Twelve Thirty - The Mamas & the Papas
It Ain't Me Babe - The Turtles
Tangled Up In Blue - Bob Dylan
Let's Live For Today - Grass Roots
Along Comes Mary - Association
I Saw Her Again - The Mamas & the Papas
Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 - Bob Dylan
Wooden Ships - Crosby, Stills & Nash
Gold - John Stewart
Homeward Bound - Simon & Garfunkel

 

Interview with the daily paper 'Novi List'

(an excerpt) at

http://www.novilist.hr/Vijesti/Rijeka/Scena/Badurina-Jonathan-je-lijek-za-moju-dusu-i-moje-tijelo

 

 

Badurina: Jonathan Is a Remedy for My Body and Soul

For a while now, there are posters all over Rijeka announcing a concert in a recently reopened club Palach by the band Jonathan. But, at such a level of notoriety at the moment, in spite of the fact that Jonathan is a relatively new band with only a debut album 'Bliss' up their sleeve, the need to poster the city in order to announce the upcoming show seems to be superfluous.

Zoran Badurina, known to everybody as Ziro, is the sole author of all of the lyrics, and despite a large contribution from other band members, Jonathan seems to bear the recognizable stamp of the Badurinas. The Badurina brothers' touch could be seen, heard and felt on every corner in this town over the last twenty years. Zoran and Damir Badurina made a difference in Rijeka, and made it different. Jonathan's current single 'Pictures' is dedicated to his brother.

 

Ziro, Jonathan happened to you unexpectedly: there are not many people in Rijeka who expected you'd return to music, especially after all the personal trauma and other preoccupations?

Yes, as a matter of fact, I've said goodbye to music a long time ago, and to be honest, I don't think I'd ever really thought of myself as a musician, since everybody around me seemed to be in a band, a band was a sort of an outlet. Even though I stayed in music marginally (as an owner of cafes and clubs), actually being a musician at the time felt uncomfortable and I simply wasn't ready to let myself into it too much, so my life took another course. I did try to return to music, only my efforts weren't longlasting. For two years I was very much into electronic music, just within my four walls. So, there was this need for making music, but I guess it's all a matter of timing. However, in 2011 at Stereo club, a concert dedicated to the memory of my brother was organized. It was called 'Free Energy' and it was a great opportunity for many of the bands active in the nineties, peers of Damir's Unlogic Skill, to make a comeback for the show. With Unlogic Skill performing that night, there were also Do Re Mi 4, Slam and Salion – my former band. Though Salion has never been a huge success, it still made quite an impact in Rijeka music circles. It was a band where Branko Kovacic and me were making our first serious musical steps as 18-year-old kids. The idea of playing that night at Stereo seemed great, but my knees were shaking a couple of days before the gig. However, the show was a success. And since some of the original band members weren't able to join us, we called Tomo (Tomislav Radinovic) from the band Mandrili, and Rade (Darko Petkovic) from Pasi. We were strangers until the gig, but soon we realized we're on the same wavelength. So we came up with an idea to work together. Soon we were joined by Nikica Jurjevic from Pasi, and Jonathan happened!

 

What was then the exact turning point towards music, apparently an important, even a ruling force in the lives of Zoran and Damir?

Everybody is faced with difficult situations eventually. I did have a moment when everything seemed to collapse on my shoulders. When you think about all of the terrible things that could happen, there are always things that appear unsurmountable. When you do survive those things you thought would kill you, you get to this firm level ground and you begin to feel secure again. That's when I lost my fears, when I realized that I couldn't go further and deeper than that level ground. And when you lose fear in one segment of your life, personal freedom is born and creativity flows out of you. Now I think of those truly difficult times as a part of my destiny and as something which enriched my life in a way. I guess that when horrible things happen, we get to really look inside ourselves and realize what we're made of, and that's what truly matters. When we're feeling fine, we don't feel the need to look deep down inside ourselves. But when you fall, you need to find a ray of light, something to hold on to in the future. For me, that was this band. Jonathan wasn't my masterplan, I never made a conscious decision to form the band, it happened spontaneously and honestly. The turning point were the people who joined me at the moment, we got along really well together. No one was doing it for their ego's sake, we just wanted to be creative using music as the medium. I guess my soul finally felt free at that moment, there was an inner click, so that everything I've been keeping deep down inside of me, poured out, and I wasn't even aware of the most of it.

