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Who is Marko Perkovic “Thompson” ?
Marko Perkovic is Croatia’s most prominent musician. He andhis band go by the stage-name "Thompson." That was
the nick-name given to him by his fellow soldiers during Croatia’s
1991-1995 war of independence from Serbian-dominated communist
Yugoslavia. The village he was born in, "Cavoglave,"
was on the front-lines of Serbian aggression during that turbulent
period. He took part in the successful defense of his nation.
The weapon he was issued was the American-made sub-machine gun,
hence the nick-name Thompson. Marko Perkovic was quickly catapulted
to fame by his patriotic song, "Cavoglave," dedicated
to defenders from the village of his birth. The song inspired
all Croatian defenders. It inspired Croatian civilians and Croatians
all around the world at a very critical moment in the small
nation’s history. It was on that foundation that he built his
career. And "Thompson" soon became a house-hold name.
What type of music does "Thompson" perform?
"Thompson" is a hard-rock/heavy-metal band. Many of
the band’s songs are comprised of ethno-elements, folk poetry
and songs that have for centuries accompanied Croatian folk-dances.
"Thompson" has also been known to perform and record
pop-songs.
What does Marko Perkovic sing about?
Marko Perkovic and his band are certainly not one-dimensional.
Earlier in his career, Perkovic recorded many love songs to
accompany hits that were centered around Croatian social themes.
Since his career took off during Croatia’s fight for independence,
many of his songs were about the liberation of Croatia. Croatia
gained official international recognition in 1992. Croatia was
officially and legitimately liberated in 1995. Contrary to negative
propaganda and outright lies, Thompson’s songs inspired
Croatians during the liberation of their homeland. Thompson
also recorded songs depicting the plight of Croatian soldiers
after the war. Stories about the experiences similar to those
of Vietnam Vets in the United States after returning from war.
With his more recent albums, Thompson has centered the themes
of his songs on the natural scenic beauty of Croatia and three
social values that the overwhelming majority of Croatians hold
dear: God, family and the homeland. His music has never glorified
war-criminals from the past or present. These accusations are
simply preposterous.
God, Family and the Homeland
Thompson has on numerous occasions challenged anyone opposed
to him or his music to prove their false claims and accusations.
He has challenged all his critics to listen to his songs, obtain
translations of his lyrics, and finally learn the truth about
his music. Once again, the main themes of Thompson’s songs are
about God, family and the homeland. Many critics, purposely
or not, misinterpret his music as political activism. Perhaps
it because of the message his songs emit. Messages of faith
in God, love of family and homeland. A far cry from a nationalist
or extremist, Thompson is simply a patriot. Something he willingly
admits. These are themes hardly worthy of controversy and the
kind of negative publicity surrounding him and his band.
Thompson does NOT perform anthems that glorify war-criminals,
concentration camps or genocide
The worst of all false accusations flung at Thompson is that
he is the author of a song called: "Jasenovac & Gradiska
Stara." Contrary to fallacious propaganda and claims, Thompson
is not the author of this song. He does not, nor has he ever,
performed it live. It cannot be found on any of Thompson’s seven
albums. We challenge all his critics and accusers to listen
to all of his recorded work and learn the truth for themselves.
Once again, we challenge all to obtain copies of his official
albums; and kindly ask to refrain from viewing or listening
to propagandistic montages constructed and posted on the Internet
by anonymous Thompson-haters. The song is simply not his.
Why, then, does so much controversy revolve around Thompson?
Since the end of World War II, the Croatian nation was systematically
stigmatized by the Serbian-dominated communist government of
Yugoslavia. For 45 yrs., any hint of Croatian patriotism was
extinguished by the state’s apparatus, most commonly under the
false indictment of “fascist“ or “Nazi“
separatism. To accompany the murder and imprisonment of Croatian
patriots within Yugoslavia and around the world, negative propaganda
about Croatians was disseminated by Belgrade’s information services.
This was purposely done with the objective of squashing any
activism around the world. Within years, the Croatian nation
became synonymous with that of the Nazis. Sadly, in many cases
of western literature, the false accusation stuck.
With his songs, Thompson has for some reason warranted the ire
of many anti-Croatian Greater-Serbian nationalists and their
well-paid public-relation mouthpieces their lobbies employ.
They have still not come to terms that they were on the losing
side of a war of aggression that Milosevic’s Serbia committed
against Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. They have
still not come to terms with the fact that Croatia is an independent
country proud of its recent victory on the battle-field against
criminal aggression. Croatia’s enemies have since conducted
a defamation campaign against all Croats, not just Thompson.
It is their hope to stifle Croatia’s chance at entry into
the European Union. Thompson is very popular among Croatians
that are old enough to remember the war years in the early 1990s.
