Vampiri
Encyclopedia
Vampiri were a Serbia
n and former Yugoslav rock
band from Belgrade
. The band was formed in 1988, and performed music influenced by the 1950s
doo-wop
and rockabilly
. After releasing two studio albums, they disbanded in 1993. The band reunited in 1995, releasing two albums, second of which featured harder rock sound, only to disband in 1998.
), Goran Redžepi (drums
) Dušan Varda (both backing vocals), made several demo recordings until September 1989 when Eraković, Pejović, Pavlović and Redžepi went to serve the Yugoslav People's Army
. On their return, the two bands fused in one with Eraković as lead vocalist, being officially formed as a band in 1990. Other members which joined the band were Dejan Petrović (backing vocals), Dejan Jovanović (bass guitar
).
song. An earlier version of the song appeared on a 1988 demo recording. On June 1990, a promotional video was made for the song, recorded partially on the roof of the cinema 20 October and partially at the Kalemegdan Fortress. Soon after, the video was broadcast by the national television, making it an immediate hit. At the time, the band started being regularly broadcast on radio stations. In the late 1990, the band entered the studio to record three songs, "Lea", "Anđela" and "Malena" ("Little Girl"), and it was only then that PGP-RTB
agreed to release the band's debut album.
The debut album Rama lama ding dong was recorded during the winter of late 1990 and early 1991 and published in April 1991. For the album recording Borko Borac (saxophone
) and Dejan Tomović (keyboards
) joined the band, but left after the album release. Backing vocalist also left the band after the album release. The album was mostly doo-wop
-oriented, and brought hits "Malena", "Hajde, hajde" ("Come On, Come On"), "Ove noći" ("This Night"), "Sve što želim to su sni" ("Everything I Wish for Are the Dreams") and a rerecorded version of the title track. It also featured a cover of Carlo and The Belmonts' song "Little Orphan Girl" with lyrics in Serbian language
entitled "San letnje noći" ("A Midsummer Night's Dream"). Guitarist Branko Potonjak, keyboardist Sloba Marković and saxophone player Jova Maljoković made guest appearances on the album. During the same year, the band made the guest appearance on the Tonny Montano
album Lovac na novac (Money Hunter), singing backing vocals.
The band performed as an opening act on the Vaya Con Dios
concert in Sava Centar, which was their first major live appearance. In the spring of 1991, they appeared at the Belgrade Spring festival performing a cover of Đorđe Marjanović's song "Beograde" ("Belgrade"), included in the festival official compilation released during the same year. With the song "Meni njena ljubav treba" ("I Need Her Love") they won the first place at MESAM festival, and got the Discovery of the Year Award . Their second album Tačno u ponoć (High Midnight) brought the sound similar to the one on the debut.
By 1992, the band already had more than a hundred live appearances, and in the summer of the same year, the band went on a joint tour with Neverne Bebe
. The band also performed at the students protests against the regime of Slobodan Milošević
, on May 1992, and for the occasion the band performed a cover version of Zdravko Čolić
song "Glavo luda" ("Crazy Head"). At the time, former Graffiti member Dragan Novaković became the new bassist, replacing Dejan Jovanović, and, by the end of 1992, Saša Petrov became the new guitarist, making the band a ten-piece. The following year, the band performed at the last Jugovizija festival with the song "Ding ding dong", winning the second place. At the time, the band also recorded the music for the film We Are Not Angels by Srđan Dragojević, released in 1993 by ZAM, on the Be-be (Ba-bies) EP. It featured ten songs, including the title track, for which Srđan Dragojević wrote the song lyrics, and "Poziv na ples" ("Dance Invitation"), a cover version of the Beatles song "I Saw Her Standing There
" On October 1993, due to the political situation in the country, the band ceased to exist.
' "Needles and Pins
"). Despite having several hit songs, the album was not commercially successful. On Autumn 1997, the band started recording a new album, released by Komuna
in 1998. Moving towards more diverse genres of rock, Monkey Food featured the title track, a cover of Spencer Davis Group
song "I'm a Man
", "Sedmi deo" ("Seventh Part"), for which Kornelije Kovač
appeared as guest keyboardist, "Budi se" ("Wake Up"), for which guitarist Saša Petrov did the lead vocals, and "Svoj" ("My Own"), featuring guest appearance by Jovan Maljoković on saxophone. The album featured Jožef Pisanović (guitar), Srđan Jovanović (drums) and Saša Filićić (bass guitar) as new members. After the album release, the band disbanded.
supergroup
Familija
with former U Škripcu
members. The band released their debut album Narodno pozorište
(People's Theater) in 1995, after which Redžepi left the band. The remaining members released the single "Brate Murate
" which appeared on the band's second album Seljačka buna
(Peasants Rebellion) and disbanded.
