Josipa in the Museum

 

I was familiar with photography by Željko Koprolčec because he was behind some of the most interesting LP covers of pop albums when I was growing up in the 1980s. Namely, he was the photographer who created covers for Aska, Zrinko Tutić, Adi Karaselimović, Dalibor Brun, Novi Fosili, Đurđica Barlović, Ivo Pattiera and Arsen Dedić. Clearly, he was a successful and busy man. But I know him chiefly as a man behind the fabulous cover of 1982 album by my favourite Josipa Lisac - it was designed as an eye-catching, stunning cover and it presented Josipa as a fully fledged rock star. I was impressionable teenager and for me this was the best thing ever. To this day I envy people who got this as a concert poster. They continued collaboration and it seems like it brought up the best in both of them, he was clearly inspired by her confidence and she was in her element. 

I have just found several more of this photographs, some of them outtakes from sessions for 1982 album cover, others created later, most of them I have never seen before. There are still more of these pics that I have to discover and it makes me happy to see them, since its all new and fresh to me. 

Around 1998 Koprolčec actually presented a photo exhibition in Zagreb's Museum of Arts and Crafts focused exclusively on Lisac - it was not unusual for the pop singers to be subject of a photo exhibitions, but to my knowledge this was the first exhibition focused exclusively on one person and it validated Lisac's position as more than just a pop singer - at this point, she was a cultural icon. If I remember correctly, the exhibition itself was celebrated by two concerts by Lisac - one for the press and one for the audience. I was there and I recall Lisac being backed by late jazz maestro Boško Petrović in Duke Ellington's "Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me". It was a very interesting, unusual musical evening because Lisac selected songs from left and right - not only her pop repertoire but also for example church song "Panis Angelicus" that I particularly remember because it was the first time I ever heard that song and had to look it up afterwards. To this day, I also remember thinking that "Janino ludilo" from "Gubec beg" (a famous mad scene from our first, 1975. rock opera) was perhaps too sombre for a pop concert because it killed the mood instantly. I do remember the exhibition and the concert very well - press reported about some disagreement between the diva and photographer - she gave concerts but declined to be at the opening. I also bought a beautiful photo album that was on sale and lost it immediately, since I started moving between countries and continents soon afterwards. These photographs remind me on that evening. 

Tribute to the cult rock album sans original performer

Thanks to wonders of youtube I stumbled upon something very dear and close to my heart - a concert tribute to legendary all-star Croatian LP album from 1973. The album itself was a debut studio showcase for than 23 year old Josipa Lisac who was surrounded by the cream of local musicians and it is now considered to be one of undisputed masterpiece of Croatian rock music, with generations after generations of new listeners discovering it trough the years. During my teenage years, lady herself would very rarely perform these old songs, since she had tons of new material and was happy introducing new songs that her partner Karlo Metikoš tailored specifically for her - I clearly remember even back than, in 1982 people would complain that her voice is now not what it was before and that she changed her style too much from the original recordings - fast forward to 2023 and she had metamorphosed so much into almost unrecognisable artist than nowadays her concert performances hardly resemble those old recordings - at this point she is all about jazzy improvisations and experimentations that alienate quite a lot of people, including (dare I say it?) me as I grew up with original recordings and loved every note.

On June 10th, 2023 there was a very interesting performance tribute to this whole album by a young local band, led by vocalist Lucija Pećar Končić and her guys - they performed a complete album in chronological order and in original arrangements, as they were recorded in 1973. Josipa Lisac herself was amused and flattered that her masterpiece (now 50 years old) is apparently capable to exist on its own without her, but she was not present or performing in the concert - it was all about the music, not about her. I knew vaguely about this but was not expecting to find it available on youtube and when I discovered it today, I must say that I was overjoyed. After all, I know every single word and every note by heart.

 

One interesting thing that struck me immediately is "oh, they really followed original recording note by note" - by now we are so accustomed that Lisac is constantly experimenting with new versions that it comes as a shock to hear album the way it was. At first i wasn't even sure what I think about it - I thought, well, copying original note by note can be done by anybody, right? Even I could do exactly what the singer Lucija Pećar Končić was doing here, just give me a microphone and a spotlight, I know every word and every single ornamentation. And this is one of the reasons why Lisac is such a celebrated singer, because she never rested on her laurels but was constantly changing and evolving (to the point that now she is singer's singer but too complicated for wide audience). But after a while I got so carried away with the music, that I didn't care anymore - I was singing along from the top of my lungs and decided that even in this, obviously well-studied version, its simply a labour of love from musicians who love, admire and know this music - its a joy to see all of them so young and so clearly in love with music. And it confused me a bit, since I never really liked how Lisac herself was twisting original recordings into something unrecognisable but now when I see it performed exactly as it was my reaction was "hm, that is too easy". In any case, this live concert made me very happy and I have not only shared it around with everybody but also listening right now, its the soundtrack of my life and I can only hope that in the future there will be more of similar tribute concerts to this fabulous music and this wonderful lady.

