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Marko Perković Thompson
Croatian singer (born 1966) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Marko Perković (born 27 October 1966), better known by his nom de guerre Thompson, is a Croatian singer and songwriter. Born in the village of Čavoglave, he participated in the Croatian War of Independence (1991–95), during which he started his career with the nationalist song "Bojna Čavoglave" in 1991. In 2002, he started his first major tour after the release of the E, moj narode album. Since 2005, he has been organizing an unofficial celebration of the Victory Day in his birthplace of Čavoglave.
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During his career, Thompson has attracted controversy in the media over his performances and songs, which some claim glorify or promote the World War II-era Croatian fascist Ustaše regime.[1]
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Early life
Perković was born on 27 October 1966 in Čavoglave (at the time SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia) to Marija and Ante.[2][3] He finished high school in Split. In 1991, Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia, prompting the Croatian War of Independence. Perković joined the Croatian forces and used the American Thompson submachine gun during his time in the war, which became his nickname and later, his stage name.[4][5]
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Career
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Beginning and Moli mala (1991–1995)
It was while he was defending his home village that Perković became inspired to write one of the most popular songs during the war; "Bojna Čavoglave" (Čavoglave Battalion), which launched his music career.[6][7] The song portrays Thompson and his comrades defending the village of Čavoglave. Perković was not a professional musician. It was first played on Radio Split on New Year's Eve 1991 and two weeks later it won the radio station's contest for "most patriotic song".[7] Eduard Gracin, music editor for Radio Split at the time, reportedly said that Perković had no intention to profit or continue a music career.[8] A music video was filmed by a local television station which aired on Croatian Radiotelevision (HRT) and the newspapers Slobodna Dalmacija and Nedjeljna Dalmacija helped popularize it.[7] The song quickly became a symbol of Croatian nationalism as well as a song that raised the morale of Croatian soldiers during the Croatian War of Independence and became his trademark.[8]
In 1992, Perković released his first album, Moli mala (English: Pray, Baby), The album was released by Croatia Records, and its producer was Tonči Huljić. At the beginning, Perković's discography was basely focused on heartbreaks and war, as his early songs describe; "Zmija me za srce ugrizla" (English: "A Snake Bit Me By the Heart") and "Grkinjo" ("Oh, Greek Woman"), "Varala me mala" ("Baby Was Cheating on Me"), "Ja ću poći ove noći" ("I'll Leave Tonight"), "Potonut ću" ("I'll Sink") which featured his future wife Danijela Martinović, and war songs; "Jer, Hrvati smo" ("Because, We Are Croats"), and "Bojna Čavoglave". By this time he had left active service in the Croatian Army, and toured with other performers of the Rock za Hrvatsku in a humanitarian concert, but he returned to military service for a short time in 1995 to participate in Operation Storm.[9]
Breakthrough with Geni kameni and E, moj narode (1995–2006)
In 1995, Perković started working on his second studio album, and released it as Vrijeme škorpiona (Time of Scorpions). Out of all his songs, "Anica − Kninska kraljica" ("Annie − Queen of Knin") gained attention as a patriarchal song. The following year, in 1996, he released Geni kameni (Genes of stone) with title track becoming another breakthrough song. Through the albums Vjetar s Dinare (English: Wind from Dinara), in 1998 and E, moj narode (Oh, My People) in 2002, Perković became the symbol of Croatian patriotism. The featured song "Lijepa li si" ("How Beautiful You Are"), became the unofficial Croatian anthem. The song features all regions of Croatia (Dalmatian Hinterland, Hrvatsko Zagorje, Slavonia, Dalmatia, Lika, Istria), but also Herzeg-Bosnia which proved to be controversial. He later re-recorded the song with Alen Vitasović, Mladen Grdović, Mate Bulić, Miroslav Škoro and Giuliano. In 2011, it was named the best Croatian patriotic song by Narodni Radio.[10] Other songs from the album gained significant popularity like; "Prijatelji" (English: "Friends"), "Neću izdat ja" ("I Won't Betray"), "Moj Ivane" ("Oh, My John"), "Iza devet sela" ("Beyond Nine Villages") which interpolates ABBA's "Super Trouper", and others.[11][12] The album was certified diamond in Croatia, with over 60,000 copies sold.[13][14]
