Istina
Encyclopedia
Istina is the sixth studio album released by Serbia
n and former Yugoslav
rock
band Riblja Čorba
.
The album is considered by fans and critics alike to be one of Riblja Čorba's finest works, as well as the band's triumphant comeback after the unsuccessful album Večeras vas zabavljaju muzičari koji piju
. Istina is also significant as the band's first album recorded with guitarists Vidoja Božinović
and Nikola Čuturilo
, the two joining the band after the departure of Rajko Kojić
and Momčilo Bajagić
.
The album was polled in 1998 as the 43rd on the list of 100 greatest Yugoslav rock and pop albums in the book YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike
(YU 100: The Best albums of Yugoslav pop and rock music).
and produced by John McCoy
. After Riblja Čorba's record label Jugoton
refused to release the songs "Snage opozicije", "Pogledaj dom svoj, anđele", "Alo", and "Dvorska budala" because of the provocative political-related lyrics, the band signed back with Jugoton's main competitor PGP-RTB
. Nevertheless, the song "Snage opozicije" was not released on the album, and it only saw the light of day some thirteen years later on the 1997 compilation album Treći srpski ustanak
. The track "Disko mišić" featured Goran Bregović
, leader of Riblja Čorba's biggest rivals at the time, Bijelo Dugme
, on vocals (Đorđević previously made a guest appearance on Bijelo Dugme's 1984 self-titled album, singing with Bregović in the song "Pediculis Pubis").
.
by Thomas Wolfe
) which went on to become one of Riblja Čorba's signature pieces. It was voted Hit of the Year in 1985 by the listeners of Radio Beograd 202
and Song of the Decade in 1990. In 2009, the song was voted the Greatest Domestic Song by the readers of the Standard magazine.
The album was polled in 1998 as the 43rd on the list of 100 greatest Yugoslav rock and pop albums in the book YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike
(YU 100: The Best albums of Yugoslav pop and rock music).
Istina was described by Serbian critic Petar Janjatović as "the first real comeback album in the history of Yugoslav rock". Serbian critic Dimitrije Vojnov named Istina one of ten most important albums in the history of Yugoslav rock music, stating also that Đorđević, "just like everyone who came back from the bottom, from rock coma
, decided to become a preacher [...] 'Pogledaj dom svoj, anđele' would soon become much more than Čorba's comeback hit. It would become a political ideology
, a soundtrack
for pathos
which announces the final clash, and the borders between rock 'n' roll provocation and reality, between Bora and the audience will be freezed and erased forver".
Despite being more heavy metal
-oriented than any of the band's previous albums, Istina is also the album after which the band, although generally still fitting into hard rock
, started turning towards more commercial sound.
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
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
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 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...
.
The album is considered by fans and critics alike to be one of Riblja Čorba's finest works, as well as the band's triumphant comeback after the unsuccessful album Večeras vas zabavljaju muzičari koji piju
Veceras vas zabavljaju muzicari koji piju
Večeras vas zabavljaju muzičari koji piju is the fifth studio album from Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba....
. Istina is also significant as the band's first album recorded with guitarists Vidoja Božinović
Vidoja Božinovic
Vidoja Božinović , also known as Džindžer , is a Serbian musician. He is best known as the guitarist for the Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba.-Biography:...
and Nikola Čuturilo
Nikola Čuturilo
Nikola Čuturilo , also known as Čutura is a Serbian musician...
, the two joining the band after the departure of Rajko Kojić
Rajko Kojic
Radislav "Rajko" Kojić was a Serbian and former Yugoslav guitarist best known for his work with band Riblja Čorba.-Biography:...
and Momčilo Bajagić
Momcilo Bajagic
Momčilo Bajagić "Bajaga" is a highly popular Serbian rock musician born in Bjelovar. He is best known as the leader of the Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Bajaga i Instruktori, as well as a former member of the hard rock band Riblja Čorba.-Early career:Bajagić started his musical career as a...
.
The album was polled in 1998 as the 43rd on the list of 100 greatest Yugoslav rock and pop albums in the book YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike
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...
(YU 100: The Best albums of Yugoslav pop and rock music).
Recording
The album was recorded during the winter 1984–1985. It was recorded by Goran VejvodaGoran Vejvoda
Goran Vejvoda is an English-born, French-based, media artist ....
and produced by John McCoy
John McCoy (musician)
John McCoy is a British bass guitarist who is best known for his work with Ian Gillan and Mammoth as well as numerous other bands and sessions since the late 1960s. He currently plays in British rock trio Guy McCoy Torme with former Gillan/Ozzy guitarist Bernie Torme and Bruce Dickinson/Sack Trick...
. After Riblja Čorba's record label Jugoton
Jugoton
Jugoton 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...
refused to release the songs "Snage opozicije", "Pogledaj dom svoj, anđele", "Alo", and "Dvorska budala" because of the provocative political-related lyrics, the band signed back with Jugoton's main competitor PGP-RTB
PGP-RTB
PGP-RTB was a major record label and chain record store in the former SFR Yugoslavia based in Belgrade, Socialist Republic of Serbia. PGP-RTB was established in 1958...
. Nevertheless, the song "Snage opozicije" was not released on the album, and it only saw the light of day some thirteen years later on the 1997 compilation album Treći srpski ustanak
Treci srpski ustanak
Treći srpski ustanak is a compilation album from Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba, released in 1997....
. The track "Disko mišić" featured Goran Bregović
Goran Bregovic
Goran Bregović is one of the most internationally known modern musicians and composers of the Balkans. He currently splits his time between Paris and Belgrade, where he settled down during the Yugoslav Wars.Bregović has composed for such varied artists as Iggy Pop and Cesária Évora...
, leader of Riblja Čorba's biggest rivals at the time, 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...
