Divlje Jagode () is a
hard rock
Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...
and
heavy metal band, originally formed in 1977 in
Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...
,
SR Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Socijalistička Republika Bosna i Hercegovina, Социјалистичка Pепублика Босна и Херцеговина), commonly referred to as Socia ...
,
SFR Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (commonly abbreviated as SFRY or SFR Yugoslavia), known from 1945 to 1963 as the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as Socialist Yugoslavia or simply Yugoslavia, was a country ...
, and since their 1994 reunion based in
Croatia
Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
. Led by guitarist
Sead "Zele" Lipovača, Divlje Jagode are considered one of the most popular and most influential acts of the Yugoslav hard rock and heavy metal scenes.
The band was formed in 1977 by Sead Lipovača (guitar), Anto "Toni" Janković (vocals), Nihad Jusufhodžić (bass guitar), Adonis Dokuzović (drums) and Mustafa "Muc" Ismailovski (keyboards). Throughout Divlje Jagode's career, Lipovača would remain the leader and the only mainstay member of the group. The band gained the attention of the Yugoslav public and the media with their 1978
debut self-titled album and the 1981 album ''
Stakleni hotel''. After the release of their second album, Janković left the band, parting ways with the rest of the group amicably, and would be seen on several occasions in the following years as guest musician on the band's concerts and albums. With bass guitarist
Alen Islamović taking over the vocal duties and the albums ''
Motori'' (1982), ''
Čarobnjaci'' (1983) and ''
Vatra'' (1985), the band achieved large mainstream popularity in Yugoslavia, which provided them with a contract with a
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
record label and an opportunity to record an album for the international market. In 1986, the group moved to
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
,
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
, where they started working on their international career under the name Wild Strawberries, adopting a more
glam metal
Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal music, heavy metal that features pop music, pop-influenced Hook (music), hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat arena rock, rock anthems, and slow Sentimental ballad#Powe ...
image and recording an English language album. However, doubting the success of the band's venture in England, Islamović accepted the invitation from
Goran Bregović
Goran Bregović ( sr-Cyrl, Горан Бреговић; born 22 March 1950) is a recording artist born in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is one of the most internationally known modern musicians and composers of the Slavic speaking countries in the ...
, the leader of the most popular Yugoslav band
Bijelo Dugme
() is a Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslav Rock music, rock band, formed in Sarajevo, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1974. is widely considered to have been the most popular and the best-selling band ever to exist in the former S ...
, to join his group as the replacement for the vocalist
Mladen Vojičić "Tifa", and the album ''Wild Strawberries'' was released internationally without much promotion. After a hiatus, Lipovača reformed the group in Yugoslavia with Bijelo Dugme's former frontman Vojičić as the vocalist, recording the 1988 album ''Konji''. In 1989, the band was joined by former
Osmi Putnik vocalist
Zlatan Stipišić "Džibo". Despite making demo recording, the lineup featuring Stipišić never made any official releases, and Divlje Jagode disbanded in 1990.
In 1994, Lipovača reformed the group, long-time bass guitarist Zlatan Čehić taking over the vocals. The band's following releases, ''Labude, kad rata ne bude'' (1994) and ''Sto vjekova'' (1996), the latter recorded with vocalist
Žanil "Žak" Tataj, presented the band with a slightly softer, more ballad-oriented sound. With the 2003 album ''
Od neba do neba'', recorded with vocalist Pero Galić, the band reestablished their popularity in the region of former Yugoslavia. Since 2013, the band has performed with vocalist Livio Berak, Divlje Jagode original vocalist Anto Janković becoming an official member once more and the second vocalist for the band with the release of the 2020 studio album ''Jukebox''.
Divlje Jagode are widely considered to be one of the most popular hard rock and heavy metal bands in the region of former Yugoslavia. Since their founding, the band have released 13 studio albums, a live album and a number of compilation albums, scoring a number of hit songs and selling around 4 million records.
Biography
Formation and initial success (1977–1979)
The band's beginnings can be tracked to the mid-1970s and the
Zagreb
Zagreb ( ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...
-based band Zenit (''
Zenith
The zenith (, ) is the imaginary point on the celestial sphere directly "above" a particular location. "Above" means in the vertical direction (Vertical and horizontal, plumb line) opposite to the gravity direction at that location (nadir). The z ...
''), featuring guitarist
Sead "Zele" Lipovača. Lipovača was born in
Bihać
Bihać is a city and the administrative centre of Una-Sana Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated on the banks of river Una (Sava), Una in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina, in th ...
and, after graduating from high school, moved to Zagreb for his studies of
external trade.
In Zagreb he performed with the bands
Biseri
Biseri (trans. ''The Pearls'') were a SFRY, Yugoslav rock music, rock band formed in Zagreb in 1965.
During the 1960s Biseri performed Beat music, beat and rhythm and blues. In the 1970s they moved towards pop rock, but failed to achieve larger ...