After the 2000 Croatian parliamentary election, a left-wing government was formed, led by the president of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ivica Račan, last secretary-general of the League of Communists of Croatia and a prominent leader in Croatia's push for independence.[15][16] Thompson experienced a resurgence after embracing right-wing critics of Račan's cabinet who protested the government's cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in extraditing indicted war criminals.[5] During this period, he made obscene comments about the then-Prime Minister Račan and the then-President Stjepan Mesić in his concerts. Thompson performs annually on Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day, with the proceeds going to the families of Croatian soldiers.[12]
After the release of E, moj narode (English: Eh, My People) in 2002, the band began touring to promote the album. The height of the tour was a concert at the Stadion Poljud in Split. The concert was attended by some 40,000 spectators.[17] During the song "Lijepa li si", Miroslav Škoro, Alen Vitasović, Mate Bulić, Giuliano, and Mladen Grdović joined him on stage. At the concert, Perković stated that his songs "mark his three loves: God, homeland, and family."[18]
The concert sparked controversies. Two seats in the audience were reserved for Mirko Norac (convicted war criminal, who was on trial at the time) and Ante Gotovina (found not guilty in 2012 on all charges by an appeals panel at the ICTY, but at the time a fugitive). At the beginning of the concert, just moments before Perković stepped onstage, the audience sang the Ustasha song "Evo zore, evo dana" (English: "Here Comes the Dawn, Here Comes the Day").[12][18]
In 2003, Thompson released a greatest hits album Sve najbolje (English: All the Best). Also in 2004, vocalist and bassist Tiho Orlić released a solo album, Tiho, which contained a couple of songs on which Perković collaborated. This tour continued sporadically into 2005. Internationally, he played at Sydney's Entertainment Centre and Melbourne's Vodafone Arena in May 2005.[19] By the end of the tour, the album was declared a Diamond Record after more than 60,000 copies were sold.
Bilo jednom u Hrvatskoj and mainstream success (2006–2013)
Bilo jednom u Hrvatskoj (English: Once Upon a Time in Croatia) was released in December 2006. Bilo jednom u Hrvatskoj soon turned out to be his best selling album with over 120,000 copies sold.[20] Thompson soon after announced an initial tour of Croatia and select European cities beginning after the Lenten season through summer, culminating with a performance at Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb, in front of 60,000 people. The concert was released as live album Bilo jednom u Hrvatskoj: Zagreb – Maksimir. The tour began in Vukovar in the Borovo Naselje neighborhood, where approximately 4,000 fans came out to watch him perform.[21] The tour continued to Đakovo before going to Frankfurt, where he performed for a crowd of approximately 15,000 at Ballsporthalle. By June, the album had sold 100,000 copies—very high by Croatian standards. The first tour leg in Croatia ended with the biggest concert at Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb, where they performed in front of 60,000 spectators. His concert at the stadium was aired live on the state owned HRT Plus pay-per-view channel, and several days later on the main national channel as well.[22] As part of the second leg, Thompson performed at Split's Stadion Stari plac in front of 25,000 people. The show was recorded for another live album Bilo jednom u Hrvatskoj: Split – Stari plac.[23]
He had two shows scheduled in November 2007 for New York City, which provoked protests from several Jewish groups.[24] These groups called on the Archdiocese of New York to stop the show, but the Archdiocese declined, reportedly finding no evidence that the singer promoted neo-Nazism.[25] His concert in Toronto attracted 5,000 people to the Croatian center where it was held, after the original venue with a capacity of 2,500, Kool Haus, cancelled.[26]
Thompson returned to Croatia in November 2007, and continued with shows in Bosnian-Herzegovinian cities including Mostar, Tomislavgrad, Novi Travnik, Široki Brijeg and Čapljina.[23] His last show in Croatia before heading to Australia was Cibona's annual Christmas benefit show at Dražen Petrović Basketball Hall with proceeds going to the Zagreb Cathedral.[27] The tour in Australia included shows at Melbourne's Festival Hall, Sydney's Sydney United Sports Centre on New Year's Eve, Adelaide, and Perth. The B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation Commission of Australia lobbied to prevent the singer and his band from receiving Australian visas, but government officials found the band did not violate any terms which would impede their receiving visas. After several guest appearances in Croatia, the rapper Shorty was confirmed to be joining Thompson for the Australian leg of the tour, which collectively drew in 22,000 fans at four shows.[28] In the new year the tour continued with shows in Rijeka, Krapina, and Čakovec before pausing for the group's usual Lenten break.[29]
