Marko Perkovic
Encyclopedia
Marko Perković (born October 27, 1966) is a Croatian musician and is the lead singer of the band Thompson
since 1991.
In June, 2008, Marko Perković was named as the third most influential person in Croatian showbusiness by Globus
magazine.
, Yugoslavia
to parents Marija and Ante. He rarely saw his father, who worked as a Gastarbeiter
in Germany and only came home for Christmas and Easter. He finished high school in Split
.
In 1991, Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia
, and soon the Croatian War for Independence started. Perković joined the Croatian National Guard
where he was given the American gun Thompson
, which became the nickname given to him by his battlefield comrades. It was during the time where he was defending his home village in the that Perković became inspired to write one of the most popular songs during the war: Bojna Čavoglave ("Čavoglave Battalion"), which launched his music career.
In 1992, Perković held numerous humanitarian concerts throughout Croatia, and released his first album in 1992. He continued to write songs to raise morale during the war. In 1995 he returned to the Croatian Army and the 142nd Drniš Brigade, and became on of the first soldiers to enter the captured cities of Drniš
and Knin
during Operation Storm
.
: a lot of his most successful (and most appreciates by critics) songs deal about religion: Radost s Visina (Joy from Above), Neću izdat ja (I will not betray/give up), Dan dolazi (The day is coming), Početak (In Principium); or his own family and birthplace: Vjetar s Dinare (Winds from Dinara, Sine Moj (Oh, my Son), Moj Dida i Ja (My Grandfather and I).
Marko Perković has said that he is personally a fan of Nightwish
, Iron Maiden
, AC/DC
and Dream Theater
among others ultra-Catholic group, with great consistency of its Catholic thought.
The lyrics of his songs often feature patriot sentiments and relate to Croatia
, God
, the 1991-1995 Croatian War of Independence
, family, and condemn the domestic softline politics and politicians and media, as well as international politics that forgot the values of family and patriotism.
Under the accusations of neo-Nazism
, he was banned from performing in the Netherlands
., His concert is held either in the Swiss city Luzern after the Social Democratic Party
called for an urgent statement on the issue of Thompson's concert by the cantonal council. On the same occasion, and he was banned from entering Switzerland for three years. Since Switzerland
is a member of Schengen
, Thompson was the decision prohibited the entry into all Schengen countries for a period of three years which was confirmed by Michele Cercone, spokesman for European Commission
Vice President.His concerts have been banned in several German cities.
The biggest concentrations of his fan base is (for the most part) the rural hinterland, in Dalmatia
, Lika
, Herzegovina
, Bosnia, but also in other areas affected by the recent war, as well as fans in urban areas with origins from those areas, which has significantly influenced the public opinion in certain parts. Romantic glorification of Croatian rural areas (especially mountainous ones, neglected by national economic policy) and revival of folk traditions in his songs, brought him even more popularity among Croats.
He has caused much controversy performing the song Jasenovac i Gradiška Stara
, which openly glorifies genocide against the Serbs in WWII. The Simon Wiesenthal Centre has filed complaints to Croatia's state television channel regarding its broadcast of a singer accused of expressing nostalgia for the Ustaše
, Croatia's pro-Nazi ruling party during World War II, although Perković denies any connection with that period in history. His fans are known for displaying Croatian patriotism
mixed with Ustaše uniforms, (including black hats associated with the regime), symbols, and banners.
At the beginning of the song Bojna Čavoglave, Perković invokes the audience with the slogan "za dom - spremni!" which means "for home - ready!" The slogan was also (but not exclusively) used by the Ustaša, which gave it bad connotations. However, Perković says this did not originate as an Ustaša slogan and that it was traditionally used by Croats before World War II.
The song was composed at the time of hardest part of the Serbian aggression on Croatia (when the "tide" was on the Serb side) as a memory to glorious successful defense in battle of the village Čavoglave, against much better equipped and armed enemy, Serb-led JNA and rebel Croatian Serb paramilitary forces; he himself was engaged in that battle, and the song appeared there, on the battlefield.