 

So, Jonathan was a personal therapy of a sort?

When I look back, it seems so. I would usually come to rehearsals exhausted from daily work, and leave the session elated and ready for anything. So, in a way, yes, you could say it was therapeutical.

 

Your deepest emotions pour out through music?

I came to realize that songs are a perfect way to express myself, my emotions and attitudes. It might sound strange, but I don't think of my lyrics as my creations, nor do I gove myself credit for them, because most of them simply rushed out of myself and others in the band. It happens again and again: just the other day suddenly we had half of the lyrics for our new song. Many times, we surprise ourselves, you just don't get how can such thing simply happen. I wouldn't discuss religion and metaphysics right now, but because of the way we make the songs, I like the fact that people went to tell me how Jonathan actually means 'a gift from God' in Hebrew. And that's exactly what it feels like.

Your lyrics are written in English exclusively. Why?

I've always been writing in English. I grew up listening to bands singing in English, so it feels natural to be doing the same. It's also a great challenge. However, I feel nothing but respect for Croatian songwriters who express themselves well in Croatian: Arsen Dedic, Goran Bare and Damir Urban. Not once did I write something in Croatian which would please me. Though, I have to admit, I didn't try all that much. If I would try, some day, I wish it would be at the level of those three. Of course, making it a personal and intimate version of something as complex.

 

Jonathan erupted into fame in a way, with embers spilling all over the region. Is your story another typical Croatian rock story about a band with a quick and fiery start, only to be forgotten and abandoned even quicker?

While we were still rehearsing in a garage, we came to understand that this music was something alltogether different than everything we were doing before. Very soon our friends reacted well to our work, and we began to feel comfortable with it. But none of us could guess there'd be all this hype. It's hard to say now how long it all might last and if this is another Croatian rock story. Croats really are the kind of people who like to brag about their accomplishments and insist on their superiority in everything from football to music. It's as if we always need a hero to help us find something of value in ourselves. I still want to thank everyone who support us in Rijeka, Croatia and the region. But we are still tingling with that positive doubt, we question our worth and are not satisfied with local patriotic praises. I mean, maybe Jonathan really is a great band for these areas, but we would like to get that sort of confirmation from the outside world, and we think it's only fair. The band did get several great reviews from France and UK. But the real approval will come from the stage and the audience. We're working on it at the moment, we know it won't be easy, so we're trying to work out the best way to leap to foreign gigs. Of course, we're always thinking of England first, because our music is similar to theirs. But what we don't want is to play at eight hundred gigs there, be remembered by eight hundred people and be payed with a box of beer. We will try to follow the unfamiliar path, where no other Croatian alternative band has ever walked before. There were efforts, but all of them were soon extinguished. At the same time, we're determined to conquer the region, to get as many reactions as possible from Slovenia, Serbia and Bosnia... Sometimes we feel as if we're moving very slowly towards our goals, only we're not. It's just that everything started to happen very quickly, but we're still managing to follow the pace.

 

Are you annoyed with this universal hype, especially from the Zagreb audience, you're real stars there already?

Well, there is already more than a year of experience on our heels, so we had enough time to realize what's happening. True, there's a hype, but I believe it doesn't just happen to anybody, there has to be a quality to appeal to people, especially in this genre of music. I don't want to say we disapprove of all the praise, but we're aware of the fact that praise only doesn't bear much fruit, so we're keen on following the path we agreed upon at the very beginning. We don't allow ourselves to get carried away on that hype, to let it hit our egos, we're aware that sudden fame is a two-headed monster.

