Svijet. In the late 1997 Prljavo kazalište celebrated 20th anniversary by playing a concert with a symphony orchestra at the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall and released the recordings as a live album titled XX Godina on Houra's new label.

[edit] Dani ponosa i slave

In 1998 the group released its album Dani ponosa i slave, which was the first studio album released after the 20th anniversary. It included guest appearance by the Croatian rap music group Tram 11.

[edit] Sve je lako kad si mlad Box Set

In the 2000s Prljavo kazalište released a four audio CD box set titled Sve je lako kad si mlad (not to be confused with the previously mentioned live album with the same title). Its record sleeve again featured the band's logo, but this time on a white background as it was on the first album.

In 2003, the band took part in the rockumentary Sretno dijete which covers the former Yugoslav New Wave scene and features many eminent former Yugoslav rock acts from Zagreb, Belgrade and Ljubljana.

[edit] Radio Dubrava

In the end of 2002, Prljavo kazalište signed a contract with Dallas Records which released their album Radio Dubrava in the following year.

[edit] Moj dom je Hrvatska

Released in 2005.

[edit] Tajno ime

As of 2008, currently, the last studio album of Prljavo kazalište, released as a double album.

[edit] Best of - live

Released in 2009.

[edit] XXX godina

Released in 2009.

Tributes[link]

A Polish language cover version of the Prljavo kazalište's song Crno bijeli svijet, translated as Czarno-Biały Świat performed by Kazik was included in the tribute album titled Yugoton released in Poland in 2001. The record is a tribute to the former Yugoslav rock scene.

Discography[link]

1. Televizori - 1978 (Single) ("TVs")
2. Moj je otac bio u ratu - 1979 (Single) ("My father was in the war")
3. Prljavo kazalište - 1979 ("Dirty theatre")
4. Crno bijeli svijet - 1980 ("Black & white world")
5. Heroj ulice - 1980 ("Hero of the streets")
6. Korak do sna - 1983 ("A step away from dream")
7. Zlatne godine - 1985 ("Golden years")
8. Zaustavite zemlju - 1988 ("Stop the Earth")
9. Sve je lako kad si mlad - live - 1988 ("It's all easy when you're young")
10. Devedeseta - 1990 ("The year of 1990")
11. Lupi petama... - 1993 ("Knock your heels")
12. Božićni koncert - 1995 (Live) ("The Christmas concert")
13. S vremena na vrijeme - 1996 ("From time to time")
14. XX godina - live - 1997 ("20 years")
15. Dani ponosa i slave - 1998 ("Days of pride and glory")
16. Radio Dubrava - 2003
17. Moj dom je Hrvatska - 2005 ("Croatia is my home")
18. Tajno ime - 2008 ("Secret name") - double album

Awards[link]

• Porin 1994 - Album of the year
• Porin 1998 - Best rock album
• Porin 1999 - Best rock album

See also[link]

• Croatian popular music
• SFR Yugoslav pop and rock scene
• Yugoslav New Wave
• Sretno dijete

References[link]

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (November 2009)

• Janjatović, Petar. Ilustrovana Enciklopedija Yu Rocka 1960-1997, publisher: Geopoetika, 1997 (Serbian)
• Sretno dijete, documentary film
• Bio at Hit Records Official site (Croatian)
• Artist page at Croatia Records Official site (Croatian)

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Prljavo kazalište

Đorđe Balašević Ђорђе Балашевић
Background information
Born	(1953-05-11) 11 May 1953 (age 59) Novi Sad, SR Serbia, FPR Yugoslavia
Origin	Novi Sad, Serbia
Genres	Pop rock, rock, chanson, folk rock
Occupations	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1977 – present
Labels	ZKP RTLJ, Jugoton, PGP-RTB, Diskoton, UFA Media, Hi-Fi Centar, Salayka
Associated acts	Žetva, Rani Mraz

Đorđe Balašević (Serbian Cyrillic: Ђорђе Балашевић, born May 11, 1953 in Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia, then Yugoslavia) is a prominent Serbian singer-songwriter.