That slogan, that was also used by Ustaše, Croat Nazi movement from WWII (that came to power by being posed by Axis forces). In this context, here's important to note that that regime (besides not less important inhumanities) behaved as heavily revanchist towards the Serbs.
He has performed two large concerts in Croatia. One was held in Poljud stadium
, Split
, on September 15, 2002 with about 45,000 people. The other was held in the Maksimir stadium
in Zagreb on June 17, 2007 for 60,000 people. Following this June 2007 concert, the Croatian government released a statement decrying the use of Ustaša symbols. He has also performed for Croatian diaspora in Germany, Australia, Sweden, Canada and the USA.
Perković has written many songs for other singers, such as Mate Bulić
. He has also sung in duets with Miroslav Škoro
, Tiho Orlić, and Jasmin Stavros
.
, "Thompson", is actually a nom de guerre deriving from his time as a soldier in the 1991-1995 Croatian War of Independence
, during which he carried a Thompson submachine gun
.
In the mid 1990s he was in a relationship with Croatian singer, Danijela Martinović
. Although never legally married, they had a marriage ceremony in the Catholic Church. After their separation and his marriage, he sought a Church annulment, which was granted by the Ecclesiastical Court in Split in 2005.
Subsequently he was able to join in church marriage with his wife Sandra, a Croatian-Canadian he met during a concert in Canada. Together they have five children: Petar, Ante, Diva Maria, and the twins Katarina and Cvita.
He owns a share in the radio station
Narodni radio, the most successful Croatian private station, notable for airing exclusively Croatian songs. Because of that he was able to counteract the ban of his songs on the state-owned radio stations. His concert in Maksimir stadium
was aired live on state owned HRT plus pay-for view channel, and few days after also on the main national channel.
Pope Benedict XVI received Thompson in an audience in December 2009.
Perković is a declared Roman Catholic and a hardline right-wing political supporter, although not affiliated to any specific party.
Thompson (band)
Thompson is a Croatian rock band. The group was founded by Marko Perković "Thompson", who is often identified with the band itself, "Thompson" being his stage name. Perković is the songwriter and lead vocalist...
since 1991.
In June, 2008, Marko Perković was named as the third most influential person in Croatian showbusiness by Globus
Globus
Globus is Latin for sphere or globe. It may also refer to:-Business:* Glo-Bus, a global business strategy simulation game* Globus , an Indian clothing retail store* Globus , a Swiss department store chain...
magazine.
Early life and War
Marko Perković was born 1966 in the village of ČavoglaveCavoglave
Čavoglave is a settlement in Dalmatia, Croatia. Čavoglave is part of the Ružić municipality of Šibenik-Knin County.Although very small...
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
to parents Marija and Ante. He rarely saw his father, who worked as a Gastarbeiter
Gastarbeiter
Gastarbeiter is German for "guest worker." It refers to migrant workers who had moved to West Germany mainly in the 1960s and 70s, seeking work as part of a formal guest worker programme...
in Germany and only came home for Christmas and Easter. He finished high school in Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
.
In 1991, Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, and soon the Croatian War for Independence started. Perković joined the Croatian National Guard
Croatian National Guard
The Croatian National Guard was the name of the first modern Croatian military force. Croatian president Franjo Tuđman signed to law the Decree of Formation of the Croatian National Guard on April 20, 1991 which became the first professional armed forces with defence and training duties.These...
where he was given the American gun Thompson
Thompson submachine gun
The Thompson is an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1919, that became infamous during the Prohibition era. It was a common sight in the media of the time, being used by both law enforcement officers and criminals...
, which became the nickname given to him by his battlefield comrades. It was during the time where he was defending his home village in the that Perković became inspired to write one of the most popular songs during the war: Bojna Čavoglave ("Čavoglave Battalion"), which launched his music career.
