WOEBOT

Stepinac today

It was with a slightly wry smile that I read Simon Reynolds breathless synopsis of Dragomir Žerjavic's (aka Stepinac's) career. Although he's only recently exploded into public consciousness, Dragomir is well known to cognoscenti. However other parts of Mr Reynolds's account distinctly irked me. Much was made of Dragomir's violent mother's past but, perhaps typically, his father was not mentioned.

Dragomir's Grand-Father

Illych was the son of legendary Mandolin player Stjepan Žerjavic, here pictured with the Croation Tamburitza Orchestra on tour in America.

Dragomir's Father

He himself played the Gusle in Zlatni dukati. I feel Dragomir's family's rich history within folk music contradicts the naysayers who have accused him of riding the East-European Folk Mash-up bandwagon.

Eastern Promise

In the late seventies Illych found himself swept up in the burgeoning Progressive Rock movement and his band Istrian was one of the four groups (along with Azra, Haustor, and the early Film) who contributed to the classic "Underground Dubrovnik" compilation.

The "Brothers"

Having grown up surrounded by music in his family it was only natural that Dragomir would become involved in the business. With his two cousins Mišo and Tomislav and friend Toni, Dragomir (beneath the column) was part of one of the very earliest Turbo Folk groups "Brothers in Rhythm" who released their well-regarded eponymous LP on Rotterdam's Benelux Records.

War Inna Slovakia EP

After a hiatus working as a tour-guide the Stepinac we know comes into focus four years ago with this ground-breaking Gabba-Volk single on the awesome Požega label.

Balkanized EP

Another classic, this time from 2004, on Požega.

IDM!

Almost forgetting this from 1997! This time working as Stepinack, "Rigid Interbody Penetration" was released on the Worm Interface label at the height of Intelligent Dance, but sank without a trace.