Early career Čuturilo started his career as a teenager, in 1976, playing as a guitarist for the band Kredit, which also featured Igor Popović (who would later become frontman of
Jakarta, vocals), Časlav Stanković (guitar), Srđan Đurić (bass guitar) and Milan Bubalo (drums). However, Kredit soon disbanded (Stanković, Đurić and Bubalo would later form
Laki Pingvini), and in 1977, Čuturilo and Popović, with Srđan Đurić (bass guitar), Slobodan Đurišić (later would play in Mama Co Co,
Točak Band,
Spori Ritam Bend and
YU grupa, drums) and Saša Lokner (later would play in
Bajaga i Instruktori, keyboards), formed the band Paviljon. After a year spent in Paviljon, Čuturilo became a member of Bicikl. With Bicikl Čuturilo recorded a
7-inch single with songs "Palanačka hronika" ("Small Town Chronicles") and "Dečja pesma" ("Children's Song"), released in 1981. Čuturilo soon had to leave Bicikl due to his
army obligations, and after he returned from the army in 1982, he joined
Siluete. A year later, Čuturilo moved to the band Zamba, with which he released the album
Udarac nisko (
Low Punch). In 1984, Zamba disbanded and Čuturilo accepted the invitation from
Električni Orgazam leader
Srđan Gojković to join Električni Orgazam on tour.
Riblja Čorba In September 1984, Čuturilo became a member of
Riblja Čorba. He and
Vidoja "Džindžer" Božinović became new Riblja Čorba guitar duo, replacing
Rajko Kojić and
Momčilo Bajagić. Čuturilo spent five years in Riblja Čorba, appearing on studio albums
Istina (
Truth; 1985),
Osmi nervni slom (
Eighth Nervous Breakdown; 1986),
Ujed za dušu (
Soul Bite; 1987) and
Priča o ljubavi obično ugnjavi (
Talking About Love Is Usually Annoying; 1988).
Solo career Čuturilo released his first solo album
9 lakih komada (
9 Easy Pieces) in 1988. He wrote all songs on the album, and played guitar and sung on the album recording. Bass guitarists
Bodan Arsovski (of
Leb i Sol) and
Žika Jelić (of
YU grupa), drummers
Dragoljub Đuričić (of Leb i Sol) and Ivan Ranković (of
Ekatarina Velika), keyboardist
Saša Lokner (of
Bajaga i Instruktori) and guitarist Vlada Negovanovuć (of
Tunel) participated in the album recording. Serbian
rock and roll pioneer
Mile Lojpur appeared as a guest musician in the song "Kad je Lojpur svirao" ("When Lojpur Used to Play"), referring to himself. The album was well received and Čuturilo formed Laki Band (
Easy Band) which featured
Van Gogh member
Zvonimir Đukić (guitar), Dragoljub Đuričić (drums) and
Ruž member Dejan Grujić (bass guitar). With Laki Band Čuturilo recorded his second solo album,
Raskršće (
Crossroads) in 1989. Album was produced by
Saša Habić, and, alongside Laki Band members, featured
Laza Ristovski and Saša Lokner on keyboards and
Dejan Cukić on backing vocals. During the same year, Čuturilo wrote the music for the
theatre play Najbolji ludi dan (
The Best Crazy Day) which was set at the stage of
Nova Gorica theatre. On 14 September 1989 Čuturilo officially left Riblja Čorba and formed the band Oblaci (
The Clouds) which featured Nikola Čuturilo's brother Darko (keyboards), Zoran "Baki" Radovanović (drums), Dejan Grujić (bass guitar), and Saša Ranđelović (guitar). Čuturilo and Oblaci (under the name Čutura & Oblaci) released the album
Rekom ljubavi (
Down the River of Love) in 1991. The album was produced by Saša Habić and brought a number of radio hits: "Glorija" ("Gloria"), "Pustiću radio" ("I'll Put the Radio On"), "Reka ljubavi" ("River of Love") and "Srećan put" ("Have a Nice Trip"). Album featured
Pera Joe, Jelena Galonić,
Nenad Milosavljević,
Dragi Jelić and
