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 »  Home  »  People  »  Zoran Orlic, Croatian-American photographer featured in Jutarnji List
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Zoran Orlic, Croatian-American photographer featured in Jutarnji List
By Marko Puljić | Published  02/21/2010 | People , Culture And Arts , Bilingual | Unrated
If it weren’t for U2, I would not have a successful career.



Zoran Orlić: Da nije bilo U2, ne bi bilo ni moje uspješne karijere

Orlić je oduševljen suradnjom s Wilcom, bendom koji je već sada dio povijesti američke popularne glazbe

ZAGREB - I mi imamo svog čovjeka u jednom od najuzbudljivijih američkih bandova današnjice. Grupa se zove Wilco , a “naš čovjek” Zoran Orlić, fotograf iz Chicaga koji je svojom kamerom ovjekovječio nastajanje zadnja dva izuzetna albuma grupe Jeffa Tweedyja. Također, dio njegova rada može se vidjeti i na aktualnom koncertnom DVD izdanju grupe “Ashes of American Flags”.

Iz svake napisane riječi (s Orlićem smo komunicirali mailom) izvire strast prema glazbi koju osjeća ovaj krajnje simpatičan rock fotograf. Opisao je početak suradnje s kultnim čikaškim bandom. - Prije nekoliko godina kontaktirao sam managment Jeffa Tweedyja kojeg sam želio snimati za vrijeme njegova solo nastupa i oni su se složili. Dopalo im se ono što sam napravio pa sam dobio dozvolu da snimam i Wilca uživo kad god sam htio. S vremenom sam grupu počeo fotografirati i u back stageu te u njihovu studiju The Loft dok su snimali svoja zadnja dva albuma. Ne bih sebe nazvao službenim fotografom benda, no recimo da sam njihov prvi izbor kada rade u studiju ili nastupaju u Chicagu - objasnio je ovaj 44-godišnji fotograf koji je sa svojom obitelji, ocem i majkom te starijim bratom, 1973. iz Trogira otišao u Chicago.

Škola dizajna u Rotterdamu

- Moj otac bio je voditelj restorana na Jadrolinijim brodovima, a nakon dolaska u Chicago počeo je izrađivati namještaj. Mama je godinama radila u tvornici klavira - prisjeća se Orlić, koji se počeo baviti fotografijom tijekom jednog od ljetnih boravaka u rodnom Trogiru.

- Prvi put sam ponovno došao u Trogir u ljeto 1979. godine. Bio sam sam jer si nismo mogli priuštiti da svi zajedno putujemo. Tako je moj zadatak bio da se vratim u Ameriku s lijepim fotografijama sa svog putovanja. Imao sam kameru Canon AE-1 koja je u to vrijeme bila vrhunac tehnologije i to je bio moj prvi ozbiljniji početak s fotografskim medijem - opisuje Orlić. Deset godina kasnije mladi fotograf je u Rotterdamu, gdje pohađa školu dizajna

- Snimanje rock bandova činio se kao prirodni put. Već sam tada izuzetno volio glazbu i medij fotografije bio je najbolji način da i sam uđem u taj svijet koji me fascinirao - priča Orlić koji U2 i proslavljenog nizozemskog fotografa Antona Corbjina navodi kao vjerojatno presudan uzore u karijeri.

- Osim U2, volio sam i druge bendove s njihove matične etikete Mother Records, za koju su izdavali u 80-ima i početkom 90-ih. Oduševljen tom glazbom želio sam u to vrijeme čuti ama baš sve irske bandove uživo. Stoga sam otišao u Irsku putevima U2 i tamo otkrio više grupa koje su mi se dopale, kao što su An Emotional Fish i Fat Lady Sings. No, prava prekretnica se dogodila 1992. kada sam u Dublinu otkrio grupu The Frames. S njima sam počeo surađivati 1996., nakon što su izdali svoj drugi album i nakon što sam im poslao ludo pismo puno obožavanja.

(The Frames su kultna irska grupa koja djeluje već 20 godina, prije dvije godine bila je predgrupa Bobu Dylanu na turneji po Australiji i Novom Zelandu, a pjevač banda Glen Hansard jedan je od protagonista kultnog filma ‘The Commitments’ Alana Parkera iz 1991. o soul bandu iz Dublina, op. a.)

