Crni Biseri | |
|---|---|
 Crni Biseri in 1968 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | VIS Crni Biseri, Denis |
| Origin | Belgrade,SR Serbia,SFR Yugoslavia |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1963–1980 (Reunions: 1997) |
| Labels | Jugoton,PGP-RTB, Studio B,Diskos,PGP-RTS |
| Past members | Goran Vukićević Predrag Jovanović Ivan Božović Slavko Božović Vladimir Janković Radan Valčić Zoran Petković Nenad Dukić Jovan Ljubisavljević Dragan Baletić Dragan Batalo Dragan Raičević Branislav Živančević |
Crni Biseri (Serbian Cyrillic:Црни Бисери, trans.The Black Pearls) were aYugoslavrock band formed inBelgrade in 1963, notable as one of the pioneers of theYugoslav rock scene.
The band started their career performingbeat music, but later moved towardsrhythm and blues. During the 1960s they became one of the most popular rock bands among Yugoslav youth. Although their popularity heavily declined with the arrival of new musical trends and the new generation of Yugoslav rock bands at the beginning of the 1970s, they were one of rare Yugoslav 1960s bands to continue their career into the late 1970s. Although they recorded a large number of EPs and 7" singles, they released their only full-length studio album in 1976, disbanding in 1980. The group made a one-off reunion in 1997, to perform a concert to be broadcast byRadio Television of Serbia.
The band was formed in Belgrade at the end of 1963.[1] The first lineup consisted of Goran Vukićević (acoustic guitar, keyboards and harmonica), Predrag "Krcko" Jovanović (drums) and brothers Ivan (guitar) and Slavko Božović (saxophone).[1] The band chose their name after the 1958 Yugoslav filmBlack Pearls, directed bySvetomir Janjić,[1] a story about areform school teacher's efforts to bring a group ofjuvenile delinquents to the right path by teaching themdiving. Crni Biseri had their first performance in the winter of 1963, in Belje, in Belgradescouts winter house.[2] Initially, the band performed without a bass guitarist, but were soon joined by bassist and vocalistVladimir Janković, also known as "Vlada Džet", who got his nickname ("Džet" being atransliteration forJet) afterThe Shadows bass guitaristJet Harris.[1] Crni Biseri had their first performance with Janković on 8 March 1964 in Vuk Karadžić Cultural Center.[1] The band was soon after joined by singer Radan Valčić.[1] This lineup of the band performed until the Autumn of 1965, when they moved frombeat torhythm and blues and started performing in the following lineup: Radan Valčić (vocals), Goran Vukićević (guitar), Vladimir Janković "Džet" (bass guitar, vocals), Zoran Petković (rhythm guitar) and Dragan "Krcko" Jovanović (drums).[1]
On 23 January 1967, Crni Biseri took part in thebattle of the bands festivalGitarijada, held at theBelgrade Fair, and were pronounced the best band by the jury.[1] The runner-up band wereDelfini fromSplit, who publicly claimed that the voting was rigged.[1] Eventually, a "duel" of the two bands was organized, with Delfini winning the first place.[1] In April of the same year, Crni Biseri released their debutEP, featuring covers of international hits, but also Janković's song "Ne odlazi" ("Don't Leave"), which was the result of the band's desire to be one of the first Yugoslav bands to record their own songs instead of covers of foreign songs.[1] However, as, at the time, editors of Yugoslav record labels had little faith in Yugoslav bands' work, the members of Crni Biseri persuaded editors of theJugoton record label to publish "Ne odlazi" telling them it is a cover of a little-knownBob Dylan song.[1] Other songs released on the EP were "Srce bez ljubavi" ("Loveless Heart", a cover of "Here's a Heart" byDave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich), "Nisam onaj koga želiš" ("I'm Not the One You Want", a cover "It Ain't Me Babe" by Bob Dylan) and "Lepi flamingo" (a cover of "Pretty Flamingo" byManfred Mann).[1] TheSerbo-Croatian lyrics for the songs were written by Leposava Stefanović, who would later gain fame as the leader of thedance troupe Lokice.[1] The record was well received by the Yugoslav music press.[3] Following the EP release, the band performed mostly in the club Euridika in Belgrade.[4] During the same year, the band also appeared in theBlack Wave filmWhen I Am Dead and Gone directed byŽivojin Pavlović, portraying a band which accompanies young singers on an audition,[5] and appeared in the TV showKoncert za ludi mladi svet (Concert for Crazy Young People) performing their songs "Ringišpil" ("Carousel") and "Hey Girl", and a cover of the song "Wild Thing". In the video recorded for their version of "Wild Thing", the band performed while riding a movinglocomotive.[6]