Balašević started his career in the 1977 as a member of the pop rock band Žetva, before leaving to form the pop rock band Rani Mraz. After releasing two albums, Rani Mraz disbanded, and Balašević started a successful solo career, spanning up to the present. While his initial works were mostly pop rock-oriented, in his later career he often used elements of rock, chanson and folk music, while his lyrics often dealt with romantic, humorous or political- and social-related themes.

Early biography[link]

Balašević was born to a Serbian father, Jovan Balašević, and to Veronika Dolenec, half Hungarian, half Croatian from Rasinja near Koprivnica, Croatia. He has a sister, Jasna. His grandfather's surname was Balašev, but in 1941 the grandfather changed it to Balašević.

The younger Balašević grew up in Jovana Cvijića street in Novi Sad, in the same house where he currently lives. He started writing poetry in primary school. He left high school in the third year (because, in his words, he hated subjects like mathematics, physics and chemistry) but managed to get a high school diploma as part-time student and passed the preliminary exam for the university study of geography. He never graduated from the university. Instead, he joined the band Žetva (Harvest) in 1977.

Musical career[link]

Early career: Žetva and Rani Mraz[link]

After Balašević joined the group, Žetva recorded a humororus tango-oriented hit single "U razdeljak te ljubim" ("I Lay a Kiss on Your Parting"),^[1] which was sold in more than 180,000 copies.

In 1978, he left Žetva and, together with Verica Todorović, formed the band Rani Mraz (Early Frost). The band had its début at the 1978 music festival in Opatija with the song "Moja prva ljubav" ("My First Love"). Rani Mraz had unsteady lineup, but managed to gain huge popularity with Balašević's pop rock-oriented songs released on 7" singles. During 1978, former Suncokret members Biljana Krstić and Bora Đorđević joined the band (forming the most famous Rani Mraz lineup), and together they recorded "Računajte na nas" ("Count on Us"), written by Balašević,^[2] a song which celebrated the youth's adoption of the communist revolution. The song became popular with both the communist authorities and the people, becoming an anthem of the Yugoslav youth.

After just few months of cooperation, Verica Todorović and Bora Đorđević left the band (Đorđević forming his famous hard rock band Riblja Čorba), so Biljana Krstić and Balašević recorded Rani Mraz's first album Mojoj mami umesto maturske slike u izlogu (To my Mom instead of Prom Photo in the Shop-Window) with the help of studio musicians.^[3]

At the 1979 Split Festival Balašević won the first prize with the single "Panonski mornar" ("Pannonian Sailor"). A few months later, Rani Mraz sold out Belgrade's Dom Sindikata Hall eight times in a row. In 1980, Balašević served in the Yugoslav People's Army in Zagreb and Požarevac, where he had a role in the TV show Vojnici (Soldiers), but also found time to write song "Zbog tebe" ("Because of You") for Zdravko Čolić^[4] and lyrics for several songs recorded on Srebrna Krila album Ja sam samo jedan od mnogih s gitarom (I'm only One of Many with a Guitar).^[5]

By the end of 1980, Balašević and Krstić released their second and final album under the name Rani Mraz, with a symbolic title Odlazi cirkus (The Circus Is Leaving).^[6] The album reaffirmed Balašević's status and delivered several hit songs, one of them being "Priča o Vasi Ladačkom" ("Story of Vasa Ladački") which went on to become one of Balašević's signature songs. However, Rani Mraz officially dissolved shortly afterwards.

Solo career[link]

1980s[link]

Balašević started his solo career in 1982 with the album Pub (Jack)^[7] which was well received, bringing hits "Boža zvani Pub" ("Boža Known as the Jack"), "Pesma o jednom petlu" ("The song about a Rooster"), "Lepa protina kći" ("Archpriest's Beautiful Daughter") and "Ratnik paorskog srca" ("Warrior with Peasant's Heart"). The album was produced by Josip Boček, who would also produce Balašević's following two releases.^[8] Shortly after, Balašević had a role in the TV series Pop Ćira i pop Spira (Priest Ćira and Priest Spira), recorded after Stevan Sremac's novel of the same title. He spent the winter of 1982-1983 on a tour, during which he sold out Belgrade's Sava Center hall for the first time. His Sava Center concerts would become his trademark in years to follow. At the time, he wrote the song "Hej, čarobnjaci, svi su vam đaci" ("Hey, Magicians, Everyone Can Learn from You") for the football club Red Star Belgrade.^[9]