Ante Tomić veliki fan

- Osim što sam ih fotografirao, ubrzo sam postao i menadžer grupe u Americi. Na početku sam organizirao samo nastupe njihova pjevača Glena Hansarda jer nismo imali novca za cijeli band, no s vremenom je grupa uspjela u Americi te je 2001. godine snimila album ‘For the Birds’ s poznatim čikaškim producentom Steveom Albinijem (producentom ‘In Utero’ Nirvane i ‘Surfer Rosa’ Pixiesa, između ostalih op. a.). Nekoliko godina kasnije fotografirao sam grupu na njihovoj velikoj američkoj turneji (29 koncerata) čiji sam ujedno bio i menadžer. Godine suradnje s ovim bandom skupljene su u knjizi fotografija ‘The Frames: Behind the Glass’ objavljene 2006. godine - opisao je Orlić jednu od svojih strastvenih rock’n’roll priča.

Wilco nažalost nije grupa čiju glazbu možete često čuti u hrvatskom radijskom eteru, što je velika šteta jer je sigurno riječ o jednom od najvažnijih rock bandova današnjice. Istina, i kod nas postoji vjerno sljedbeništvo predvođeno Antom Tomićem. The Band 21. stoljeća, najčešći je način na koji se opisuje ova mnogočlana grupa iz Chicaga. I baš kao što je oko The Banda uvijek bilo mnogo strasti, o čemu najbolje svjedoči ultimativni rock dokumentarac Martina Scorsesea “Posljedni valcer” o posljednjem koncertu te grupe, i Wilco je grupa koja priznaje samo snažne osjećaje.

- Velika mi je čast što moguradim s grupom koja je, već sada se može reći, dio američke povijesti popularne glazbe. Wilco se danas prihvaća kao veliki klasični američki band. Za mene i velik broj fanova oni su moderna verzija The Banda, velike grupe iz 60-ih i 70-ih godina. Svi u bandu su vrlo talentirani i, što je najljepše - svi su prvenstveno prekrasni ljudi. Tu nema velikih ega i stereotipnih karakteristika rock zvijezda - otkriva Orlić.

Ljeta u rodnom gradu

Iako djeluje kao okorjeli rocker, Zoran Orlić visoko na listi svojih omiljenih izvođača ima i jednu hrvatsku zvijezdu. - Veliki sam fan Olivera Dragojevića. Jednog dana kada Oliver umre, Hrvatska će zauvijek biti u crnini. On je najviše ‘crn’ i ‘soul’ pjevač u povijesti hrvatske popularne glazbe. I duboko vjerujem da će nam tek sada isporučiti svoje najbolje pjesme - s velikim žarom nam je povjerio Orlić koji svako ljeto provodi u rodnom Trogiru. Čak razmišlja o tome da se jednog dana tamo i vrati, iako nikako ne može zamisliti život u gradu bez žive glazbene scene.

- Moje glavno razočaranje Splitom i Trogirom je manjak bilo kakvog glazbenog života. Mislim da bih pao u nesvijest i umro kada bih na radiju u Splitu čuo Wilca. Koliko sam upoznat, Zagreb je što se tiče koncertne ponude postao pravi europski grad. Kada bih se vratio u Trogir, morao bih neprestano na koncerte putovati u Zagreb. I koliko god čeznuo za mirnim i idiličnim životom, ne mogu zamisliti svoj život negdje gdje nema mnogo kvalitetne glazbe uživo - zaključio je Orlić.

Zoran Orlic: if it weren’t for U2, I would not have a successful career.

Orlic is excited to be working with Wilco, a band that is now a part of the history of American popular music.

Zagreb – Even we have our own man in one of the most sensational American bands of today. That group is called Wilco, and “our man” is Zoran Orlic a photographer from Chicago, who with his camera has immortalized the creation of the last two exceptional albums by Jeff Tweedy’s group. Also a part of his work can be seen on the group’s concert DVD “Ashes of American Flags.”

With every written word (we communicated with Orlic via e-mail) flows a passion about the music that this completely sympathetic rock photographer feels. He detailed his beginnings in working with this cult band from Chicago. A few years ago I contacted Jeff Tweedy’s management who I wanted to film during his solo career and they agreed. They liked what I did and I got the go ahead to film Wilco live whenever I wanted to. With time I began to photograph the group on the black stage and in their studio The Loft while they were recording their last two albums.  I wouldn’t call myself the official photographer of the band, no but let’s say that I am their first choice when they are working in the studio or performing in Chicago - clarified this 44 year old photographer, who with his family: father, mother and older brother left Trogir in 1973 for Chicago.

