Rambo Amadeus
Encyclopedia
Rambo Amadeus is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
) is the stage name of the Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
-based Montenegrin singer-songwriter Antonije Pušić, popular all over the former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. A self-titled "musician, poet, and media manipulator" continues to be one of the most interesting phenomena on music scene(s) of the former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
.
His songs combine satirical lyrics on the nature
Nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
of common people and silliness of local politics. He uses a mixture of musical styles including jazz and Rock (converging towards drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
lately), and self-conscious ironic wit (for example, one of his aliases is "Rambo Amadeus Svjetski Mega Car" (RASMC) — "Rambo Amadeus World Mega Tsar"). His stage name itself is made from John Rambo
John Rambo
John Rambo is an iconic fictional character and the basis of the Rambo saga. He first appeared in the 1972 novel First Blood by David Morrell, but later became more famous in the film series, played by Sylvester Stallone...
and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
. Known also as a "charming king of jovial pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
", his concerts are never mere repetitions of recorded songs, but a mixture
Mixture
In chemistry, a mixture is a material system made up by two or more different substances which are mixed together but are not combined chemically...
of musical improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
and humor exploiting all aspects of human nature
Human nature
Human nature refers to the distinguishing characteristics, including ways of thinking, feeling and acting, that humans tend to have naturally....
in a crude manner. Some fans compare his style and career path with those of Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
or Captain Beefheart
Captain Beefheart
Don Van Vliet January 15, 1941 December 17, 2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter and artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work was conducted with a rotating ensemble of musicians called The Magic Band, active between 1965 and 1982, with whom he recorded 12...
.
Early life
He is a graduate of the University of BelgradeUniversity of Belgrade
The University of Belgrade is the oldest and largest university of Serbia.Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it merged with the Kragujevac-based departments into a single university...
's Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and he also completed six grades of elementary music school for piano before dropping out.
Before taking up music as a career choice, Rambo was an accomplished competitive sailor. Between 1972 and 1984, he represented Yugoslavia in numerous international regatta
Regatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
s. During this period he was champion of Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
several times, an 8-time South-Adriatic
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
champion, national title winner in the junior category, as well as International Đerdap Cup winner in 1980. He still occasionally attends and participates in some recreational sailing regattas in the Gulf of Kotor.
He began to sing and compose during first year of high school (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...
) which soon led to involvement with various local bands in Herceg Novi
Herceg Novi
Herceg Novi is a coastal town in Montenegro located at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor and at the foot of Mount Orjen. It is the administrative center of the Herceg Novi Municipality with around 33,000 inhabitants...
and Titograd. One of his first performances saw him play the 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...
in an orchestra that entertained guests of Herceg Novi
Herceg Novi
Herceg Novi is a coastal town in Montenegro located at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor and at the foot of Mount Orjen. It is the administrative center of the Herceg Novi Municipality with around 33,000 inhabitants...
's Plaza hotel.
In 1985, he moved to Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
in pursuit of higher education. Parallel to his university studies, he also played with various amateur bands and musicians.
1980s
In 1988 he dropped onto the music scene right out of nowhere with a debut album O tugo jesenjaO tugo jesenja
- Personnel :*Accordion — Saša Marković-Meksikanac*Bass, vocals, synthesizer , sampler — Vladimir Perić*keyboards — Aleksandar Habić*Synthesizer , tambourine, handclaps — Miroslav Miša Savić*Vocals — Aleksandar Vasiljević...
. His sound was a seemingly coarse blend of folkish ululation
Ululation
A is a long, wavering, high-pitched vocal sound resembling a howl with a trilling quality. It is produced by emitting a high pitched loud voice accompanied with a rapid movement of the tongue and the uvula. The term ululation is an onomatopoeic word derived from Latin...
s and even opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, further mixed in with humorous lyrics and classic guitar riffs. Since very few people had any prior knowledge of him, Rambo delighted in creating confusion by introducing himself as Nagib Fazlić Nagon, mine shaft operator who saved up enough money to record an album. He referred to his own musical style as turbo folk, long before the term would obtain grave social connotations and come to symbolize moral and cultural decline throughout the Balkans during the wars of the 1990s.