In 1992, Perković held numerous humanitarian concerts throughout Croatia, and released his first album in 1992. He continued to write songs to raise morale during the war. In 1995 he returned to the Croatian Army and the 142nd Drniš Brigade, and became on of the first soldiers to enter the captured cities of Drniš
Drniš
Drniš is a town in Croatia, located in inland Dalmatia at halfway between Šibenik and Knin. Its municipality population is 8,595 , with 3,332 in the town itself and the rest in two dozen surrounding villages...
and Knin
Knin
Knin is a historical town in the Šibenik-Knin county of Croatia, located near the source of the river Krka at , in the Dalmatian hinterland, on the railroad Zagreb–Split. Knin rose to prominence twice in history, as a one-time capital of both the Kingdom of Croatia and briefly of the...
during Operation Storm
Operation Storm
Operation Storm is the code name given to a large-scale military operation carried out by Croatian Armed Forces, in conjunction with the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to gain back control of parts of Croatia which had been claimed by separatist ethnic Serbs, since early...
.
Career
Perković's songs are often marked with Christian and historic themes, and often include folklore elements. His motto is that he sings of his three big loves: God, Family and homeland, are not simply a self-defense statement, or a political manifestoManifesto
A manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions, often political in nature. Manifestos relating to religious belief are generally referred to as creeds. Manifestos may also be life stance-related.-Etymology:...
: a lot of his most successful (and most appreciates by critics) songs deal about religion: Radost s Visina (Joy from Above), Neću izdat ja (I will not betray/give up), Dan dolazi (The day is coming), Početak (In Principium); or his own family and birthplace: Vjetar s Dinare (Winds from Dinara, Sine Moj (Oh, my Son), Moj Dida i Ja (My Grandfather and I).
Marko Perković has said that he is personally a fan of Nightwish
Nightwish
Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland. Formed in 1996 by songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen, Nightwish's current line-up has five members, although Tarja has been replaced by Anette Olzon and the...
, Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
and Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
among others ultra-Catholic group, with great consistency of its Catholic thought.
The lyrics of his songs often feature patriot sentiments and relate to Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, the 1991-1995 Croatian War of Independence
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
, family, and condemn the domestic softline politics and politicians and media, as well as international politics that forgot the values of family and patriotism.
Under the accusations of neo-Nazism
Neo-Nazism
Neo-Nazism consists of post-World War II social or political movements seeking to revive Nazism or some variant thereof.The term neo-Nazism can also refer to the ideology of these movements....
, he was banned from performing in the 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...
., His concert is held either in the Swiss city Luzern after the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party
The name Social Democratic Party or Social Democrats has been used by a large number of political parties in various countries around the world...
called for an urgent statement on the issue of Thompson's concert by the cantonal council. On the same occasion, and he was banned from entering Switzerland for three years. Since Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
is a member of Schengen
Schengen
Schengen may refer to:* Schengen Agreement, a European treaty that provided for the removal of border controls between participating countries* Schengen Area, the group of European countries that have abolished border controls between each other...
, Thompson was the decision prohibited the entry into all Schengen countries for a period of three years which was confirmed by Michele Cercone, spokesman for European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
Vice President.His concerts have been banned in several German cities.
The biggest concentrations of his fan base is (for the most part) the rural hinterland, in Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
, Lika
Lika
Lika is a mountainous region in central Croatia, roughly bound by the Velebit mountain from the southwest and the Plješevica mountain from the northeast. On the north-west end Lika is bounded by Ogulin-Plaški basin, and on the south-east by the Malovan pass...
, Herzegovina
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
, Bosnia, but also in other areas affected by the recent war, as well as fans in urban areas with origins from those areas, which has significantly influenced the public opinion in certain parts. Romantic glorification of Croatian rural areas (especially mountainous ones, neglected by national economic policy) and revival of folk traditions in his songs, brought him even more popularity among Croats.
He has caused much controversy performing the song Jasenovac i Gradiška Stara
Jasenovac i Gradiška Stara
"Jasenovac i Gradiška Stara" is a Croatian song promoting the Ustaše. The lyrics celebrate the World War II crimes against the Serbs...
