Early life and early career Pađen was born in
Zagreb on 3 February 1955. He grew up listening to
The Beatles, their music encouraging him to enroll in a
music school. He played
classical guitar, and after graduating from lower music school, started composing his first rock and roll songs. He started performing at the age of 15, as the guitarist for Zoo Band, later performing with the bands Spectrum and Hobo. In 1978, both Hasanefendić and Rahimovski were drafted to serve their mandatory stints in the
Yugoslav People's Army, Parni Valjak going on hiatus and Pađen deciding to form a new band. Pađen Band's last release was the 2000 compilation album
Retro 16. The band released their comeback album
Na travi (
On the Grass) in 2001, releasing three more studio albums since. The 2007 album
Rock @ Roll was the band's first release to feature Pađen as the sole remaining original member. Since its release the group has been performing under the name Jurica Pađen & Aerodrom. In 2009, the band released their first live album,
Hitovi i legende (
Hits and Legends). The album was recorded on Jurica Pađen & Aerodrom concert in
Tvornica kulture club in Zagreb held on 13 December 2008.
4 Asa (2003–2004) Simultaneously with his work with reunited Aerodrom, Pađen formed the supergroup
4 asa (
4 Aces) with former
Srebrna Krila vocalist and solo artist
Vlado Kalember, former
Divlje Jagode and
Bijelo Dugme vocalist and solo artist
Alen Islamović and
Novi Fosili keyboardist and vocalist
Rajko Dujmić, performing new versions of the band members' old songs. With the group, Pađen recorded studio albums
Ljubavna priča iz Dubrovnika (
Love Story from Dubrovnik, 2003) and
Nakon svih ovih godina (
After All These Years, 2004), and the double live album
Live Zagreb 03. 03. 2003.. The
DVD 4 Asa Live, released in 2003, featured the recording of their performance at Zagreb's
Šalata.
Solo albums Simultaneously with his work with reunited Aerodrom and with 4 Asa, Pađen has recorded two solo albums. In 2003, he released the album
Žicanje (
Wiring), featuring his instrumentals inspired by 1960s music, with Aerodrom bass guitarist Tomislav Šojat and the band's former bass guitarist Remo Krstanović Cartagine taking part in the recording. The album also featured Pađen's future wife Ana Šuto on keyboards and
Nikša Bratoš on guitar. The album was awarded with
Fender Award for the Best Croatian Instrumental Album. In 2013, Pađen released the solo album
All Stars, featuring instrumental tracks he recorded with Branimir Štulić, Husein Hasanefendić, Nikša Bratoš,
Massimo Savić,
Vedran Božić,
Neno Belan and
Zele Lipovača.
Other activities In 1991, at the time of the Croatian War, Pađen recorded the song "Tko to tamo gine" ("Who's That Dying Over There") for the various artists album
Moja domovina (
My Homeland), and a cover of Azra's "Balkan" entitled "Papan" (the title being a slang for an immature boy) for the various artists album
Rock za Hrvatsku (
Rock for Croatia). During war years, Pađen joined Croatian musicians who performed for Croatian troops.
Personal life Jurica Pađen is married to singer and pianist Ana Šuto, a former singer of the group Ana i Dva Guna (
Ana and Two Goons). The two met during the recording of Pađen's album
Žicanje. They have been married since 2005 and have two children, son Vito and a daughter Mila. From a previous relationship, Pađen has one child, daughter Tara. ==Legacy==