Željko Bebek
Encyclopedia
Želimir "Željko" Bebek is a popular Bosnian Croat
singer most notable for being the lead vocalist of Bijelo dugme
from 1974 to 1984.
He showed an early interest in music, entertaining his mother's guests by singing songs he heard on the radio. He also experimented with harmonica
, but abandoned it in third grade of primary school as he wanted to play guitar
and sing along. His teacher, however, discouraged such intentions so Željko ended up playing mandolin
instead. He soon became the school's best mandolin player and was allowed to play guitar as a reward.
Catholic parents who lived in Bosnia, Bugojno
. At the age of 16, he entered his first band Eho 61, which operated as a school activity for musically inclined students of Sarajevo's 2nd gymnasium
. Couple of years earlier, the same band featured Kornelije Kovač
who would later also go on to become famous musician and composer.
Bebek's next musical activity came in a nameless band with Šento Borovčanin and Redžić brothers (Zoran
and Fadil). Bebek carried on playing with the band until Fadil Redžić entered Indexi
.
that also featured Ismeta Dervoz on backing vocals and Luciano Paganotto on drums.
Bebek spent the next couple of years singing and playing rhythm guitar
with the band, helping them become quite prominent locally. As Kodeksi had perisistent problems filling the bass player spot, Bebek recommended young 18-year-old Goran Bregović
after seeing him play with Bestije in 1969.
After a falling out with bandmates during the stay in Italy
Bebek left Kodeksi in fall 1970 and returned to Sarajevo.
The new year, however, brought more creative stagnation as their repertoire consisted entirely of foreign covers. In December 1971, Bebek received a call-up to report for the mandatory Yugoslav Army
service and Novi Kodeksi played their last ever show in Sarajevo's Dom mladih. Twenty six years of age at this point, Bebek also got married and made a decision to leave the music business altogether.
. Bebek accepted, did his studio part, and went away to serve in Pirot
.
In March 1973, after getting back from the army, Bebek joined Jutro
in earnest, but, not being sure about the band's creative and commercial potential, he also got a clerk job at social security administration. Jutro, however, soon started becoming successful and he quit the government job to again devote to music full-time.
Jutro soon transformed into Bijelo dugme
.
Almost 30 years old at this point, he became instant country-wide celebrity.
He ended up spending a full decade with the band before eventually leaving in April 1984 to fully pursue a solo career.
In 1978, while Bregović was away serving the army stint and Dugme was on hiatus, Bebek recorded a solo album Skoro da smo isti with drummer
Điđi Jankelić, old friend Edo Bogeljić on guitar and on keyboards
. The album was released on 28 July 1978, but failed both critically and commercially as it sold only 6,000 copies and quickly fell into oblivion. Though the initial intention was to support the album with touring, those plans quickly got scrapped following the poor public reaction.
In late 1983, just before officially leaving Bijelo dugme he recorded his second solo album Mene tjera neki vrag. The album was released in 1984.
Bebek had a few major hits throughout his 11 album run. Most of his hits had strong folk influence, including "Oprosti mi što te volim", "Da je sreće bilo", "Jabuke i vino", "Sinoć sam pola kafane popio" (with lyrics by Bora Đorđević), "Puca mi u glavu", "Čašu otrova", "Gdje će ti duša", and "Da zna zora".
When the Yugoslav wars
started, he moved to Zagreb
where he continues to live and work. His record labels included Taped Pictures and Croatia Records
.
In 2005 he took part in 3 large farewell concerts of Bijelo dugme. A year later, Bebek (in collaboration with Alen Islamovic
and Tifa Vojicic
) formed a Bijelo dugme tribute called B.A.T., which performed on numerous stages around the world between 2006 and 2009. Their 2006 "Kad bi' bio Bijelo Dugme" North American tour (together with Okus Meda and Tifa Band), was featured in a documentary titled "B.A.T.: Balkan Rock Nostalgia", (directed by Serb-American filmmaker B. R. Tatalovic).
parents but is from Bosnia, Bebek grew up in the multi-religious city of Sarajevo, which mainly cosists of Bosnian
Muslims, Croatian
Catholics and Serbians
of the Orthodox
religion.
