Deni Kožić, Croatian rock guitarist, dies at 62
Zagreb guitarist Deni Kožić died on September 1, 2026; he played with many landmark regional bands and appeared in the iconic "Dobre vibracije" video.
Deni Kožić, a well-known guitarist who played a central role across Yugoslav and Croatian rock, died on September 1, 2026, in Zagreb. He was in the 62nd year of his life and passed away 19 days before what would have been his 62nd birthday.
Career across landmark bands
Kožić's career began in the mid-1980s and stretched across decades during which he performed with a long list of regionally significant groups, including Psimomodo Pop, Jura Stublić & Film, Pips, Chips & Videoklips, Ritam s ovoj svijeta, Pjer Jardin, Psi od slame and Den deri. His presence on stage and in the studio left a lasting impression on several generations of listeners across the former Yugoslavia.
To a wider audience he is particularly remembered for his appearance in the iconic video for the song "Dobre vibracije" by Jura Stublić & Film, where Kožić is shown playing guitar on the very top of a skyscraper—a visual that became one of the most recognisable images in the region's rock history.
Kožić maintained long-standing collaborations and friendships with members of Psihomodo Pop. Dubravko Ivaniš, frontman of Pips, Chips & Videoclips, described him as his "guru" and "a true musician from head to toe, who left a huge mark in their important concert era during the album 'Drveće i rijeke'."
Details about the cause of death have not been released. Tributes and messages from fellow musicians and fans began to appear on social media and in regional outlets soon after the news was confirmed.
Kožić's influence is remembered not only for specific performances but for the breadth of musical projects he contributed to, spanning from cult videos and festival stages to studio recordings that shaped regional rock sound across decades.
Photo: Унсплаш
