Branimir Štulić facts for kids

Branimir "Johnny" Štulić, born on April 11, 1953, is a famous singer, songwriter, and musician from the former country of Yugoslavia. He is best known as the leader and main singer of the popular rock band Azra. Johnny was known for his exciting performances on stage and his inspiring song lyrics. His songs often mixed rock music with important messages about society. This made him a very popular and admired figure, especially among young people.

Early Life and Education

Johnny Štulić was born in Skopje on April 11, 1953. At that time, his parents were living there because his father was an officer in the army. His family was originally from Nin in Croatia. When he was seven, Johnny and his family moved to a town called Jastrebarsko.

In 1967, Johnny moved to Zagreb. There, he went to high school. Later, he studied subjects like phonetics and history at the University of Zagreb. He studied for two years before deciding to leave college.

Music Career Highlights

Johnny Štulić started his music journey with a band called "Balkan Sevdah band." They played his own songs and also covers of famous bands like The Beatles. They also played traditional folk music. In 1977, the band's name was changed to Azra.

Azra's Rise to Fame

The first members of Azra soon left to form another popular band called Film. But Azra continued, and during the 1980s, they became one of the most important and well-known music groups in Yugoslavia. Being in Azra made Johnny Štulić very famous across the country. He gained many dedicated young fans. Johnny often used his music to share his thoughts on the social and political situations in Yugoslavia.

Life and Music After Azra

Since 1986, Johnny Štulić has been living in the Netherlands. From 1989, he started performing under his own name. He released solo albums like Balkanska rapsodija (1989) and Balegari ne vjeruju sreći (1990).

When it became clear that Yugoslavia might break apart, Johnny recorded the album Sevdah za Paulu Horvat in 1991. He also made a documentary film called Das ist Johnny. This film showed his view from a hotel window in Sarajevo, and he sadly said that "soon all would burn." His last known visit to the region was in 1995 in Belgrade. There, he produced another album called Anali and promoted a book.

Views on Yugoslavia

After the conflicts in Yugoslavia, Johnny Štulić often spoke about how much he disagreed with the country splitting up. He strongly believed in Yugoslavism, which was the idea of all the different parts of Yugoslavia staying united. He also believed in "Brotherhood and unity," a motto from that time.

He once said, "I have no passport, no money and no place to go back to." He explained that his Yugoslav passport had expired, and since Yugoslavia no longer existed, he felt like he had lost his home country. He saw himself as Yugoslav and said that Yugoslavia was his only country. After most of the conflicts ended in 1995, Johnny recorded two more solo albums. The last one, Blase, was released in 1997.

Life in the Netherlands Today

In 2005, Johnny Štulić published his autobiography called Smijurija u mjerama. A Croatian journalist named Hrvoje Horvat also wrote a book about Johnny called Fantom slobode (meaning "The Phantom of Freedom") in 2006. Because Johnny was so popular, this book sold very well.

Today, Johnny Štulić lives a simple and private life in Houten, Netherlands, with his wife. He usually does not give interviews. He has said he is not interested in returning to his rock music career. However, he has recorded and shared over 600 traditional songs, cover songs, and some new original music on YouTube. He has also worked on translating many old and medieval books into Serbo-Croatian.

Legal Disputes and Beliefs

In 2012, Johnny started a lawsuit against Croatia Records. This company was the successor to his old record label, Jugoton. He sued them over money he believed he was owed for his music (royalty rights). He also sued a book publisher for using his work without permission.

Johnny strongly stated that Azra was not just a "Croatian band." He saw himself as Yugoslav and believed that Yugoslavia was his only true country. He has said he does not want to perform in the new countries that formed after Yugoslavia broke up. He explained that he moved far away from people who suddenly wanted to fight each other. He also mentioned that he does not have a passport and is not interested in getting one to visit Croatia or Serbia.

Discography

• Balkanska rapsodija (1989, Jugoton)
• Balegari ne vjeruju sreći (1990, Jugoton)
• Sevdah za Paulu Horvat (1991, Komuna)
• Anali (1995, Komuna)
• Blase (1997, Hi-Fi Centar)