Dejan Petrović, with his brother Nenad, formed the band Centrala whose style was a combination of electronic music
with rock
. Pejović formed The Dibidus in 2003 with former Hush bassist Milan Šarić and Deca Loših Muzičara
guitarist Jova Jović. The band released their self-titled album, produced by Redžepi, and disbanded, only to reunite in 2011. Dejan Pejović also co-written the lyrics for the Zdravko Čolić
song "Mangupska" which appeared on his album Zavičaj in 2006.
Vocalist Eraković founded the Rama Lama Studio in Belgrade and formed the Beatles tribute band The Bestbeat, in 2005. In 1999, he made a guest keyboard appearance on the Orthodox Celts
album Green Roses
.
Guitarist Dušan Pavlović received his PhD in 2002 from the Central European University
in Budapest
in the field of political philosophy and theory. Since 2005, he has taught at the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Belgrade
. He is also a columnist for the newspaper Politika
.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n and former Yugoslav rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band from Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
. The band was formed in 1988, and performed music influenced by the 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
and rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
. After releasing two studio albums, they disbanded in 1993. The band reunited in 1995, releasing two albums, second of which featured harder rock sound, only to disband in 1998.
Band formation (1988-1990)
The idea of forming a band came in 1988 as a collaboration between the Lollypops and Baby Boom members. Together, former Lollypops member Aleksandar Eraković (vocals), former Baby Boom members Dejan Pejović (backing vocals) and Dušan Pavlović (guitarElectric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
), Goran Redžepi (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
) Dušan Varda (both backing vocals), made several demo recordings until September 1989 when Eraković, Pejović, Pavlović and Redžepi went to serve the Yugoslav People's Army
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...
. On their return, the two bands fused in one with Eraković as lead vocalist, being officially formed as a band in 1990. Other members which joined the band were Dejan Petrović (backing vocals), Dejan Jovanović (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
).
Mainstream success, first breakup (1990-1993)
One of the last demo recordings the band had made featured the song "Rama lama ding dong", a cover of The EdselsThe Edsels
The Edsels were an American doo-wop group active during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The name of the group was originally The Essos, after the oil company, but was changed to match the then-new Ford automobile, the Edsel. The Edsels recorded over 25 songs and had multiple performances on Dick...
song. An earlier version of the song appeared on a 1988 demo recording. On June 1990, a promotional video was made for the song, recorded partially on the roof of the cinema 20 October and partially at the Kalemegdan Fortress. Soon after, the video was broadcast by the national television, making it an immediate hit. At the time, the band started being regularly broadcast on radio stations. In the late 1990, the band entered the studio to record three songs, "Lea", "Anđela" and "Malena" ("Little Girl"), and it was only then that PGP-RTB
PGP-RTB
PGP-RTB was a major record label and chain record store in the former SFR Yugoslavia based in Belgrade, Socialist Republic of Serbia. PGP-RTB was established in 1958...
agreed to release the band's debut album.
The debut album Rama lama ding dong was recorded during the winter of late 1990 and early 1991 and published in April 1991. For the album recording Borko Borac (saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
) and Dejan Tomović (keyboards
Musical keyboard
A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the...
) joined the band, but left after the album release. Backing vocalist also left the band after the album release. The album was mostly doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
-oriented, and brought hits "Malena", "Hajde, hajde" ("Come On, Come On"), "Ove noći" ("This Night"), "Sve što želim to su sni" ("Everything I Wish for Are the Dreams") and a rerecorded version of the title track. It also featured a cover of Carlo and The Belmonts' song "Little Orphan Girl" with lyrics in Serbian language
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
entitled "San letnje noći" ("A Midsummer Night's Dream"). Guitarist Branko Potonjak, keyboardist Sloba Marković and saxophone player Jova Maljoković made guest appearances on the album. During the same year, the band made the guest appearance on the Tonny Montano
Toni Montano
Toni Montano , real name Velibor Miljković is a Serbian rock musician. One of pioneers of psychobilly on the former Yugoslav rock scene, Toni Montano is better known for his controversial statements.-Radost Evrope:Miljković started his career as a vocalist of the band Radost Evrope Toni Montano...
album Lovac na novac (Money Hunter), singing backing vocals.