(''The Pearls'') and ''Selekcija'' (''Selection''), before joining Zenit.
Zenit reached the peak of their career with their performance at the 1974 edition of the
BOOM Festival, held in
Tivoli Hall in
Ljubljana
{{Infobox settlement
, name = Ljubljana
, official_name =
, settlement_type = Capital city
, image_skyline = {{multiple image
, border = infobox
, perrow = 1/2/2/1
, total_widt ...
, with the live version of their song "Stara kuća je prazna" ("The Old House Is Empty") appearing on the live album ''Boom Pop Festival Ljubljana '74'', recorded at the event.
In 1977, Zenit former members Lipovača, vocalist Anto "Toni" Janković and bass guitarist Nihad Jusufhodžić formed the band Divlje Jagode in Sarajevo.
The first lineup of the group also featured keyboardist Mustafa "Muc" Ismailovski (formerly of the band
Grešnici) and drummer Adonis Dokuzović (formerly of Novi Akordi and Renesansa).
The group soon managed to sign a contract with Yugoslavia's biggest record label
Jugoton
Jugoton was the largest record label and chain record store in the former Yugoslavia based in Zagreb, SR Croatia.
History
Jugoton was formed in 1947. It replaced Elektroton, which had been founded in 1937, nationalized in 1945, and liquidated ...
.
The members initially wanted to name the band Dobro Ime (''A Good Name''), but the idea was ridiculed by Jugoton editors.
Eventually, the members chose the name Divlje Jagode (''Wild Stawberries''), after the
1957 film by
Ingmar Bergman
Ernst Ingmar Bergman (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007) was a Swedish film and theatre director and screenwriter. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential film directors of all time, his films have been described as "profoun ...
.
The band achieved large popularity with their first singles – hard rock ballads "Jedina moja" ("My Only One") and "Patkica" ("Duckling"), and a cover of Bosnian
traditional
A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examp ...
song "
Moj dilbere" ("My Sweetheart").
In 1978, Divlje Jagode released their
debut self-titled album.
The album featured
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones (musician), John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a he ...
-,
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has varied throughout their career. Originally for ...
- and
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. After adopting the Black Sabbath name in 1969 (the band ...
-influenced hard rock sound,
with "Želim da te imam" ("I Want to Have You"), the balad "Krivo je more" ("The Sea Is to Blame"), and a new version of "Jedina moja" receiving large airplay.
After the album was released, the band went on hiatus, as part of the members had to serve their mandatory stints in the
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army (JNA/; Macedonian language, Macedonian, Montenegrin language, Montenegrin and sr-Cyrl-Latn, Југословенска народна армија, Jugoslovenska narodna armija; Croatian language, Croatian and ; , J ...
.
Ismailovski moved to
pop rock
Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...
band
Srebrna Krila,
and Lipovača, together with lyricist
Marina Tucaković
Marina Tucaković ( sr-Cyrl, Марина Туцаковић; 4 November 1953 – 19 September 2021) was a Serbian lyricist and songwriter. Born and raised in Belgrade, Serbia, Tucaković had a degree from the Economic Faculty at the Universit ...
, became the ''spiritus movens'' for the
disco
Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...
group
Mirzino Jato.
Continued success (1980–1981)
The band continued their activity in 1980, in the new lineup featuring Lipovača, Janković and two new members, bass guitarist
Alen Islamović, formerly of the band BAG, and drummer Nasir "Nasko" Budimlić, formerly of the band Problemi sa Miljacke (''Problems from
Miljacka
The Miljacka ( sr-Cyrl, Миљацка) is a river in Bosnia and Herzegovina that passes through Sarajevo. Numerous city bridges have been built to cross it.
Characteristics
The Miljacka river originates from the confluence of the Paljanska Mi ...
'').
Unsatisfied by their previous record label's promotion of their first album, Lipovača made a decision to move to Sarajevo-based record label
Diskoton, which would release all the band's albums before their breakup in 1990. In the
Belgrade
Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
studio Druga maca (''Another Kitty''), owned by producer Enco Lesić, the band recorded their second studio album entitled ''
Stakleni hotel'' (''Glass Hotel''), which marked their complete shift towards
heavy metal.
The album was co-produced by Lipovača and Lesić.
The songs were composed by Lipovača, and the lyrics were written by Islamović,
Marina Tucaković
Marina Tucaković ( sr-Cyrl, Марина Туцаковић; 4 November 1953 – 19 September 2021) was a Serbian lyricist and songwriter. Born and raised in Belgrade, Serbia, Tucaković had a degree from the Economic Faculty at the Universit ...
, Goran Petranović (vocalist for the band
Elvis J. Kurtović & His Meteors) and Šefket Nakić.
The album brought several hit songs –
hippie
A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, counterculture of the mid-1960s to early 1970s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States and spread to dif ...
-inspired "Autostop" ("Hitchhiking") and the ballads "Dodirni me, skloni bol" ("Touch Me, Remove the Pain") and "Potraži put" ("Look for the Road").
