Riblja Čorba
Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in 1978.
Riblja Čorba (Serbian Cyrillic: Рибља Чорба, pronounced [rîbʎaː tʃǒːrba], literally "Fish Stew") was a Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band founded in Belgrade in 1978. It ranked among the most popular and influential groups in the Yugoslav and Serbian rock scenes.
The band came together when Borisav "Bora" Đorđević—previously of Zajedno, Rani Mraz, and Suncokret—joined forces with the members of the band SOS: guitarist Radislav "Rajko" Kojić, bassist Miroslav "Miša" Aleksić, and drummer Miroslav "Vicko" Milatović. Their first single, "Lutka sa naslovne strane" (1978), was a major hit and propelled them to fame. Soon after, guitarist Momčilo Bajagić "Bajaga" joined, and the new lineup released the album *Kost u grlu* (1979). Its gritty hard rock sound and Đorđević's socially conscious lyrics earned both commercial success and critical acclaim. Subsequent albums—*Pokvarena mašta i prljave strasti* (1981), *Mrtva priroda* (1981), and *Buvlja pijaca* (1982)—brought them to the top of the Yugoslav rock scene. Critics praised their composition, musicianship, production, and especially Đorđević's provocative social and political lyrics, which often sparked media scandals.
In the mid-1980s, the band's popularity dipped slightly, but they made a strong comeback with *Istina* (1985), recorded with a new guitar duo: Vidoja "Džindžer" Božinović and Nikola Čuturilo. They maintained their popularity through the end of the decade and the breakup of Yugoslavia. However, after the Yugoslav Wars began, their following in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina dropped sharply because of Đorđević's support for Serbian nationalism. At the same time, Đorđević opposed Slobodan Milošević's regime, a stance reflected on the albums Riblja Čorba recorded in the 1990s, which were often banned from state-owned media. From the early 2000s onward, the band remained a top act on the Serbian rock scene, though their albums from the 2000s and 2010s received little critical success.
Bora Đorđević died on 4 September 2024. The remaining members announced they would disband after releasing their 21st studio album, which would be a posthumous release for Đorđević. The album, titled *Ljubav i smrt*, was expected in November 2024 but has been delayed for unknown reasons.
**Band history**
**1970s: Formation and immediate rise to fame**
Riblja Čorba's leader, Bora Đorđević, began performing and
- formed
- 1978
- origin
- Belgrade, Serbia (former Yugoslavia)
- genre
- Hard rock
- years_active
- 1978–2024 (disbanded after Bora Đorđević's death)
- notable_members
- Borisav 'Bora' Đorđević, Radislav 'Rajko' Kojić, Miroslav 'Miša' Aleksić, Miroslav 'Vicko' Milatović, Momčilo Bajagić 'Bajaga', Vidoja 'Džindžer' Božinović, Nikola Čuturilo
Lore & Background
Riblja Čorba was formed in 1978 by former Zajedno, Rani Mraz and Suncokret member Borisav 'Bora' Đorđević (vocals) and the members of the band SOS: Radislav 'Rajko' Kojić (guitar), Miroslav 'Miša' Aleksić (bass guitar) and Miroslav 'Vicko' Milatović (drums). Their debut single 'Lutka sa naslovne strane' (1978) saw huge success and launched them to fame. They were soon joined by guitarist Momčilo Bajagić 'Bajaga', and the new lineup released the album 'Kost u grlu' (1979), which was a huge commercial and critical success due to their gritty hard rock sound and Đorđević's social-related lyrics. Their following releases—'Pokvarena mašta i prljave strasti' (1981), 'Mrtva priroda' (1981) and 'Buvlja pijaca' (1982)—launched them to the top of the Yugoslav rock scene. In the mid-1980s, the band saw a slight decline in popularity but made a triumphant comeback with 'Istina' (1985), recorded with the new guitar duo Vidoja 'Džindžer' Božinović and Nikola Čuturilo.
Reader's Guide
Riblja Čorba's significance lies in their status as one of the most popular and influential acts of the Yugoslav and Serbian rock scene. Their works were praised for composition, musicianship, production, and especially Đorđević's provocative social- and political-related lyrics, which often caused media scandals. Until the end of the 1980s and the breakup of Yugoslavia, the band sustained their popularity, but after the beginning of the Yugoslav Wars it heavily declined in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina due to Đorđević's support for Serbian nationalism. However, Đorđević also opposed the regime of Slobodan Milošević, demonstrating his attitude on albums recorded during the 1990s, which were often banned in state-owned media. Since the beginning of the 2000s, the band remained one of the top acts of the Serbian rock scene, although albums released during the 2000s and 2010s saw little critical success. Bora Đorđević died on 4 September 2024; the remaining members announced their disbandment after the release of their 21st studio album, a posthumous release for Đorđević titled 'Ljubav i smrt', expected in November 2024 but delayed for unknown reasons.
Did You Know?
- The band's name 'Riblja Čorba' means 'Fish Stew' and was at the time Belgrade slang for menstruation.
- Their debut single 'Lutka sa naslovne strane' (1978) was originally written for Đorđević's previous band Suncokret, which refused to perform it.
- The band's first concert was held on 8 September 1978 in Elemir.
- Bora Đorđević died on 4 September 2024, leading to the band's disbandment after the release of their 21st studio album.
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