Azra (band)

Azra

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1977
Founder	Branimir "Johnny" Štulić
Headquarters	Yugoslavia
Products	Rock music, albums, singles

Azra was a notable Yugoslav rock ensemble that gained prominence during the 1980s new wave movement in Yugoslavia. Established in 1977 by lead vocalist and guitarist Branimir "Johnny" Štulić, the founding members also featured Mišo Hrnjak on bass and Boris Leiner on drums. The band's name is inspired by a line from a poem by Heinrich Heine. Azra is widely recognized as one of the most impactful groups in the history of Yugoslav rock music.

Their first single, "Balkan" / "A šta da radim," debuted in 1979, followed by their self-titled first album in 1980, which enjoyed major commercial acclaim throughout Yugoslavia. The band released their sophomore album in 1981. Their last studio record, Između krajnosti (Between the Extremes), came out in 1987. After releasing the 4LP live compilation Zadovoljština (Satisfaction) in 1988, Štulić decided to dissolve the band. Since moving to the Netherlands, he has produced three solo albums and leads a reclusive lifestyle. The 2003 film documentary Sretno dijete underscores Azra’s pivotal contribution to the 1980s Yugoslav rock milieu alongside Bijelo dugme. The band continues to hold significant influence among young audiences across the former Yugoslav republics.

In 1986, Azra issued their sixth studio project titled It Ain't Like In The Movies At All, released via Diskoton. This triple album was recorded following Štulić’s relocation to the Netherlands.

By 1998, music critics had placed five Azra albums within the top 100 Yugoslav pop and rock records, with three albums ranking inside the top ten. Additionally, four of their songs were listed among the top 20 on Radio B92’s compilation of the greatest former Yugoslav tracks.

Members

• Branimir "Johnny" Štulić – vocals, guitar (1977–1978, 1979–1984, 1986–1988)
• Branko Matun – bass (1977)
• Paolo Sfeci – drums (1977)
• Mladen Jurčić – guitar (1977–1978)
• Branko Hromatko – drums (1977–1978)
• Marino Pelajić – bass (1977–1978)
• Jura Stublić – vocals (1978)
• Boris Leiner (formerly of Kanibali) – drums, vocals (1979–1982, 1983–1984, 1986–1988)
• Mišo Hrnjak – bass (1979–1982)
• Jurica Pađen – guitars (1983–1984, 1987–1988)
• Stephen Kipp – bass (1986–1988)

Timeline

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id:backing  value:pink       legend:Backing_vocals
id:guitar   value:green      legend:Guitars
id:bass     value:blue       legend:Bass
id:drums    value:orange     legend:Drums,_percussion
id:session  value:yellow     legend:Session
id:lines    value:black      legend:Studio_album
id:lines2   value:gray(0.65) legend:Live_album
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at:05/01/1980
at:06/01/1981
at:07/01/1982
at:02/10/1983
at:02/15/1984
at:03/01/1986
at:09/01/1987
color:lines2 layer:back
at:03/01/1982
at:03/30/1988

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bar:Stublić   text:"Jura Stublić"
bar:Štulić    text:"Branimir Štulić"
bar:Jurčić    text:"Mladen Jurčić"
bar:Pađen     text:"Jurica Pađen"
bar:Matun     text:"Branko Matun"
bar:Marino    text:"Marino Pelajić"
bar:Hrnjak    text:"Mišo Hrnjak"
bar:Cartagine text:"Remo Cartagine"
bar:Kipp      text:"Stephen Kipp"
bar:Sfeci     text:"Paolo Sfeci"
bar:Hromatko  text:"Branko Hromatko"
bar:Leiner    text:"Boris Leiner"
bar:Antonioli text:"Srećko Antonioli"

PlotData=

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bar:Štulić  from:start      till:01/01/1979 color:guitar
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bar:Juričić from :02 /81 till :03 /81 color :session width :3 
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bar:Paden   from :01 /87 till:end        color:guitar 
bar:Paden   from :01 /87 till:end        color :backing width :3 

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bar:Carta gine from :12 /83 till :03 /84 color:bass 

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bar:L einer    from :01 /86 till:end        color:dru ms 
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bar:A ntoni olifrom :01 /10 /83 till :0 1 /25 /83color:dru ms 

bar:A ntoni olifrom ;0 1 ;10 ;83 ;til l;0 ;1 ;25; ;83 col or:s ess ion wid th ;3

</timeline>

Studio albums

• Azra (Jugoton, 1980)
• Sunčana strana ulice (Jugoton, 1981)
• Filigranski pločnici (Jugoton, 1982)
• Kad fazani lete (Jugoton, 1983)
• Krivo srastanje (Jugoton, 1984)
• It Ain't Like in the Movies at All (Diskoton, 1986)
• Između krajnosti (Jugoton, 1987)

Live albums

• Ravno do dna (Jugoton, 1982)
• Zadovoljština (Jugoton, 1988)

Compilation albums

• Singl ploče 1979–1982 (Jugoton, 1982)
• Kao i jučer – singl ploče 1983–1986 (Jugoton, 1986)
• Nikom nije lepše (Hi-Fi Centar, 1998)
• The Ultimate Collection (Croatia Records, 2007)

Singles

• "Balkan" / "A šta da radim" (Suzy, 1979)
• "Lijepe žene prolaze kroz grad", "Poziv na ples" / "Suzy F." (Jugoton, 1980)
• "Đoni, budi dobar" / "Teško vrijeme" (Jugoton, 1982)
• "E, pa što" / "Sloboda" / "Gluperde lutaju daleko" (Jugoton, 1982)
• "Nemir i strast" / "Doviđenja na Vlaškom drumu" (Jugoton, 1983)
• "Klinček stoji pod oblokom" / "Flash" (Jugoton, 1983)
• "Mon ami" / "Duboko u tebi" (Jugoton, 1984)
• "The Balkans" / "Pretty Women Passing Through Town" / "Vondel Park" (Marginal Face Production, 1985)

Videography

• Zadovoljština (Zagreb live concert, 1988)
• Klincek stoji pod oblokom (Video compilation, 1990)
• Das Ist Johnny (Sarajevo live film, 1991)