On the tour that followed the album release, Lipovača appeared in schoolboy stage outfit inspired by the stage outfit of
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1973. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock and Heavy metal music, heavy metal, although the band calls it simply "rock and roll". They are cited as a formativ ...
guitarist
Angus Young
Angus McKinnon Young (born 31 March 1955) is an Australian musician, best known as the co-founder, lead guitarist, songwriter, and the only continuous member of the hard rock band AC/DC. He is known for his energetic performances, schoolboy-u ...
.
During 1981, the band played around one hundred concerts, including the September 1981 performance on the festival at the
Belgrade Hippodrome
The Belgrade Hippodrome is a horse racing venue located in Careva Ćuprija, Belgrade, Serbia.
First modern horse races in Belgrade, based on those held in Western Europe, were organized in 1842, by the former British consul-general George Lloyd ...
, headlined by the most popular Yugoslav band
Bijelo Dugme
() is a Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslav Rock music, rock band, formed in Sarajevo, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1974. is widely considered to have been the most popular and the best-selling band ever to exist in the former S ...
and
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
heavy metal band
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris (musician), Steve Harris. Although fluid in the early years of the band, the line-up for most ...
, for which this was the first performance in the region.
Divlje Jagode also had a successful appearance at the 1981 Belgrade Rock Festival and on the fund-raising concerts for the victims of an earthquake in
Bosanska Krajina
Bosanska Krajina ( sr-Cyrl, Босанска Крајина, , ) is a geographical region, a subregion of Bosnia, in western Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is enclosed by several rivers, namely the Sava (north), Glina (northwest), Vrbanja and Vrba ...
.
Islamović as vocalist and nationwide popularity (1982–1986)
In 1982, Janković parted with the rest of the band amicably, starting a career as a solo artist, releasing his first solo album ''Za tvoju ljubav'' (''For Your Love'') in 1984.
Alen Islamović, in addition to playing bass guitar, took over the vocal duties.
The band's third studio album and the first with Islamović on vocals was recorded in Music Park Studios in
Bad Homburg vor der Höhe
Bad Homburg vor der Höhe (, ) is the district town of the Hochtaunuskreis, Hesse, Germany, on the southern slope of the Taunus mountains. Bad Homburg is part of the Frankfurt Rhein-Main urban area. The town's official name is ''Bad Homburg ...
,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, and produced by Theo Werdin.
The songs were composed by Lipovača, and the lyrics were written by Islamović.
The album, entitled ''
Motori'' (''Motorcycles''), was released in 1982, the title track becoming a nationwide hit.
Other well-received songs included "Šejla", "Zagrizi rokenrol" ("Bite On Rock 'n' Roll") and the ballads "Nasmiješi se" ("Smile") and "Ne želiš kraj" ("You Don't Want the End"),
the latter featuring lyrics written by Janković before he left the band. On a part of the follow up tour, Janković made guest appearances on the band's concerts.
Following ''Motori'' and the subsequent tour, Divlje Jagode was considered as one of the most popular bands in the country.
The band's third album, entitled ''
Čarobnjaci'' (''Wizards''), was also recorded in Germany and produced by Werdin, and released in 1983.
Although it did not repeat the commercial success of the previous album, ''Čarobnjaci'' brought the minor hit "Metalni radnici" ("Metal Workers").
With the arrival of bass guitarist Zlatan Čehić, formerly of the band Top (''Cannon''), Islamović quit playing bass guitar and concentrated on vocal duties only.
During the album's supporting tour, Islamović received an invitation from
Bijelo Dugme
() is a Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslav Rock music, rock band, formed in Sarajevo, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1974. is widely considered to have been the most popular and the best-selling band ever to exist in the former S ...
leader
Goran Bregović
Goran Bregović ( sr-Cyrl, Горан Бреговић; born 22 March 1950) is a recording artist born in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is one of the most internationally known modern musicians and composers of the Slavic speaking countries in the ...
to join his band as the replacement for the vocalist
Željko Bebek
Želimir "Željko" Bebek (born 16 December 1945) is a Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnian-Croatian vocalist and musician most notable for being the lead singer of the SFR Yugoslavia, Yugoslav rock band Bijelo Dugme from 1974 until 1984. He has since ...
. Fearing that recently departured Bebek might decide to return to Bijelo Dugme, Islamović turned the offer down.
In 1985, the band released their fifth studio album, entitled ''
Vatra'' (''Fire'').
Recording and mixing were done in studios of
RTV Sarajevo
BHRT (Bosnian-Herzegovinian Radio Television; ''Bosnian language, Bosnian: Bosanskohercegovačka radio-televizija; Croatian language, Croatian: Bosanskohercegovačka radio-televizija; Serbian language, Serbian: Босанскохерцегова ...
and Music Park Studios in Bad Homburg vor der Höhe. The album was once again produced by Theo Werdin, who also wrote the song "Touch Me Little Girl", the only
English language
English is a West Germanic language that developed in early medieval England and has since become a English as a lingua franca, global lingua franca. The namesake of the language is the Angles (tribe), Angles, one of the Germanic peoples th ...
song on the album.
