Ekatarina Velika

Ekatarina Velika (abbreviated EKV) was a rock band from Belgrade and one of the most successful and influential groups in the former Yugoslavia.

The core of the band consisted of guitarist and singer Milan Mladenović, keyboardist Margita Stefanović and bassist Bojan Pečar.

## Career

### Start

Katarina II was created in 1982. years in Belgrade. The group was formed after the breakup of the band Šarlo Akrobata by singer Milan Mladenović, guitarist Dragomir" Gagi " Mihailović, bassist Švaba Radomirović and drummer Dušan Dejanović. The name comes from the name of Mihailović's unrequited love, girlfriend Katarina. During 1982. the band is joined by keyboardist Margita "Magi" Stefanović. Radomirović soon after moved to" Du Du A", and Dušan Dejanović to Disciplina Kičme, and the drums were played for a while by Branko" Mango " Kuštrin. In early 1983. Ivica "Vd" Vdović, former drummer of Šarlo akrobata, takes the place of drummer, and the bassist becomes Bojan Pečar, thus forming the final rhythm section of the band and final line - up of Katarina II - Mladenović, Mihailović, Stefanović, Pečar and Vdović-began in 1983. working on a debut album.

## 80s

### Katarina II

In the spring of 1983. the material for the first album is recorded and features a guest appearance by actor Svetislav Goncić. The material was recorded in the studio" Druga maca " whose owner was Enco Lesić, whom Mladenović knew from working with the group of Šarlo akrobata. Unfortunately, due to poor recording conditions, the material fails, and the group is forced to re-record the entire album. At the invitation of fellow musician Srđan Marjanović they did so the following year in the studio of ZKP RTLJ in Ljubljana.

The debut album titled Katarina II finally came out in 1984. year. Most of the lyrics were written by Mladenović, In most of the songs, the group successfully connects Mladenović's descriptive poetic sensibility with the energetic sound of the new wave.

Shortly after the album's release, the band experiences a renewed lineup change., Disagreements between Mladenović and Mihajlović still exist.

Mihajlovic soon comes into conflict with the law and goes to prison, and after the release he was informed that he is no longer a member of the band.

As he claimed the copyright to the name Katarina II, the band was forced to choose a new name. The remaining members choose the new name Ekatarina Velika (after Catherine The Great, Empress of Russia), later shortened to EKV, and operate under that name for the rest of their careers.

Soon, due to drug problems and illness, drummer Vdović also leaves the band and ends up in Du Du A. His replacement was Ivan Fece Firchi (previously: "Luna", "Jakarta").

### Ekatarina Velika

Thanks to constant concert performances throughout Yugoslavia (with especially frequent concerts in Zagreb, Ljubljana and Belgrade) and the broadcasting on television, Ekatarina Velika is slowly gaining a larger number of fans.

1985. the band released their second album Ekatarina Velika. The Album was recorded in Zagreb'S SIM studio, with producer Vladimir Smolec, and features guest appearances by Masimo Savić, at the time the singer of the Croatian band Dorian Gray, as well as Tomo In Der Mullen, guitarist of Karlovy Vary.

The new material brought some changes in sound as compared to the previous album it was noticeably faster rhythm and more energetic. However, the band's distinctive features are also present: deeply subtle tones as well as Mladenović's hermetic, introspective and metaphorical lyrics. With its cover designed and designed by Dušan Gerzić, the Album also showed certain artistic ambitions, because it shows the band members painted in the manner of Indian ritual tattoos.

The second album brought the band their first real hits, the songs "Oči boje meda", "Tattoo" and "Modro I zeleno".

### With wind in face ( S ' vetrom u lice )

1986. titled S ' vetrom uz lice, the third album of the band is coming out, which is making their way to a wider audience, and which makes them even more popular. Produced by Mladenović,Margita Stefanović and Dragan Čačinović, the album had a very "polished" sound based on keyboards and the use of the " Emulator II" 8-bit Sempler. Hits from this album included the songs, "Kao da je bilo nekad", "Ti si sav moj bol", and "Novac u rukama".

At this time the band also has a very lively concert activity, performing in cities throughout Yugoslavia. At the concert 2. November 1986. in the Zagreb club "Kulušić" recorded the first live album of the band, which was subsequently released in early 1987.

. The same year the band returns from their tour to Belgrade and triumphantly ends the concert season with a series of six sold-out concerts at Belgrade's Dom omladine.

In the spring of the same year Ivan Ranković decides to leave the band

The new drummer becomes Srđan" Žika "Todorović (previously:" Radnička kontrola"," Bezobrazno zeleno"," Disciplina kičme.

Todorović came to the group from  Discipline kičme, which from the very beginning was considered a kind of rival, First to the group Katarina II, and then to Ekatarina Velika.