 

There is probably a band similar to Jonathan in every corner of England. Do you honestly think there is a chance for you faced with such a competition, that is what makes you better than the rest?

All of that is true. Their music is probably similar or even the same as ours, but we emit a different energy. We're energizing, honest and enthusiastic and that is our trump card. We won't let fear and high hopes stop us on the way, we'll try to keep our initial optimism, since we actually don't have much to lose in the first place. We've only made one record till now. Our new album will be much different. It will be deeper, more honest and original, and probably much more difficult for listening.

 

You often speak of honesty in music. Is your honesty a result of difficulties you went through?

It's not only a result of difficulties, but of total life experience. This is not a one man band, there are five people, and our songs reflect our inner states at the moment of creation. This band is a remedy for my body and soul. It cured me! Our songs might be deep, but they're not about depression and hopelessness. In spite of everything, our message is warm and positive. 

 

 

 

S C U Z Z interviews Jonathan: “Songs simply emerged from that energy”

 

Every year, the American music press likes to declare “punk is dead”.

Perhaps punk smells a little funny, but to declare punk to “dead” is a sign of cultural myopia. One only has to look at Eastern Europe to see punk rock speaking truth to power. What is more punk rock than Pussy Riot defying Vladimir Putin, being sent to prison in the process?

I’ll let you in on a secret. Not only is punk from the former Soviet Bloc relevant, but much of it is downright good. Hailing from Croatia, Jonathan is one example of a kickass punk band.

Like many typical punk bands, Jonathan can be loud, but they have a few ingredients that make you sit up and take notice. The vocals have a devastating range that’s punctuated by passion. The dual guitars are a force of nature, and it’s so easy to feel the rhythm in your bones.

What’s fascinating about their sound is that they’re the inverse of what you’d expect from English and American bands that were influenced by punk. Joy Division, Bauhaus, and the Misfits were dark and brooding—but were still a reflection of a society that ritualized teenage angst for fun and profit.

In contrast, the past 50 years of Croatia’s history have been dark and brooding. Therefore, what is more punk rock than optimism? We wanted insight into what gives a band like Jonathan such a wild energy for life.

 

S C U Z Z: Who are you?

Jonathan (J): The band “Jonathan” was formed in the fall of 2011. in Rijeka, Croatia and it consists of five members,

• Zoran Badurina (Ziro) - vocals

• Branko Kovačić (Husta) - drums

• Nikica Jurjević (Nixon) - bass

• Darko Petković (Rade) - guitar

• Tomislav Radinović (Tom) - guitar

We were all members of different bands and knew each other through music, and some of us even played in various bands together. In the fall of 2011, there was an event in Rijeka called “Slobodna energija” (Free Energy) which was a memorial concert for Bada, Ziro’s brother, who was a singer in a famous Croatian hardcore band back in 90’s.

Many popular Rijeka bands reunited for the memorial, including Ziro and Husta’s former band Salion. Because a few members were needed, they called upon Rade and Tom to join them. It went great, so we decided to make a few more rehearsals, started throwing some riffs, made a couple of songs and felt that the energy created in the garage made sense to us like nothing before. Nixon joined us pretty soon and everything fell into place.

We released our first EP in the fall of 2012. and it kind of exploded on the local scene, particularly the first single “Maggie”. Shooting the video for “Maggie”, joining with our friends in LA Agency, and releasing our LP “Bliss” (DIY) in the spring of 2013 lead us to an even bigger audience and brought us under the radar of regional media.

During that period we played a couple of great shows, many of them sold out, including the one with Editors in Culture Factory, Zagreb. And here we are now.

 

S C U Z Z: You are from Rijeka, Croatia. That city has a lot of history. Can you tell us a little bit about it, and what it’s like living there?