In December 1983, Balašević released the album Celovečernji The Kid (Wholevening the Kid),^[10] which featured hits "Svirajte mi 'Jesen stiže, dunjo moja'" ("Play 'Autumn Is Coming, My Dear' to Me"), "Neko to od gore vidi sve" ("Someone from up above Watches it All"), "Blues mutne vode" ("Muddy Water Blues"), "Lunjo" ("Hey, Tramp") and "Don Francisco Long Play". The following album, 003, was released in 1985,^[11] and brought hits "Slovenska" ("Slavic Song"), "Al' se nekad dobro jelo" ("Back Then Eating Was Good"), "Badnje veče" ("Christmas Eve") and "Olivera".

In 1986, Balašević released the album Bezdan (Abyss),^[12] which brought hits "Ne lomite mi bagrenje" ("Don't Break My Locust Trees"), "Bezdan" and "Ne volim januar" ("I Don't Like January"). On this album Balašević for the first time worked with musicians which would become his live and studio support in the following years. The record was produced by Đorđe Petrović and arrangements were done by Aleksandar Dujin.^[13] Those two would be the key associates of Balašević in the following years. They became the backbone of Balašević's supporting band nicknamed The Unfuckables (although this is just a nickname, as he performs under his own name and the support band is never billed).

In 1987, Balašević released his first live album, double album U tvojim molitvama - Balade (In Your Prayers - Ballads). The album was recorded during 1986 and 1987 on his concerts in Zetra hall in Sarajevo, Ledena dvorana and Šalata in Zagreb, Sava Centar in Belgrade, and Studio M in Novi Sad. The album featured a gift 7" single with previously unreleased tracks "1987" and "Poluuspavanka ("Half-Lullaby").^[14] The album also featured previously unrecorded track "Samo da rata ne bude" ("Just Let There be no War"). The song was recorded live with a large children's choir, which, together with lyrics warning about the war (which indeed will start four years later), delivers a hymn of pacifists throughout, then still existing, SFR Yugoslavia.

Balašević's next studio album, Panta Rei, released in 1988.^[15] The song "Requiem" was dedicated to late Josip Broz Tito, while satire "Soliter" ("High-rise") caricatures Yugoslavia as a building in which only façade still holds while foundations slide. Blues sound was present in the songs "Neki se rode kraj vode" ("Some Were Born By the Water") and "Nemam ništa s tim" ("I Have Nothing to Do with It"). Balašević's following album, Tri posleratna druga (Three Afterwar Friends), was subtitled Muzika iz istoimenog romana (Music from the Novel of the Same Name), referring to his novel Tri posleratna druga. The album was recorded by Dujin, bass guitarist Aleksandar Kravić, and two musicians from Rijeka, guitarist Elvis Stanić (a former Linija 23, Denis & Denis, and Dr Doktor member) and drummer Tonči Grabušić.^[16] The album featured radio hits "Kad odem" ("When I'm Gone") "D-moll" ("D minor"), "Ćaletova pesma" ("Dad's Song"), "Saputnik" ("Fellow Traveler"), "O. Bože" ("Oh God"), and folk-oriented "Devojka sa čardaš nogama" ("A Girl with Csárdás Legs"). The song "Sugar Rap" featured caricatured rap sound.

1990s[link]

The album Marim ja... (I Don't Care...) was released in 1991. Beside Balašević's old associates, the album featured Davor Rodik (pedal steel guitar), Nenad Jazunović (percussion), and Josip "Kiki" Kovač (violin).^[17] The songs "Nevernik" ("The Unbeliever"), "Ringišpil" ("Carousel"), Divlji badem ("Wild Almond") were the albums biggest hits.