After the break the group had shows in Zadar's Jazine Arena and in Gothenburg, Sweden.[29] A show in Nova Gradiška had proceeds going to the construction of a local Catholic church. After Nova Gradiška the band proceeded with shows in Varaždin, Karlovac, and Županja. Local authorities threatened to block the band's 21 May concert in Stuttgart, Germany.[30] However, they backed down after the concert's German Croat backers threatened legal action against the city and translated twenty of the band's songs into German for the authorities' benefit.[30] Thompson was asked by Croatian veteran groups to perform at the Defender's Day celebrations at Zagreb's Ban Jelačić Square, the concert being free of charge.[31] Thompson played in Kupres on 19 July at the Croatian Defenders Stadium as part of the town's Saint Elijah celebrations. He played in Livno on 27 July to end Canton 10's international Tera conference in front of a crowd of 15–20,000 people. [citation needed] In 2008, in celebration of Victory Day in Čavoglave, Thompson drew a crowd between 60,000 and 100,000.[32]
Guests included musicians Mate Bulić and Dražen Zečić, former Croatian international footballers Ardian Kozniku and Ivica Mornar, and international basketball player Dino Rađa.[33] Thompson played in Neum on 29 August in front of 5,000 spectators with profits going to the building of a new church in the town. On 30 May 2008, Thompson held a concert on Ban Jelačić Square. The tour officially ended on 28 December 2008 at the same Borovo Naselje venue in which it began,[34] with another humanitarian concert with profits going to the Vukovar Hospital. It was attended by hospital's director and war-time heroine Vesna Bosanac, who greeted him on stage.[35]
It was estimated by Thompson's staff that almost 950,000 tickets were sold during the whole two-year-long tour.[36] In June 2008, Perković was named the third most influential person in Croatian show business by Globus magazine.[37]
Ora et labora and humanitarian concerts (2013–2025)
Perković released his seventh studio album Ora et labora (English: Pray and Work) on 10 April 2013, to a critical acclaim. The album contained heavy Christian and Catholic themes. The album topped iTunes charts in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.[38] Not long after he released the album, he began Ora et labora Tour which started on 22 June 2013 at the Zenith in Munich, Germany in front of 4,000 people. The tour continued with the concert at the Stadion Poljud in Split on 30 June 2013. The concert was reportedly attended by 50,000 spectators.[39]
Thompson has held numerous humanitarian concerts. Thompson made a guest appearance at a humanitarian concert in Jastrebarsko on 5 February 2005, to raise money for a local person's lymphoma treatment. Mate Bulić and Thompson held a concert in Slavonski Brod in 2006 with proceeds going to the building of a shrine near the city.[40] Thompson participated in the October 2006 humanitarian concert Noć zvijezda, noć hitova.[41] Following the 2007 Croatian coast fires, the band participated in the recording of a memorial song "Ovo nije kraj" (English: "This Is Not the End"), as well as a charity football match at the Stadion Poljud attended by 30,000 people.[42]
Perković performed at the annual Christmas concert in Zagreb's Dražen Petrović Basketball Hall.[43] The group performed at the humanitarian concert Pjesmom za život in Ljubuški on 30 October 2008, with proceeds going to the ill Herzegovinian Croat singer Jozo Milićević-Galini.[44]
Perković appeared at a memorial football tournament for the deceased from the Croatian War of Independence near Imotski to hand out the awards to the winners.[45] In November 2008, he appeared at a humanitarian concert in Zagreb headlined by Mate Bulić with proceeds going to the Ana Rukavina Foundation, founded to establish a nationwide bone marrow donation network.[46]
Hodočasnik Tour and Zagreb Hippodrome concert (2025–present)
2025 concert at the Zagreb Hippodrome
Hodočasnik (English: Pilgrim) was released on 13 June 2025, as the eighth studio album by Thompson, issued through Croatia Records. It marked his first studio album in 12 years and quickly became one of the most promoted releases of his career.[47]
Perković and his management were planning on making a concert in Croatia's capital since his last major concert in Zagreb's Stadion Maksimir in 2007, where he gathered 50,000 fans. In January 2025, Perković's management team officially submitted a request to rent space at the Zagreb Hippodrome with the aim of organizing a major concert.[48] A large number of attendees was expected, so the choice of the Zagreb Hippodrome was influenced by its capacity to accommodate a large audience, bolstered by previous concerts held there by Perković's predecessors.