The band performed as an opening act on the Vaya Con Dios
Vaya Con Dios
' may refer to:* "Vaya con Dios" , a song written by Larry Russell, Inez James, and Buddy Pepper* Vaya Con Dios , a Belgian band** Vaya Con Dios , their debut album...
concert in Sava Centar, which was their first major live appearance. In the spring of 1991, they appeared at the Belgrade Spring festival performing a cover of Đorđe Marjanović's song "Beograde" ("Belgrade"), included in the festival official compilation released during the same year. With the song "Meni njena ljubav treba" ("I Need Her Love") they won the first place at MESAM festival, and got the Discovery of the Year Award . Their second album Tačno u ponoć (High Midnight) brought the sound similar to the one on the debut.
By 1992, the band already had more than a hundred live appearances, and in the summer of the same year, the band went on a joint tour with Neverne Bebe
Neverne Bebe
Neverne Bebe are a Serbian rock band from Belgrade.- 1990s :The band was formed in 1993 by a former Nova Zemlja, Smak and Frenki keyboardist Milan Đurđević. The first lineup featured Vladan Đurđević , Bane Jelić , Čeda Macura and Billy King...
. The band also performed at the students protests against the regime of Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
, on May 1992, and for the occasion the band performed a cover version of Zdravko Čolić
Zdravko Colic
Zdravko Čolić , is a pop singer popular across the entire area of former Yugoslavia. Originally from Sarajevo, since 1992 , his home is in Belgrade, Serbia...
song "Glavo luda" ("Crazy Head"). At the time, former Graffiti member Dragan Novaković became the new bassist, replacing Dejan Jovanović, and, by the end of 1992, Saša Petrov became the new guitarist, making the band a ten-piece. The following year, the band performed at the last Jugovizija festival with the song "Ding ding dong", winning the second place. At the time, the band also recorded the music for the film We Are Not Angels by Srđan Dragojević, released in 1993 by ZAM, on the Be-be (Ba-bies) EP. It featured ten songs, including the title track, for which Srđan Dragojević wrote the song lyrics, and "Poziv na ples" ("Dance Invitation"), a cover version of the Beatles song "I Saw Her Standing There
I Saw Her Standing There
"I Saw Her Standing There" is a song written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, and is the opening track on The Beatles' debut album, Please Please Me, released in the United Kingdom by Parlophone on 22 March 1963....
" On October 1993, due to the political situation in the country, the band ceased to exist.
Reformation (1995-1998)
In 1995 the rereformed Vampiri released Plavi grad (Blue City), recorded at the O studio in Autumn 1994, in a new lineup, featuring Aleksandar Eraković (vocals), Dejan Tomović (keyboards), Dragan Novaković (bass guitar), Saša Petrov (guitar) and Srđan Milenković (drums). The album featured hits "Plavi grad", "Stari voz" ("Old Train"), "Neću" ("I Won't") and "Ona i ja" ("She and I", cover of The SearchersThe Searchers (band)
The Searchers are an English beat group, who emerged as part of the 1960s Merseybeat scene along with The Beatles, The Fourmost, The Merseybeats, The Swinging Blue Jeans, and Gerry & The Pacemakers....
' "Needles and Pins
Needles and Pins (1963 song)
"Needles and Pins" is a song written by Jack Nitzsche and Sonny Bono. In his autobiography, Bono states that he sang along with Nitzsche's guitar-playing, thus creating both the tune and the lyrics, being guided by the chord progressions....
"). Despite having several hit songs, the album was not commercially successful. On Autumn 1997, the band started recording a new album, released by Komuna
Komuna Belgrade
Komuna is a Serbian record label and media production house. Established in 1985, its headquarters are in Belgrade, Serbia with a branch office Budva, Montenegro...
in 1998. Moving towards more diverse genres of rock, Monkey Food featured the title track, a cover of Spencer Davis Group
Spencer Davis Group
The Spencer Davis Group was a mid-1960s British beat group from Birmingham, England, formed by Spencer Davis with Steve Winwood and his brother Muff Winwood...
song "I'm a Man
I'm A Man (Spencer Davis Group song)
"I'm a Man" is a song written by Spencer Davis Group singer-songwriter Steve Winwood and record producer Jimmy Miller.-Original version by the Spencer Davis Group:...