   

More of Josipa

 

Because it is 50th anniversary of our legendary rock masterpiece "Dnevnik jedne ljubavi" (The Diary of One Love), Croatian rock legend Josipa Lisac is all over the news again - while haters will hate, fans are celebrating this fantastic piece of music released back in 1973. and to my biggest surprise no less than Croatian State Archives have published several less known photographs celebrating this outstanding artist - amongst others, there was a photo that even I as a hard-core fan have never seen before, so I was thrilled to bits to discover it and admiring it ever since.

The photo was taken in 1973. just when "Dnevnik jedne ljubavi" was released and my guess would be that it was the same photo shoot that produced picture later used for her 1973. single aimed for that year Eurovision. Up to that point her music was quite downbeat (which I loved but it did not register in sales) and starting from now her lover, composer and Svengali Karlo Metikoš will steer her into more upbeat direction, resulting with this single and subsequent rock releases. There is a clear, audible change in sound, starting from now she will be our only female rock singer for quite a while. Above mentioned single was one of three attempts to break Josipa into Eurovision - she went on national TV selection in 1969, 1973 and 1987 - curiously, seems that her visual extravagance always worked against her and the mainstream audience just couldn't accept her so she never went further than local competition but 1973. and 1987. songs were major hits nevertheless. Because her later visual metamorphoses were so striking and memorable, public tends to forget how relatively demure she was at the start (and even more entertaining is the idea that this was supposed to be outrageous and rebellious back than). 

"Dnevnik jedne ljubavi" 50th Anniversary

 

Not long ago I wrote here about the intense negative reaction to our Croatian rock legend Josipa Lisac performing national anthem on the inauguration of the new president - online discussions and hatred were fanned by constant media surveys and it was just so bizarre that suddenly the most subversive person in the country turned out to be a 70 year old lady. Mind you - there was absolutely nothing disrespectful or wrong with her interpretation, its simply that we always heard that melody as a  bombastic chorus so perhaps people were taken aback that someone had jazzed it up. Lots of people took it personally and some even claimed Lisac mocked our national anthem - it was a huge scandal and for a while the main subject of discussions online, until Covid pandemic swept everything away.

Since Lisac was always my all-time favourite singer, I was alarmed with all of this and even wondered how will she continue after this but continued she did - in fact, being one of the biggest stars in the country, she just kept on going. She was amongst the rare musicians creating online virtual concert for the paying audience and later continued with touring for her ever-faithful audiences. She declined competing anymore for the annual national Porin award, saying that she won enough awards in her lifetime and it they might be more necessary for younger, not yet established musicians. As the concert activity and live performances eventually continued, it became clear that those who loved and supported her trough all these years continued to do so, while those who never liked and understand her, continued to mock and criticise her. Its just that internet gave them soapbox to spew their hatred and frustration. 

This year marks exactly 50th anniversary of her debut album "Dnevnik jedne ljubavi" (The Diary of one love) released in 1973. Accidentally it was also the year when our biggest concert hall Vatroslav Lisinski was open so it was only naturally that the concert celebrating this anniversary will happen there - while online hatred continued, tickets were sold out immediately and because of the huge interest, extra concert date was added. By all accounts, the concert nr.1 was a huge success and people loved it but there was some concern when lady came on the stage with a walking stick - a very stylish walking stick, but still apparently unexpected. It turned out, our ageless rock lady who always refuses to accept years and claims to be forever young inside actually developed sciatica which is a extremely painful condition usually connected with ageing process - now I remember that she was already seen with a walking stick onstage during performance on Porin awards in 2010. but back than nobody paid any attention to it. So it might be that she quietly worked with sciatica for years, until now it became unbearable. The latest news is that the concert nr.2 has been cancelled and postponed for now, since lady can't perform - to be honest, she is 73 now and perhaps this is a sign that she should just slow down.

Josipa still going strong

Not long ago I was alarmed with the amount of hatred and negativity focused on 72 year old Croatian rock icon Josipa Lisac who was invited as a special guest on the inauguration of latest president and dared to perform very unorthodox, jazzed up version of the Croatian national anthem - what was meant to be a prestigious gig, turned into a huge scandal because apparently people were not accustomed on any liberties being taken with the anthem and there were all sort of accusations made against her, people took it as she was a traitor who purposely mocked it, etc. There was a call to boycott her concerts and even a legal court complaint against her. It was a huge storm (fanned by media who just wouldn't leave it alone and were constantly provoking another survey after survey about public opinion).