On 28 March 2025, Croatian ticket sales company Entrio confirmed that since the first batch of tickets went on sale, 281,774 tickets were sold in one day, officially making it the concert with the largest number of tickets sold in the world.[49] After a second batch of tickets went on sale, his concert sold another 160,000 tickets in a single day.[50] In June 2025, Dubai-based entertainment and stagehand company approached Marko's management and began the stage production at the Zagreb Hippodrome. The stage stood 33 m high and 150 m wide, with 5 LED screens, thousands of drones, and quickly became one of the most logistically complex productions ever held in Croatia, with 14,000 police, firefighter, emergency medical service, and Red Cross personnel being involved in the event.[51][52]
The concert was held on 5 July 2025, selling an estimated 485,000 tickets, with Thompson's manager claiming a total of 504,000 attendees at the event, breaking the record for the highest number of concert tickets ever sold and the most attended concert ever.[53] A makeshift field hospital was set up in preparation for the event, featuring 200 patient beds and approximately 100 medical staff,[54] who were supported by 17 ambulance teams stationed around the concert venue,[54] along with 175 members of the Red Cross.[55] The city of Zagreb implemented a state of heightened preparedness for the concert, with police restricting traffic in the neighbourhoods surrounding the venue.[56] Fans from 45 countries came to the concert, and the largest number of foreign tickets were sold from Vienna, Munich, Mostar and Graz, followed by Argentina, Canada, United States, Russia, China and India.[8][57]
During the concert, Perković wore a T-shirt bearing the number "03941158," the inmate number of Croatian emigrant and political activist Zvonko Bušić. In 1976, Bušić hijacked TWA Flight 355 and planted a bomb at Grand Central Terminal which killed a police officer attempting to disarm it, an act intended to draw international attention to Croatia's position under Yugoslav rule.[58][59]
A follow-up concert was held on 4 August 2025 at the Sinj Hippodrome, attracting around 150,000 attendees, further solidifying the Hodočasnik Tour as one of the most attended in Croatian music history. [60]
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Lyrics and themes
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Thompson's songs are often marked with Christian and historic themes, and include folklore elements. His music often employs politicized narratives which blames "communists" in cooperation with "historic enemies" of Croatia for the social and economic crises it presently faces.[6] Many of his songs deal with religion: "Radost s visina" (English: "Joy from Above"), "Neću izdat ja" (English: "I Won't Betray"), "Dan dolazi" (English: "The Day Is Coming"), and "Početak" (English: "Principium"), or his own family and birthplace: "Zaustavi se, vjetre" (English: "Stop Yourself, Wind"), "Sine moj" (English: "Oh, My Son"), and "Moj dida i ja" (English: "My Grandpa and I"). Thompson, along with Fra Šito Ćorić and Miroslav Škoro, performed the official anthem at the Croatian World Games. Thompson composed the anthem for the far-right Croatian Party of Rights.[citation needed] Other projects have included "Ljuta guja" (English: "Bitter Serpent") with Jasmin Stavros, and "Reci, brate moj" (English: "Say, My Brother") with Miroslav Škoro.[61][62]
Perković has said he is personally a fan of such bands as Nightwish, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, and Dream Theater, among others.[63] Thompson recorded hard rock similar to these bands for the first time on Bilo jednom u Hrvatskoj, considered by some to be a rock opera. A Washington Post writer described the New York stop on the Bilo jednom u Hrvatskoj tour as sounding "like Iron Maiden doing Eastern European folk".[64]
Band members
In April 2025, drummer Ivica Bilić, one of Thompson's longest serving members announced his departure from the band. He was replaced by Mario Klarić. The current lineup consists of guitarist Tomislav Mandarić, a member of the band since 2005, keyboardist Duje Ivić, who joined in 2010, and bassist Ivan Dabro, who has been playing with Thompson since 2016. Tiho Orlić, one of Thompson's closest collaborators, began working with the singer in 1994. He was a backing vocalist, then a bassist, then a producer and band leader. A number of former band members include Tonči Rubić and Saša Bulić Ujac. Top instrumentalists such as Damir Šomen and guitarist Ivan Ivanković were also responsible for the production of concerts.[65]
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Controversies
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Neo-nazism speech
Perković's alleged glorification for the Ustaše have led to him being accused in some publications, including the Simon Wiesenthal Center, of being a "fascist singer".[66][67][68]
Some of his fans are known for their ultranationalism, demonstrated by Ustaše uniforms (including black hats associated with the movement), symbols, and banners. The song "Bojna Čavoglave" opens with the WWII fascist slogan "Za dom spremni" (English: "For the Homeland – Ready").[69][70]
Perković created controversy by allegedly performing "Jasenovac i Gradiška Stara", a song that openly glorifies the Ustaše regime, its crimes against humanity during World War II in the Jasenovac concentration camp and Stara Gradiska concentration camp, in which the genocide of Serbs took place.[71] Thompson denied writing or even performing the song, stating he is "a musician, not a politician".[72]
