Laibach reinterpret Bijelo Dugme with new single ‘Die Kanone’ – Out now via Mute
Laibach (Photo by Nika Hölcl)
Laibach have released a new single, “Die Kanone”, available now on Mute. The track reimagines “Top” (translated as “The Cannon”), the 1974 single by Bijelo Dugme, the most successful rock band in the history of former Yugoslavia.
The collaboration was initiated by Goran Bregović, Bijelo Dugme’s founding member and principal songwriter, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the band. The resulting track merges Laibach’s martial, post-industrial style with Bijelo Dugme’s classic rock and Balkan folk influences.
“Die Kanone” is a cultural and musical mash-up that confronts notions of Balkan identity, masculinity, and nostalgia. The lyrics were translated into German for the occasion, touching on themes of militarism, post-Yugoslav diaspora, and industrial transformation. The track also alludes to Germany’s current shift from automotive manufacturing to arms production. The single’s artwork features a Volkswagen Beetle – once manufactured in Sarajevo.
The band stated that the cannon metaphorically represents distorted expressions of masculinity, adding: “Weapons are often used as a substitute for ‘masculinity’ in Balkan mythology and identity.”
“Die Kanone” follows several recent interpretations, including their covers of “I Want To Know What Love Is” by Foreigner and the anti-lynching protest song “Strange Fruit”, originally performed by Billie Holiday. Their most recent album is “Alamut“.
Table of contents
Laibach Live Dates
The band will perform several shows across Slovenia in 2025:
- August 22 – Ruše, Letno gledališče Pod goroj (Festival)
- August 23 – Nova Gorica, Mostovna
- October 11 – Velenje, Dom kulture Velenje
- November 7 – Trbovlje, Delavski Dom
Tickets and full event details are available via the official Laibach website.
About Laibach
The band was formed in 1980 in Trbovlje, Slovenia, then part of Yugoslavia. The founding members included Dejan Knez, Milan Fras, Ervin Markošek, and Ivan Novak. From the beginning, Laibach positioned itself as a multi-media collective, blending martial industrial sounds with provocative imagery, performance art, and sociopolitical critique.
Following cassette releases their debut album was released on ŠKUC ROPOT in 1985. International recognition came after signing to Mute Records, which released “Opus Dei” (1987), featuring interpretations of Queen’s “One Vision” and the Austrian anthem “Geburt einer Nation”.
The band has since maintained a prolific output, with albums including “NATO” (1994), “Volk” (2006), and “Spectre” (2014), and has collaborated with symphonic ensembles and experimental artists.
The current lineup includes Milan Fras, Ivan Novak, Luka Jamnik, and Rok Lopatič.
Laibach and controversies
In 2015, Laibach became the first Western band to perform in North Korea – though it’s far from sure this was actually a good thing to do. A concert in Iran was canceled.
The band also got into trouble with their comments on the Russian invasion in Ukraine. On one hand, Laibach has expressed support for Ukraine, particularly in response to the 2022 Russian invasion. They canceled planned shows in Russia due to the conflict and stated their solidarity with Ukraine, condemning Russia’s aggression and emphasizing Ukraine’s right to defend itself.
On the other hand, in a 2023 Guardian interview they described the Russo-Ukrainian War as “a cynical proxy war for the geostrategic interests of the superpowers and financial capital,” a framing that echoes Russian propaganda narratives about Ukraine being a Western puppet.
This led to significant backlash in Ukraine, resulting in the cancellation of their Kyiv concert by the Bel Etage Music Hall, as many Ukrainians found the statement offensive and reductive. Additionally, their 2018 interview with pro-Kremlin media, where they expressed willingness to perform in occupied Crimea and Donbas, and their 2006 cover of the Russian anthem, have been seen as sympathetic to Russia.
About Bijelo Dugme
Bijelo Dugme (“White Button”) was a Yugoslav rock band formed in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in 1974. The band is widely regarded as one of the most popular and influential acts in the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Founded by guitarist and composer Goran Bregović, the band initially operated under the name Jutro (“Morning”) before adopting the name Bijelo Dugme after their debut single, “Kad bi’ bio bijelo dugme” (“If I Were a White Button”), was released by Jugoton in 1974.
The classic lineup featured Bregović (guitar), Željko Bebek (vocals), Zoran Redžić (bass), Ipe Ivandić (drums), and Vlado Pravdić (keyboards). Blending Balkan folk influences with hard rock, their debut album, “Kad bi’ bio bijelo dugme” (1974), brought them nationwide fame, selling over 141,000 copies and earning the label “pastirski rok” (shepherd rock) for its unique sound.
Their 1979 album “Bitanga i princeza” is often considered their creative peak, with symphonic ballads and poetic lyrics, some penned by writers like Duško Trifunović, Vlado Dijak, and Arsen Dedić. Dubbed the “Yugoslav Beatles,” their popularity, termed “Dugmemania”, saw them sell millions of records, with one newspaper claiming they sold more albums than there were record players in Yugoslavia.
In the early 1980s, as Yugoslav new wave emerged, Bijelo Dugme adapted with a new wave and ska-influenced sound on “Doživjeti stotu” (1980). After Bebek’s departure in 1983, Mladen Vojičić “Tifa” joined as vocalist for the self-titled 1984 album, which incorporated folk and synth-heavy elements. Tifa’s tenure was short due to personal conflicts, and Alen Islamović became the final vocalist in 1986, recording two albums, including “Pljuni i zapjevaj moja Jugoslavijo” (1986), which embraced Yugoslavism-inspired themes amid rising regional tensions.
The band disbanded in 1989 as Yugoslavia’s political climate deteriorated.
Bijelo Dugme reunited in 2005 for three sold-out concerts in Sarajevo, Zagreb, and Belgrade, featuring all three vocalists but without Ivandić, who died by suicide in 1994. In 2025, they celebrated their 50th anniversary with a concert at Paris’s Olympia, joined by Crvena Jabuka.
Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.
Since you’re here …
… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can - and we refuse to add annoying advertising. So you can see why we need to ask for your help.
Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive.
If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
The donations are safely powered by Paypal.