, which openly glorifies genocide against the Serbs in WWII. The Simon Wiesenthal Centre has filed complaints to Croatia's state television channel regarding its broadcast of a singer accused of expressing nostalgia for the Ustaše
Ustaše
The Ustaša - Croatian Revolutionary Movement was a Croatian fascist anti-Yugoslav separatist movement. The ideology of the movement was a blend of fascism, Nazism, and Croatian nationalism. The Ustaše supported the creation of a Greater Croatia that would span to the River Drina and to the border...
, Croatia's pro-Nazi ruling party during World War II, although Perković denies any connection with that period in history. His fans are known for displaying Croatian patriotism
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
mixed with Ustaše uniforms, (including black hats associated with the regime), symbols, and banners.
At the beginning of the song Bojna Čavoglave, Perković invokes the audience with the slogan "za dom - spremni!" which means "for home - ready!" The slogan was also (but not exclusively) used by the Ustaša, which gave it bad connotations. However, Perković says this did not originate as an Ustaša slogan and that it was traditionally used by Croats before World War II.
The song was composed at the time of hardest part of the Serbian aggression on Croatia (when the "tide" was on the Serb side) as a memory to glorious successful defense in battle of the village Čavoglave, against much better equipped and armed enemy, Serb-led JNA and rebel Croatian Serb paramilitary forces; he himself was engaged in that battle, and the song appeared there, on the battlefield.
That slogan, that was also used by Ustaše, Croat Nazi movement from WWII (that came to power by being posed by Axis forces). In this context, here's important to note that that regime (besides not less important inhumanities) behaved as heavily revanchist towards the Serbs.
He has performed two large concerts in Croatia. One was held in Poljud stadium
Gradski stadion u Poljudu
Stadion Poljud is a multi-use stadium in the Croatian city of Split. It takes its name from the neighbourhood of Poljud, and is located on the northern side of the Split peninsula. its original name is "Gradski stadion u Poljudu" . The stadium was built for the 1979 Mediterranean Games and is the...
, Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
, on September 15, 2002 with about 45,000 people. The other was held in the Maksimir stadium
Maksimir Stadium
Maksimir Stadium is a stadium in the Croatian capital of Zagreb. It takes its name from the neighbourhood of Maksimir. It is primarily the home of Dinamo Zagreb, the top football team in the country. It is also home to Dinamo Zagreb's farm team NK Lokomotiva....
in Zagreb on June 17, 2007 for 60,000 people. Following this June 2007 concert, the Croatian government released a statement decrying the use of Ustaša symbols. He has also performed for Croatian diaspora in Germany, Australia, Sweden, Canada and the USA.
Perković has written many songs for other singers, such as Mate Bulić
Mate Bulic
Mate Bulić is a Bosnian Croat pop/folk singer.Many of his songs are influenced by the region of Herzegovina. Bulić finished his schooling in Čitluk and at Mostar, where he graduated in electrical engineering...
. He has also sung in duets with Miroslav Škoro
Miroslav Škoro
Miroslav Škoro is a Croatian musician. Škoro's music is characterized by its traditional tamburitza sound, updated to appeal to a contemporary pop audience.-Biography:...
, Tiho Orlić, and Jasmin Stavros
Jasmin Stavros
Jasmin Stavros born 1954 in Split, is a Croatian pop musician.One of his most popular songs remains "Dao bi sto Amerika" , which relates to his time spent in the United States before his return to Croatia shortly before the country's independence.He is currently signed to Hit Records.- Discography...
.
Personal life
Perković's nicknameNickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
, "Thompson", is actually a nom de guerre deriving from his time as a soldier in the 1991-1995 Croatian War of Independence
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
, during which he carried a Thompson submachine gun
Thompson submachine gun
The Thompson is an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1919, that became infamous during the Prohibition era. It was a common sight in the media of the time, being used by both law enforcement officers and criminals...
.