The songs were composed by Lipovača, and the lyrics were written by Islamović and Slobodan Đurašović. The album brought the hits "Ciganka" ("Gypsy Girl") and "Let na drugi svijet" ("Flight to Another World").
For the promotional tour, the band was joined by keyboardist Samir Šestan "Droga", a member of the band Rezervni Točak (''Spare Wheel'') from
Doboj
Doboj ( sr-Cyrl, Добој, ) is a city in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated on the banks of the Bosna (river), Bosna river, in the northern region of Republika Srpska. As of 2013, it has a population of 71,441 inhabita ...
.
Attempt at international breakthrough (1986)
Soon after they finished ''Vatra'' promotional tour, owing to the album ''Čarobnjaci'' the band signed a five-year contract with British record company
Logo Records
Logo Records was a British record company formed in the mid-1970s by British record executives Geoff Hannington and Olav Wyper. It was originally funded and part-owned by UK publishing company Marshall Cavendish. In 1977, the company purchase ...
, based in
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
.
Prior to the contract signing, Divlje Jagode held a large concert in Zagreb. In attendance, alongside people from Logo Records, was journalist Xavier Russel of the British magazine ''
Kerrang!
''Kerrang!'' is a British music webzine and quarterly magazine that primarily covers rock, punk and heavy metal music. Since 2017, the magazine has been published by Wasted Talent Ltd (the same company that owns electronic music publication ...
''. In his review of the concert he compared Divlje Jagode's sound to the sound of
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. After adopting the Black Sabbath name in 1969 (the band ...
,
Y&T and
Saxon
The Saxons, sometimes called the Old Saxons or Continental Saxons, were a Germanic people of early medieval "Old" Saxony () which became a Carolingian " stem duchy" in 804, in what is now northern Germany. Many of their neighbours were, like th ...
, with occasional addition of
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Judas Priest have also been referred to as one of the p ...
-influenced
riff
A riff is a short, repeated motif or figure in the melody or accompaniment of a musical composition. Riffs are most often found in rock music, punk, heavy metal music, Latin, funk, and jazz, although classical music is also sometimes based ...
s, and noted that Divlje Jagode's ballads were the best received songs on the concert.
Following the contract signing, the group moved to London, where they changed their name to Wild Strawberries, adopting a more
glam metal
Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal music, heavy metal that features pop music, pop-influenced Hook (music), hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat arena rock, rock anthems, and slow Sentimental ballad#Powe ...
image,
and started working on their first album for the international market.
The album was recorded in Matrix studio in London and produced by Keith Woolvin.
The band re-recorded eight of their old songs with new, English language lyrics written by Yugoslav
singer-songwriter
A singer-songwriter is a musician who writes, composes, and performs their own musical material, including lyrics and melodies. In the United States, the category is built on the folk- acoustic tradition with a guitar, although this role has ...
Aleksander Mežek, alongside two new songs, "Wild Boys" and "Fire on the Water".
The keyboards on the album recording were played by British musician
Don Airey
Donald Smith Airey (born 21 June 1948) is an English musician. He came to prominence as the keyboardist of the rock band Rainbow during 1979–1982. He has been the keyboardist of Deep Purple, the band from which Rainbow was a spinoff, since 2 ...
, who was previously a member of
Colosseum II,
Rainbow
A rainbow is an optical phenomenon caused by refraction, internal reflection and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a continuous spectrum of light appearing in the sky. The rainbow takes the form of a multicoloured circular ...
and
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and media personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead singer of the heavy metal music, heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which per ...
's backing band.
According to Yugoslav press from that period, Lipovača was at the time offered to join the British hard rock band
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1978. The group were originally put together as the backing band for singer David Coverdale, who had recently left Deep Purple. Though the band quickly developed into their ow ...
;
he stated in a 2020 interview that it was Don Airey who suggested this to Whitesnake management.
Believing in the international success of his own band, Lipovača did not proceed with the offer and decided focus on his current band's career.
In February 1986, Wild Strawberries released the single "Shayla" to announce their upcoming album, and performed in a number of English clubs, including a concert in London's
Marquee Club
The Marquee Club was a music venue in London, England, that opened in 1958 with a range of jazz and skiffle acts. It was a small and relatively cheap club, in the heart of London's West End of London, West End.
It was the location of the first ...
, held on 19 February.
The band's attempt to make a breakthrough on the British marked was abruptly ended. Alen Islamović, who was at the time spending ten hours a day practicing his English,
was unsure of prospects of their success in Great Britain and believed that Divlje Jagode are neglecting the Yugoslav market.