The Rotterdam School of Design

My father ran the restaurants on Jadrolinija’s boats, and after arriving in Chicago began to make furniture. Mom worked for years at a piano factory - recalls Orlic, who began photography during one of his summer vacations in his birthplace of Trogir.

The first time I returned to Trogir was in the summer of 1979. I was alone because we couldn’t afford to travel together. So my assignment was to return to America with pretty pictures of my trip.  I had a Canon AE-1 which at the time was high-tech and it was my first serious start with the medium of photography - Orlic related. Ten years later, the young photographer is in Rotterdam where he attends the school of design.

Filming rock bands seemed like a natural way. Even then I loved music and the medium of photography was the best way to entered that world which fascinated me – said Orlic who cites U2 and famed Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn as possibly the critical influences in his career.

Aside from U2, I loved other bands from their parent label Mother Records, under which they published during the 1980s and 1990s. Excited by that music, I wanted to at that time listen to all of those Irish bands live.  Then I went to Ireland on the trail of U2 and discovered more groups that appealed to me, like An Emotional Fish and Fat Lady Sings. No the real turning point was in 1992, when I discovered the group The Frames in Dublin. I began to work with them in 1996 after they released their second album and after I sent them a crazy letter full of admiration.

(The Frames are cult Irish group that has been active for twenty years, and was two years ago the opening act for Bob Dylan on his tour through Australia and New Zealand, and the lead singer of the band Glen Hansard was one of the protagonists of the 1991 cult film The Commitments by Alan Parker, about a soul band in Dublin op ed.)

Ante Tomic is a big fan

Aside from photographing them, I quickly became the band’s American manager.  I began to organize concerts for lead singer Glen Hansard because we didn’t have money for the whole band, and with time the whole band would come, and in 2001 would record the album “For the Birds” with famed Chicago producer Steve Albini (the producer of Nirvana’s ”In Utero” and the Pixie’s “Surfer Rosa”, among others op ed.) A few years later I photographed them on their big 29 concert American tour all while being their manager.  My years of working with this band are collected in a photo book “The Frames: Behind the Glass” published in 2006 - described Orlic in one of his passionate rock ‘n roll stories.

Unfortunately Wilco isn’t a group whose music you’ll frequently hear on Croatia’s airwaves, which is a shame because they are one of the most important rock bands of today.  The truth is that even here we have a loyal following led by Ante Tomic.  The “Band of the 21st Century” is often used to describe this multi-member group from Chicago. And just like there was a lot of passion for The Band, which is best testified by rock documentarian Martin Scorsese’s “The Last Waltz” of the group’s last concert, Wilco is a group that evokes powerful feelings.

I am greatly honored that I can work with a group that can be said, is a part of the history of American popular music. Wilco is today accepted as a large classic American band. For me and their legions of fans they are a modern version of The Band, that great band of the 1960s and 1970s.  Everyone in the band is talented and even better, are beautiful people first.  Here there are no big egos and the stereotypical characteristics of rock stars - Orlic revealed.

Summers in his birthplace

Even though he acts like a hardened rocker, Zoran Orlic has one Croatian star high at the top of his list of favorite performers. I am a huge fan of Oliver Dragojevic. One day when Oliver dies, Croatia will forever be wearing black. He is the most “black” and “soul” singer in the history of Croatian popular music.  I deeply believe that he will only now deliver his best songs – and with great fervor ascertained Orlic, who spends every summer in his birthplace of Trogir. He is thinking about returning there one day, even though he can’t imagine life in a city without a music scene.

My main disappointment with Split and Trogir is the lack of any kind of musical life. I think I would faint and die if I heard Wilco’s music on Split radio. As far as I am aware, Zagreb, as far as concert offerings go, has become a real European city. When I return to Trogir I would have to travel non-stop to concerts in Zagreb. And for however long I dreamed of a quiet and idyllic life I can’t imagine my life anywhere that doesn’t have quality live music - concluded Orlic.  


Source: http://www.jutarnji.hr/zoran-orlic--da-nije-bilo-u2--ne-bi-bilo-ni-moje-uspjesne-karijere/570119/

Translated into English by Marko Puljić.

Formatted for CROWN by
  Marko Puljić
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