# Kongres

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**Kongres** (transl. *Congress*) was a [Yugoslav](/source/SFRY) [rock](/source/Rock_music) band formed in [Sarajevo](/source/Sarajevo) in 1982. The group was a prominent act of the 1980s [Yugoslav rock scene](/source/Yugoslav_rock_scene).

## History

### 1982–1985

Kongres was formed in Sarajevo in the spring of 1982 by guitarist and vocalist Mahir Purivatra, vocalist Emir Cerić, keyboardist [Jadranko "Dado" Džihan](/source/Dado_D%C5%BEihan), bass guitarist [Aljoša Buha](/source/Aljo%C5%A1a_Buha) and drummer Adam Subašić.[1] They were inspired to name the band Kongres by 1982 congresses of [League of Communists of Yugoslavia](/source/League_of_Communists_of_Yugoslavia) and [League of Socialist Youth of Yugoslavia](/source/League_of_Socialist_Youth_of_Yugoslavia), on which changes in Yugoslav society were announced.[1] As the members of the group desired changes on the Yugoslav music scene, they opted for the name Kongres.[1]

The band had their first live performance in autumn of 1982 in Sarajevo club Sloga, on joint concert with two bands associated with [New Primitivism](/source/New_Primitivism) movement, [Zabranjeno Pušenje](/source/Zabranjeno_Pu%C5%A1enje) and [Elvis J. Kurtović & His Meteors](/source/Elvis_J._Kurtovi%C4%87_%26_His_Meteors).[1] Initially, Kongres collaborated with graphic artist Davor Papić, who brought up the idea of the band distributing flyers and broadcasting films and [photographic slides](/source/Photographic_slide) on their concerts,[1] but later the group would turn towards less simpler approach.[1] Their early songs featured mostly social-related lyrics.[1] On their first concert in the country's capital [Belgrade](/source/Belgrade), held in December 1982, they performed the song "Bijeli šljemovi, crna reakcija" ("White Helmets, Black Reaction"), dedicated to Yugoslav [miners](/source/Miner).[1] However, after spending about 20 days in [Herzegovina](/source/Herzegovina) [bauxite](/source/Bauxite) mines, where they worked as part-time clerks, the members of the band realized the song had little to do with reality of miners' life and dropped it out of their repertoire.[1] Kongres had their discographic debut in 1984, appearing on [Diskoton](/source/Diskoton) various artists compilation *Nove snage, nove nade* (*New Forces, New Hopes*) with the songs "Djevojka na snijegu" ("A Girl in the Snow") and "Zabava" ("Entertainment").[1]

The band recorded their debut album *Zarjavele trobente* ([Slovene](/source/Slovene_language) for *Rusty Trumpets*) as a trio consisting of Purivatra, Buha and Subašić, as prior to the recording sessions Cerić had left the group and Džihan had moved to Zabranjeno Pušenje.[1] The keyboards on the album were played by Zabranjeno Pušenje member Dražen Janković.[1] The album songs were written by Purivatra and Subašić, featuring lyrics in [Serbo-Croatian](/source/Serbo-Croatian), with the exception of the title track and two more songs, with lyrics in Slovene.[1] The Slovene language lyrics were provided by Aljoša Buha, whose mother was [Slovene](/source/Slovenes).[1] [Zoran Predin](/source/Zoran_Predin), frontman for popular [SR Slovenia](/source/SR_Slovenia)-based band [Lačni Franz](/source/La%C4%8Dni_Franz), made a guest appearance on the album, in the new version of "Zabava" and in the title track, writing the refrain for the latter.[1] Later during the year, Predin would use the same refrain for Lačni Franz song "Jutri bom pujsa razbil" ("I'll Break the Pig in the Morning"), released on their album *Slon med porcelanom* (*Elephant in a China Shop*).[1] *Zarjavele trobente* brought [new wave](/source/New_wave_music)-oriented songs, with depressive lyrics in the songs like "Zabava", "Alisa prodaje zemlju čudesa" ("[Alice](/source/Alice_(Alice's_Adventures_in_Wonderland)) Is Selling the [Wonderland](/source/Wonderland_(fictional_country))") and "Sumrak" ("Dusk").[1] For the promotional tour the band was joined by guitarist Igor Ivanović (later a member of [Crvena Jabuka](/source/Crvena_Jabuka)) and keyboardist Edo Gradinčić.[1]

After the promotional tour, the band began working on their second studio album, but soon split into two factions.[2] They eventually reunited and started to negotiate cooperation with [Marko Brecelj](/source/Marko_Brecelj), but disbanded before making any recordings.[2]

### Post breakup

In 1985, Buha joined the newly-formed [pop rock](/source/Pop_rock) band [Crvena Jabuka](/source/Crvena_Jabuka).[2] He took part in the recording of their 1986 [self-titled debut album](/source/Crvena_jabuka_(album)).[3] At the beginning of the promotional tour, on 18 September 1986, the band members were involved in a car accident which killed Buha and the group's frontman [Dražen Ričl](/source/Dra%C5%BEen_Ri%C4%8Dl).[3]

After Kongres disbanded, Purivatra and Subašić retired from the scene.[2] During the [Bosnian War](/source/Bosnian_War), Subašić got wounded in Sarajevo.[2] He has published several books: the [children's book](/source/Children's_book) *Čokolend princeza osmeha* (*Chocoland Princess of Smiles*, 2009), novels *Tečaj brzog spavanja* (*The Fast Sleeping Course*, 2012) and *Dobri – u potrazi za imenom* (*The Good Ones – In Search of a Name*, 2015) and books of poetry *Mirno spavaj Melvana* (*Sleep Peacefully, Melvana*, 2018), *Pustinjska ruža* (*Desert Rose*, 2019), *Ptice kao mi* (*Birds Like Us*, 2021) and *U Bosni budan budi* (*Stay Awake in Bosnia*, 2022).[2]

## Legacy

[Zoran Predin](/source/Zoran_Predin) recorded a new version of the song "Zarjavele trobente" for his 1992 album *Gate na glavo* (*Upside Down*).[4] The song was covered by [Crvena Jabuka](/source/Crvena_Jabuka) on their 2005 studio album *[Oprosti što je ljubavna](/source/Oprosti_%C5%A1to_je_ljubavna)* (*Forgive Me for This Song Being a Love Song*).[5] Bosnian band [Dubioza Kolektiv](/source/Dubioza_Kolektiv) and Predin recorded a version of the song in December 2020, releasing it as a single.[6]

## Discography

### Studio albums

- *Kongres* (1984)

## References

1. Janjatović, Petar (2024). *Ex YU rock enciklopedija 1960-2023*. Belgrade: self-released / Makart. p. 152.

1. Janjatović, Petar (2024). *Ex YU rock enciklopedija 1960-2023*. Belgrade: self-released / Makart. p. 153.

1. Janjatović, Petar (2024). *Ex YU rock enciklopedija 1960-2023*. Belgrade: self-released / Makart. p. 59.

1. [*Gate na glavo* at Discogs](https://www.discogs.com/release/923135-Zoran-Predin-Gate-Na-Glavo)

1. Janjatović, Petar (2024). *Ex YU rock enciklopedija 1960-2023*. Belgrade: self-released / Makart. p. 60.

1. ["VIDEO: Dubioza Kolektiv z Zoranom Predinom odigrali ‘Zarjavele trobente’", ALTR](https://altr.si/video-dubioza-kolektiv-z-zoranom-predinom-odigrali-zarjavele-trobente/)

## External links

- [Kongres](https://www.discogs.com/artist/861133-Kongres) at [Discogs](/source/Discogs)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kongres](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kongres) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kongres?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.