He decided to accept the second invitation from
Goran Bregović
Goran Bregović ( sr-Cyrl, Горан Бреговић; born 22 March 1950) is a recording artist born in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is one of the most internationally known modern musicians and composers of the Slavic speaking countries in the ...
and join
Bijelo Dugme
() is a Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslav Rock music, rock band, formed in Sarajevo, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1974. is widely considered to have been the most popular and the best-selling band ever to exist in the former S ...
as a replacement for the vocalist
Mladen Vojičić "Tifa".
Islamović's departure delayed the release of Wild Strawberries album and put an end to the band's efforts of breaking into international market.
Following Islamović's departure, Budimlić also left, soon after retiring from rock scene and starting to perform in
kafana
Kafana is a type of local coffeehouse, bistro or tavern, common in the countries of Southeast Europe, which originally served coffee and other warm drinks while today usually also offer alcoholic beverages and food. Many kafanas feature live mus ...
s with the
folk
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk horror
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Fo ...
group Jarani (''Friends'').
The album, entitled ''Wild Strawberries'', was eventually released in Britain in May 1987, almost a year and a half since its recording, and subsequently in Germany,
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
,
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
and the
Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
.
As the lineup which recorded the album had already disbanded by the time of its release, ''Wild Strawberries'' was not followed by promotional performances or much promotion from the record label.
Back in Yugoslavia, disbandment (1987–1990)
During the hiatus following the departure of Islamović, the band released the compilation album ''Najbolje'' (''The Best'').
At the beginning of 1987, Lipovača, supported by Zlatan Čehić, decided to put together another lineup. Initially, Lipovača negotiated with Stevie, vocalist and leader of the
Glasgow
Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
band Zero Zero,
but eventually, in the summer of 1987, Divlje Jagode's new vocalist became
Mladen Vojičić "Tifa", the former Bijelo Dugme singer whom Islamović had replaced.
The lineup was complete with the arrival of drummer Edin Šehović, who had previously performed abroad in the bands Country Carma, Bandoleros, and Tusk, and keyboardist Vladimir Podany, a graduate from the
Sarajevo Music Academy
The Sarajevo Music Academy or Music Academy , University of Sarajevo ( or MAS) is a Faculty of Music of University of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
History
Sarajevo Music Academy was founded by the Decision of the National Assembly of ...
and a former member of Armija B (''Army B'').
This lineup started recording their next album, produced by Peter Hinton, known for his collaboration with the British heavy metal band
Saxon
The Saxons, sometimes called the Old Saxons or Continental Saxons, were a Germanic people of early medieval "Old" Saxony () which became a Carolingian " stem duchy" in 804, in what is now northern Germany. Many of their neighbours were, like th ...
.
The album, entitled ''Konji'' (''Horses''), was released at the beginning of 1988. It brought several well-received songs, including the title track, ballad "Zauvijek tvoj" ("Forever Yours"), written by Vojičić, and a new version of the song "Divlje jagode", originally released on the band's first album, the new version featuring a
musical quotation
Musical quotation is the practice of directly quoting another work in a new composition. The quotation may be from the same composer's work (self-referential), or from a different composer's work (appropriation).
Sometimes the quotation is done fo ...
from the
sevdalinka
Sevdalinka (), also known as Sevdah music, is a traditional genre of folk music originating in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sevdalinka is an integral part of the Bosniak culture, but is also spread across the ex- Yugoslav region, including Croatia, Mo ...
"Lijepi li su Mostarski dućani" ("
Mostar
Mostar () is a city and the administrative centre of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the historical capital of Herzegovina.
Mostar is situated on the Neretva Riv ...
's Shops Are Beautiful").
The album also featured the band's version of
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...
's ''
Turkish March''.
This lineup did not last long either; in the middle of 1988 tour, Vojičić, Podany and Šehović left the band.
For the rest of the tour, Čehić took over the vocals, and the drums were played by former Bijelo Dugme member
Dragan "Điđi" Jankelić.
During the 1989 tour, they were joined by their original vocalist Anto Janković, who performed mostly songs from his period in the band. By the end of the year the former
Osmi Putnik frontman
Zlatan Stipišić "Džibo" became the band's new vocalist.
This lineup recorded demos, owing to which Lipovača signed a five-year contract deal in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
.
However, the project was never realized, Stipišić moving to the German band V2, soon after starting a successful solo career,
and Divlje Jagode disbanded.
Post breakup (1990–1993)
Following the outbreak of
Yugoslav Wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related#Naimark, Naimark (2003), p. xvii. ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and Insurgency, insurgencies that took place from 1991 to 2001 in what had been the Socialist Federal Republic of ...
in 1991, Lipovača lived in Germany, London and Zagreb.
During this period he recorded his first solo album ''Magic Love'' with former Divlje Jagode members Zlatan Čehić and Nasko Budimlić, while on vocals was former Jersey member
Žanil "Žak" Tataj.
The album featured English language lyrics, written by Tataj and former Divlje Jagode member Zlatan Stipišić, and was produced by
Nikša Bratoš
Nikša Bratoš (born 17 August 1959) is a Croatian musician. He is known for having played in bands Bonton Baya, Valentino and Crvena jabuka. He has worked on songs for a variety of Croatian pop artists.
