Rambo Amadeus
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Rambo Amadeus | |
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film music | |
Occupation(s) |
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Instrument(s) |
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Years active | 1988–present |
Website | ramboamadeus |
Antonije Pušić (
His songs combine
His concerts are never mere repetitions of recorded songs, but a mixture of free improvisation and satirical humor exploiting all aspects of human nature in a crude manner. Some fans compare his style with Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart.
Rambo Amadeus represented Montenegro in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan, with the song "Euro Neuro".[2]
Early life
Antonije Pušić was born in Kotor, SR Montenegro, SFR Yugoslavia though his family lived in nearby Herceg Novi where he was raised. His writer and painter mother Bosiljka was born in Ćuprija and raised in Jagodina, Serbia before meeting Ilija Pušić from the coastal village of Kumbor near Herceg Novi and moving there upon marrying him.[3] The couple soon moved to Herceg Novi proper and started a family.[3] After completing elementary and secondary education in his hometown, Antonije graduated in tourism studies from the University of Belgrade's Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. He also completed six grades of elementary music school for piano before dropping out.
Before pursuing music and performing arts as a career choice, Pušić was an accomplished competitive sailor. Between 1972 and 1984, he represented Yugoslavia in numerous international
He began to sing and compose during his first year of high school (
In 1985, he moved to Belgrade in pursuit of higher education. Parallel to his university studies, he also played with various amateur bands and musicians.
Musical career
1970s
In 1979, Rambo Amadeus started off in a band called "Radioaktivni otpad," which was short lived. He was also in a band called "The Blues Band." He didn't like the content produced, so he rearranged the setup. The band lasted throughout his high school years, playing in Herceg Novi, Nikšić and Igalo (5 km distance from Herceg Novi).[4]
1980s
In 1988, he dropped into the music scene out of nowhere with his debut album
Producer
His next album Hoćemo gusle was released in 1989 and gave a small taste of Rambo's future musical direction – overt political satire. The track "Amerika i Engleska (biće zemlja proleterska)" was originally supposed to be named "Kataklizma komunizma" (Cataclysm of Communism) but local authorities did not allow it. The album title pokes fun at a bizarre event from the 1989 protests in Montenegro that eventually grew into the anti-bureaucratic revolution that swept Milo Đukanović, Momir Bulatović, and Svetozar Marović into power. Protesters were heard chanting "Hoćemo Ruse" ("We want the Russians"), but when the authorities and state-controlled media criticized them for it, many quickly began backpedaling by claiming they actually chanted "Hoćemo gusle" ("We want gusle").
Other songs like "Glupi hit" and the aforementioned "Balkan boy" would also become considerable hits. Rambo even received solid critical acclaim for chances he took in "Samit u buregdžinici Laibach". On that track, he created a catchy hybrid by mixing the unique sound of
1990s
In the early 1990s, Rambo was growing into an established performer. His third album Psihološko propagandni komplet M-91 came out towards the end of 1991 at a time when the breakup of the former Yugoslavia was already in full swing. For obvious reasons, the least of which was the album's subtitle – Psychological Propaganda Set, many songs contained heavy lyrics and a dark, militaristic atmosphere. In your face profanity and descriptive cursing was also par for the course, making this the first major music release in former Yugoslavia to take such narrative liberties. Tracks like "Smrt popa Mila Jovovića" (30-year-old poem by Božo Đuranović), "Jemo voli jem" (incorporating samples from Yugoslav aviators' anthem "Hej vojnici vazduhoplovci" as well as Šemsa Suljaković's "Izgubila sve sam bitke"), "Inspektor Nagib" and "Zdravo damo" became instant hits.
The discrepancy between what's listed on the cover and what is actually recorded is there again as sleeve announces the track called "KPGS" which would, this time for real, appear on the next live album, but does not list "Halid invalid Hari" and "Prijatelju, prijatelju" which were included and became big hits. Many consider the two tracks to be classic Rambo: observant, opinionated, direct and profane. The latter of the two originally included excerpts from Slobodan Milošević and Franjo Tuđman speeches, but the record company censors took them out.