In reality, it was actually thanks to producer Saša Habić that Rambo got the opportunity to sign for the state television's record company PGP RTB (Rambo later wrote an anecdotal tribute to that event, in the hit song "Balkan boy"). Habić also played the synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
on this album, from which a track named "Vanzemaljac" (Extraterrestrial) continues to be very popular to this day. The record's sales weren't particularly high, but Rambo certainly created enough of a buzz to be able to remain active on the scene.
Next album Hoćemo gusle
Hocemo gusle
Hoćemo gusle is the second studio album released in 1989 by Montenegrin-Serbian musician Rambo Amadeus.The track "Amerika i Engleska " was originally supposed to be named "Kataklizma komunizma" but powers that be wouldn't allow it...
came out in 1989 and gave a small taste of much of Rambo's future musical direction - overt political activism. The track "Amerika i Engleska (biće zemlja proleterska)" was originally supposed to be named "Kataklizma komunizma" (Cataclysm of Communism) but powers that be wouldn't allow it. The album title pokes fun at a bizarre event from the 1989 protests in Montenegro that eventually grew into the anti-bureaucratic revolution
Anti-bureaucratic revolution
Anti-bureaucratic revolution as a term, refers to a series of mass protests against governments of Yugoslavian republics and autonomous provinces during 1988 and 1989, which led to resignations of leaderships of Kosovo, Vojvodina and Montenegro, and the capture of power by politicians close to...
that swept Milo Đukanović, Momir Bulatović
Momir Bulatovic
Momir Bulatović , formerly served as a Yugoslavian and Montenegrin politician. Bulatović became federal President of Montenegro while Montenegro was part of a Yugoslav federation, and also Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
, and Svetozar Marović
Svetozar Marovic
Svetozar Marović ; born March 31, 1955) is a lawyer and a Montenegrin politician. He was the only president of Serbia and Montenegro...
into power. Protesters were heard chanting "Hoćemo Ruse" ("We want the Russians"), but when the authorities and state-controlled media criticized them for it, many quickly began backpedaling by claiming they actually chanted "Hoćemo gusle" ("We want gusle
Gusle
The Gusle is a single-stringed musical instrument traditionally used in the Dinarides region of the Balkans ....
").
Other songs like "Glupi hit" and afore mentioned "Balkan boy" would also become considerable hits and Rambo even received solid critical acclaim for chances he took in "Samit u buregdžinici Laibach". On that track, he created a catchy hybrid by mixing pretentiously heavy sound of Laibach
Laibach (band)
Laibach is a Slovenian avant-garde music group associated with industrial, martial, and neo-classical musical styles. Laibach formed June 1, 1980 in Trbovlje, Slovenia . Laibach represents the music wing of the Neue Slowenische Kunst art collective, of which it was a founding member in 1984...
with poetry of Laza Kostić
Laza Kostic
Laza Kostić was a Serbian poet, prose writer, lawyer, philosopher, polyglot, publicist, and politician, considered to be one of the greatest minds of Serbian literature.-Biography:...
and Desanka Maksimović
Desanka Maksimovic
Desanka Maksimović was a Serbian poet, professor of literature, and a member of Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.-Biography:...
, as well as with folk kafana
Kafana
Kafana , kafeana , kavana are terms used in the former Yugoslav countries for a distinct type of local bistro which primarily serves alcoholic beverages and coffee , and which sometimes also has a live band.The concept of a social gathering place for men to drink...
standard "Čaše lomim" and his own turbo-poetry. Album sleeve lists the lyrics of a song that wasn't actually recorded and explains that "it was dropped at the last moment because there was no room for it" but gives assurances it would appear on the next album. Since the song in question, named "Pegepe ertebe", was all about taking shots at Rambo's label PGP RTB it isn't surprising that it didn't appear on the next, or any subsequent album for that matter.