Biography
Bratoš was born in 1959, an ...
, who also recorded keyboard sections, and provided backing vocals. The song "Can't Stop" featured Tina Rupčić on vocals, while the song "She Is Gone" featured former
Kongres member Emir Cenić on vocals.
During war years, Lipovača was also involved in many humanitarian concerts in Zagreb.
Reunion and new releases (1994–2002)
Lipovača reformed Divlje Jagode with Ćehić and Budimlić, Čehić taking over the vocals. The band went to Germany, where they played several humanitarian concerts. In Germany, the band recorded their eight studio album, entitled ''Labude, kad rata ne bude'' (''Swan, When There's No More War''), presenting themselves with a softer sound than on their previous releases.
The song "Na tvojim usnama" featured the band's original singer Anto Janković on lead vocals.
The album was followed by concerts across Germany and Croatia and in other European countries. In mid-1995, Čehić left the group.
The band continued their career in the new lineup, consisting of Lipovača, Budimlić, Žanil Tataj (vocals) and Sanin Karić (bass guitar, formerly a member of
Teška Industrija
Teška Industrija (trans. ''Heavy Industry'') is a Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnian and SFR Yugoslav, Yugoslav Rock music, rock band formed in Sarajevo in 1974.
The group was formed in 1974 by keyboardist Gabor Lenđel, guitarist Vedad Hadžiavdi� ...
and a touring member of
Bijelo Dugme
() is a Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslav Rock music, rock band, formed in Sarajevo, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1974. is widely considered to have been the most popular and the best-selling band ever to exist in the former S ...
).
The new lineup performed in 1995 on the Finale Top 1000 festival at
Stuttgart
Stuttgart (; ; Swabian German, Swabian: ; Alemannic German, Alemannic: ; Italian language, Italian: ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, largest city of the States of Germany, German state of ...
Hippodrome and recorded the band's ninth studio album ''Sto vjekova'' (''Hundred Centuries'').
The album songs were composed by Lipovača, and the songs lyrics were written by himself, Anto Janković,
Dino Merlin
Edin Dervišhalidović (born 12 September 1962), known professionally as Dino Merlin, is a Bosnian singer-songwriter and record producer. Born in Sarajevo, he founded and led the band Merlin (Yugoslav band), Merlin, one of the best-selling Rock b ...
and Zlatan Stipišić.
''Sto vjekova'' was recorded in Stuttgart, Germany, co-produced by Lipovača and Denis Mujadžić "Denyken" and released by German record label Nimfa Sound in 1996.
The album featured guest appearances by Emir Cenić (vocals) and Toni Lasan (keyboards).
After the album release, Karić left the band and was replaced by Dejan Orešković, formerly of the band Hard Time.
Drummer Tomas Balaž was hired as a temporary replacement for Budimlić on several occasions. After series of concerts across Croatia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
and
Slovenia
Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
, the band went on a break. By the end of 1999, after a series of concerts across Europe, Žanil Tataj left the band.
Return to the regional scene (2003–present)
After Tataj's deperture, Divlje Jagode regrouped in the new lineup. It consisted of Lipovača, drummer Nasko Budimlić, bass guitarist Dejan Oreškovič, and vocalist Pero Galić, who had previously performed as the frontman of the Croatian hard rock band
Opća Opasnost.
The new lineup recorded the album ''
Od neba do neba'' (''From Sky to Sky''), released in 2003 through
Croatia Records
Croatia Records is a record label in Croatia owned by AUTOR d.o.o., based in Zagreb.
Summary
Croatia Records d.d. is a joint-stock company currently led by the chief executive officer Želimir Babogredac, a sound engineer. It releases mostly (but ...
. The album was recorded and mixed during three years period, in several different recording studios across the region and Europe. The album included a new version of "Motori", entitled "Motori 2003", the song "Kap po kap" ("Drop by Drop"), written by Lipovača and originally recorded by
Mladen Vojičić "Tifa" in 1995 under the title "Duge kiše јеsenje" ("Long Autumn Rains"), a live version of the band's old ballad "Ne želiš kraj", and a cover of
Uriah Heep song "
Lady in Black" entitled "Marija".
The song "Ne krivi me" ("Don't Blame Me") featured guest appearance by Anto Janković, and other guest appearances on the album included vocalists Tina Rupčić and Mirta Mandić, and the band's old collaborator Samir Šestan.
For the promotional tour, Budimlić was replaced by previously hired drummer Tomas Balaž (formerly of Anestesia and
Majke).
The recording of the band's concert held on 27 April 2004 in Zagreb's
Dom Sportova
Dom sportova (), is a multi-purpose indoor sports arena located in Zagreb, Croatia. The venue was built in 1972 in the Trešnjevka neighborhood, in the western part of the city. It has 32,000 m2 of floorspace, and it features six halls. The se ...
was, alongside music videos, released on the
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
''Divlje Jagode'' by
Serbia
, image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg
, national_motto =
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg
, national_anthem = ()
, image_map =
, map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
n record label
One Records.
