INTERVJU / INTERVIEW
How do you recall those times, which bear no resemblance whatsoever to today? Times change, and that was a positive time. I won’t be like those old people who say that things were better in their youth. In one’s youth things are always more beau- tiful, but life was more chilled. Appearing in the world back then were punk and the new wave, which also in- fluenced me as a writer. Although punk has its destruc- tive elements, that was positive music plus ska, reggae etc. That time was better for music, both when it comes to the former Yugoslavia and to global hits. Bata Kovač played a key role in your solo ca- reer, as did one Kosovska Street flat? I was playing with the band Riblja Čorba at that time. I was woken by Bata one morning at 8 o’clock, still ex- hausted, to go to the PGP studio in the neighbourhood to sign a contract for my debut album, and we also booked slots for recording. He is the person most responsible for the start of my solo career; he was the producer of my first album. I always appreciated him highly, also as a member of Korni Group, while he was a top musician, arranger and composer. He’d known me for a long time, also because of the songs I’d written prior to Positive Ge- ography for Zdravko Čolić and Čorba. I remember him liking my songs for the album. He laughed at Sprats; he liked Tamara as something unusual in a positive way. Kovač also played the keyboard for my first performance at Union House in Belgrade and at the Kulušić in Zagreb, because Saša Lockner was serving in the army. He really played a huge role for me. Back then you were still in Riblja Čorba, which was a really popular band. Was it tough to opt to go solo? It wasn’t tough, because it was a big thing that we’d sold out the first show at Union House as a completely new group. And that was a message from the public that we’d set out down the right path. I also had to grow ac- customed to much lower earnings than with Riblja Čor- ba, which lasted about a year and a half. As an unknown band, people didn’t know immediately what we were of- fering them on stage. That’s why it was initially neces- sary to pluck up the courage in the interest of the mu- sic, which had a chance. Everything started getting much better from the second album. Do you feel sorry that the song While You Walk, which is one of the most beautiful rock ballads you’ve written, isn’t on your album? I don’t, because by then I already had songs for my album, and I’d previously offered that song to Bora Čor- ba, and I’ve always loved how Bora sang it; it suited him. You are returning to the “scene of the crime” at the former Union House, though that doesn’t seem fair to your fans – there’s no way that even part of them will be able to secure tickets... We didn’t envisage this year’s concert at MTS Hall as a commercial event. I’m sorry that the tickets have al- ready sold out and not all fans will be able to come. But
we will dedicate the evening at MTS hall exclusively to the album Positive Geography, and all fans will be able to come to the hippodrome on 31 st August, for us to have a good time together with all our songs. Next up is a con- cert at Zagreb’s Tvornica and the tickets sold out in one day, while we’re also booked at the Arena there in October. As a friend of yours, photographer Goran- ka Matić, who has an ongoing exhibition at the moment, once created a really good cover for that first album of yours. How did you like that cover back then, and have you been to the current exhibition? I really liked the cover of the debut album that was signed by Goranka Matić, because she is a photographer with a soul. I also remember the picture of the group Ido- li, which she shot in black and white and coloured with wooden crayons. I will happily tour her Heroes exhibition and I’m glad that my image is also among those photos. There is a saying that anyone who doesn't like Bajaga isn’t right in the head! Joking aside, how is it possible that there are almost no people who have something against you and your music? And that goes for the entire re- gion... I believe that people recognise our positive energy and I’m happy that I have such people in a band that has played thousands of concerts. I’m certain that the audi- ence can also hear our ‘mileage’. Is music still the air that you breathe? Do you still have the energy to perform on stage af- ter 40 years? Music isn’t only my oxygen, but rather every concert fills me with energy. And I like it the most when we have several performances on consecutive days, because I feel much better after them than I did before the performance. At the birthday that you celebrated recent- ly, you wished for health and inspiration for yourself. Do you fear that your inspiration might run dry? And have all your wishes real- ly come true? I didn’t have any huge wishes, and the ones I had have been fulfilled. As life goes, new wishes emerge and I hope I will fulfil them. Thanks to God, even after 40 years we all still feel best on stage and we love this job.
34 | Muzika » Music
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