In the mid 1990s he was in a relationship with Croatian singer, Danijela Martinović
Danijela Martinovic
Danijela Martinović, known artistically as Danijela is a popular Croatian singer with success across all of the Balkans.-Biography:...
. Although never legally married, they had a marriage ceremony in the Catholic Church. After their separation and his marriage, he sought a Church annulment, which was granted by the Ecclesiastical Court in Split in 2005.
Subsequently he was able to join in church marriage with his wife Sandra, a Croatian-Canadian he met during a concert in Canada. Together they have five children: Petar, Ante, Diva Maria, and the twins Katarina and Cvita.
He owns a share in the radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
Narodni radio, the most successful Croatian private station, notable for airing exclusively Croatian songs. Because of that he was able to counteract the ban of his songs on the state-owned radio stations. His concert in Maksimir stadium
Maksimir Stadium
Maksimir Stadium is a stadium in the Croatian capital of Zagreb. It takes its name from the neighbourhood of Maksimir. It is primarily the home of Dinamo Zagreb, the top football team in the country. It is also home to Dinamo Zagreb's farm team NK Lokomotiva....
was aired live on state owned HRT plus pay-for view channel, and few days after also on the main national channel.
Pope Benedict XVI received Thompson in an audience in December 2009.
Perković is a declared Roman Catholic and a hardline right-wing political supporter, although not affiliated to any specific party.
CDs
- 1992 - "Moli malaMoli malaMoli mala is the first album of the Croatian band Thompson. It was released in 1992. Danijela Martinović sang on the album as a guest for Potonut ću. Zdenko Runjić composed the song Grkinja...
" (Pray, young girl) - 1995 - "Vrijeme škorpionaVrijeme škorpionaVrijeme škorpiona is an album of the Croatian singer Thompson. It was released in 1995.-Track listing:# "Škorpioni" # "Poljubi me" # "Moj grad" # "Rock 'n' roll"...
" (The Time of the Scorpions) - 1996 - "Geni kameniGeni kameniGeni kameni is an album of the Croatian singer Thompson. It was released in 1996.The album's title track Geni kameni became the most notable from the album. The song talks about the "genes of stone" of the Croatians...
" (Genes of Stone) - 1998 - "Vjetar s DinareVjetar s DinareVjetar s Dinare is an album of the Croatian singer Thompson. It was released in 1998. It was a big hit.The opening track Zaustavi se vjetre plays out as a conversation between Thompson and the Dinaric winds, sung by a Dalmatian klapa, in which Thompson begs the winds to tell him about his family...
" (The wind from Dinara) - 2002 - "E, moj narodeE, moj narodeE, moj narode is an album of the Croatian band Thompson. It was released in 2002.The song "Moj Ivane" is originally a Croatian folk song from Kupres, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Thompson's modernized version greatly popularized it. The song is part of the band's regular repertoire."Reci, brate moj" is...
" (Oh, My People) - 2003 - "Sve najboljeSve najbolje (Thompson)Sve najbolje is a greatest hits compilation album of the Croatian band Thompson. It was released in 2003. This album was made out of 17 songs that showed their success in past 5 albums...
" ("Greatest hits") - 2006 - "Bilo jednom u HrvatskojBilo jednom u HrvatskojBilo jednom u Hrvatskoj is an album of the Croatian singer Marko Perković Thompson. It was released on December 8, 2006....
" ("Once upon a time in Croatia") - 2008 - "Druga stranaDruga stranaDruga strana is an album of the Croatian rock band Thompson. It was released in December, 2008. The album is a compilation of re-recorded B-sides previously released by the group. Prior to its release it was known under the working title B strana.-Tracks:...
" ("Other side")
DVDs
- 2002 - "Poljud" (limited)
- 2004 - "Turneja - E, moj narode"
- 2007 - "Turneja - Bilo jednom u Hrvatskoj (Stadion Maksimir)"
External links
Official website of Thompson- A Croatian rock star flirts with the Nazi past, July 1, 2007, International Herald Tribune
- Songs lyrics