, on vocals (Đorđević previously made a guest appearance on Bijelo Dugme's 1984 self-titled album, singing with Bregović in the song "Pediculis Pubis").
Album cover
The cover art featured the band members' faces among the skulls on the historic Ćele kula. It was designed by cartoonist Jugoslav VlahovićJugoslav Vlahović
Jugoslav Vlahović is a Serbian artist, illustrator, photographer and a former rock musician. Vlahović is known for his work on album covers...
.
Track listing
- "Ajde beži" (M. AleksićMiša AleksicMiroslav "Miša" Aleksić is a Serbian musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba.-Biography:...
, B. Đorđević) – 4:16 - "Neću da te volim" (M. Aleksić, N. ČuturiloNikola ČuturiloNikola Čuturilo , also known as Čutura is a Serbian musician...
, B. Đorđević) – 4:01 - "Hleba i igara" (B. Đorđević) – 2:44
- "Sačekaj" (B. Đorđević) – 3:52
- "Alo" (M. Aleksić, B. Đorđević) – 2:58
- "Disko mišić" (M. MilatovićVicko MilatovicMiroslav "Vicko" Milatović is a Serbian musician best known as the drummer for the Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba.-Early career:...
, B. Đorđević) – 3:21 - "Verno pseto" (V. BožinovićVidoja BožinovicVidoja Božinović , also known as Džindžer , is a Serbian musician. He is best known as the guitarist for the Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba.-Biography:...
, B. Đorđević) – 4:05 - "Dvorska budala" (B. Đorđević) – 2:52
- "Pogledaj dom svoj, anđele" (B. Đorđević) – 3:39
Personnel
- Bora Đorđević - vocals
- Vidoja BožinovićVidoja BožinovicVidoja Božinović , also known as Džindžer , is a Serbian musician. He is best known as the guitarist for the Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba.-Biography:...
- guitar - Nikola ČuturiloNikola ČuturiloNikola Čuturilo , also known as Čutura is a Serbian musician...
- guitar - Miša AleksićMiša AleksicMiroslav "Miša" Aleksić is a Serbian musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba.-Biography:...
- bass guitar - Vicko MilatovićVicko MilatovicMiroslav "Vicko" Milatović is a Serbian musician best known as the drummer for the Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba.-Early career:...
- drums
Guest musicians
- Goran BregovićGoran BregovicGoran Bregović is one of the most internationally known modern musicians and composers of the Balkans. He currently splits his time between Paris and Belgrade, where he settled down during the Yugoslav Wars.Bregović has composed for such varied artists as Iggy Pop and Cesária Évora...
- vocals (on "Disko mišić") - Kornelije KovačKornelije KovacKornelije "Bata" Kovač is a famous Serbian composer. He is a father of Aleksandra Kovač and Kristina Kovač, both successful Serbian singers.-Early life:...
- keyboards
Additional personnel
- John McCoyJohn McCoy (musician)John McCoy is a British bass guitarist who is best known for his work with Ian Gillan and Mammoth as well as numerous other bands and sessions since the late 1960s. He currently plays in British rock trio Guy McCoy Torme with former Gillan/Ozzy guitarist Bernie Torme and Bruce Dickinson/Sack Trick...
- producer - Goran VejvodaGoran VejvodaGoran Vejvoda is an English-born, French-based, media artist ....
- recorded by - Ratko Ostojić - recorded by, mixed by
Legacy
The album is perhaps most memorable for its apocalyptic track "Pogledaj dom svoj, anđele" (named after, but not inspired by the novel Look Homeward, AngelLook Homeward, Angel
Look Homeward, Angel: A Story of the Buried Life is a 1929 novel by Thomas Wolfe. It is Wolfe's first novel, and is considered a highly autobiographical American Bildungsroman. The character of Eugene Gant is generally believed to be a depiction of Wolfe himself. The novel covers the span of time...
by Thomas Wolfe
Thomas Wolfe
Thomas Clayton Wolfe was a major American novelist of the early 20th century.Wolfe wrote four lengthy novels, plus many short stories, dramatic works and novellas. He is known for mixing highly original, poetic, rhapsodic, and impressionistic prose with autobiographical writing...
) which went on to become one of Riblja Čorba's signature pieces. It was voted Hit of the Year in 1985 by the listeners of Radio Beograd 202
Radio Belgrade
Radio Belgrade is a state-owned and operated radio station in Belgrade, Serbia.The predecessor of Radio Beograd, Radio Beograd-Rakovica, started its program in 1924 and was a part of a state wireless telegraph station. Radio Beograd, AD started in March 1929...
and Song of the Decade in 1990. In 2009, the song was voted the Greatest Domestic Song by the readers of the Standard magazine.
The album was polled in 1998 as the 43rd on the list of 100 greatest Yugoslav rock and pop albums in the book YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike
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...
(YU 100: The Best albums of Yugoslav pop and rock music).
Istina was described by Serbian critic Petar Janjatović as "the first real comeback album in the history of Yugoslav rock". Serbian critic Dimitrije Vojnov named Istina one of ten most important albums in the history of Yugoslav rock music, stating also that Đorđević, "just like everyone who came back from the bottom, from rock coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
, decided to become a preacher [...] 'Pogledaj dom svoj, anđele' would soon become much more than Čorba's comeback hit. It would become a political ideology
Ideology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
, a soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
for pathos
Pathos
Pathos represents an appeal to the audience's emotions. Pathos is a communication technique used most often in rhetoric , and in literature, film and other narrative art....
which announces the final clash, and the borders between rock 'n' roll provocation and reality, between Bora and the audience will be freezed and erased forver".
Despite being more heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
-oriented than any of the band's previous albums, Istina is also the album after which the band, although generally still fitting into 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...
, started turning towards more commercial sound.