In 1968, Valčić decided to leave the band in order to dedicate himself to his studies of medicine, and was replaced by the former Duka & Čavke (Duka & theJackdaws) frontman Nenad "Duka" Dukić.[1] Dukić had already gained some prominence on the Yugoslav music scene, with his song "San" ("A Dream") competing atSubotica Youth Festival.[7] Dukić was a band member for only three months, but performed with the band on a joint concert withDžentlmeni inBelgrade Youth Center,[8] and provided vocals for three cover songs released in 1968 on the band's second EP: "Dream" (a cover ofCupid's Inspiration song), "Moni, Moni" (a cover ofTommy James and the Shondells song "Mony Mony") and "I Wanna Be Free" (a cover ofThe V.I.P.'s song).[1] The fourth song from the EP, "Nisam više taj" ("I'm not the One Anymore", a cover of "Suddenly You Love Me" byThe Tremeloes), was previously recorded with Valčić.[1] Although the EP received mixed reception by the music critics,[7] the song "Nisam više taj" became a large hit for the band, spending several weeks on the top of the charts in radio showsMinimaks (Minimax) andSastanak u devet i pet (Meeting at 9:05).[8] After Dukić's departure, Valčić returned to the band, recording with them their third release, a7-inch single with the songs "Moja mala ledi" (a cover of The Tremeloes' "My Little Lady") and "Moj svet nije tvoj svet" ("My World Is Not Your World", a cover of "This World Is My World" byThe Bystanders).[1] In 1968, the band also appeared inStole Janković's filmThe Girl in the Park.[5]
In 1969, Jovanović left the band, and the band's new drummer became Jovan Ljubisavljević "Kića", formerly of the band Gumene duše (Rubber Souls).[1] In 1970, Valčić also left, being replaced by the former Juniori (Juniors) vocalist Dragan Baletić.[1]
Crni Biseri were among rare Yugoslav beat bands which would continue their career into the 1970s; however, the band's popularity heavily declined due to the growing popularity of Yugoslavprogressive rock bands.[9] During 1973, the band made a hiatus in their work due to Janković's and Baletić's mandatory stints in theYugoslav People's Army.[1] After the two returned from the army, the band continued their activity without Petković.[1] For a certain time keyboardist Dragan Batalo performed with the band, but soon moved toZlatni Prsti, and was replaced by keyboardist Dragan Raičević, a former Saphiri (The Sapphires) and Juniori member.[1] In October 1976, Ljubisavljević left the band due to his army stint, and was replaced by Velibor "Boka" Bogdanović, who previously played in the bands Plavi Dečaci (Blue Boys), Duka & Čavke,Džentlmeni,YU Grupa,Opus andDah.[1] Having released their only full-length studio album,boogie rock-orientedMotorok (Motorock), in 1976, and the single "Ti si uvek htela sve" / "Moj brat i ja" ("You Always Wanted It All" / "My Brother and I"), Dragan Baletić left the band and was replaced by a former Op Cup member Branislav "Cile" Živančević.[5] In 1977, the band recorded a 7-inch single featuring their English-language songs "Hush Hush Maria" and "Night in Casablanca" under the name Denis.[5] Three years later, on 1 January 1980, Crni Biseri officially disbanded.[5] After the group split up, for a short period of time Branislav Živančević and his backing band performed under the name Crni Biseri.[5] However, other members of the group publicly disapproved the usage of the band's name, and Živanćevič's incarnation of the group ended their activity.[5]
During their career, Crni Biseri held about 3.000 concerts, performing, besides Yugoslavia, inMalta,Tunisia andMorocco.[5] They also wrote songs for several plays of theBelgrade Drama Theatre.[5]
After he left Crni Biseri in 1968, Nenad Dukić withdrew from music, later starting a career of afilm critic.[1]
After Crni Biseri disbanded, Janković formed the bandTunel with formerS Vremena Na Vreme member Ljuba Ninković and former SOS member Steva Stevanović.[5] He started working as an editor onRadio 202, and later in the record company ITMM.[5] With his former Crni Biseri bandmate Jovan Ljubisavljević "Kića" (drums) and formerSiluete membet Boban Birtašević (guitar) he formed his Vlada Džet Band.[5]
In 1997, the band reunited with both Dragan Baletić and Branislav Živančević on vocals to hold a concert in the club Crna Maca inZemun. The concert was recorded and broadcast byRadio Television of Serbia.[5] During the following year, the compilation albumCrni Biseri was released, featuring several previously unreleased songs – "Moja draga" ("My Darling"), "Hey Girl", instrumental track "Mesto pod suncem" ("A Spot under the Sun", a cover of the theme from the 1959 filmA Summer Place) and "Kamena vizija" ("Stone Vision", a cover of "Tips of My Fingers" byP. J. Proby), the latter two being their first ever studio recordings, made in 1965.[5]
In 2008, Vladimir Janković published theautobiographical bookGodine na 6 (The Years Beginning With 6), about the 1960s rock scene in Belgrade and his work with Crni Biseri.[5] The book was released with aCD featuring songs from Crni Biseri's early releases and several previously unreleased tracks.[5]
Dragan Baletić died on 14 May 2005.[5] Jovan Ljubisavljević died on 15 September 2014.[5] Predrag Jovanović died on 30 March 2021.[5]
Crni Biseri song "Džudi, Džudi" was covered by Yugoslav and Serbianfolk rock bandGaravi Sokak on their 1991 albumPozdrav iz Sokobanje (Greetings fromSokobanja).[5]
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