Branimir Štulic
Encyclopedia
Branimir "Johnny" Štulić (born April 11, 1953 in Skopje Republic of Macedonia) is a Yugoslav
singer, songwriter
, poet
and a leader of the popular former Yugoslav
rock group
Azra
. He is known for his charismatic stage performances and inspiring song lyrics that often combined rock poetry with a strong sense for social commentary
.
officer's family, young Branimir grew up in Skopje
where his father was stationed at the time. At the age of 7, he moved with his family to Cvetković village near Jastrebarsko
where they spent year and a half before relocating to Jastrebarsko proper for the following 5 years. In January 1967 Štulić moved to Zagreb
where he attended high school
and later for two years studied phonetics
and history
at the University of Zagreb
's Faculty of Philosophy before dropping out. Stulic's youth and his musical beginnings are the subject of documentary "Kad Miki kaze da se boji".
He began his musical career with a group called 'Balkan Sevdah band"', performing Beatles covers and folk music. In 1977 he formed Azra
, which during the 1980s, became one of the most prominent and influential musical acts in Yugoslavia. Azra days brought Štulić widespread fame in Yugoslavia as well as rabid and devoted youth following - Štulić often used music to make statement about social and political conditions in communist Yugoslavia of the time.
In 1990 Štulić moved to Houten
, Netherlands
, where he currently lives. Since then, he recorded another 3 records, which met limited commercial success. In 2005 he published an autobiography
called Smijurija u mjerama.
Croatian journalist Hrvoje Horvat wrote a biography of Johnny Štulić called Fantom slobode, (Phantom of freedom), issued in 2006. Due to Štulić's immense popularity in the region of former Yugoslavia the book was an immediate commercial success. However, it was also heavily criticized by many literary critics, and even Štulić himself for its poor writing quality and misinterpretation of facts.
Štulić is often at lengths with his past as he lives a secluded life and is often the target of reporters seeking an interview, in which he is reluctant to participate. He states he has no interest in going back to his rock career. Branimir Štulić is considered to be something of a cult
figure in former Yugoslavia.
Štulić father was Ivan Štulić, Serb
from Nin
, Yugoslav Army officer and his mother
is a Serb from Macedonia
. His mother still lives in Zagreb
. He declares himself as Yugoslav
.
Yugoslav
Yugoslav refers to:* Yugoslavia** Kingdom of Yugoslavia** Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia** Federal Republic of Yugoslavia* Yugoslavs...
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and a leader of the popular former Yugoslav
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
rock group
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
Azra
Azra
Azra was a rock band from Zagreb that was popular across Yugoslavia in the 1980s. Azra was formed in 1977 by its frontman Branimir "Johnny" Štulić. The other two members of the original line-up were Mišo Hrnjak and Boris Leiner . The band is named after a verse from "Der Asra" by Heinrich Heine...
. He is known for his charismatic stage performances and inspiring song lyrics that often combined rock poetry with a strong sense for social commentary
Social commentary
Social commentary is the act of rebelling against an individual, or a group of people by rhetorical means, or commentary on social issues or society...
.
Biography
Born into a Yugoslav People's ArmyYugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...
officer's family, young Branimir grew up in Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
where his father was stationed at the time. At the age of 7, he moved with his family to Cvetković village near Jastrebarsko
Jastrebarsko
- Antiquity :In 1865, remnants of a Roman settlement were uncovered in Repišće, Klinča Sela, a village in Jastrebarsko metropolitan area. Further archeological investigation in the late 20th century classified them as a villa rustica and a necropolis consisting of six tumuli, both dating to...
where they spent year and a half before relocating to Jastrebarsko proper for the following 5 years. In January 1967 Štulić moved to Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
where he attended high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and later for two years studied phonetics
Phonetics
Phonetics is a branch of linguistics that comprises the study of the sounds of human speech, or—in the case of sign languages—the equivalent aspects of sign. It is concerned with the physical properties of speech sounds or signs : their physiological production, acoustic properties, auditory...
and history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
at the University of Zagreb
University of Zagreb
The University of Zagreb is the biggest Croatian university and the oldest continuously operating university in the area covering Central Europe south of Vienna and all of Southeastern Europe...
