Propaganda (Yugoslav band)
Propaganda () was a Yugoslav new wave band from Belgrade, consisting of former Zvuk Ulice and Bulevar members. The band released only one album, "Apatija javnosti", and disbanded. History. Zvuk Ulice. The roots of Propaganda can be found in the mid-1970s band called Zvuk Ulice. The band was formed in 1976 by Vlada Divljan (guitarist, vocalist), Zdenko Kolar (bass), Kokan Popović (drums), Dragan Mitrić (keyboards), Bora Antić (saxophone) and Dragana Milković (piano, vocals). At first Divljan only played the guitar and later also did vocals. The band did cover versions of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix  and performed their own songs, mostly instrumentals. The band sound was described as a combination of melodic rock and jazz rock, but Zdenko Kolar in an interview stated that it was the sound that in the early eighties would definitely be described as new wave. They had recording sessions in Radio Belgrade studios and the recordings were often broadcast on radio stations. In 1978 the band performed at the last BOOM festival in Novi Sad and in 1979 at Zaječar Gitarijada where they were well received, but the first place at the festival was won by Galija. Soon after, Kokan  Popović went to serve the Yugoslav People's Army and his future wife got pregnant so the band split up. Vlada Divljan and Zdenko Kolar soon formed Idoli, Dragan Mitrić joined Bulevar and Kokan Popović joined Slađana Milošević's backing band. Propaganda. Former Zvuk Ulice members Kokan Popović (guitar, vocals) and Dragan Mitrić (keyboards) with Branko Isaković (bass) and Nenad Morgenstern (drums, percussion) formed Propaganda in 1981. The band started recording their debut album, partially featuring material from the Zvuk Ulice repertoire, in the Radio Belgrade Studio 5. The album featured pop-oriented sound with influences from various genres. "Apatija  javnosti" ("Apathy of the Public"), released by PGP-RTB in 1982, featured ten tracks, including the opening track, "Esmeralda", featuring lyrics written by Muharem Serbezovski, a famous Macedonian Romani musician. After the album was released, the band disbanded. Kokan Popović had already been working with Idoli, on their debut album "Odbrana i poslednji dani" ("The Defence and the Last Days"), and in 1983, Branko Isaković also joined Idoli and appeared as bassist on the albums "Čokolada" ("Chocolate") and "Šest dana juna" ("Six Days of June"). Dragan Mitrić joined Bajaga i Instruktori and later became the part of his former Bulevar  bandmate Dejan Cukić backing band called Spori Ritam Band. The track from the album "Bugatty" appeared on the Polish various artists compilation "Ruleta 5", released by Supraphon in 1984, and the track "18. Novembar" ("November 18") appeared on the "Computer Incarnations For World Peace" German various artists compilation, released in 2007 by Sonar Kollektiv. Discography. "Apatija javnosti" (1982)