Van Gogh (band)

Van Gogh is a Serbian rock band which was founded in 1986 and had reached its peak in popularity in the 1990s.

History

The band was founded in January 1986. The founder of the band is the lead guitar Zvonimir Đukić – Đule. The first line-up consisted of Zvonimir Đukić – Đule(lead guitar), Goran Milisavljević (lead vocals), Đorđe Petrović (keyboard instruments), Predrag Popović (bass guitar), and Srboljub Radivojević (drums, percussion). In February 1986, the band released its debut single "Tragovi prošlosti" ("Traces of the Past"). At the end of the same year, the band's first album, "Van Gogh", was released. Shortly afterwards, the band had temporarily ceased performing and producing music.

In 1990, Zvonimir Đukić renewed the band with a new line-up, while the single "Gubiš me" ("You're Losing Me") released the same year. During 1991, the studio album "Svet je moj" ("The World is Mine") was released, which featured Zvonimir Đukić - Đule as lead vocals in addition to his lead guitar role. Besides him, only Srboljub Radivojević remained from the original line-up, while the new band members were Vlada Barjaktarević (keyboard instruments), Aleksandar Barać (bass guitar), Vladan Cvetković (drums, percussion); the album also featured a large number of guest performers.

For the next two studio albums, “Strast” ("Passion") (1993) and “Hodi” ("Come") (1996), the band was reduced to the trio Đukić/Barać/Radivojević. Their live album „No comment“ was recorded on 23 and 24 January 1997 in the Belgrade's SKC. In mid-1998, the band released a CD single which featured two acoustic versions of the song "Polje snova" ("Field of Dreams"). Following that, Barać handed the helm to Dušan Bogović, but he too was replaced soon thereafter by Dragan Ivanović.

In 1999, a new studio album “Опасан плес” (“Dangerous Dance”) was released.

The live album “Happy New Ear” was recorded on 24 December 1999, from the band's concert performance at New Belgrade's Hala sportova.

The album "DrUnder" was released at the end of 2002. At the end of 2002, Dejan Ilić joined the band as bass guitarist, as a replacement for Dragan Ivanović.

Following a break which lasted for almost four years, the seventh studio album of the band Van Gogh, titled “Kolo”, was released and made available for purchase on 24 May 2006, which featured an associate member on the tour, Branislav Gluvakov (guitar). The lyrics for the single “Kolo — ludo luda“ was written based on a folk song recorded by Vuk Karadžić.

In 2007, the band won the MTV "Adria" award for the best regional performer (Best Adriatic Act) , while a concert was held in the overcrowded venue of the prestigious Belgrade Arena in May of the same year.

In Spring of 2009, an album called “Lavirint” ("Labyrinth") was released, which sold more than 100,000 copies in a period of one month.

In November 2009, a second concert was held in the Belgrade Arena.

In 2013, the band released a new studio album, titled "Neumeren u svemu" ("Unrestrained in Every Way").

In 2014, the band won the MTV "Adria" award for Best Adriatic Act for the second time.

In 2019, the band released a new studio album, titled "More bez obala" ("A sea without shores"). Branislav Gluvakov is replaced by Branislav Stiković (guitar), who leaves the band together with Dejan Ilić in February 2020.

The reason for these changes was the desire of the frontman and founder of the band, Zvonimir Đukić - Đule, to return the band to the formation of the basic trio - guitar, bass guitar and drums.

In addition to the MTV awards, the band has been awarded numerous domestic and international awards.

During its career, the band has held a large number of live performances/concerts in the country, the region and abroad, making a worldwide tour with their music. In Belgrade, the band had performed at all concert venues (KST, SKC (1986, 1997, 1998), Hala sportova (1999, 2014) Tašmajdan Stadium (2003), Dom omladine (“Belgrade Youth Center”), Belgrade Arena, Bel expo (2016), Kombank dvorana (“Kombank Hall”) (2019). The band has performed a large number of concerts in its 35-year career.

In its 35-year career, the band has collaborated with a large number of eminent domestic music producers. In the last 15 years of work, the band has achieved successful creative collaboration with the music producer, Vojislav Aralica.

For its creative process, the band chose the prestigious recording studio “Siena” in Belgrade.

The current members of the group are Zvonimir Đukić - Đule, Srboljub Radivojević - Srba, and Dragan Ivanović.

Band members

Current members

Zvonimir Đukić "Đule" - vocals, guitar
Srboljub Radivojević "Srba"- drums
Dragan Ivanović - bass guitar

Discography

Albums

Van Gogh (PGP RTB, 1986)

Svet je moj (PGP RTB, 1991)
Strast (PGP RTS, 1993)
Tragovi prošlosti (compilation; PGP RTS, 1995)
Hodi (PGP RTRS, 1996)
No Comment Live CD (live performance; Metropolis, 1997)
Opasan ples (Metropolis, 1999)

Happy New Ear Live CD - multimedia album (live performance; Metropolis, 2001)
Van Gogh - re-release of the first album (2001)
Rani radovi - re-release of the second album (2001)
DrUnder (Hi-Fi Centar, 2002)
VAN GOGH - BEST OF (2004)
Kolo (PGP RTS, 2006)
Beogradska arena - Live - DVD (2007)
Srećno novo - Live compilation (2007)
Lavirint (Power Music, 2009)
Total - CD,DVD compilation (2011)
Neumeren u svemu (Croatia Records, 2013)
Ako stanemo, gubimo sve (Exepro Produkcija, 2016)
More bez obala (Exepro Produkcija, 2019)
Rođendanski "Acoustic & Electric" LIVE - DVD (2016)

Singles

Tragovi prošlosti/Samo san (PGP RTB, 1986)
Tvoj smeh/Kako zove se (PGP RTB, 1987)
Gubiš me/Tvojim imenom (PGP RTB, 1990)
Zemlja čuda/Besnilo (Mega MA mix; PGP RTS, 1994)
Qu'hier que demain (Metropolis, 1998)
Nešto vuče me dole (2013)

Video albums

Beogradska Arena / Live (2007)

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Result
2007	MTV Europe Music Awards	Best Adriatic Act	Won
2009	Serbian Oscar Of Popularity	Best Band	Won
2009	Serbian Oscar Of Popularity	Best Concert	Won
2013	MTV platinum award	Video play	Won
2014	MTV Europe Music Awards	Best Adriatic Act	Won
2014	MTV Europe Music Awards	Best European Act	Nominated
2019	The Naxi star	Album of the year	Won
2020	2020 Music Awards Ceremony	Rock song of the year	Won

References

„ZVONIMIR ĐUKIĆ ĐULE VAN GOGH - VEČITI OPTIMISTA I NEUMERENI HEDONISTA | musicpocket” (language: Serbian). Accessed on 2021-02-04.

Blic: MTV nagrada za „Van Gogh“

Blic: MTV nagrada za “Van Gog

EX YU ROCK enciklopedija 1960-2006, Janjatović Petar; ISBN 978-86-905317-1-4

Đukić, Zvonimir (2014) Tragovi prošlosti - fotomonografija, Belgrade: Laguna. COBISS.SR 207202316

Đukić, Zvonimir (2019) More bez obala - pesme i fotografije, Belgrade, Laguna, COBISS.SR 273490956

External links

Awards
New title	Serbian Oscar Of Popularity The Band of the Year 2009	Succeeded by Električni Orgazam
New title	Serbian Oscar Of Popularity The Concert of the Year 2009	Succeeded by Stefan Milenković & Vlatko Stefanovski