J: Rijeka has a huge punk rock legacy which dates back to the end of the 70s. Many exquisite bands emerged from this area, and are still continuing to do so.

Regarding life, Rijeka is an enjoyable city on the seaside of the Adriatic Sea, not too big and yet not too small. It has a very interesting industrial and multicultural history (including the discovery of the torpedo, which was the name of the factory which produced it). For us, it is inspirational in every way.

 

S C U Z Z: How did you start making music?

J: As a group of 5 people, we started playing music for fun and enjoyment. Later on, we figured that the energy we have is “something completely different,” like nothing we have done before as musicians or as individuals.

Songs simply emerged from that energy. We just channeled that into our songs. Results of that can be heard on the record, and on live performances as well.

 

S C U Z Z: Ever since Beirut’s album Gulag Orkestar, there’s been interest in Balkan music here in America. As a Croatian band that plays rock n’ roll, how do you feel your culture influences your music?

J: Well… it really is a matter of context. “Balkan music”, as such, has never really been on our music radar. The reason for that matter is simple: our musically formative years were the 90’s, and our focus was more on the North American and UK musical scene. Our culture influences us in a somewhat different way, rather than musically.

 

S C U Z Z: You’ve stated that you’re not interested in being put in any “famous style shelves”. However, what bands inspire you?

J: Uhhh… this is a tricky one. There are five of us, so the list would enormous, but we will cut it short and give you one band per member:

• Nomeansno

• Propagandhi

• Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

• Led Zeppelin

• Queens of The Stone Age

 

S C U Z Z: The album artwork for Bliss resembles the default background for Windows XP, an “x” icon on the top right corner. Yet, I notice that the entire image seems to be hand-painted. What lead you to choose such an album cover?

J: The album artwork is purposely “human” hand-painted by our friend Maja Vodanovic. It represents our refusal to conform, or to believe that the way of living, thinking, and feeling about ourselves and the world, the one that’s served to us everywhere and everyday (presented by Microsoft, the global giant and dogma of our times) is the only truth and the best way to live. In fact it is far from it. Many times it’s the worst path you can choose. The X in the corner is saying that there is a way out, there is a right and a power to refuse, the right to shut it down.

 

S C U Z Z: At first, your music seems dark and cold. When you scratch below the surface, however, there’s a sense of optimism and hope. What lead you to express something so paradoxical?

J: The first reason would probably be that our songs are pictures of ourselves: angry, cold and, frustrated on the surface, but under it gentle and in need of warmth of any kind.

The second reason is that we live in a world of paradoxes. The great majority of Earth’s population isn’t aware of it… and that is so sad. People, in general, are driven through life by the wrong reasons, and that’s why paradoxes occur. We notice that in every aspect of life, and that’s the reason we had no trouble of writing such songs.

In the end, hope and love is all we got to look forward to in the future. And the future is now.

 

S C U Z Z: The song “Umbrellas In the Sun” is a great metaphor for how many people shield themselves from seeing beauty in the world. Is this based on personal experiences?

J: It is based on personal experiences and observations. People in this song are somewhat described as animals ( “dying with their young”), looking up to “Mr. John” and living their lives not questioning anything nor stirring things up. Basically, the meaning of the song is best described by the explanation of the album cover.

 

S C U Z Z: What would you do if you were living in the apocalypse?

J: Ha, ha, ha… that would be a short life, would it not? We would probably spend that little time, what we have left, with our families and closest friends… and some good tunes for the end of the world.

 

S C U Z Z: What is next for Jonathan?

J: Our next step is to record two more songs to release as a DIY maxi single, and maybe shoot a video for one of those songs by mid February.

At the end of that same month we are planning our biggest show in our band’s short history in Zagreb, our country’s capital.

The rest of the 2015 is really open for us considering live shows in the region and outside of it. Our only definite plan for this year is to finish and record our new LP, which would most likely see the light of day around October or November 2015.