This album further solidified Rambo's presence on the scene as he started playing bigger arenas like
During "Belgrade spring" festival in 1992. he showed civil courage when he interrupted a concert by "Bebi Dol" during live TV broadcast and said to tens of thousands of viewers:
"As we play here bombs are falling on Dubrovnik and Tuzla. We won't entertain the political voters no more. F*** your mothers!"
He threw the microphone on the floor, left the stage and the show was over.
Trying to take the new situation in stride, he hit the road, becoming one of the first performers from
After the live album KPGS (taped on 29 December 1992 in Skopje) that included the new studio track "Karamba karambita" followed by a greatest hits compilation Izabrana dela 1989–1994, Rambo recorded peculiar new material during July 1995 in Paris with Goran Vejvoda. Released the following year as Mikroorganizmi, it featured an inaccessible, moody sound garnered with terse, experimental music marking a sizable departure from his usual antics.
He simultaneously released Muzika za decu, a personal musical take on Ljubivoje Ršumović's poetry featuring two bonus new tracks – "Sex" and "ABVGD".
Old-school Rambo fans did not have to wait long for a return to earlier style. Towards the end of 1996, on
An extensive tour followed and it again included Slovenia (a live album was recorded over two
On 9 June 1998 Rambo played Belgrade's Dom Sindikata hall in what he announced to be the farewell performance before retirement. Even if many doubted his sincerity, the concert was a memorable one. Soon, Rambo packed his bags and left for the Netherlands, though not before squeezing in two more shows in Bosnia. In the Netherlands, he worked a series of menial jobs including construction, before deciding to return to Belgrade after only four months abroad. Back home, not surprisingly, he also returned to music and continued to break down inter-ethnic barriers: on 10 December 1998 he and Margita Stefanović played a show in Pula at the local cinema with KUD Idijoti, which was a first opportunity since the war for a Croatian audience to see performers from Serbia and Montenegro.
2000s
Throughout 2000, Rambo worked on what would eventually become the Don't Happy, Be Worry album. This album included the song Laganese which sampled the
In 2004, Rambo released his third live album
He made a song "Dikh tu kava" in collaboration with ethno-jazz fusion band Kal, and in 2007 he appeared on their album as a featured artist in the song "Komedija" ("Comedy").
In autumn 2007 he did a performance called "Mixing of alternative rocks", when he "played" on 12 concrete mixers in front of the audience during The Alternative Rock Festival in
For the purpose of the New Year's show on RTV, he appeared in the song "Rakija" followed by Zorule, the traditional folk orchestra.[5] This song was used later as one of the tracks for "Vratiće se rode" TV serial. In February 2008, Rambo Amadeus performed as a guest star of The RTS Big Band jazz orchestra, for their 60th Anniversary.
Hipishizik Metafizik
2010s
Rambo Amadeus was internally selected by the Montenegrin national broadcaster
In 2013, he released a video for the new single O'Ruk on the Road Again with Three Winnettous.[9]
In 2015, he released the album and he retitled it "Samo Balade" for the album's release.
In 2016, he landed two
In 2018, he tried to represent Serbia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 with the song Nema Te, a duet with jazz singer Beti Đorđević. They performed the song in Beovizija 2018. and came 9th.[14]
Other endeavours
In addition to a prolific solo recording career, Rambo frequently engaged in different, often bizarre side projects.
- In 1989 in Sarajevo, for a short while, he hosted an erotic quiz show with actress Jasna Beri named Turbo-lilihip, which aired on a local TV station SA3.
- He wrote music for different theatre plays such as Đetić u parlament, Oksimoron, as well as Lažni car Šćepan Mali for which he was awarded the Sterija prize in 1994.
- Rambo also wrote lyrics for commercial folk stars like Lepa Brena and Vesna Zmijanac, as well as the entire score for the 1994 film Slatko od snova, which was a star vehicle for another folk performer Dragana Mirković.
- In 1994, he also wrote a musical score for the 1927 silent movie Sava Center, Rambo's music was played by the Belgrade Philharmonic. The material was later recorded by Rambo himself along with Miroslav Savić and Heavily Manipulated Orchestra, and released as Metropolis B (Tour-de-Force)
- A year later, he arranged a cadenza within "A concerto for piano and orchestra in C-minor" by W.A. Mozart. In 1995, this cadenza was performed by Ivan Tasovac, while the entire concert was conducted by Oskar Danon at Belgrade's Kolarac concert hall.
