Rh- (2003)

With the end of the Nord tour came a new break from public life for Siddharta. The band wrapped themselves in silence once again and started their studio work in December 2002. Armed with a new band member, bass player Jani H., who stepped in after Primož M. had decided to leave the band, Siddharta set foot in the studio once again. They worked with Peter Penko, Dali Strniša, Rok Golob and Žare Pak. Many months later the result was released: Siddharta’s third studio album Rh-. The long-awaited album was released on August 13th, 2003 by Kif Kif Records and was sold in 10,000 copies the first week of sales alone. The cover design was entrusted to the designer of the Silikon Delta cover, Sašo Dornik.

An English version of the album was recorded and released on Slovenian market as a special limited-edition album on September 1st, 2003. The album was released in unique bloodbag-resembling packages and in music stores placed on transfusion hangers. The special-edition album was released in 1,500 copies, which were sold out in a matter of days. The bloodbag packaging and its designer Sašo Dornik were awarded a Silver Drumstick at the Golden Drum advertising festival in the category of printed media, the Grand award of the 13th Slovene Advertising Festival, and the Magdalena Golden Bra award for creative communications.

Koncert na stadionu
A month after the release of their third studio album Rh-, Siddharta opened the Rh- tour with a concert which astounded all who were there and those who were not. The band, accompanied by the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra and 60 dancers, played before a crowd of over 30,000 people and a few thousand who could not get in as the concert had been sold out way in advance. It was an event never yet seen in Slovenia and it received incredible media coverage. The preparations for the project had begun many months beforehand, from the careful stage-planning to the choreography and music arrangements for the orchestra. Siddharta chose to work with those who have proven to be the men for the job. The choreography was entrusted to Miha Krušič (choreography for the Klinik video) and the music arrangements to Milko Lazar and Slavko Avsenik Jr (the arrangements for the Križanke 2002 concert). What sprouted was a sight for sore eyes: three stages, breathtaking choreographies and costumes, eye-watering orchestrations, Siddharta at their best, and a blanket of over 60,000 hands.

The concert was aired on both national radio and television in prime time. It received massive response from the media and was labeled event of the year 2003 numerous times; for this event Siddharta even won the Outstanding achievements Viktor award for 2003. The DVD with the recordings of the concert was the thing awaited by the fans with most eager anticipation since the release of Rh-.

The stadium concert was the beginning of an amazing tour. Playing two to three times a week, the Rh- tour visited all parts of the country, took a detour to Austria for a day, and ended just after Christmas in a sold-out concert just like all were. The New Year brought for Siddharta a short vacation, a line of public recognitions of their work – be it their music, the sales of Rh- or the bloodbag design – and a break across the borders of Slovenia.

The first stadium concert anniversary was marked by showing a documentary film based on the event in the Kolosej cinemas in September 2004.

Most of 2004 was dedicated to an international album release and the year was closed in a special way. In order to quench the fans' and the band's thirst for small live gigs, a mini tour was Siddharta's way of bidding their farewells to their most devoted fans before concentrating on the abroad. One could sense the breakthrough coming up as the tour was overviewed by 7 of the most important German music critics.

Siddharta in MTV (2004)
After its world premiere on 13th September 2004 Siddharta's video 'My Dice', which had been used as the theme song of MTV's Rock Chart ever since February 2004, was aired exclusively on MTV European for a week. Since 20th September 2004 it has also been aired on other important music TV stations across Europe (MTV, VIVA, VH1) and the 'My Dice' single on radio stations across Europe.

On 13th September 2004, along with the world premiere on MTV European, Siddharta was put up as MTV's Artist of the Week.

Related Facts

Videos

  1. Ring (slo)Directed by Testtube
  2. T.H.O.R. (slo)Directed by Siddharta / Bojan Jantol
  3. Napoj (slo)Directed by Testtube
  4. Rave (slo)Directed by Petar Pašić

2003 Awards

  1. Viktor award for Video of the year (Under Venus)
  2. Golden drum award for Rh- limited edition bloodbag packaging design
  3. Gold record for the Rh- album
  4. Platinum record for the Rh- album

2004 Awards

  1. Viktor award for Artist of the year
  2. Viktor award for Special Achievements
  3. The Slovenian Radio Festival (SRF) award for Best song by radio editors’ choice: Napoj
  4. The Grand award of the 13th Slovene Advertising Festival (SOF): the bloodbag design
  5. The Magdalena Golden Bra award for creative communications: the bloodbag design
  6. The highest possible recognition of sales in Slovenia, a Diamond Record for the Rh- album
  7. The bloodbag design has been entered into the Cresta designer and advertising awards program short-list of finalists