Žika Jelić as guest musicians. In 1991, Čuturilo participated at the Retrospective Evening of the Belgrade Spring Festival, performing a cover of
Oliver Dragojević's song "Molitva za Magdalenu" ("Prayer for Magdalene") which was released on the album
Beograde (
Oh, Belgrade). At the time Čutura & Oblaci went on the
Rekom ljubavi tour,
Yugoslav wars broke out, and in November 1991, Čuturilo went to London. In London Čuturilo performed mostly in clubs, playing with
Paul Rodgers and
Micky Moody, among others. In 1998, he recorded his fourth studio album
I.D.. The album was recorded in London with David Duncan (bass guitar) and Neil Findlay (drums), produced in
Belgrade by Vlada Negovanović, and released through
Komuna Belgrade. In 2006, Čutrilo released his fifth solo album,
Nemir (
The Unrest), recorded with Dejan Grujić on bass guitar and Blagoje Nedeljković on drums. The album was produced by
Block Out leader
Nikola Vranjković and released through
PGP-RTS. In 2012, Čuturilo released the album
Tu i sad (
Here and Now). The album was released both on CD, through PGP-RTS, and available for free
download, through timemmachinemusic.org.
Tu i sad featured a new version of his 1989 hit "Voli me" ("Love Me"), and a cover of
Pop Mašina song "Sećanja" ("Memories"). The album featured guest appearances by
Dragi and
Žika Jelić of
YU grupa, and
Bora Đorđević and
Vidoja Božinović of Riblja Čorba. The video for the song "Sanjam da je bolje" ("I'm Dreaming that It's Better") from the album featured the actress
Gala Videnović. During the same year, Čuturilo wrote the official song of the
2012 European Men's Handball Championship, held in Serbia. The song, entitled "Never Give Up", was sung by
Ognjen Radivojević. The same song, with lyrics in
Serbian and entitled "Nikad ne zaboravi", was recorded by four children, including Čuturilo's son Danilo, as the official song of the
2012 European Women's Handball Championship, also held in Serbia. In March 2014, Čuturilo released the single "Neko ka ja" ("Someone Like Me"), widely praised by the media for its political and social lyrics. In December of the same year, Čuturilo released the compilation album
Neko kao ja, featuring 17 old songs, and two new ones, the title track and the song "Nije se dogodilo odavno" ("I Hasn't Happened for a Long Time"). In April 2016, several days before
Serbian parliamentary election, Čuturilo released a new single, political-oriented "Cirkus stiže" ("The Circus Is Coming"). In March 2017, Čuturilo released another single with political lyrics, "Welcome to the Show".
Collaborations In 1986, Čuturilo wrote lyrics for the songs "Blagi bože podigni me" ("Dear God Lift Me Up") and "Još samo ovu noć mi daj" ("Give Me just This more Night") released on
Kerber's album
Seobe (
Migrations). During the same year he wrote lyrics for the song "Obeć'o sam drugu" ("I Promised to My Friend") released on
Peđa D' Boy's album
Laku noć ti mala (
Good Night, Baby). Čuturilo wrote lyrics for six songs released on the
YU grupa 1987 album
Od zlata jabuka (
Golden Apple) and sung backing vocals on the album recording. He also appeared as the author of the lyrics on YU grupa's following album
Ima nade (
There Is Hope), authoring the lyrics for six songs, including hits "Zaboravi" ("Forget"), "Mornar" ("Sailor") and "Dunavom šibaju vetrovi" ("Winds still Blow by the
Danube"). On YU grupa's 1990 album
Tragovi (
Traces) he was the author of all of the lyrics. Čuturilo wrote music for one song and lyrics for three songs, including the hit "Letnje kiše" ("Summer Rains"), for
Dejan Cukić's 1989 album
Zajedno (
Together), but also cooperated in writing of lyrics for three songs released on the album. ==Legacy==