DRAGO MLINAREC was one of the most prolific singer/songwriters in the former Yugoslavia and the leader of the renowned beatsters Grupa 220, the first ex-YU rock band that managed to record an LP album back in 1968 in Zagreb, Croatia. Upon the break-up of the group's first line-up in 1970, Mlinarec gathered a new Grupa 220 band with the musicians: Husein Hasanefendić, Ivan Piko Stančić, Nenad Zubak and Brane Živković. He planned a new Grupa 220 album, but instead decided to issue it under his solo name, "A ti se ne daj" in 1971. That album marked the beginning of his solo career and the following year saw the release of "Pjesme s planine", critically acclaimed LP with Zubak and Stančić of Grupa 220 as rhythm section. The third album "Rođenje" in 1975 introduced keyboard player Neven Frangeš with whom Mlinarec was about to collaborate until 1978, recording two more albums. During 1970s Mlinarec also appeared at many rock festivals including famous "Boom pop festival" in Ljubljana 1972 and 1973, and was engaged in composing music for several theatre plays, TV shows, documentary and feature films. From 1979 till 1983 he recorded three albums in Sweden with producer/multiinstrumentalist Tinnie Varga, while during the 1980s he collaborated with Zagreb-based New Wave bands Azra and Le Cinema. Around 1987 Mlinarec moved to the Croatian countryside, where he lived away from publicity until 1994 when he recorded an ambient-experimental cassette tape "Analog" with Aldo Ivančić. The CD retrospective "Krhotine" appeared in 1996, which presented a recap of his entire career. In 1997 Mlinarec won Croatian music honorary award "Porin" for life accomplishment in music. Mlinarec's first four albums ("A ti se ne daj", "Pjesme s planine", "Rođenje" and "Negdje postoji netko") are usually regarded to be the best; there he explored diverse musical interests, crossing over between acid-tinged jam proto-prog rock with long compositions featuring guitar, organ and flute solos, and more mellow acoustic and electric folk rock with progressive and sometimes psychedelic or "classical" feeling. On one hand it resembles Traffic or CSN&Y, on the other "Meddle"-era Pink Floyd. Recommended to fans of folk-rock, progressive folk and acoustic guitars with melodic but sometimes extended songs, with psyche moments. (progarchives.com)
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