1990s
As the 1990s were beginning, Rambo was growing into an established performer. His third album M-91Psihološko propagandni komplet M-91
Psihološko propagandni komplet M-91 is the third studio album released in 1991 by Montenegrin-Serbian musician Rambo Amadeus....
came out towards the end of 1991 at a time when the conflict across former Yugoslavia was already in full swing. For obvious reasons, the least of which was the album's subtitle - Psychological Propaganda Set, many songs contained heavy lyrics and a dark, militaristic atmosphere. In your face profanity and descriptive cursing was also par for the course, making this the first major music release in former Yugoslavia to take such narrative liberties. Tracks like "Smrt popa Mila Jovovića" (30-year old poem by Božo Đuranović), "Jemo voli jem" (incorporating samples from Yugoslav aviators' anthem "Hej vojnici vazduhoplovci" as well as Šemsa Suljaković
Šemsa Suljakovic
Šemsa Suljaković is a Bosnian folk singer. She was born in Maglaj, Bosnia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia....
's "Izgubila sve sam bitke"), "Inspektor Nagib" and "Zdravo damo" became instant hits.
The discrepancy between what's listed on the cover and what is actually recorded is there again as sleeve announces the track called "KPGS" which would, this time for real, appear on the next live album, but does not list "Halid invalid Hari" and "Prijatelju, prijatelju" which were included and became big hits. Many consider the two tracks to be classic Rambo: observant, opinionated, direct and profane. The latter of the two originally included excerpts from Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
and Franjo Tuđman speeches, but the record company censors took them out.
This album further solidified Rambo's presence on the scene as he started playing bigger arenas like Sava centar
Sava Center
For the former UK supermarket see Sainsbury's SavacentreSava Centar is an international congress, cultural and business centre of various multi-functional activities located in New Belgrade, Serbia. It is the largest audience hall in the country and entire former Yugoslavia...
. Due to outspoken and entertaining nature he would often get invited on various TV and radio outlets across the country.
Trying to take the new situation in stride, he hit the road, becoming one of the first performers from FR Yugoslavia
Fry
-Food and cooking:* Frying, the act of cooking food in oil or fat** Pan frying, frying food in a flat pan** Stir frying, frying food in a wok and stirring it while it cooks* Full breakfast, a traditional cooked meal, also called a fry-up or Ulster fry...
to regularly start touring Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
and Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
in the years following those states' declarations of independence.
After live album KPGS (taped on December 29, 1992 in Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
) that included new studio track "Karamba karambita" followed by a greatest hits compilation Izabrana dela 1989–1994, Rambo recorded peculiar new material during July 1995 in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
with Goran Vejvoda
Goran Vejvoda
Goran Vejvoda is an English-born, French-based, media artist ....
. Released the following year as Mikroorganizmi
Mikroorganizmi
Mikroorganizmi is a studio album released in 1996 by Montenegrin-Serbian musician Rambo Amadeus and Goran Vejvoda...
, it featured inaccessible, moody sound garnered with terse, experimental lyrics marking a sizable departure from his usual antics.
He simultaneously released Muzika za decu
Muzika za decu
Muzika za decu is a studio album released in 1995 by Montenegrin-Serbian musician Rambo Amadeus.-Track listing:Lyrics by Ljubivoje Ršumović# "Popaj i Badža"# "Kojot Kosta"# "Pera Detlić"# "Kapetan Kuka"# "Gargamel"...
, personal musical take on Ljubivoje Ršumović
Ljubivoje Ršumović
Ljubivoje Ršumović is a poet from Serbia. Ršumović is predominantly a writer and poet for children; however, a significant body of his work is literature for adults....
's poetry featuring two bonus new tracks - "Sex" and "ABVGD".