Bebek has been married three times. He has a daughter Silvija from his first marriage, and another daughter Bianca from his second marriage.
From his current, third, marriage with Ružica from Tomislavgrad
whom he met in 1997 and soon married, Bebek has a son Zvonimir and daughter Katarina, named after his father and mother.
Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina form one of the three constitutive nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.There is no precise data regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina's population since the last war. Ethnic cleansing within Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s saw the vast majority of Croats move and take...
singer most notable for being the lead vocalist of 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...
from 1974 to 1984.
He showed an early interest in music, entertaining his mother's guests by singing songs he heard on the radio. He also experimented with harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, but abandoned it in third grade of primary school as he wanted to play guitar
Guitar
The 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...
and sing along. His teacher, however, discouraged such intentions so Željko ended up playing mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
instead. He soon became the school's best mandolin player and was allowed to play guitar as a reward.
Early years
Born to CroatianCroats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
Catholic parents who lived in Bosnia, Bugojno
Bugojno
Bugojno is a town and municipality of the same name in central Bosnia and Herzegovina on the river Vrbas. It is located in the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity. The town is to the northwest from Sarajevo, with an estimated population of 50,000 .To the west...
. At the age of 16, he entered his first band Eho 61, which operated as a school activity for musically inclined students of Sarajevo's 2nd gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
. Couple of years earlier, the same band featured Kornelije Kovač
Kornelije Kovac
Kornelije "Bata" Kovač is a famous Serbian composer. He is a father of Aleksandra Kovač and Kristina Kovač, both successful Serbian singers.-Early life:...
who would later also go on to become famous musician and composer.
Bebek's next musical activity came in a nameless band with Šento Borovčanin and Redžić brothers (Zoran
Zoran Redžic
Zoran Redžić is a Bosnian musician, best known for playing the bass guitar in the popular Yugoslav rock band Bijelo Dugme....
and Fadil). Bebek carried on playing with the band until Fadil Redžić entered Indexi
Indexi
Indexi was a Bosnian rock band popular in the former Yugoslavia. It formed in 1962 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, and disbanded in 2001 when singer Davorin Popović died...
.
Kodeksi
In 1965 Edo Bogeljić invited Bebek to join a cover band he founded called KodeksiKodeksi
Kodeksi was a cover band from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia that existed from 1965 until 1971. It is most notable as one of the predecessors to Bijelo dugme, the most commercially successful band ever to come out of SFR Yugoslavia...
that also featured Ismeta Dervoz on backing vocals and Luciano Paganotto on drums.
Bebek spent the next couple of years singing and playing rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
with the band, helping them become quite prominent locally. As Kodeksi had perisistent problems filling the bass player spot, Bebek recommended young 18-year-old 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...
after seeing him play with Bestije in 1969.
After a falling out with bandmates during the stay in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Bebek left Kodeksi in fall 1970 and returned to Sarajevo.
Novi Kodeksi
Back home, Bebek immediately revived Novi Kodeksi with another former member Edo Bogeljić. The new band had little success, although they did break a record for non-stop playing, held up to that point by a band called Čičak. For New Year's 1971, Novi Kodeksi played on stage for 32 straight hours.The new year, however, brought more creative stagnation as their repertoire consisted entirely of foreign covers. In December 1971, Bebek received a call-up to report for the mandatory Yugoslav Army
Yugoslav 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...
service and Novi Kodeksi played their last ever show in Sarajevo's Dom mladih. Twenty six years of age at this point, Bebek also got married and made a decision to leave the music business altogether.
Jutro
Just as he was about to leave for the army stint in early 1972, 26-year-old Bebek received an invitation from Bregović (whom he hadn't spoken to for a year-and-a-half since the split in Italy) to record a song "Patim, evo, deset dana" with newly formed band JutroJutro
Jutro was a Sarajevo-based rock band most notable as the immediate predecessor to Bijelo dugme. It existed from late 1971 to the very end of 1973 when it transformed into probably the most popular rock band to come out of former Yugoslavia – Bijelo dugme.Jutro was formed on the initiative by Ismet...
