“Rock Is Unmatched Beauty, a Burst of Energy, and a Sense of Total Freedom”. An Interview with Ivan Milev – Vacho

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60060/MLg.2026.19.192-214

Keywords:

Ivan Milev, Vacho, “Bundaratsite”, rock, socialism

Abstract

With the passing of Ivan Milev (1944 – 2025), co-founder of “Bundaratsite” and one of the pioneers of Bulgarian rock, our popular music has lost yet another significant voice. Vacho, or “Little Bundarak”, gave this interview to Lora Tarkoleva on October 28, 2024, for the “Izotopia” show on the Bulgarian National Radio’s “Horizont” channel. The occasion for their meeting was the recent (at the time) death of another member of “Bundaratsite” – Kiril Marichkov. Vacho’s story was broadcast in parts over two episodes (on October 31 and November 14, 2024). The full interview is being published for the first time in memory of Milev and as a tribute to the mark he left on history.

Sources

Balkanton (1967) Kvartet “Dzhaz Fokus-65”. Kontsert v zala “Bulgaria” – Sofia, april 1967 g. Dostapen ot: https://balkanton.su/image/comment/782 (Pregledan: 13.06.2026).

Krastev, Anatoli (2019) Snezhina Galabova-Lecheva (1929 – 2019), Kultura, 15.02. Dostapen ot: https://kweekly.bg/publication/2122 (Pregledan: 13.06.2026).

“Lord Bandi ot Sofia” (2013) Dokumentalen film, rezhisyor: Ivan Traykov, stsenaristi: Boryana Mateeva-Peeva, Konstantin Petrov [YouTube]. Dostapen ot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XjYBZL66-k (Pregledan: 13.06.2026). 

Tarkoleva, Lora, Notev, Ivan, Antonova, Iva (2024) Srednovekovno nevazmozhen? Hamlet v omagyosania zamak (parva chast), “Horizont”, 20.11. Dostapen ot: https://old-news.bnr.bg/horizont/post/102077779/srednovekovno-nevazmojen-hamlet-v-omagyosania-zamak-parva-chast (Pregledan: 13.06.2026).

Tarkoleva, Lora, Notev, Ivan, Antonova, Iva (2024) Srednovekovno nevazmozhen? Hamlet v omagyosania zamak (vtora chast), “Horizont”, 22.11. Dostapen ot: https://old-news.bnr.bg/horizont/post/102078974/srednovekovno-nevazmojen-hamlet-v-omagyosania-zamak-vtora-chast (Pregledan: 13.06.2026).

Tarkoleva, Lora (2024) Rok v nesvarsheno vreme, ep. №105, “Izotopia” [Podkast], Binar.BG, 01.11. Dostapen ot: https://binar.bg/binar/post/20754/izotopia-rok-v-nesvarsheno-vreme (Pregledan: 13.06.2026).

Tarkoleva, Lora (2025) “Bandaratsite” ot “Poduyane” do Lunata i obratno, “Horizont”, 24.01. Dostapen ot: https://old-news.bnr.bg/horizont/post/102106413 (Pregledan: 13.06.2026).

Tarkoleva, Lora (2025) “Bandaratsite” i Satirata – istoria za lyubov i oshte neshto, ep. №110, “Izotopia” [Podkast], Binar.BG, 22.01. Dostapen ot: https://binar.bg/binar/post/21896/izotopiya-bandaratsite-i-satirata-istoriya-za-lyubov-i-oshte-neshto (Pregledan: 13.06.2026).

Author Biography

  • Lora Tarkoleva, Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"

    Lora Tarkoleva is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication of the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Radio and Television Department. Prior to becoming a professor, she worked ten years as a journalist (mainly at the Horizont channel of the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), but at the Focus Radio as well). Her research interests include the development of BNR as a public broadcaster, how it informs, educates and entertains, and what forms journalists rely on to communicate with their audiences.

References

Рупчев, Йордан, Хофман, Хайнц Петер (1987) АБВ на попмузиката. София: Държавно издателство „Музика“.

---------------------------

Rupchev, Yordan, Hofman, Haynts Peter (1987) ABV na popmuzikata. Sofia: Darzhavno izdatelstvo “Muzika”.

Downloads

Published

2026-06-20

Issue

No. 19 (2026): Media: Voices and Echoes

Section

In Memoriam

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.