Old-school Rambo fans did not have to wait long for a return to earlier style. Towards the end of 1996, on Titanik
Titanik
Titanik is a studio album released in 1997 by Montenegrin-Serbian musician Rambo Amadeus.-Track listing:All songs by S.M.C. R. Amadeus# "Kuglager kolo "# "Zreo za..."# "Hirošima ljubavi moja"...
he delivered a new batch of traditional fare like "Šakom u glavu", "Sado-mazo", "Zreo za penziju" and "Otiš'o je svak ko valja" (dedicated to Toma Zdravković
Toma Zdravkovic
Toma Zdravković was a famous Yugoslav folk singer from Serbia.Toma Zdravković was an outstanding figure on Serbian folk scene; a bohemian and a poet, he lived up to his sad songs. The songs, although having the form of Serbian folk music, had spirit of chansons...
and members of Šarlo Akrobata
Šarlo Akrobata
Šarlo Akrobata were a seminal Yugoslav rock band often categorized as late punk or New Wave, particularly art-oriented. Short-lived but extremely influential, in addition to being one of the most important acts of the Yugoslav New Wave scene, the three piece left an indelible mark on the entire...
). Seasoned musicians like Ognjan Radivojević (later to perform with 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...
and Zdravko Čolić
Zdravko Colic
Zdravko Čolić , is a pop singer popular across the entire area of former Yugoslavia. Originally from Sarajevo, since 1992 , his home is in Belgrade, Serbia...
), Goran Ljuboja, Dragan Markovski and Marija Mihajlović took part in recording sessions for this album.
Extensive tour followed and it again included Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
(live album was recorded over two Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
concerts in April 1997 and later released as R.A. u KUD France Prešern
R.A. u KUD France Prešern
R.A. u KUD France Prešeren is a live album released in 1998 by Montenegrin-Serbian musician Rambo Amadeus. It was recorded in KUD "France Prešeren" in Ljubljana, Slovenia.-Track listing:# "Titanik"# "Penzija"# "Šakom u glavu"# "Balkan boy"# "LM hit"...
), as well as Bosnia where Rambo appeared as a guest at Sejo Sexon
Sejo Sexon
Sejo Sexon is the stage name of Davor Sučić, Bosnian Croat rock and roll musician, composer, actor and television director....
's Zabranjeno pušenje
Zabranjeno pušenje
Zabranjeno Pušenje is a Yugoslavian garage rock band from Sarajevo, closely associated with the New primitivism cultural movement and the radio and television satire show Top Lista Nadrealista...
gig in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
. That appearance in December 1997 was the first post-war visit by a Serbian-Montenegrin performer to the Muslim part of Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
.
On June 9, 1998, Rambo played Belgrade's Dom sindikata hall in what he announced to be the farewell performance before retirement. Even if many doubted his sincerity, the concert was a memorable one. Soon, Rambo packed his bags and left for 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...
, though not before squeezing in two more shows in Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. In the Netherlands, he worked a series of menial jobs including construction, before deciding to return to Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
after only 4 months abroad. Back home, not surprisingly, he also returned to music and continued to break down inter-ethnic barriers: on December 10, 1998, he and Margita Stefanović
Margita Stefanovic
Margita "Magi" Stefanović was a Yugoslav and Serbian musician best known as a keyboardist for the Serbian rock band Ekatarina Velika.Born in Belgrade as the only child of well-known theatre and television director Slavoljub Stefanović-Ravassi and Desanka Nikolić...
played a show in Pula
Pula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...
at the local cinema with KUD Idijoti
KUD Idijoti
KUD Idijoti is a punk-rock band from Pula, Croatia. The band was formed on February 2, 1981 and released their first album in 1986...
, which was a first opportunity since the war for a Croatian audience to see performers from Serbia
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...
and Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
.