In 2007, the Anti Defamation League reported that many of the Thompson concert attendees, who were primarily young people, wore clothing with Ustaše symbols and carried banners with "anti-Serb, anti-semitic and anti-Roma rhetoric". They performed Nazi salutes in response to the band's "traditional 'war cry' of the Ustashas" done at the beginning of the concert.[72] Ustaše material was also sold at venues.[72]
In 2015, Perkovic performed in Knin in front of some 80,000 spectators for the 20th anniversary celebration of the Croatian military's Operation Storm with many of those in attendance singing pro-Ustasha songs and chanting slogans such as "Kill a Serb" and "Here we go Ustasha".[73]
Banned performances
In 2003, the band was barred from having a concert in Amsterdam. Regarding the cancellation of the concert, Perković allegedly told a Croatian newspaper, "It is all to blame on the Jews. I have nothing against them and I did nothing to them. I know that Jesus Christ also did nothing against them, but still they hanged him on the cross. So what can I expect as a small man?".[72]
Two weeks after the concert in Zagreb on 17 June 2007, Perković made this statement regarding claims by the Simon Wiesenthal Center that he is a fascist: "Me and members of my band saw nobody with Ustaše iconography among 60 and more thousand people at Maksimir."[74] The performance included the use of Ustaše slogans.[75] At Thompson's Zagreb concert for the Defenders' Day, a group of youths was heard chanting "Ubij Srbina" (English: "Kill the Serb"), according to some Croatian media sources.[76][77]
Perković has stated he is neither an Ustaše nor a fascist, but a patriot.[21] In July 2008, the Croatian Helsinki Committee came out against any potential bans, with its president Ivo Banac referring to such calls from Mesić and Kajin as a "weakening of the democratic order".[78]
The most discussed concert was the first ever banned in Croatia, in the Istrian town of Umag.[79] After this ban, Thompson asked for permission to hold a concert in Pula, Istria's most populous city. When this was denied, the band initiated[80] and lost court actions against the city of Pula for "human rights violations". After the court decision, the band's lawyer declared that sooner or later Thompson would perform in Pula. In late December 2008, he managed to secure permission to organize a concert in Pazin, despite fierce opposition from the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), the county's leading political party. These attacks led to an increase of tensions, which reached their climax the night of 11 December, when an explosive device was ignited outside the concert venue.[81] Although IDS MP Damir Kajin accused Thompson's fans, it turned out that the offender, Vilim Bon (then aged 59), who was injured in the defragration and arrested by police, was acting to stop the concert. The concert took place as planned on 20 December 2008, followed by two more shows on 21 and 22 December due to reported demand.[82]
In anticipation of a New Year's Eve tour in Australia and New Zealand, Perković released an interview with the local Croatian community magazine, Hrvatski Vjesnik, a translation of which was published in the New Generation English language supplement, in which he stated that the vast majority of Croats (including himself) do not have negative feelings towards Jewish people or their religion.[28]
Thompson was banned from performing in Switzerland multiple times, including in 2009.[83] Their planned 2014 Berlin performance was cancelled[84] and in 2017, they were banned from performing in Austria due to their extremism,[85] as well as in Slovenia.[86]
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Thompson's music and football
Thompson's hit song "Lijepa li si" is traditionally played after and at halftime at all matches of the Croatia national football team at the Stadion Maksimir.[87]
Thompson was included in Croatia's celebration of the national team's second place finish in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which drew criticism.[88]
Personal life
In the mid-1990s, he was in a relationship with Croatian singer Danijela Martinović.[89] Although never legally married, they had a Catholic marriage ceremony.[clarification needed] After their separation, he sought a Church annulment, which was granted by the Ecclesiastical Court in Split in 2005. Thus, he was able to have a church marriage with his wife Sandra Rogić, a Croatian-Canadian he met during a concert in Canada. Together they have five children: Katarina, Cvita, Ante Mihael, Diva Maria and Petar Šimun.[90]
He owns a 20% share of the radio station Narodni radio.[91]
Pope Benedict XVI received Perković for an audience in December 2009.[92]
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Discography
Studio albums
- 1992 - Moli mala
- 1995 - Vrijeme škorpiona
- 1996 - Geni kameni
- 1998 - Vjetar s Dinare
- 2002 - E, moj narode
- 2006 - Bilo jednom u Hrvatskoj
- 2011 - Glazba iz filma Josef
- 2013 - Ora et labora
- 2025 - Hodočasnik
Compilation albums
- 1992 - Najveći hitovi
- 2001 - The best of
- 2003 - Sve najbolje
- 2008 - Druga strana
- 2015 - The best of collection
- 2016 - Antologija
Concert videos
- 2002 - Turneja: E, moj narode
- 2007 - Turneja: Bilo jednom u Hrvatskoj
- 2013 - Turneja: Ora et labora
By Tiho Orlić
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References
External links
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