In the middle of all this storm, lady herself stayed quiet and would not discuss her musical choices. She did came to collect her lifetime achievement award on TV and firmly but politely skipped the question about the anthem. While the public roared in angry arguments, it became clear what a polarising artist she always has been: people either absolutely love her or can't stand her. There was never middle ground with her, as long as I can remember. This is probably the fate of all genuine giants, they are just so darn individual. I was upset and even myself got into arguments with complete strangers online, it was tooth and nail for a while. I felt as this was culmination of accumulated anger and frustration that has nothing really to do with great lady herself but people were just so darn miserable for too long and probably felt she was too big diva. On the other hand, if you dare to throw mud on one of the major cornerstones in our music, well who is the next than? 

Before you know it, Covid virus erupted and put this scandal aside: suddenly something that people did not take seriously at all ("Its something happening far away") stopped our everyday lives completely and there were no concerts or performances anymore. On top of it all, Croatia got struck with series of earthquakes and than it snowed on them all, it was as end of the world for a while. And guess who still continued - as much as it was possible in the circumstances - you are right, no other but 72 year old, ex enfant terrible Josipa who somehow managed to record a new video clip in a damaged museum space (where she used to sing, I was on those concerts) and slowly but surely continued to give performances when it was allowed. She even gave first ever Croatian virtual concert for which audience had to buy the ticket and log in at exact time. 

Contrary to what I thought, that anthem scandal with turn people against her, it showed who her public is. Perhaps this is why she didn't bother to explain herself to inquisitive journalists: probably she understood long ago that its not critics but supporters who truly matter. The public opinion is still divided and will forever be, when she is concerned - but there is a very strong support amongst the audience flocking to her concerts, buying her music and showing a great affection for her. Judging from the pictures from her live concerts, there is nothing to worry about. I am actually pleasantly surprised. 

Diva overload

 

I watched from a far this year's Croatian music awards "Porin" - inaugurated in 1994. right after Croatia became independent country and it is a local version of "Grammy" but unfortunately it is a small country so awards seems to go in the circles and its always same faces congratulating each other, occasional posthumous award and three recording companies patting themselves at the back. I know this is not what anybody wants to hear, but the size of homegrown market means that this is neither big, nor important really - it is what happens between several towns. I grew up in much, much bigger Yugoslavia  where market was six times bigger, competition far more stronger and getting a national award meant achieving actual success across the borders - in comparison, our tiny "Porin" is like a children's garden party. Oh well. 

Two veteran singers who were genuine superstars back in the days of Yugoslavia and are still around were photographed together - I find it very interesting because there are not many photographs of Tereza Kesovija (82) and Josipa Lisac (71) together, although they must have shared same stages, musicians, colleagues and surely same lyrics writer (Ivica Krajač) during 50 years in music. They both created their own individual paths and enjoyed impressive careers, perfectly comfortable in their own orbits and always talking respectfully about each other. Perhaps this is a sign of a true superstars who are relaxed and don't hold a grudge, unlike some of their contemporaries who were never even close to their success but still complain about not getting their due. Oh, the curse of backup singers ...

Both ladies were huge superstars back in 1960s and 1970s when I was growing up, so they had to establish themselves amongst far bigger competition. While Lisac eventually re-designed herself as the first local rock diva, Kesovija also balanced a French career together with homegrown and just a few days ago French government awarded her with Officier des Arts et des Lettres (she was already a Chevalier two decades ago, around the same time as Philip Glass, Tina Turner and Yohji Yamamoto). Its wonderful to see them happy and still going strong. 

Backlash for the First Lady of Croatian Rock

What a difference a day makes ...

In just 24 hours it seems that what was meant to be prestigious and highly publicised appearance at inauguration of the new Croatian president seriously backfired at the my all-time favourite Croatian music artist Josipa Lisac who otherwise had a very successful, respected and long career. She had just celebrated her 70th birthday with sold out concert in Sava Centre, Belgrade and fresh from that triumph arrived at this inauguration at the invitation of president Milanović himself - I was very surprised that she accepted this invitation not only because usually she kept away from politicians but also because I truly believe that it is not wise to mingle with such crowd, they have tendency to slide down and pull everyone with them. But she is our über diva and either genuinely supported new president or could not excuse herself from this occasion, who knows - in any case, for the very first time in her career it actually turned into a debacle.