2000s
Throughout the year 2000, Rambo worked on what would eventually become the Don't Happy, Be WorryDon't happy, be worry
-External links:* on Rambo Amadeus' official web site* on Rambo Amadeus' official web site...
album. This album included the song Laganese in which sampled the Norwegian journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
Åsne Seierstad
Åsne Seierstad
Åsne Seierstad is a Norwegian freelance journalist and writer, best known for her accounts of everyday life in war zones - most notably Kabul after 2001, Baghdad in 2003 and the ruined Grozny in 2006.-Personal and professional life:...
singing the Norwegian
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
Folk song Eg rodde meg ut på seiegrunnen and swearing
Profanity
Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
. By this time, sampling
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
and local pop-cultural references became two more staples of his sound, and this material, too, was heavy on both. Produced by Iztok Turk, it featured tracks like "Čoban je upravo napustio zgradu" (loose cover of Neda Ukraden
Neda Ukraden
Neda Ukraden is a famous Serbian pop-folk singer across all of the former Yugoslavia, whose professional career stretches back over 30 years. She sings in the ijekavian form of the Serbo-Croatian language....
's "Zora je svanula"), "Moj skutere" that borrows from Oliver Dragojević
Oliver Dragojevic
Oliver Dragojević is one of the most popular Croatian pop singers. A native of Vela Luka from the island of Korčula, he emerged onto the music scene in the 1970s thanks to the popular Split Festival, one of several musical annual events which began in the former Yugoslavia and still is being held...
's "Moj galebe", and "Izađite molim" with sprinkled in dialogues from Goran Marković's 1975 movie Variola vera.
In 2004, Rambo released his third live album Bolje jedno vruće pivo nego četri ladna
Bolje jedno vruce pivo nego cetri ladna
Bolje jedno vruće pivo nego četiri 'ladna is a live album released in 2004 by Montenegrin-Serbian musician Rambo Amadeus...
, which was followed by the studio album Oprem dobro
Oprem Dobro
-External links:* on Rambo Amadeus' official web site* on B92 site...
in mid-2005.
He made a song "Dikh tu kava" in collaboration with ethno-jazz fusion band Kal
Kal (band)
Kal is a world music Romani band from Serbia . They attracted Serbian and worldwide public interest with their eponymous debut album, released in 2006, presenting a blend of traditional Balkan Roma music with influences of Tango, Middle Eastern, Turkish and even Jamaican influences.Kal was formed...
, and in 2007 he appeared on their album as a featured artist in the song "Komedija" ("Comedy").
He gave us another extraordinary performance called "Mixing of alternative rocks" in autumn 2007, when he "played" on 12 concrete mixers in front of the audience, during The Alternative Rock Festival in SKC
Studentski kulturni centar
Studentski Kulturni Centar , abbreviated as "SKC", is a cultural centre in Belgrade, Serbia.The center opened in 1971 in the building that had up to that point been used by state security agency UDBA. The opening of SKC was seen by many as the communist regime's concession to the youth of Belgrade...
, Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
.
For the purpose of the New Year's show on RTV
Radio Television of Vojvodina
Radio Television of Vojvodina is the public broadcaster in the Serbian province of Vojvodina...
, he appeared in the song "Rakija" followed by Zorule, the traditional folk orchestra. This song was used later as one of the tracks for "Vratiće se rode
Vratice se rode
Vratiće se rode is a Serbian television series. Broadcast on B92 television in Serbia, it premiered on November 9, 2007. The series is directed by Goran Gajić and written by Nikola Pejaković along with Ranko Božić while 4 episodes were co-written between the two of them...
" TV serial. In February 2008, Rambo Amadeus performed as a guest star of The RTS Big Band jazz orchestra, for their 60th Anniversary.
Hipishizik Metafizik
Hipishizik Metafizik
-External links:* on Rambo Amadeus' official web site...
is his latest studio album, released for PGP RTS in July 2008.
Other endeavours
In addition to a prolific solo recording career, Rambo frequently engaged in different, often bizarre side projects.- In 1989 in SarajevoSarajevoSarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, for a short while, he hosted an erotic quiz show with actress Jasna Beri named Turbo-lilihip, which aired on a local TV station SA3. - He wrote music for different theatre plays such as , , as well as for which he was awarded Sterija prize in 1994.