", "Sedmi deo" ("Seventh Part"), for which Kornelije Kovač
Kornelije Kovac
Kornelije "Bata" Kovač is a famous Serbian composer. He is a father of Aleksandra Kovač and Kristina Kovač, both successful Serbian singers.-Early life:...
appeared as guest keyboardist, "Budi se" ("Wake Up"), for which guitarist Saša Petrov did the lead vocals, and "Svoj" ("My Own"), featuring guest appearance by Jovan Maljoković on saxophone. The album featured Jožef Pisanović (guitar), Srđan Jovanović (drums) and Saša Filićić (bass guitar) as new members. After the album release, the band disbanded.
Post breakup
After the first disbandment of Vampiri, in 1994, Dejan Petrović, Dejan Pejović and Goran Redžepi formed the skaSka
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
Familija
Familija
Familija was a Serbian rock supergroup from Belgrade, consisting of Vampiri, Košava and U Škripcu members...
with former U Škripcu
U Škripcu
U Škripcu was a former Yugoslav rock band from Belgrade, notable as participant in the Artistička radna akcija project as well as for their later works.- Formation and breakup :...
members. The band released their debut album Narodno pozorište
Narodno pozorište
Narodno pozorište is the debut album of the Serbian rock supergroup Familija, released in 1995.- Background :The album was the result of the collaboration of U Škripcu and Košava members Aleksandar "Vasa" Vasiljević and Aleksandar "Luka" Lukić with former Vampiri members Dejan "Peja" Pejović ,...
(People's Theater) in 1995, after which Redžepi left the band. The remaining members released the single "Brate Murate
Brate Murate
Brate Murate is a single by the Serbian rock supergroup Familija, released in 1996.- Background :Having released the first album, the band recorded a CD single featuring two songs...
" which appeared on the band's second album Seljačka buna
Seljačka buna
Seljačka buna is the second and last album by the Serbian rock supergroup Familija, released in 1997.- Background :The band's second album featured the same style the band had on the debut. The album, like the previous, was produced by Đorđe Petrović, and featured fourteen songs, including "Brate...
(Peasants Rebellion) and disbanded.
Dejan Petrović, with his brother Nenad, formed the band Centrala whose style was a combination of electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
with rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
. Pejović formed The Dibidus in 2003 with former Hush bassist Milan Šarić and Deca Loših Muzičara
Deca Loših Muzičara
Deca Loših Muzičara , often abbreviated to DLM, are a funk rock band from Belgrade. They were one of most popular Serbian bands in the early 1990s...
guitarist Jova Jović. The band released their self-titled album, produced by Redžepi, and disbanded, only to reunite in 2011. Dejan Pejović also co-written the lyrics for the Zdravko Čolić
Zdravko Colic
Zdravko Čolić , is a pop singer popular across the entire area of former Yugoslavia. Originally from Sarajevo, since 1992 , his home is in Belgrade, Serbia...
song "Mangupska" which appeared on his album Zavičaj in 2006.
Vocalist Eraković founded the Rama Lama Studio in Belgrade and formed the Beatles tribute band The Bestbeat, in 2005. In 1999, he made a guest keyboard appearance on the Orthodox Celts
Orthodox Celts
Orthodox Celts is a Serbian band which plays Irish folk music combined with rock elements. Despite their unusual sound the band is one of the top acts of the Serbian rock scene and has influenced several younger bands, most notably Tir na n'Og and Irish Stew of Sindidun.The band started their...
album Green Roses
Green Roses
Green Roses is the third studio album by the Serbian Irish folk/Celtic rock band Orthodox Celts released in 1999.- Tracklist :# "St. Patrick Was A Gentleman" - 02:19# "Sindidun" - 03:42# "Green Roses" Green Roses is the third studio album by the Serbian Irish folk/Celtic rock band Orthodox Celts...
.
Guitarist Dušan Pavlović received his PhD in 2002 from the Central European University
Central European University
For other uses, see European University Central European University is a graduate-level, English-language university offering degrees in the social sciences, humanities, law, public policy, business management, environmental science, and mathematics...
in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
in the field of political philosophy and theory. Since 2005, he has taught at the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Belgrade
University of Belgrade
The University of Belgrade is the oldest and largest university of Serbia.Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it merged with the Kragujevac-based departments into a single university...
. He is also a columnist for the newspaper Politika
Politika
Politika is a Serbian newspaper. It is considered the newspaper of record and is the oldest daily in the Balkans, having been founded on January 25, 1904 by Vladislav Ribnikar. It is currently being published by Politika Newspapers and Magazines , a joint venture between Politika AD and...
.
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