As the Yugoslav wars began, Balašević was forced to stop collaborating with Stanić and Grabušić (the two forming the jazz rock band Elvis Stanić Group). Balašević withdrew to isolation, partly due to his anti-war attitudes. His next album Jedan od onih života... (One of Those Lives...), released in 1993, featured Aleksandar Dujin on piano, Dušan Bezuha on guitar, Đorđe Petrović on keyboards, Aleksandar Kravić on bass guitar, Josip Kovač on saxophone, and Dragoljub Đuričić (formerly of YU grupa, Leb i Sol and Kerber) on drums.^[18] The songs such as "Krivi smo mi" ("It's Our Fault") and "Čovek sa mesecom u očima" ("The Man with the Moon in His Eyes") heavily criticized and denounced the ongoing war. At the same time, the compilation album Najveći hitovi (Greatest hits), featuring songs recorded during the 1986-1991 period, was released.^[19] The songs which appeared on the compilation were chosen by Balašević himself. At the time, he started to heavily criticize the regime of Slobodan Milošević on his concerts.

After a long break, at the beginning of 1996, he issued Na posletku... (After All...).^[20] Beside Balašević's old associates, the album featured young drummer Petar Radmilović. Na posletku... was mainly folk rock-oriented. Nearly all instruments on the album are acoustic, with the violin becoming dominant and woodwind instruments heavily used. In 1997, the live album Da l' je sve bilo samo fol?, recorded on December 6, 1996 on a concert in Maribor, was released in Slovenia.

The album Devedesete (Nineties), self-released by Balašević in the spring of 2000, was his most politically involved album. The album was produced by Petrović, and, beside old associates, featured the saxophonist Gabor Bunford.^[21]

2000s[link]

In 2001, Balašević released the album Dnevnik starog momka (Diary of an Old Bachelor). The album comprised 12 songs, each having a female name as its title. The song titles form the acrostic "Olja je najbolja" ("Olja is the Best"),^[22] Olja being the nickname of Balešvić's wife Olivera Balašević. Balašević stated on several occasions that the girls the songs were names after are pure fiction. In 2002, the compilation album Ostaće okrugli trag na mestu šatre (trans. A Round Trace Will Remain at the Place where Tent Used to Be, named after a verse from the song "Odlazi cirkus") was released. The album featured the choice of songs from Balašević's solo career, with some of the older songs rerecorded.

In 2004, actor and film director Ljubiša Samardžić recorded the film Goose Feather (originally known as Jesen stiže, dunjo moja), based on the ballad "Priča o Vasi Ladačkom". The movie should have been recorded in cooperation between Samardžić and Balašević, however, the cooperation was not agreed. Balašević released the songs that should have been the soundtrack for the film on the album Rani mraz. The album's subtitle was Priča o Vasi Ladačkom.../Muzika iz nesnimljenog filma (Story of Vasa Ladački.../Music from the Film that was not Filmed).^[23] The album featured folk rock sound similar to the one on Na posletku.... The album featured rerecorded "Priča o Vasi Ladačkom" and the instrumental track based on it, "Pričica o Vasi L." ("Short Story about Vasa L."). The album also featured the song "Maliganska", which Balašević wrote at the beginning of his career and unsuccessfully offered to Zvonko Bogdan, and which was previously released by pop rock/folk rock band Apsolutno Romantično under the title Đoletova pesma (Đole's Song). The album, beside old associates, featured Zoran and Pera Alvirović (of Apsolutno Romantično), Andrej Maglovski (accordion), Stevan Mošo (prim), Beni Ćibri (double bass), Agota Vitkai Kučera (soprano), St. George Choir, and others.^[24]

In 2010, Balašević directed the film An Early Frost (originally titled Kao rani mraz), staring Daniel Kovačević, Rade Šerbedžija and Balašević's daughter Jovana, based on the song "Priča o Vasi Ladačkom".^[25] The film received mostly negative reviews by the critics.^[26][27][28]

Concerts[link]

Balašević's concerts are known to last for more than four hours at a time. Apart from performing his songs, he has a custom of making long pauses between songs and commenting on current events. Therefore his concerts are more of a cabaret than rock concerts in the common sense of the word.

His traditional New Year's concerts in Sava Center hall in Belgrade are traditionally sold out. He sold out Sava Center for the first time in the 1982/1983 season,^[29] started his regular New Year's concerts in 1986, and in the 1990s and 2000s he was performing up to 11 evenings in a row.

Politics[link]

Since one of his first songs "Računajte na nas", Balašević has been politically involved. Together with another early single "Tri put sam video Tita" ("I Saw Tito Three Times"), these songs summed up his early political position: pan-southslavic, patriotism and Titoism.