- Rambo also wrote lyrics for commercial folk stars like Lepa BrenaLepa BrenaFahreta Jahić Živojinović is Yugoslavian pop-folk singer, better known as Lepa Brena , . Born in Tuzla and raised in Brčko, Bosnia and Herzegovina , she moved to Novi Sad in 1980 to pursue her career in singing. In 1982...
and Vesna ZmijanacVesna ZmijanacVesna Zmijanac is a Serbian folk singer.She released 13 albums, 6 singles and several compilations. Her singing career started back in 1979 with the single "Thank You for All", and after that came a few popular singles and first album in 1981...
, as well as the entire score for 1994 film , which was a star vehicle for another folkFolk musicFolk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
performer Dragana MirkovićDragana MirkovicDragana Mirković is a Serbian pop-folk singer.She is very popular in Ex-Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece and Turkey...
. - That same year he wrote a musical base for 1927 silent movie Metropolis by Fritz LangFritz LangFriedrich Christian Anton "Fritz" Lang was an Austrian-American filmmaker, screenwriter, and occasional film producer and actor. One of the best known émigrés from Germany's school of Expressionism, he was dubbed the "Master of Darkness" by the British Film Institute...
. At a movie screening at Sava CenterSava CenterFor the former UK supermarket see Sainsbury's SavacentreSava Centar is an international congress, cultural and business centre of various multi-functional activities located in New Belgrade, Serbia. It is the largest audience hall in the country and entire former Yugoslavia...
, Rambo's music was played by Belgrade Philharmonic. The material was later recorded by Rambo himself along with Miroslav Savić and Heavily Manipulated Orchestra, and released as Metropolis B (Tour de Force). - A year later, he arranged a cadenzaCadenzaIn music, a cadenza is, generically, an improvised or written-out ornamental passage played or sung by a soloist or soloists, usually in a "free" rhythmic style, and often allowing for virtuosic display....
within "A concerto for piano and orchestra in C-minor" by W.A. MozartWolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
. In 1995, candenza was performed by Ivan Tasovac, while the entire concert was conducted by Oskar DanonOskar DanonOskar Danon was a Bosnian Jewish composer and conductor.-Early life and education:Oskar Danon was born in 1913 in Sarajevo, then in the Austria-Hungarian Empire but now in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He studied music in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and Prague, Czechoslovakia, where he obtained his Ph.D...
at BelgradeBelgradeBelgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
's Kolarac concert hallIlija M. Kolarac EndowmentIlija M. Kolarac Endowment is a building in central Belgrade. Also known as Kolarac University , it is located on Studentski Square....
. - Since early 2005 Rambo has been writing a column (Mega-Imperial Thoughts) for the daily tabloid BlicBlic (newspaper)Blic is a tabloid daily newspaper in Serbia owned by Ringier AG group from Switzerland.Started in 1996, it has gone through a slight format change during the mid 2000s to include more in-depth coverage, but it is still, as its name aptly suggest, a paper devoted to quick, concise,...
. - He was a guest on Studio BRTV Studio BRTV Studio B, more often called Studio B , is a radio and television broadcaster in Belgrade, Serbia, which was the first broadcast station outside the national electronic media system.-Background:...
's Agape program together with Serbian Orthodox priest Porfirije where they talked about the meaning of life, finding your self, slowing down, drug abuse and rehabilitation.
Studio albums
- 1988 - O tugo jesenjaO tugo jesenja- Personnel :*Accordion — Saša Marković-Meksikanac*Bass, vocals, synthesizer , sampler — Vladimir Perić*keyboards — Aleksandar Habić*Synthesizer , tambourine, handclaps — Miroslav Miša Savić*Vocals — Aleksandar Vasiljević...
(Oh Autumn Sorrow), PGP RTB - 1989 - Hoćemo gusleHocemo gusleHoćemo gusle is the second studio album released in 1989 by Montenegrin-Serbian musician Rambo Amadeus.The track "Amerika i Engleska " was originally supposed to be named "Kataklizma komunizma" but powers that be wouldn't allow it...