- Since early 2005, Rambo has written a column Megacarska razmišljanja (Mega-Imperial Thoughts) for the daily tabloid Blic.
- In December 2010, he was a guest on Studio B's Agape program together with Serbian Orthodox bishop Porfirije where they talked about the meaning of life, finding ones's self way in life, slowing down, drug abuse and rehabilitation (Rambo confessed to using marijuana for 20 years).[15]
- Rambo has done voice-work for the Serbian-Croatian language dubs of The Lion King franchise, Despicable Me, Ice Age: Continental Drift, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, The Angry Birds Movie and Finding Dory.
Discography
Studio albums
- O tugo jesenja (1988)
- Hoćemo gusle (1989)
- Psihološko propagandni komplet M-91 (1991)
- Muzika za decu (1995)
- Mikroorganizmi (1996)
- Titanik(1997)
- Metropolis B (tour-de-force) (1998)
- Don't Happy, Be Worry (2000) – released as Čobane vrati se in Slovenia and Croatia
- Oprem Dobro (2005)
- Hipishizik Metafizik (2008)
- Vrh Dna (2015)
- Brod budala (2020)
EPs
- Yes No (2008)
Live albums
- Kurac, Pička, Govno, Sisa (1993)
- Koncert u KUD France Prešeren (1997)
- Bolje jedno vruće pivo nego četri ladna(2004)
- Rambo Amadeus & Mutant Dance Sextet u Domu Sindikata (2011)
Compilations
- Izabrana dela (1994)
- Zbrana dela 1 (1998)
- Zbrana dela 2 (1998)
Backing band members
Current members
- Rambo Amadeus (World Kilo Tzar) – guitar, fretless guitar, vocals, arrangement
Live members
- Miroslav Tovirac – bass (2012–)
- Igor Malešević – drums, percussion (2012)
Also associated
- Aleksandra Kovač – vocals
- Kristina Kovač – vocals
- Nenad Knežević-Knez– vocals
- Goran Ljuboja "Trut" – drums
- Mihajlo Krstić – bass
- Vladimir Čukić – bass
- Vojo Dizdar – keyboards
- Digital Mandrak
- Goran Vejvoda
- Gojko Sisa
- Ilija Milutinović "Popara"
- Vitez Šablon Dimija
References
- ISBN 978-0-349-00694-9.
Rambo Amadeus, one of Serbia's most innovative artists
- ^ "Rambo Amadeus to sing "Euro-Neuro" for Montenegro". Eurovision. 29 January 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ a b Čanak, Tatjana (30 April 2004). "Ne volim dane "pod indigom"". Glas javnosti. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
- ^ Dobranović, Tena (14 June 2014). "Rambo Amadeus: "Volio bih živjeti u budućnosti – gdje su ljudi nimalo majmuni, a potpuno ljudi"". Muzika.hr. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ a b "RASMC News". Rambo Amadeus. 7 November 2007. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ "Rambo Amadeus - Hipishizik Metafizik". All Music. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ Brey, Marco (12 December 2011). "Rambo Amadeus to represent Montenegro in Baku!". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
- ^ "NAJGORI na Eurosongu! Rambo, čestitamo! VIDEO (in Serbian)". mondo.rs. Mondo. 11 May 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
- ^ "Video: Rambo Amadeus - O' Ruk on the road again". Pop Boks. 15 May 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ "Rambo Amadeus u Sax!-u predstavlja novi album "Vrh dna"". Muzika.hr. 13 November 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ Kostić, Petar (25 May 2016). "Rambo Amadeus – Vrh dna (2015)". Balkan Rock. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ Angry Birds Film sinkroniziraju zvijezde! (in Croatian)
- ^ Potraga za Nemom (on Blog.vecernji)
- ^ "Serbian Finals". Nat Finals. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ "Rambo Amadeus on marijuana". YouTube. 13 July 2008. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- Janjatovic, Petar. Ilustrovana ex-Yu rock enciklopedija 1960–2000 (dopunjeno izdanje). Novi Sad: Prometej, 2001.