's Faculty of Philosophy before dropping out. Stulic's youth and his musical beginnings are the subject of documentary "Kad Miki kaze da se boji".
He began his musical career with a group called 'Balkan Sevdah band"', performing Beatles covers and folk music. In 1977 he formed Azra
Azra
Azra was a rock band from Zagreb that was popular across Yugoslavia in the 1980s. Azra was formed in 1977 by its frontman Branimir "Johnny" Štulić. The other two members of the original line-up were Mišo Hrnjak and Boris Leiner . The band is named after a verse from "Der Asra" by Heinrich Heine...
, which during the 1980s, became one of the most prominent and influential musical acts in Yugoslavia. Azra days brought Štulić widespread fame in Yugoslavia as well as rabid and devoted youth following - Štulić often used music to make statement about social and political conditions in communist Yugoslavia of the time.
In 1990 Štulić moved to Houten
Houten
Houten is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. The expected population in 2015 will be 50,000. The municipality consists of the following towns:* Houten * 't Goy * Schalkwijk...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, where he currently lives. Since then, he recorded another 3 records, which met limited commercial success. In 2005 he published an autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
called Smijurija u mjerama.
Croatian journalist Hrvoje Horvat wrote a biography of Johnny Štulić called Fantom slobode, (Phantom of freedom), issued in 2006. Due to Štulić's immense popularity in the region of former Yugoslavia the book was an immediate commercial success. However, it was also heavily criticized by many literary critics, and even Štulić himself for its poor writing quality and misinterpretation of facts.
Štulić is often at lengths with his past as he lives a secluded life and is often the target of reporters seeking an interview, in which he is reluctant to participate. He states he has no interest in going back to his rock career. Branimir Štulić is considered to be something of a cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
figure in former Yugoslavia.
Štulić father was Ivan Štulić, Serb
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
from Nin
Nin
Nin may refer to:* Nine Inch Nails, an American industrial rock band* NIN , a Serbian political magazine* NIN , the Sumerian sign for lady* NIN , a human gene* Nion or Nin, a letter in the Ogham alphabet...
, Yugoslav Army officer and his mother
is a Serb from Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
. His mother still lives in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
. He declares himself as Yugoslav
Yugoslavs
Yugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora...
.
With Azra
- Azra (JugotonJugotonJugoton was the largest record label and chain record store in the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia based in Zagreb, Socialist Republic of Croatia. After the breakup of Yugoslavia the company continued to work in independent Republic of Croatia under the name Croatia...
, 1980) - Sunčana strana ulice (Jugoton, 1981)
- Ravno do dna (Jugoton, 1982)
- Filigranski pločnici (Jugoton, 1982)
- Singl ploče 1979.-1982 (Jugoton, 1982)
- Kad fazani lete (Jugoton, 1983)
- Krivo srastanje (Jugoton, 1984)
- It Ain't Like in the Movies At All (DiskotonDiskotonDiskoton was a major record label based in Sarajevo, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the former Yugoslavia. It should not be confused with another former Yugoslav record company with a similar name called Diskos....
, 1986) - Između krajnosti (Jugoton, 1987)
- Zadovoljština (Jugoton, 1988)
Solo
- Balkanska rapsodija (Jugoton, 1989)
- Balegari ne vjeruju sreći (Jugoton, 1990)
- Sevdah za Paulu Horvat (KomunaKomuna BelgradeKomuna is a Serbian record label and media production house. Established in 1985, its headquarters are in Belgrade, Serbia with a branch office Budva, Montenegro...
, 1995) - Anali (Komuna, 1995)
- Blasé (Hi Fi Centar, 1997)
- Ne pokaži da si ufitiljio (Plato, 2010)
External links
- Štulić u ilegali Official Website
- Azra Home Page, a fan page about Azra
- http://www.youtube.com/user/PETROVICPETAR Azra YouTube Channel
- Azra Home Page, a fan page about Azra