During the second half of the 1980s, Balašević began to criticize the authorities, and in the early 1990s his songs and stage speeches showed disillusionment and sadness over the fact that bloodshed was possible in the Yugoslavia he once admired. He openly criticized Serbian, Croatian and Slovene nationalism.

In the ensuing war years, Balašević had serious problems with the regime of Slobodan Milošević because he openly stated his opposition to it. At his concerts he often criticized and made fun of Milošević and other Serbian politicians. In 1996, he became the UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador for his antiwar statements during the Yugoslav wars and held the first postwar concert in Sarajevo as the first Serbian artist visiting war-torn Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In 2000, he took part in demonstrations during and following the downfall of Slobodan Milošević.

Controversy[link]

In 1991, when Croatia and Slovenia were on the verge of declaring independence from SFRY, he performed a song named "Bluz za braću Slovence" (trans. "Blues for Slovenian Brothers") where he openly criticised Slovenes for their plans to secede from Yugoslavia, going so far as to even make fun of them. Later he apologised for that song.

Some critics state that in his song "Ne lomite mi bagrenje" ("Don't Break my Locusts") released on his 1986 album Bezdan he was metaphorically speaking against Albanian terror over Serbs in the conflict on Kosovo.^[30] Balašević later explained, "It is not a song about ethnicities, but rather about good and evil, and I don't regret anything. I called Evil by its full name even when others praised it. [referring to Milošević regime]".^[31] Later, in late 1990s, he stated, "I didn't know Serbs would become Shiptars to Shiptars. That turned around. We are the ones who break locusts now, but I can't take the blame for that".^[32]

In 2006, after Montenegro declared independence from The State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, Balašević's letter to Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Đukanović in which Balašević congratulates Đukanović on the independence of Montenegro was published in Blic.^[33]

Personal life[link]

Balašević currently lives in Novi Sad, in the same house where he grew up, with his wife Olivera (born Savić in Zrenjanin),^[34] who was a ballerina and a member of gymnastics national team, and their three children: daughters Jovana (an actress, born in 1980) and Jelena (a consultant in the Government of Vojvodina, born in 1984), and son Aleksa (born in 1994).

Legacy[link]

The 1998 book YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike (YU 100: The Best albums of Yugoslav pop and rock music) features two Đorđe Balašević solo albums, Bezdan (ranked #25) and Pub (ranked #66), and one Rani Mraz album, Mojoj mami umesto maturske slike u izlogu (ranked #44).^[35]

On the 2006 B92 Top 100 Domestic Songs list the song "Priča o Vasi Ladačkom" was polled #13. Although originally released by Rani Mraz, on the list the song is credited to Balašević only. In 2011, the song "Menuet" was polled, by the listeners of Radio 202, one of 60 greatest songs released by PGP-RTB/PGP-RTS.^[36]

In 2007, twenty-one bands from Balašević's native Novi Sad, including Zbogom Brus Li, Pero Defformero, Super S Karamelom and others, recorded a tribute album to Balašević entitled Neki noviji klinci i....^[37]

Discography[link]

With Žetva[link]

Singles[link]

• "U razdeljak te ljubim" / "Srce mi je kao ratar" (1977)

With Rani Mraz[link]

Studio albums[link]

• Mojoj mami umesto maturske slike u izlogu (1979)
• Odlazi cirkus (1980)

Singles[link]

• "Moja prva ljubav" / "Kristifore crni sine..." (1978)
• "Računajte na nas" / "Strašan žulj" (1978)
• "Oprosti mi Katrin" / "Život je more" (1978)
• "Panonski mornar" / "Moja draga sad je u Japanu" (1979)
• "Lagana stvar" / "Prvi januar (popodne)" (1979)
• "Tri puta sam video Tita" / Tri puta sam video Tita - instrumental" (1981)

Solo[link]

Studio albums[link]

• Pub (1982)
• Celovečernji The Kid (1983)
• 003 (1985)
• Bezdan (1986)
• Panta Rei (1988)
• Tri posleratna druga (1989)
• Marim ja... (1991)
• Jedan od onih života... (1993)
• Na posletku... (1996)
• Devedesete (2000)
• Dnevnik starog momka (2001)
• Rani mraz (2004)

