Goblini
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1 March 1992 in Šabac, Serbia |
| Founder | Alen Jovanović, Vladislav Kokotović, Branko Golubović |
| Headquarters | Šabac , Serbia |
| Products | Punk rock music, albums, singles |
| Website | www |
Goblini (; translated as The Goblins) is a punk rock ensemble originating from Šabac, Serbia.
Formation and Early Success (1992–1999)
The band Goblini was established in March 1992 in Šabac by guitarist Alen Jovanović and Vladislav Kokotović "Vlada", both formerly part of Lorelei, alongside vocalist Branko Golubović. After several changes in drummers, Nenad Divnić joined the group, and this lineup produced their debut album Goblini, which was released on cassette in April 1994. The album's A-side featured tracks from the Lorelei period, while the B-side showcased newly composed songs.
Soon after, Divnić left to fulfill military service and was succeeded by Nedeljko Nedić "Meketa". With Nedić on drums, Goblini recorded their second cassette album, Istinite priče I deo, which included standout songs such as "Cipjonka" and "Za Lorenu". Later that year, guitarist Leonid Pilipović joined the band, coming from Džukele. In May 1995, Nedić departed to Cyprus and was replaced by Zoran Jović "Fric".
In 1995, the band released their inaugural live album, KST Live 31.08.'95, capturing a concert at Belgrade’s KST venue. This performance featured covers of songs by KUD Idijoti, Ramones, and The Clash, including a Serbian adaptation of "I Fought the Law" titled "Ne mogu više," which was dedicated to President Slobodan Milošević. Additionally, they covered Boris Novković's "Tamara" and Demolition 23's "Same Shit, Different Day."
Following this, they released the CD U magnovenju, produced by Aca Radosavljević. It contained popular tracks like "On je ona je" and a rendition of Videosex’s "Kako bih volio da si tu," renamed "Anja, volim te," dedicated to vocalist Anja Rupel. During the album’s promotion phase, Pilipović returned to Džukele and was replaced by Saša Šetka. In 1996, Goblini toured Slovenia alongside bands such as Svarog and Love Hunters, performing at events including the Zgaga Rock festival.
Live recordings were also featured on the compilation Paket Aranžman - Svi protiv svih, which celebrated the television show Paket Aranžman. By June 1997, with new drummer Vladimir Cinkocki "Cina", previously of Generacija Bez Budućnosti and Obojeni Program, Goblini embarked on another Slovenian tour and contributed to the double live compilation No Border Jam 4 & 5. In August that year, they opened for Motörhead during a concert in Budapest.
In 1998, they issued a double CD titled Turneja u magnovenju 96/97, compiling live performances from Serbia and Slovenia along with a new studio track named "Punk's Not Dead." The second disc re-released Istinite priče I deo with additional bonus material. Prior to recording their fourth studio album Re Contra, Cinkocki departed from the band. The album's completion coincided with the onset of the 1999 NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, causing its release to be postponed until December 1999. Meanwhile, Goblini conducted a nine-show tour across Italy, visiting cities such as Milan, Rome, Bologna, and Turin.
Disbandment and Subsequent Activities (2000–2009)
Between January 2000 and spring 2001, Goblini toured extensively throughout Serbia. Due to financial difficulties, members Branko Golubović, Alen Jovanović, Saša Šetka, Vlada Kokotović, and drummer Milan Arnautović performed their final concert on June 7, 2001 at Močvara club in Zagreb before officially disbanding. The album U magnovenju was reissued by One Records in 2002.
In 2003, guitarist Alen Jovanović established Starfuckers with musicians from Plexus, Midgard, and CBS. That same year, Golubović volunteered with the Italian humanitarian organization INTERSOS in Afghanistan and later relocated to Sri Lanka in 2007.
Multimedia Records released a greatest hits collection in 2004 titled Najbolje priče (The Best Stories), which included live recordings from the band's prime years along with an unreleased track from 1997 called "Pričaš." The compilation also featured promotional videos for both "Pričaš" and "Voz."
In 2006, Živko Ivković authored Od Čivija do Goblina (From The Machine Heads to The Goblins), a richly illustrated history of Šabac’s rock scene that contained a biography of Goblini plus a CD featuring their song "Daleki put." That year also saw Milan Arnautović founding Siempre Peligroso; later in 2008 he launched Eleven, releasing two albums—A Moment of Silence and Težina Okova—as well as the EP Randevu in 2015.
Golubović published his memoirs about Afghanistan entitled Pisma iz Avganistana (Letters from Afghanistan) in 2009. Additionally, Multimedia Records issued a compilation named Groovanje devedesete uživo, featuring various artists including a live recording of Goblini’s "Cipjonka" from a 1995 Belgrade concert.
Reformation (2010–present)
On 21 June 2010, the band declared the reunion of the lineup from their final concert held nine years prior and simultaneously released a CD single featuring two fresh tracks. Three days before commencing their reunion tour, on 10 August 2010, they unveiled the CD single Crno na belo (Black on White), which included "Luna," a song composed during their initial rehearsal in May 2010 that tackles issues of drug addiction, alongside "Kao da," a track recorded during the 1996 sessions for U magnovenju.
Their return performance occurred at the Šabac Summer Festival on 13 August 2010, presenting a setlist spanning their entire career. During the song "Daleki put," Golubović was struck by a rock thrown from the crowd but suffered only minor injuries. The encore featured the new song "Luna," covers of tracks by Ramones and Demolition 23, as well as guest appearances from Aleksandar Popov "Dr. Pop" and former member Nedeljko Nedić "Meketa." After this event, the band toured five additional cities before pausing activities while Golubović undertook a humanitarian mission in Pakistan.
In November 2010, "Luna" climbed to sixth place on the Jelen Top 10 chart and remained there for four consecutive weeks. Early in 2011, Popboks readers voted "Kao da" as the second-best domestic song of 2010, while "Luna" was honored with Best Domestic Video. On 2 January 2011, the documentary Ima nas gomila (There Is A Bunch Of Us) premiered on RTV Vojvodina and was made available for free download; it documents the band's history with contributions from journalists and promoters.
Throughout 2011, Goblini embarked on a fifteen-date tour that included performances at festivals such as Belgrade Beer Fest and Vila! La Pola Fest in Pula. They also released the single "U odbrani zla" ("In Defense of Evil"), featuring guest musicians from Grate, Plug'n'play, and Pero Defformero; this track was distributed via Nocturne magazine. In August 2012, Saša Šetka left the band and was succeeded by Leonid Pilipović. On 15 September 2012, Goblini appeared at the Warrior's Dance festival organized by The Prodigy and also performed at Belgrade's Exit festival.
In November 2013, their comeback album Roba s greškom (Faulty Merchandise) was released through Long Play, preceded by the single "Deca iz komšiluka" ("Neighborhood Kids"). On 8 March 2014, they held a concert at Belgrade's Hala sportova featuring guest artists such as Zoran Kostić "Cane" from Partibrejkers, Aleksandar Popov "Dr Pop" of Atheist Rap, and a brass section including members of Eyesburn.
On July 9, 2015, Goblini inaugurated the main stage of the Novi Sad Exit Festival. The following year, they contributed a cover of KUD Idijoti's "Marjane, Marjane" to the tribute compilation Za tebe - A Tribute to KUD Idijoti.
Discography
- Goblini (1994)
- Istinite priče I deo (1994)
- U magnovenju (1996)
- Re Contra (1999)
- Roba s greškom (2013)
- Jednina (2019)
Bibliography
- EX YU ROCK enciklopedija 1960-2006, Janjatović Petar