Azra
Encyclopedia
Azra was a rock
band
from Zagreb
(Croatia) 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 (bass
) and Boris Leiner (drum
s). The band is named after a verse from "Der Asra" by Heinrich Heine
. They are considered to be one of the most influential bands from the former Yugoslav New Wave
rock era and the Yugoslav Rock scene in general.
They released their first single in 1979 with songs "Balkan" and "A šta da radim". The first album named Azra was published in 1980 and achieved commercial success and popularized Azra in former Yugoslavia. Azra recorded its last studio album Između krajnosti (Between the extremes) in 1987. In 1988 the band recorded 4LP live album under the name Zadovoljština (Satisfaction), after which Štulić disbanded the band. Štulić recorded three more solo albums since moving to Houten
, Netherlands
, where he currently lives in seclusion. A 2003 rock
documentary
, Sretno dijete
depicts Azra as the locus of the rock scene in the former Yugoslavia during the 1980s, along with Bijelo dugme
. Even today, Azra remains very popular among youth in the countries of former Yugoslavia.
In 1998, the music critics compiled a list of 100 best albums
of Yugoslav pop and rock music. Five Azra albums were included, three of them in top 10. On the Radio B92's list of 100 greatest songs of former Yugoslavia, four Azra songs were included, all of them in top 20.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
from 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...
(Croatia) that was popular across Yugoslavia
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,...
in the 1980s. Azra was formed in 1977 by its frontman Branimir "Johnny" Štulić
Branimir Štulic
Branimir "Johnny" Štulić is a Yugoslav singer, songwriter, poet and a leader of the popular former Yugoslav rock group Azra...
. The other two members of the original line-up were Mišo Hrnjak (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) and Boris Leiner (drum
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 ....
s). The band is named after a verse from "Der Asra" by Heinrich Heine
Heinrich Heine
Christian Johann Heinrich Heine was one of the most significant German poets of the 19th century. He was also a journalist, essayist, and literary critic. He is best known outside Germany for his early lyric poetry, which was set to music in the form of Lieder by composers such as Robert Schumann...
. They are considered to be one of the most influential bands from the former Yugoslav New Wave
Yugoslav New Wave
New Wave in Yugoslavia was the New Wave music scene of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
rock era and the Yugoslav Rock scene in general.
They released their first single in 1979 with songs "Balkan" and "A šta da radim". The first album named Azra was published in 1980 and achieved commercial success and popularized Azra in former Yugoslavia. Azra recorded its last studio album Između krajnosti (Between the extremes) in 1987. In 1988 the band recorded 4LP live album under the name Zadovoljština (Satisfaction), after which Štulić disbanded the band. Štulić recorded three more solo albums since moving 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 in seclusion. A 2003 rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
, Sretno dijete
Sretno dijete
Sretno dijete is a documentary film directed by Igor Mirković, and produced by Rajko Grlić, an Ohio University professor of film, in 2003...
depicts Azra as the locus of the rock scene in the former Yugoslavia during the 1980s, along with Bijelo dugme
Bijelo dugme
Bijelo dugme was a highly influential former Yugoslav rock band, based in Sarajevo. Active between 1974 and 1989, it is widely considered to have been the most popular band ever to exist in former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and one of the most important acts of the Yugoslav rock...
. Even today, Azra remains very popular among youth in the countries of former Yugoslavia.
In 1998, the music critics compiled a list of 100 best albums
YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike
YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike is a book by Duško Antonić and Danilo Štrbac...
of Yugoslav pop and rock music. Five Azra albums were included, three of them in top 10. On the Radio B92's list of 100 greatest songs of former Yugoslavia, four Azra songs were included, all of them in top 20.
Members
- Branimir "Johnny" Štulić - vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Branko Matun - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1977) - Paolo Sfeci - drumsDrum kitA 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 ....
(1977) - Mladen Jurčić - guitar (1977–1978)
- Branko Hromatko - drums (1977–1978)
- Marino Pelajić - bass (1977–1978)
- Jura StublićJura StublicJurislav "Jura" Stublić is a Croatian singer and songwriter.-Biography:In 1961, he moved with his parents Tomislav and Vesna to Sesvetski Kraljevec near Zagreb. His father was from Sesvetski Kraljevec and he too was a singer. His mother was a tailor.In Zagreb, Stublić studied philosophy, but he...
- vocals (1978) - Boris Leiner (ex HaustorHaustorHaustor was a rock band from Zagreb, SR Croatia, a member of the Novi val movement, and an important act of the former Yugoslav Rock scene.- Biography :...
) - drums, vocals (from 1979) - Mišo Hrnjak - bass (1979–1987)
- Jurica Pađen - guitars (1983–1984, from 1987)
- Stephen Kipp - bass (from 1987)
Singles
- "Balkan" (The Balkans) / "A šta da radim" (What am I Gonna Do) - (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...
1979) - "Lijepe žene prolaze kroz grad" (Pretty Women Passing Through the Town), "Poziv na ples" (The Invitation to Dance) / "Suzy F".- (Jugoton, 1980)
- "Džoni, budi dobar" (Johnny Be Good) / "Teško vrijeme" (The Difficult Time) - (Jugoton 1982)
- "E, pa što" (So What) / "Sloboda" (The Freedom) / "Gluperde lutaju daleko" (Jerks Wander Far) - (Jugoton 1982)
- "Nemir i strast" (Restlessness and Passion) / "Doviđenja na Vlaškom drumu" (Farewell on the Valachian Road) - (Jugoton 1983)
- Klincek stoji pod oblokom/Flash (26.12.83.Jugoton) sa albuma "Krivo srastanje"
- Mon Ami/ Duboko u tebi (16.04.84. Jugoton) sa albuma "Krivo srastanje"
Albums
- Azra - (Jugoton, 1980)
- Sunčana strana ulice (The Sunny side of the street) - (Double - Jugoton, 1981)
- Ravno do dna (Straight to the bottom) - (Triple Live - Jugoton, 1982)
- Filigranski pločnici (The Filigree Sidewalks) - (Double - Jugoton, 1982)
- Kad fazani lete (When pheasants fly) - (Jugoton, 1983)
- Krivo srastanje (The Mistaken Sublimation) - (Jugoton, 1984)
- It Ain't Like the Movies At All - (Triple - 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 (In Between Extremes) - (Jugoton, 1987)
- Zadovoljština (Satisfaction) - (Quadruple Live, 1988)
Compilation albums
- Single Ploče 1979-1982 - (Jugoton, 1982)
- Kao i jučer - Single Ploče 1983-1986 - (Jugoton, 1987; remastered rerelease by Croatia RecordsCroatia RecordsCroatia Records is the largest major record label in Croatia, based in Dubrava in Zagreb.-Summary:Croatia Records d.d. is a joint stock company currently led by the Chairman of the Board of directors Želimir Babogredac, a notable sound engineer...
, 2003) - Azra: The Ultimate Collection - (Croatia RecordsCroatia RecordsCroatia Records is the largest major record label in Croatia, based in Dubrava in Zagreb.-Summary:Croatia Records d.d. is a joint stock company currently led by the Chairman of the Board of directors Želimir Babogredac, a notable sound engineer...
, 2007)
Videography
- Zadovoljština (Zagreb, Live Concert, 1988)
- Klincek stoji pod oblokom (Video compilation, 1990)
- Das Ist Johnny (Sarajevo, Live Film, 1991)
External links
- www.azraweb.com - Azra HomePage
- Azra song lyrics