. Bebek accepted, did his studio part, and went away to serve in Pirot
Pirot
Pirot is a town and municipality located in south-eastern Serbia. According to 2011 census, the town has a total population of 38,432, while the population of the municipality is 57,911...
.
In March 1973, after getting back from the army, Bebek joined Jutro
Jutro
Jutro was a Sarajevo-based rock band most notable as the immediate predecessor to Bijelo dugme. It existed from late 1971 to the very end of 1973 when it transformed into probably the most popular rock band to come out of former Yugoslavia – Bijelo dugme.Jutro was formed on the initiative by Ismet...
in earnest, but, not being sure about the band's creative and commercial potential, he also got a clerk job at social security administration. Jutro, however, soon started becoming successful and he quit the government job to again devote to music full-time.
Jutro soon transformed into 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...
.
Bijelo dugme
Bebek continued as vocalist and occasional bass guitarist in Bijelo dugme from its inception in 1974.Almost 30 years old at this point, he became instant country-wide celebrity.
He ended up spending a full decade with the band before eventually leaving in April 1984 to fully pursue a solo career.
Solo career
Bebek's solo career actually began in parallel with Bijelo dugme.In 1978, while Bregović was away serving the army stint and Dugme was on hiatus, Bebek recorded a solo album Skoro da smo isti with drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Điđi Jankelić, old friend Edo Bogeljić on guitar and on 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...
. The album was released on 28 July 1978, but failed both critically and commercially as it sold only 6,000 copies and quickly fell into oblivion. Though the initial intention was to support the album with touring, those plans quickly got scrapped following the poor public reaction.
In late 1983, just before officially leaving Bijelo dugme he recorded his second solo album Mene tjera neki vrag. The album was released in 1984.
Bebek had a few major hits throughout his 11 album run. Most of his hits had strong folk influence, including "Oprosti mi što te volim", "Da je sreće bilo", "Jabuke i vino", "Sinoć sam pola kafane popio" (with lyrics by Bora Đorđević), "Puca mi u glavu", "Čašu otrova", "Gdje će ti duša", and "Da zna zora".
When the Yugoslav wars
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
started, he 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 continues to live and work. His record labels included Taped Pictures and Croatia Records
Croatia Records
Croatia 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...
.
In 2005 he took part in 3 large farewell concerts of Bijelo dugme. A year later, Bebek (in collaboration with Alen Islamovic
Alen Islamovic
Alen Islamović is a well-known and popular Bosnian singer in Bosnia and Herzegovina and other former Yugoslav republics...
and Tifa Vojicic
Tifa (musician)
Mladen Vojičić, widely known by the nickname/stagename Tifa is a Bosnian rock vocalist...
) formed a Bijelo dugme tribute called B.A.T., which performed on numerous stages around the world between 2006 and 2009. Their 2006 "Kad bi' bio Bijelo Dugme" North American tour (together with Okus Meda and Tifa Band), was featured in a documentary titled "B.A.T.: Balkan Rock Nostalgia", (directed by Serb-American filmmaker B. R. Tatalovic).
Personal
Zeljko was born to CroatianCroats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
parents but is from Bosnia, Bebek grew up in the multi-religious city of Sarajevo, which mainly cosists of Bosnian
Bosniaks
The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...
Muslims, Croatian
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
Catholics and Serbians
Serbians
Serbians may refer to people who are identified with the country of Serbia, or people of the Serb ethnic group.However it could also be used as the translation of Serbian word "Србијанци" , especially when distinction is made between the two...
of the Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
religion.
Bebek has been married three times. He has a daughter Silvija from his first marriage, and another daughter Bianca from his second marriage.
From his current, third, marriage with Ružica from Tomislavgrad
Tomislavgrad
Tomislavgrad is a town and municipality in southwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is in the Canton 10 of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Herzegovina region.- Name :...
whom he met in 1997 and soon married, Bebek has a son Zvonimir and daughter Katarina, named after his father and mother.