Review in RPM#27/28 (Winter/Spring 1998/1999)

1997. vol. 34/1, pp.127-145
Joko Èaleta
" Klapa Singing -  A Traditional Folk Phenomenon of Dalmatia

The article examines the phenomenon of traditional Dalmatian singing - klapa singing . The author identifies two types of klapas ; the traditional folk klapa , an informal group of friends usually brought together by similar interests, age group or occupations, and the festival klapa, a formally organised group with regular rehearsals and performances. Membership, repertoire and occasions for performance of the klapas are also categories  examined in this article. Èaleta concludes that all the facts mentioned above characterise the klapa as a folk phenomenon which, when seen throughout its history , accepted changes. Socially and musically, klapa singing has been accepted , which is surely the reason this folk tradition has remained successful for a long time. "Stage performance, microphones , disc production, mass media exposure, and contemporary elements of the present klapa phenomenon became an important goal and a way of displaying ethnic and cultural identity" concludes the author.

Review in RPM#27/28 (Winter/Spring 1998/1999)

1997. vol.6/7, pp. 16-20
Suzana Marjaniæ
" Dunja Knebl's Fuga Mundi"

This article is a mix of Dunja Knebl's statements, quotes, footnotes and observations. The autobiographical "Monoplay with Singing " by Dunja Knebl - famous Croatian ethno singer and artist - was presented for the first time on May 5th, 1997 in the "Rupa" club of the Philosophy Department in Zagreb University. Through singing and remembering a picture of the basic directions of the artist' s life is portryed. Its seriousness lies in asking the question of the possibility of replacing the living artist - a fact that Dunja Knebl is trying to answer through her relation to "sound on sound" as a negative alternative to the living being of art. "Monoplay with Singing" became the journey through her own life, and primarily a journey into the soul of the world inside oneself . Each song illustrates one situation of life. "Monoplay with Singing" creates one possible world in which you have the right on your own truth, in opposition to real world categories where understanding is not possible now, concludes Marjaniæ.

Review in RPM#27/28 (Winter/Spring 1998/1999)

1997, vol. 1 pp. 172-180
Petar Glodiæ
"90's: I wanna just now, and I wanna all"

The author writes about the Nineties, and he tries to compare the global and domestic rock scenes. He writes very critically about the domestic rock scene, especially about its journalists. He adds  that one of the great messages of the Nineties is that mainstream pop and recent underground go hand in hand today, but this is possible only on the symbolic level - aesthetically and as a fetish - but not on the ideological level. Today we witness many rock groups which have come from underground, mixed pop approach, got successful and now are even playing on the top 20. Political activities of rock artists in the Nineties tend to be ironic. The Kids of "Generation X" - sons and daughters of the Baby Boom generation - were great activists. There were strong individuals and worked for changes. Best examples are Kurt Cobain or Richey Edwards, but unfortunately they put an end to their lives. "It 's better to burn out than to fade away" Kurt Cobain quoted the verse of Neil Young before he committed suicide.

Review in RPM#27/28 (Winter/Spring 1998/1999)

1998, vol. 4, pp. 20-25
Dragan Teodoroviæ
"The Seventies come back "

"The  break  nowadays with the mission function of rock,  as established in the Sixties, is part of the evolution to the simple in disco and funk in the Seventies.Today, we meet the comeback of the Seventies in all parts of life: in fashion (comeback of glamour, high heels, V-neck-shirts...) , movies (Tarantino, Jon Woo) , music (Daft Punk, Chemical Brothers), literature (Irvine Welsh, Hanif Kureishi) and political life (comeback of Democrats and Labour in the US, UK and Europe) " says Teodoroviæ, and adds " Although the Seventies were a period with many newly emerging music genres (disco, punk, reggae, heavy metal, punk, glam, sympho rock) , the character of the Seventies today is reduced to the main patterns: disco ( dance), glamour, kitsch, escapism, hedonism, and disillusion". Also, the author writes about disco stars of the Seventies (Abba, Donna Summer, John Travolta, Boney M...) , similarities between dance music of the Seventies and the Nineties, postmodernism, young generations... He gives coverage to top 10 lists in Britain at this time, and the Seventies revival of the Nineties.

Review in RPM#27/28 (Winter/Spring 1998/1999)

1998., vol. 6, pp 28-19
Tamara Viskoviæ
"Disco 2000 "

Viskoviæ writes about trends in popular culture, about the entertainment  industry and about  bands, authors, songs, films ...in the Nineties popular culture. She argues, that in no other cultural phenomenon were trends so influential as in popular culture. She describes three characteristics of the the Nineties: 1. borders are wiped away between trends in pop and rock music, movies, fashion, media etc.. 2. The cult of celebrity is both broader and shollwer than ever before. 3. End-of-the-millennium  decadency and depression set the tune for popular culture). All trends in the Nineties popular culture and in contemporary art mirror trends in society;  and these are blood, violence, evil, heroin, crime, murder... "We will have much difficultys making our children believe the Nineties were great" concludes Viskoviæ.

Review in RPM#27/28 (Winter/Spring 1998/1999)

1998., vol. 6, pp 28-19
Ante Perkoviæ
"The bitches with balls "

This article discusses a very popular theme of popular music in the Nineties: women in pop music. Perkoviæ concludes that the Nineties are the tim for the voman in pop music: as a singer and pop star, as composer and author, as a player. He describes several examples of succesfull women's careers: Jewel Kilcher, Courtney Love, Liz Phair, Alanis Morisette, Meredith Brooks, Erykah Badu... Some commentators have said that the struggle with her own sexuality is a focus of almost all successful women's rock albums: Or as Penelope Houstan said in her song, "If it's a man's world, then I'm glad I'm a girl".