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Bijelo Dugme's Second Album Sold 200,000 Copies on Day One, Managerial Shake-ups Revealed
๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ท Croatia /Culture & Society

Bijelo Dugme's Second Album Sold 200,000 Copies on Day One, Managerial Shake-ups Revealed

From Veฤernji List · () Croatian

Translated from Croatian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • The second album by Yugoslav rock band Bijelo Dugme, recorded in London, sold over 200,000 copies on its first day of release.
  • The band's manager, Vladimir Mihaljek, was abruptly replaced by Aleksandar Tijaniฤ‡ in 1974, but a phone call from a friend led to Tijaniฤ‡ backing down.
  • Despite a successful recording in London and a strong initial sales performance, the band's collaboration with Mihaljek ended in autumn 1975.

The second album by the legendary Yugoslav rock band Bijelo Dugme, recorded in London's Air Recording studio, achieved remarkable success, selling over 200,000 copies on its release day in December 1975. The band's manager at the time, Vladimir Mihaljek, who had worked with them since their inception, misjudged their longevity, believing their career would last only one season. This led to a premature end to their collaboration in the autumn of 1975.

We experienced a shock...

โ€” Vlado Pravdiฤ‡Recalling the moment the band's second album was finished and they turned on the studio monitors.

Mihaljek's initial involvement with the band began in 1974. A significant event occurred in Belgrade when Aleksandar Tijaniฤ‡, then a concert organizer, confronted Mihaljek, demanding he hand over management of Bijelo Dugme. Mihaljek, intimidated, agreed and informed the band. However, a quick intervention by a friend, Raลกa ฤelmaลก, who made a phone call, resolved the situation, with Tijaniฤ‡ withdrawing his claim.

The second album by Bijelo Dugme sold more than 200,000 copies on its first day.

โ€” Vlado Pravdiฤ‡Describing the immense popularity of the band's second album upon its release.

Despite the managerial shifts and the band's own experiences, such as playfully 'cheating' a coffee machine at the London studio, their second album resonated deeply with audiences. The initial release saw fans in Zagreb smashing the window of the Jugoton store to get their hands on the records. The album's success confirmed the high expectations surrounding the band, solidifying their status in the Yugoslav rock scene.

Miha did a good job for himself and for us, but he misjudged us as a group whose lifespan was one season.

โ€” Vlado Pravdiฤ‡Explaining the reasons for the eventual split with their manager, Vladimir Mihaljek.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Veฤernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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