Live albums[link]

• U tvojim molitvama - Balade (1987)
• Da l' je sve bilo samo fol? (1997)

Compilations[link]

• Najveći hitovi (1991)
• The Best Of Vol. 2 (87 - 92) (1993)
• Ostaće okrugli trag na mestu šatre (2003)

Singles[link]

• "Ljubio sam snašu na salašu i druge priče" (1978)
• "Hej čarobnjaci svi su vam đaci" / "Hej čarobnjaci svi su vam đaci - instrumental" (1982)
• "1987." / "Poluuspavanka" (1987)

Tribute albums[link]

• Neki noviji klinci i... (2007)

Books[link]

• Računajte na nas - book of poems
• I život ide dalje - collection of columns
• Jedan od onih života - novel
• Dodir svile (1998) - book of poems
• Tri posleratna druga - novel
• ...i od dva-tri akorda (jer ni ne umem bolje ja...) - book of poems
• Kao rani mraz - screenplay for movie

References[link]

• EX YU ROCK enciklopedija 1960-2006, Janjatović Petar; ISBN 978-86-905317-1-4
• NS rockopedija, novosadska rock scena 1963-2003, Mijatović Bogomir; Publisher: SWITCH, 2005

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Đorđe Balašević

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Đorđe Balašević

• www.balasevic.com - fan website
• www.balasevic.net - fan website
• www.balasevic.info - fan website

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (April 2010)

Damir Urban

Damir Urban is a popular Croatian musician best known for his work as a singer/songwriter for Laufer and for his solo work with his band 4.^[1]

Early years[link]

Damir Urban was born on 19 September 1968 in Rijeka, Croatia, a town that is today well known for its rock scene, where he founded his first band La Bellona as the bassist and main songwriter.^[1] It is with this band that he performed live for the first time, although little is left today of La Bellona's music.

In 1986 Urban was part of another band as a vocalist, Laufer, one that defined the Croatian rock scene of the early 1990s. Laufer released their first album, The best of, in 1993 which spawned hits such as "Lopov Jack", "Svijet za nas" and undoubtedly their most popular song, "Moja voda". Urban wrote all of the lyrics and co-wrote most of the music.^[1]

Their second album, Pustinje, was released in 1994, shortly after which the band disbanded due to differences over the musical vision Laufer was to follow. Laufer's greatest hits album, Epitaph, was released via Croatia Records in 2004.

Solo career[link]

Damir Urban released his first solo album in 1996, entitled Otrovna kiša (Poison Rain), to critical and commercial acclaim. The album produced hits such as "Astronaut", but the highlight of his career was yet to follow.

In 1998, he released Žena dijete (Woman-Child) to even greater critical and commercial acclaim, and the album spawned a string of number ones: "Mala truba", "Odlučio sam da te volim" and "Black Tattoo" (which features the Split hip-hop group The Beat Fleet) all received extensive airplay. He refused to receive the Porin (Croatia's equivalent to a Grammy) for the album, as it was nominated for best alternative album and Urban believed his album to be a rock album, therefore, he considered he would be stealing a prize from real alternative artists.^[1]

Many Croatian rock critics including Zlatko Gall and Aleksandar Dragaš consider Žena dijete to be one of the best if not the best Croatian album of the 1990s.^{[citation needed]}

After the tremendous success of Žena dijete, Urban was working on a new album entitled Merkur, and two singles were released: "Aroma Satanica" and "Moja", whose video was banned from many Croatian television stations due to graphic depictions of homosexual sex. More than six years passed, and yet Merkur did not see daylight while Damir Urban wrote music for several plays. Finally, in 2004, it was announced that Merkur would be scrapped in favor of another album entitled Retro which was released that same year to mixed reviews but to commercial success.

Retro is highly controversial in that it was a concept album describing the demise of a relationship because of infidelity. In fact, many argue it describes the demise of Urban's relationship with his wife at the time. Most songs describe Damir Urban's new found love, Milica Czerny who actually wrote the lyrics to two songs on the album.

Urban & 4 released their new album, Hello, on 29 May 2009.

References[link]