(We Want GusleGusleThe Gusle is a single-stringed musical instrument traditionally used in the Dinarides region of the Balkans ....
) , PGP RTB - 1991 - Psihološko propagandni komplet M-91Psihološko propagandni komplet M-91Psihološko propagandni komplet M-91 is the third studio album released in 1991 by Montenegrin-Serbian musician Rambo Amadeus....
(Psychological Propaganda Set M-91), PGP RTB - 1995 - Muzika za decuMuzika za decuMuzika za decu is a studio album released in 1995 by Montenegrin-Serbian musician Rambo Amadeus.-Track listing:Lyrics by Ljubivoje Ršumović# "Popaj i Badža"# "Kojot Kosta"# "Pera Detlić"# "Kapetan Kuka"# "Gargamel"...
(Music for Children), B92B92B92 is a radio and television broadcaster with national coverage headquartered in Belgrade, Serbia. The network's key demographic is chiefly urban and young audience. Its programs, including the news cover topics with fairly liberal political painted attitudes... - 1996 - MikroorganizmiMikroorganizmiMikroorganizmi is a studio album released in 1996 by Montenegrin-Serbian musician Rambo Amadeus and Goran Vejvoda...
(Microorganisms), KomunaKomuna BelgradeKomuna is a Serbian record label and media production house. Established in 1985, its headquarters are in Belgrade, Serbia with a branch office Budva, Montenegro... - 1997 - TitanikTitanikTitanik is a studio album released in 1997 by Montenegrin-Serbian musician Rambo Amadeus.-Track listing:All songs by S.M.C. R. Amadeus# "Kuglager kolo "# "Zreo za..."# "Hirošima ljubavi moja"...
, Komuna - 1998 - Metropolis B (tour-de-force), B92
- 2000 - Don't happy, be worryDon't happy, be worry-External links:* on Rambo Amadeus' official web site* on Rambo Amadeus' official web site...
, MetropolisMetropolis RecordsMetropolis Records is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based record label, distributor, and mail-order store specializing in the post-industrial field such as electro-industrial, synthpop, futurepop, darkwave, and gothic musical genres....
(Released as Čobane vrati se (Shepherd, Come Back) in Slovenia and Croatia by Dallas RecordsDallas RecordsDallas Records is a Croatian record label. It was established in 1987, and is owned and run by Goran Lisica - Fox, a music producer and manager who started his career in the 1970s as a music journalist....
) - 2005 - Oprem DobroOprem Dobro-External links:* on Rambo Amadeus' official web site* on B92 site...
, B92 - 2008 - Hipishizik MetafizikHipishizik Metafizik-External links:* on Rambo Amadeus' official web site...
, PGP RTS
Live albums
- 1993 - Kurac, Pička, Govno, SisaKurac, Pička, Govno, SisaKurac, Pička, Govno, Sisa is the first live album of Rambo Amadeus, released in 1993. It was recorded on 29 September 1992 on the concert in Skoplje...
(Dick, Pussy, Shit, Tit), Gema & DE - 1998 - R.A. u KUD France PrešernR.A. u KUD France PrešernR.A. u KUD France Prešeren is a live album released in 1998 by Montenegrin-Serbian musician Rambo Amadeus. It was recorded in KUD "France Prešeren" in Ljubljana, Slovenia.-Track listing:# "Titanik"# "Penzija"# "Šakom u glavu"# "Balkan boy"# "LM hit"...
, Vinilmania - 2004 - Bolje jedno vruće pivo nego četri ladnaBolje jedno vruce pivo nego cetri ladnaBolje jedno vruće pivo nego četiri 'ladna is a live album released in 2004 by Montenegrin-Serbian musician Rambo Amadeus...
(One Hot Beer is Better than Four Cold Ones), Metropolis
Compilations
- 1994 - Izabrana dela (Selected Works), PGP RTS
- 1998 - Zbrana dela 1 (Selected Works 1), Vinilmania
- 1998 - Zbrana dela 2 (Selected Works 2), Vinilmania