Azra
Azra was a rock band from Zagreb, Croatia that was popular across former Yugoslavia in the 1980s. Azra was formed in 1977 by its frontman Branimir "Johnny" Štulić. He was (and is) a kind of an urban legend; he would show up in different places of the city, singing with his guitar - that is what made him famous before Azra even recorded an album. Other two members were Mišo Hrnjak (bass) and Boris Leiner (drums). They named the Band after a verse "Ja se zovem El Muhamed/Iz plemena starih Azra" (trans. "My name is El Muhamed/From tribe of old Azra") from a sevdalinka "Kraj tanahna šadrvana", which is a translation of Heinrich Heine's song Der Asra. They are considered to be one of the most influential bands from the former Yugoslav New Wave 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" and published in 1980 achieved commercial success and popularized Azra in former Yugoslavia. Azra recorded its last studio album "Izmedju krajnosti" in 1987. In 1988 the band recorded 4LP live album under the name Zadovoljština (Satisfaction), after which Štulić disbanded the band.
Štulić recorded another three albums while in Houten, Netherlands, where he currently lives. He is often at lengths with his past as he lives a secluded life and is often the target of reporters seeking an interview, which he is reluctant to participate in.
A 2003 rock documentary, Sretno dijete (Happy Child, the title of a Prljavo kazalište song) depicts Azra as the centre figure of the rock scene in the former Yugoslavia during the 1980s, along with the influential Bijelo dugme.
Even until today, Azra has remained very popular among youth in the countries of former Yugoslavia, unlike many other new wave bands which are now considered, more or less, historical examples.
Members
- Branimir "Johnny" Štulić - vocals, guitar
- Boris Leiner - drums, vocals
- Mišo Hrnjak - bass (1979 - 1982)
- Jurica Pađen - guitars (1983 - 1984, 1987 - 1988)
- Stephen Kipp - bass (1987 - 1988)
Discography
Singles
- Balkan ('The Balkans'), A šta da radim ('What am I gonna do') - (Jugoton 1979)
- Lijepe žene prolaze kroz grad ('Pretty women passing through the town'), Poziv na ples ('The Invitation to dance'), Suzy F.- (Jugoton, 1980)
- Đoni, budi dobar ('Johnny B. 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 Vlaska road') - (Jugoton 1983)
Compilation
- Svi marš na ples! - Jugoton, 1981
- Vrući dani i vrele noći - Jugoton, 1982
- Single Ploče 1979-1982 - (Jugoton, 1982)
- Kao i jučer - Single Ploče 1983-1986 ...with new songs: 'I to se dogadja ponekad' (Even that happens sometimes), 'Mamica su štrukle pekli' (Mum was baking cakes), 'Sardisale Lešočkiot manastir (The blocade of Leshochky monastery) - (Jugoton, 1987)
Albums
AZRA
- 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 - Diskoton, 1986)
- Između krajnosti ('In Between Extremes') - (Jugoton, 1987)
- Zadovoljština ('Satisfaction') - (Quadruple Live, 1988)
Branimir Štulić
- Balkanska Rapsodija ('The Balkans’ Rhapsody') -(Double, 1989)
- Balegari ne vjeruju sreći ('Paupers do not believe in luck') (1990)
- Sevdah za Paulu Horvat ('Sevdah for Paula Horvat') - (Recorded in Sarajevo 1991 & Published 1995)
- Anali (Double, 1995)
- Blase (1997)
VIDEO/TV
- Zadovoljština (Zagreb, Live Concert, 1988)
- Das Ist Johnny (Sarajevo, Live Film, 1991)