And the band quickly became a natural target for Croatia’s enemies.
The defamation campaign is spear-headed by negative propaganda
identical to the kind spread world-wide during communist Yugoslavia.
Propaganda that basically equates the entire Croatian nation
and its identity to Nazism. It appears that not even a simple
musician can escape anti-Croatian bias. This type of propaganda
war-fare should not be surprising to American eyes or ears.
We ask all interested to try and understand the political/social
landscape of once war-torn South Central Europe. Starting from
that position, it will be much easier to understand today’s
relations between peoples of the former Yugoslavia.
Thompson performed in Frankfurt, Germany on April 21, 2007
As you probably know by now, Thompson is very popular in Croatian
emigrant communities around the world. He has sold out concerts
in Australia, Canada and Germany. Just to name a few countries.
Thompson played a packed Ballsporthalle in Frankfurt, Germany
on April 21, 2007. We’d like to remind you that the concert
was held in the heart of Germany. A nation with the most stringent
of anti-bias and anti-hate laws that exist anywhere in the world.
When German authorities translated Thompson’s lyrics,
something we ask all of you to do, they soon learned what the
band is really about. And the show went on as planned. We find
it extremely hard to believe that Thompson’s most vocal
critics are not aware of this. Once again, we remind you that
Thompson performed a successful show in Frankfurt, Germany.
The concert and the translation of lyrics made by German authorities
were reported by major media-outlets in that country. As correctly
and truthfully reported in the newspapers Allgemeine Zeitung
and Frankfurter Allgemeine, Thompson’s lyrics neither
promote, nor incite, violence.
There has never been a violent incident at a Thompson concert
Because of many false accusations and outright lies, we’d
like to mention that there has never been an incident at any
of Thompson’s many concerts. Whether in Frankfurt, Germany
or Zagreb, Croatia– Thompson‘s concerts, naturally, always
conclude peacefully. Just another fact that proves the critics
wrong.
Marko Perkovic is a musician
Marko Perkovic is a Croatian patriot that loves his country
dearly. He is not a member of any political party in Croatia,
nor does he have any affiliation to political or activist groups
within or outside the country. Marko Perkovic Thompson is just
a musician.
Just as we Americans love our country, Perkovic loves his. Just
as Jewish-Americans love their heritage and Israel, Perkovic
loves Croatia. And so do Croatian-Americans. So do Croatians
world-wide. With his music, Perkovic simply sings of patriotism
and love of the Croatian heritage. His songs inspire many Croats
to live honest lives, cherish family, honor God and be faithful
to the homeland. To Croatians in the United States, this translates
into the respect of not only the Croatian heritage, but of respect
to our American heritage; into respect for the great nation
that in the past granted amnesty to Croatians that sought refuge
and freedom from oppression. The incessant attacks against this
very successful musician are simply baseless and unwarranted.
"Thompson" is a hard-rock/heavy-metal band. Many of
the band’s songs are comprised of ethno-elements, folk poetry
and songs that have for centuries accompanied Croatian folk-dances.
"Thompson" has also been known to perform and record
pop-songs.
What does Marko Perkovic sing about?
Marko Perkovic and his band are certainly not one-dimensional.
Earlier in his career, Perkovic recorded many love songs to
accompany hits that were centered around Croatian social themes.
Since his career took off during Croatia’s fight for independence,
many of his songs were about the liberation of Croatia. Croatia
gained official international recognition in 1992. Croatia was
officially and legitimately liberated in 1995. Contrary to negative
propaganda and outright lies, Thompson’s songs inspired
Croatians during the liberation of their homeland. Thompson
also recorded songs depicting the plight of Croatian soldiers
after the war. Stories about the experiences similar to those
of Vietnam Vets in the United States after returning from war.
With his more recent albums, Thompson has centered the themes
of his songs on the natural scenic beauty of Croatia and three
social values that the overwhelming majority of Croatians hold
dear: God, family and the homeland. His music has never glorified
war-criminals from the past or present. These accusations are
simply preposterous.
God, Family and the Homeland
Thompson has on numerous occasions challenged anyone opposed
to him or his music to prove their false claims and accusations.
He has challenged all his critics to listen to his songs, obtain
translations of his lyrics, and finally learn the truth about
his music. Once again, the main themes of Thompson’s songs are
about God, family and the homeland. Many critics, purposely
or not, misinterpret his music as political activism. Perhaps
it because of the message his songs emit. Messages of faith
in God, love of family and homeland. A far cry from a nationalist
or extremist, Thompson is simply a patriot. Something he willingly
admits. These are themes hardly worthy of controversy and the
kind of negative publicity surrounding him and his band.
