Balkan (band)
Encyclopedia
Balkan was a Serbia
n and former Yugoslav hard rock
band.
by the guitarist
and vocalist Aleksandar Cvetković, a former Leki frontman. The band's sound was hard rock
-oriented, but also featured elements of ska
and New Wave
, and the lyrics were inspired by the lyrics of Bora Đorđević and Branimir Štulić
and dealt with the problems of the working class
.
Initially, Balkan performed as an opening band on Divlje Jagode
, Riblja Čorba
, Parni Valjak
, Drugi Način
, Galija
and Atomsko Sklonište
concerts in Vojvodina
. Cvetković recorded Balkan's debut album Gola istina (Bare Thruth) with Željko Jerković (guitar
), Saša Zavišić (bass guitar
) and Radivoj Bugarski (drums
). The album was produced by a former Pop Mašina
member Robert Nemeček. It featured the song "Tridesetpeta-šesta" Cvetković wrote in 1971 and dedicated to his father. Balkan's second album Na brdovitom Balkanu (On the Mountainous Balkans), released in 1983, was also produced by Nemeček, and besides Cvetković and Jerković featured Zlatko Marušić (bass guitar) and Miroslav Papić (drums). Na brdovitom Balkanu featured lyrics dealing with similar subjects as on Gola istina. In 1985 Balkan released the album Homo Balcanicus, produced by Srđan Marjanović, which also featured lyrics about the poor.
After a longer break, in 1989, Balkan, now featuring Cvetković, Jerković, Bugarski, Željko Glamočanin (bass guitar), and Zoran Vasiljević (keyboards
), recorded the album Kome verovati (Who to Trust) with lyrics filled with disappointment and pessimism. The album features the song "Tridesetpeta-šesta II deo", which tells the story of Cvetković's father who found peace after his death. Album was produced by Cvetković and Milan Ćirić. Divlje Jagode
guitarist Sead Lipovača
made a guest appearance on the album. After Kome verovati was released, Balkan officially disbanded. In 1996 Balkan's first two albums were rereleased on the disc Na brdovitom Balkanu by Raglas Records.
In 2007 Cvetković self-released the studio album Boli me nepravda (Injustice Hurts Me) under the name Balkan. The album consisted of songs Cvetković recorded between 1989 and 2006.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n and former Yugoslav hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band.
Band history
Balkan was formed in 1982 in Novi SadNovi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
by the guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and vocalist Aleksandar Cvetković, a former Leki frontman. The band's sound was hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
-oriented, but also featured elements of ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
and New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
, and the lyrics were inspired by the lyrics of Bora Đorđević and Branimir Štulić
Branimir Štulic
Branimir "Johnny" Štulić is a Yugoslav singer, songwriter, poet and a leader of the popular former Yugoslav rock group Azra...
and dealt with the problems of the working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
.
Initially, Balkan performed as an opening band on Divlje Jagode
Divlje jagode
Divlje Jagode is a Yugoslav and Bosnian hard rock and heavy metal band.-1970s:Divlje Jagode were formed in 1977 in Bihać by guitarist Zele Lipovača...
, Riblja Čorba
Riblja Corba
Riblja Čorba is a Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band. Their presence on the scene has lasted from 1978 to today. They reached their peak of popularity in the 1980s, but it has declined in the 1990s, partly due to controversial political attitudes of the band's leader Bora Đorđević...
, Parni Valjak
Parni Valjak
Parni valjak 1975 is a Croatian and former Yugoslav rock band. They were one of the top acts of the former Yugoslav Rock scene, and currently one of the top rock-and-roll bands in Croatia.-Biography:Parni valjak was founded in 1975...
, Drugi Način
Drugi Način
Drugi Način was a former Yugoslav rock band.- 1970s and 1980s :In the first half of the 1970s Branko Požgajec , Halil Mekić and Vjekoslav Poldrugac performed in the reformed Novi Akordi...
, Galija
Galija
Galija is a Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band from Niš. The central figures of the band are brothers Nenad Milosavljević and Predrag Milosavljević...
and Atomsko Sklonište
Atomsko sklonište
Atomsko sklonište is a Croatian and former Yugoslav hard rock band, formed in Pula in 1977. The band is known primarily for its strong anti-war lyrics.-1977-1987:...
concerts in Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
. Cvetković recorded Balkan's debut album Gola istina (Bare Thruth) with Željko Jerković (guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
), Saša Zavišić (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) and Radivoj Bugarski (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
). The album was produced by a former Pop Mašina
Pop Mašina
Pop Mašina was a former Yugoslav progressive rock band from Belgrade. Pop Mašina was formed in 1972, and released two studio albums and one live album before disbanding in 1978...
member Robert Nemeček. It featured the song "Tridesetpeta-šesta" Cvetković wrote in 1971 and dedicated to his father. Balkan's second album Na brdovitom Balkanu (On the Mountainous Balkans), released in 1983, was also produced by Nemeček, and besides Cvetković and Jerković featured Zlatko Marušić (bass guitar) and Miroslav Papić (drums). Na brdovitom Balkanu featured lyrics dealing with similar subjects as on Gola istina. In 1985 Balkan released the album Homo Balcanicus, produced by Srđan Marjanović, which also featured lyrics about the poor.
After a longer break, in 1989, Balkan, now featuring Cvetković, Jerković, Bugarski, Željko Glamočanin (bass guitar), and Zoran Vasiljević (keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
), recorded the album Kome verovati (Who to Trust) with lyrics filled with disappointment and pessimism. The album features the song "Tridesetpeta-šesta II deo", which tells the story of Cvetković's father who found peace after his death. Album was produced by Cvetković and Milan Ćirić. Divlje Jagode
Divlje jagode
Divlje Jagode is a Yugoslav and Bosnian hard rock and heavy metal band.-1970s:Divlje Jagode were formed in 1977 in Bihać by guitarist Zele Lipovača...
guitarist Sead Lipovača
Sead Lipovaca
Zele Lipovača , is the lead guitarist and founder of the popular former Yugoslav hard rock band Divlje Jagode....
made a guest appearance on the album. After Kome verovati was released, Balkan officially disbanded. In 1996 Balkan's first two albums were rereleased on the disc Na brdovitom Balkanu by Raglas Records.
In 2007 Cvetković self-released the studio album Boli me nepravda (Injustice Hurts Me) under the name Balkan. The album consisted of songs Cvetković recorded between 1989 and 2006.
Studio albums
- Gola istina (1982)
- Na brdovitom Balkanu (1983)
- Homo Balcanicus (1985)
- Kome verovati (1989)
- Boli me nepravda (2007)
Compilations
- Na brdovitom Balkanu (1996)
- Balkan - Antologija 1982-2007 (2007)
- Najlepše Pesme 1982-2003 (2004)