In 2004, Croatia Records released the double compilation album ''The Very Best Of'', which included a new version of the hit ballad "Krivo je more". In 2005, prior to the band's United States tour, Pero Galić left the band, and was replaced by their original vocalist Ante Janković, who became a permanent member of the band for the first time since 1982.
During the tour, they played a concert in
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
together with Croatian and Yugoslav rock band
Parni Valjak
Parni Valjak (; trans. '' Steam Roller'') is a Croatian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Zagreb in 1975. They were one of the most popular acts of the Yugoslav rock scene, and have maintained large popularity in all former Yugoslav republics a ...
. The United States tour was followed by a tour across
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, for which the band was joined by their former bass guitarist Sanin Karić, and concerts in
Switzerland
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
.

At the beginning of 2006, Galić returned to Divlje Jagode, along with long-time member Zlatan Čehić.
During the same year, the band recorded the single "Piramida" ("Pyramid"), inspired by the reputed discovery of the
Bosnian pyramids.
During the same year, the band released the
box set
A boxed set or (its US name) box set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box, hence 'boxed', and offered for sale as a single unit.
Music
Artists ...
''Collection'', featuring all the studio albums by the band with redesigned album covers, Lipovača's solo album ''Magic Love'', and the single "Piramida" on the bonus disc.
In the spring of 2007, they released another single, a new version of their old song "Zvijezda sjevera" ("Star of the North"), sung by Čehić. In July 2007, together with Galić's former band Opća Opasnost, they play as an opening act at
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1978. The group were originally put together as the backing band for singer David Coverdale, who had recently left Deep Purple. Though the band quickly developed into their ow ...
concert in
Osijek
Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...
.
Soon after, Galić left the band to rejoin Opća Opasnost, and was replaced by Marko Osmanović, formerly of the band Cota G4 from
Daruvar
Daruvar is a spa town and municipality in Slavonia, northeastern Croatia, with a population of 8,567. The area including the surrounding villages (Daruvarski Vinogradi, Doljani, Donji Daruvar, Gornji Daruvar, Lipovac Majur, Ljudevit Selo, Marko ...
.
He would remain with the band until the beginning of 2013.
During next several years, Divlje Jagode mainly toured across the region, playing local festivals and concerts, also having several international bouts. Within this time, the band did not hold a permanent lineup, with many former members joining on various occasions at live performances, while work on the next studio album was still in progress. The compilation album ''The Love Collection'' featured, alongside band's old love songs, the new song "Ne, nisam ja" ("No, It's Not Me").
The compilation was followed by the 2013 studio album ''Biodinamička ljubav'' (''Biodynamic Love'').
The album was recorded with the band's new vocalist, Livio Berak.
Berak was first spotted by Lipovača in 2010, during regional talent rock show ''Rat bendova'' (''War of the Bands''), in which Berak participated with his band Livio Berak Trio, reaching the finals. While on vocals, Berak also serves as a band's second guitar player. The album also featured the new bass guitarist András Ispán and the new keyboardist Damjan Deurić.
Guest appearances on the album included the band's former vocalists Žanil Tataj and Marko Osmanović, singer
Vlatka Pokos
Vlatka Pokos (Vlatka Vuković) (born 22 March 1970 in Salzburg, Austria) is a Croatian jet setter, former singer and former television host. Due to her controversial lifestyle and up-and-down entertainment career, Vlatka is still, up to this day, ...
(on backing vocals), and the song "Do prvog dodira" ("Until the First Touch") featured
Ivana Peters, frontess of the Belgrade band
Negative, on lead vocals.
Alongside well-received "Samo da znaš" ("You Should Know") and "Kad te netko spomene" ("When Someone Mentions You"), the album featured a new version of "Đavolji grad" ("Devil's City"), originally released on ''Čarobnjaci''.
In 2016, Lipovača released his second solo album, ''Internal Waves of Love'', featuring mostly instrumental compositions, with several tracks featuring former
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. After adopting the Black Sabbath name in 1969 (the band ...
member
Tony Martin on vocals.
In 2018, the band released two six-piece box sets, entitled ''Original Album Collection Vol.1'' and ''Original Album Collection Vol.2'', featuring all the studio albums by the band and Lipovača's ''Magic Love''.
On 10 June of the same year, the band performed as the opening act for
Scorpions
Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the Order (biology), order Scorpiones. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by a pair of Chela (organ), grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward cur ...
on their concert in
Belgrade Arena
The Belgrade Arena ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Београдска арена, Beogradska arena, separator=" / ") is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Belgrade, Serbia. It is designed as a universal hall for sports, cultural events and other programs. ...
.