### Love ( Ljubav )

The band recorded their fourth studio album, Love, in the second half of 1987. year. The Album is most often considered the best release of the band as well as one of the best rock releases on the territory of former Yugoslavia. This release features a more guitar-oriented and polished sound brought about by a collaboration with new producer, Australian musician Theodore Yanni. The highly stylized cover was co-designed and designed by Margita Stefanović and artist Vuk Vidor. As hits from the album stand out the songs "Zemlja", "Ljubav", "7 dana" and "Ljudi iz grada", and it is believed that most of the songs show the first traces of depression in Mladenović's lyrics, which is most often argued with the lyrics of "Tonemo".

The band in this period has the status of a concert attraction that confirms with two consecutive sold-out concerts in Belgrade's "Pionir"Hall. At that time Fece returned from military service and rejoined the band replacing Srđan Todorović. He stayed in the band for only a few months, then in May 1988. moved to New York. After fece's departure Todorović returns to the group.

### Just a few years for us ( Samo par godina za nas )

1989. the band only released album Samo Par Godina za nas ( Only  couple of years for us )  the fifth studio release. Critics consider this album a mere conceptual copy of the album Ljubav ( Love )  However, unlike the mostly fast rhythmic tempo combined with a slightly dark sound on the album Ljubav, next album has a much more sonically "blurry" melodies and a slower rhythm that together carry a premonition of the upcoming political and social tragedies that will affect Yugoslavia in the early 90s

Several hits from the album include the songs "Krug", "Srce" and "Par godina za nas".

In November 2006. the song "Par godina za nas" was voted the best Yugoslav song of all time by listeners of Belgrade Radio B92.

## 90s

### Dum dum

Band make a agreement with manager Dusan Ercegovac who created new concept and image for the group.

After the album Samo Par Godina za nas ( Only couple of years for us ) followed the most difficult line-up change that the group took very hard. Todorović left the band concentrating on his acting career and Bojan Pečar moves to London. While Todorović's departure from the group was more or less another shift for drums, Pečar's departure was a great loss for the band, which thus remains without one of its key members. Mladenović and Margita Stefanović continue to find a new drummer Marko Milivojević (previously: "U škripcu", "Partibrejkers"), and as a bassist at that time, Miško Plavi plays at concerts. The album Dum dum was released in the spring of 1991. the album is played by Bata Božanić and Dušan Petrović.

The album Dum dum is considered the band's darkest album. Its bleakness and atmosphere of tragedy reveal the general situation in Yugoslavia, which at that time, in the early 90s, was slowly disintegrating and approaching civil war.

### Neko nas posmatra ( Somebody's watching us )

In May 1993. the new lineup releases the album Neko nas posmatra which, in contrast to the previous album, is characterized by a warmer and more accessible sound and more communicative and open themes especially recognizable in the songs "Zajedno", "Jadransko more", "Ponos". This is also the first and only album of the band to contain a covered song, which is the track "Istina mašina" by the Yugoslav rock band "Time".

At the end of 1993. EKV performed at Koncert Godine , in Novi Sad . with full concert recorded .

## End

In early 1994. the age of Ekatarina Velika is inactive. In the spring Mladenovic goes to Brazil where together with his friend and musician Mitro Subotić Suba and a group of Brazilian musicians he works on the album "Angel's Breath".

Upon his return to Belgrade the band continues with concert activity and starts working on a new album whose working title is "Ponovo zajedno ( again together) ". Work on the album, however, was soon suspended due to Mladenović's health problems. In August 1994. the band plays at the Budva festival which is their last concert performance. The next day Milan Mladenović was taken to hospital where it was discovered that he had pancreatic cancer.

A few months later, 5. in November 1994, Milan Mladenovic died in Belgrade at the age of 37. year. With his death, Ekatarina Velika ceased to exist.

Bojan Pečar died in London of a heart attack on the 13th. October 1998, at age 39.

Margita Stefanović died on 18. September 2002. in Belgrade at age of 44. from AIDS.

Other members of the band who died are Ivica Vdović (suffering from AIDS, deceased in 1992) and Dušan Dejanović (also suffering from AIDS, died 16. November 2000.Belgrade ).

Dusan Ercegovac their former manager died in 2016.

## Influences

Ekatarina Velika is among the most influential, if not the most influential band in the former Yugoslavia, and is also considered one of the most important bands on the Yugoslav rock scene in general.

## Discography

### Studio albums

Katarina II, 1984.

Ekatarina Velika, 1985.

S' vetrom uz lice, 1986.

Ljubav, 1987.

Samo par godina za nas, 1989.

Dum dum, 1991.

Neko nas posmatra, 1993.

### Live albums

EKV 19LIVE!86, 1987.

Live '88, 1997.

Kao u snu: EKV - Live '91., 2001.