Thompson does NOT perform anthems that glorify war-criminals,
concentration camps or genocide
The worst of all false accusations flung at Thompson is that
he is the author of a song called: "Jasenovac & Gradiska
Stara." Contrary to fallacious propaganda and claims, Thompson
is not the author of this song. He does not, nor has he ever,
performed it live. It cannot be found on any of Thompson’s seven
albums. We challenge all his critics and accusers to listen
to all of his recorded work and learn the truth for themselves.
Once again, we challenge all to obtain copies of his official
albums; and kindly ask to refrain from viewing or listening
to propagandistic montages constructed and posted on the Internet
by anonymous Thompson-haters. The song is simply not his.
Why, then, does so much controversy revolve around Thompson?
Since the end of World War II, the Croatian nation was systematically
stigmatized by the Serbian-dominated communist government of
Yugoslavia. For 45 yrs., any hint of Croatian patriotism was
extinguished by the state’s apparatus, most commonly under the
false indictment of “fascist“ or “Nazi“
separatism. To accompany the murder and imprisonment of Croatian
patriots within Yugoslavia and around the world, negative propaganda
about Croatians was disseminated by Belgrade’s information services.
This was purposely done with the objective of squashing any
activism around the world. Within years, the Croatian nation
became synonymous with that of the Nazis. Sadly, in many cases
of western literature, the false accusation stuck.
With his songs, Thompson has for some reason warranted the ire
of many anti-Croatian Greater-Serbian nationalists and their
well-paid public-relation mouthpieces their lobbies employ.
They have still not come to terms that they were on the losing
side of a war of aggression that Milosevic’s Serbia committed
against Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. They have
still not come to terms with the fact that Croatia is an independent
country proud of its recent victory on the battle-field against
criminal aggression. Croatia’s enemies have since conducted
a defamation campaign against all Croats, not just Thompson.
It is their hope to stifle Croatia’s chance at entry into
the European Union. Thompson is very popular among Croatians
that are old enough to remember the war years in the early 1990s.
And the band quickly became a natural target for Croatia’s enemies.
The defamation campaign is spear-headed by negative propaganda
identical to the kind spread world-wide during communist Yugoslavia.
Propaganda that basically equates the entire Croatian nation
and its identity to Nazism. It appears that not even a simple
musician can escape anti-Croatian bias. This type of propaganda
war-fare should not be surprising to American eyes or ears.
We ask all interested to try and understand the political/social
landscape of once war-torn South Central Europe. Starting from
that position, it will be much easier to understand today’s
relations between peoples of the former Yugoslavia.
Thompson performed in Frankfurt, Germany on April 21, 2007
As you probably know by now, Thompson is very popular in Croatian
emigrant communities around the world. He has sold out concerts
in Australia, Canada and Germany. Just to name a few countries.
Thompson played a packed Ballsporthalle in Frankfurt, Germany
on April 21, 2007. We’d like to remind you that the concert
was held in the heart of Germany. A nation with the most stringent
of anti-bias and anti-hate laws that exist anywhere in the world.
When German authorities translated Thompson’s lyrics,
something we ask all of you to do, they soon learned what the
band is really about. And the show went on as planned. We find
it extremely hard to believe that Thompson’s most vocal
critics are not aware of this. Once again, we remind you that
Thompson performed a successful show in Frankfurt, Germany.
The concert and the translation of lyrics made by German authorities
were reported by major media-outlets in that country. As correctly
and truthfully reported in the newspapers Allgemeine Zeitung
and Frankfurter Allgemeine, Thompson’s lyrics neither
promote, nor incite, violence.
There has never been a violent incident at a Thompson concert
Because of many false accusations and outright lies, we’d
like to mention that there has never been an incident at any
of Thompson’s many concerts. Whether in Frankfurt, Germany
or Zagreb, Croatia– Thompson‘s concerts, naturally, always
conclude peacefully. Just another fact that proves the critics
wrong.
Marko Perkovic is a musician
Marko Perkovic is a Croatian patriot that loves his country
dearly. He is not a member of any political party in Croatia,
nor does he have any affiliation to political or activist groups
within or outside the country. Marko Perkovic Thompson is just
a musician.
Just as we Americans love our country, Perkovic loves his. Just
as Jewish-Americans love their heritage and Israel, Perkovic
loves Croatia. And so do Croatian-Americans. So do Croatians
world-wide. With his music, Perkovic simply sings of patriotism
and love of the Croatian heritage. His songs inspire many Croats
to live honest lives, cherish family, honor God and be faithful
to the homeland. To Croatians in the United States, this translates
into the respect of not only the Croatian heritage, but of respect
to our American heritage; into respect for the great nation
that in the past granted amnesty to Croatians that sought refuge
and freedom from oppression. The incessant attacks against this
very successful musician are simply baseless and unwarranted.
Frano Budimlic
New York
New York
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