Satan Panonski
Ljuljamo ljubljeni ljubičasti ljulj

LA RECENSIONE

Punk rock from Yugoslavia! Who would have thought?

Yet it’s all true.

Satan Panonski, born Ivica Čuljak, was a beast like no other. Not just a "stage animal" but an animal for all 365 days of the year! Openly homosexual, at a time when "coming out" wasn't well-received, an alcoholic, and a perpetrator of a murder during a brawl.

Panonski spent half of his life in prison and psychiatric institutions. Yet he found the time to perform and produce music. Both with some bands and under his battle name.

At the outbreak of the war in the Balkans, he decided to enlist with the Croatian militias. People who, for those who don’t know, sang praises to the Ustashas and who, in terms of cruelty, were second to none of the protagonists of those tragic and well-known events. But what the hell was an anti-authoritarian and homosexual punk doing among ultra-nationalists? We're not privy to that. The only sadly known fact is that Panonski lost his life in the war! Many claim he was shot by his own compatriots. Perhaps they couldn't tolerate the presence of such a character among their ranks.

Panonski produced three solo albums.

The one in question is called "Ljuljamo ljubljeni ljubičasti ljulj" (what does that mean??) and it's dated 1989. Incredibly rough production, lo-fi before lo-fi, and elementary, very simple music accompanied by disjointed and obsessive screams. Listen to "Nadja" to understand what I mean.

An album that, objectively, is awful! Yet this record encapsulates the schizoid and sick personality of the Croatian GG Allin, who died under very strange circumstances in that damned winter of 1992.

To be listened to once and in one breath. It will prove to be a chilling experience.