In the summer of 2019, the band marked 40 years of recording activity with a live performance in
BHRT studio in Sarajevo. Many musicians who were members of the band at some point during their career joined them on stage, including former vocalists Anto Janković, Mladen Vojičić, Žanil Tataj, Pero Galiić and Marko Osmanović.
In 2020, the band released their latest studio album ''Jukebox''.
Alongside Berak, the album featured Anto Janković on vocals, once again as an official member of the band.
The album was co-produced by Lipovača and Deurić and featured new members – bass guitarist Damjan Milenković and drummer Emir Kranjčić.
The album featured the band's version of
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...
's composition "
Für Elise
Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor (WoO59, Biamonti Catalogue, Bia515) for solo piano, commonly known as "Für Elise" (, ), is one of Ludwig van Beethoven's most significant popular compositions. It was not published during his lifetime, only being disc ...
", as well as a new version of "Zauvjek tvoj", featuring Mladen Vojičić on vocals.
The album also featured guest appearances by two other former members, Žanil Tataj and Sanin Karić.
During the same year, the band's biography was published, authored by Stjepan Juras and entitled ''U malom vrtu raste divlji plod'' (''A Wild Fruit Is Growing in a Small Garden''), after a verse from the song "Divlje jagode".
The limited edition of 200 copies of the book contained a DVD with photographs, press archive and a recording of the band's 1988 concert, originally made as a
bootleg.

In 2022, the band released the first live album in their career, ''Live in Beograd'', with the recording of their concert held in Belgrade's
Trade Union Hall on 8 October 2022.
In 2024, the band released their latest studio album, ''Prati moje stare tragove'' (''Follow My Old Footprints''). The album was followed by promotional tour across former Yugoslav republics.
Legacy
In 2017, Croatian band Ausswinkl Muzikanti recorded a folk cover of "Ne želiš kraj", with guest appearance by Anto Janković (who wrote the lyrics for the song, originally recorded by Divlje Jagode in 1982, with Islamović on vocals).
In 2019, Swedish heavy metal band
Enforcer recorded a cover of Divlje Jagode song "Let na drugi svijet", entitled "To Another World".
On their performance at the 2019
Exit festival
Exit (stylized in all caps; ) is a summer music festival which is held at the Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad, Serbia. Founded in 2000, it has twice won the Best Major Festival award at the European Festivals Awards, for 2013 and 2017. EXIT has ...
in
Novi Sad
Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, Serbia, the band performed the song with original lyrics.
In 2023, Italian heavy metal band TYTUS recorded a cover of "Motori" for their
EP ''Roaming in Despair''.
''Roaming in Despair'' at Discogs
/ref>
In 2000, the song "Jedina moja" was polled No.89 on Rock Express Top 100 Yugoslav Rock Songs of All Times list.
Members
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
*''Divlje jagode
Divlje Jagode () is a hard rock and heavy metal band, originally formed in 1977 in Sarajevo, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia, and since their 1994 reunion based in Croatia. Led by guitarist Sead "Zele" Lipovača, Divlje Jagode are co ...
'' (1978)
*'' Stakleni hotel'' (1981)
*'' Motori'' (1982)
*'' Čarobnjaci'' (1983)
*'' Vatra'' (1985)
*''Wild Strawberries'' (as Wild Strawberries, 1987)
*''Konji'' (1988)
*''Labude, kad rata ne bude'' (1994)
*''Sto vjekova'' (1997)
*'' Od neba do neba'' (2003)
*''Biodinamička ljubav'' (2013)
*''Jukebox'' (2020)
*''Prati moje stare tragove'' (2024)
Live albums
*''Live in Beograd'' (2023)
Compilations
*''Najbolje'' (1986)
*''Sarajevo, ti i ja'' (1993)
*''Antologija 1'' (1995)
*''Antologija 2'' (1995)
*''The Very Best Of: Let na drugi svijet'' (2004)
*''The Ultimate Collection'' (2008)
*''The Love Collection: Najljepše ljubavne pjesme'' (2011)
*''Greatest Hits'' (2015)
Box sets
*''Collection'' (2006)
*''Original Album Collection Vol.1'' (2018)
*''Original Album Collection Vol.2'' (2018)
Video albums
*''Divlje Jagode'' (2004)
Singles
*"Rock 'n' Roll" / "Jedina moja" (1977)
*" Moj dilbere" / "Prijatelj" (1977)
*"Patkica" / "Kad bi vi gospođo" (1978)
*"Nemam ništa protiv" / "Bit' će bolje!" (1979)
*"Konji" / "Turski marš" (1988)
*"Marija" (2003)
*"Dobro došla ljubavi / Marija" (2003)
*"Piramida" (2006)
*"Evo banke cigane moj" (2016)
References
External links
Official website
Divlje Jagode
at Discogs
Discogs ( ; short for " discographies") is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. Database contents are user-generated, and described in ''T ...
{{Authority control
Bosnia and Herzegovina rock music groups
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Musical groups established in 1977
Musical groups disestablished in 1990
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