Josipa was always a very unusual, highly polarising artist: as long as I remember her, there was something about her that divided people. They would either fanatically love her or adamantly be hostile towards her - unusual and unrepentant as she always was, with decades she grew into living legend and her eccentricities eventually came to be accepted - at least this is what I thought, since media was usually celebrating her unique status as a survivor in a fickle business that chews its stars. Without a doubt she was her own woman with unique voice and although visual cellophane often eclipsed everything else, it all came as  package and this is what people expected from her. One thing that always bothered me, was the understanding that she broke the ice as our very first female Rock artist but in all these years there was nobody else seriously following her path - all those other girls would enjoy a moment in the spotlight, just to disappear and no one had this genuinely eccentric, adventurous spirit like Lisac who grew into a "crazy aunt". 

She was invited on inauguration by president himself and arrived there with some young pianist in a tow, all ready to go and perform the national anthem as its apparently now already a tradition in a world, big diva singing for a president. It was a serious misstep. This was a moment when the whole nation watched inauguration on TV and apparently Croatians were not familiar with the way Aretha, Whitney or Chaka Khan perform the anthem in their own, recognisable manner - being traditional as they are, Croatians were shocked, appalled and infuriated when Lisac did her usual shtick and twisted the national anthem around, the way she improvise and twist everything she sings for decades already. Personally I didn't find it different from what she is doing otherwise - this is what she was celebrated for all these years - after all, she is known as a mother of vocal mannerism and by now everybody is familiar with her style. It would perhaps have been better to have some other, more mainstream artist who would perform the darn thing like in a schoolbook, note for note - what happened now is that the whole country is in uproar, people are seriously infuriated and the backlash is so huge that there is even a court case against her (for somebody complained that she mocked the national anthem). Just as I was afraid, her eccentricity finally broke the straw and there is a very public, virulent outcry against her - haters who never liked her are now united - everything that previously she was applauded for is now turned against her and this is a very public lynch against "crazy aunt" who actually never harmed anyone but dared to be different. And its very interesting that all these years she was celebrated for her own eccentricity and originality but deep inside Croatians are traditionalists who actually dislike this qualities, now the moment came when she is publicly mocked for being who she always was. 

And it all happened in only 24 hours! One long, successful and impressive career publicly crashed down with a thunder in a day. As expected, the roar of haters is far louder than gentle support of her fans - this is always the case - the insults are piling up and I can't even imagine what the lady feels right now, being in a eye of the storm. Knowing the way she usually lives in her own reality and the way she is, she is not making things better by admitting that "it was difficult for her to perform so early because she usually never wakes up before 11 a.m"  - a typical comment from her but taken very badly by frustrated public who finally had enough of her. Than also there is a matter of being pop artist of certain age who is still hanging around and overstaying the welcome - damned if you do and damn if you don't - the tabloids have field day with this and seems that people are seriously divided on the issue, I am naturally very upset with this mob attack on an sweet, elderly eccentric lady who has always been harmless and sophisticated pearl amongst rural pack. She has been nr.1 singer for me my whole life so I can't just change my mind now suddenly and even if its true that she should have retired long time ago, rude and vulgar attack on her are deeply distressing. Because it sounds like cautionary tale: if one giant and living legend like Lisac can be publicly mocked, tarred and feathered, than what is the point of putting people on pedestals. 

Josipa Lisac Live 2013.

This year I was lucky enough to have vacation at Christmas time (second time in ten years!) + hear my all-time favourite singer live exactly at the time when she had two sold out concerts in Zagreb's "Vatroslav Lisinski" concert hall, celebrating 40 years from release of her now-classic, debut album "Dnevnik jedne ljubavi" (Diary of one love) that has never been out of print ever since & was recently re-released on vinyl again.

My friend assumed that Josipa (63 now) is probably not force she was all those years ago, but surprisingly we were both amazed with lady's undiminished vocal power - in fact, seems she sound better than ever now. Surrounded by virtuoso backing musicians, she was the biggest virtuoso of all, swooping and thundering high and low with that recognisable, powerful nasal voice  and audience was thrilled. I must say that I watched it all somehow detached from all that adulation, because I found that all these vocal acrobatics became a dead end - even back in the day of Ex Yu, when competition was much bigger, Josipa was counted among handful of our all-time great singers and today it seems that she grew as artist in another direction, where playful vocalising and circling around original melody became her main goal. I noted that almost every single song has been turned around and twisted somehow into new dimensions, not necessarily a good thing. The only time when I truly enjoyed was during old classic "Ležaj od suza" that was left miraculously untouched and rocked just the way it was supposed, the rest of the concert Josipa improvised and insisted on new arrangements that the rest of audience loved but I found a bit tiresome. All those beautiful old songs were stretched beyond recognition and yes, guys were excellent, Josipa is still authoritative stage presence (with amazing voice) but I constantly wished that she showed off just a little less - perhaps occasional improvisation would be better thing that this overkill of theatrics. She has always played around the melody but now it seems like it became main focus of her live performances. Amazing singing but as I said, where does it lead? Standing ovations of course, though I was very tired at the end.