Alisa (Serbian band)
Encyclopedia
Alisa were a Serbia
n and former Yugoslav rock
band.
), a former member of Slađana Milošević's support band Ljudi (People), Aleksandar Kićanović (keyboard
), Zoran Jančeski (guitar
), a former Sedmi krug (Seventh Circle) member, and Marko Glavan (bass guitar
), a former BG 5 member. They released their debut self-titled album in 1985. All songs were written by the keyboardist Jovan Stoiljković, leader of Živanović's former band Zvučni zid, some of them during the 1970s while Stoiljković was the leader of band Bicikl (Bicycle). Stoiljković decided not to become an official band member, but rather an author of Alisa's fairy tales-inspired songs. Although poorly produced, album brought hits "Sanja" and "Vojskovođa" ("Warlord") that made Alisa teen stars in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina
. The album featured Saša Gnus on flute
and saxophone
as a special guest.
Their second album Da li si čula pesmu umornih slavuja (Have You Heard the Song of Tired Nightingales
), released in 1987, was heavily influenced by the Sarajevo school of pop rock
. All the songs were once again written by Stoiljković. This album also featured Saša Gnus, now as an official band member. Main hits were the songs "1389." and "Posle devet godina" ("After Nine Years"), the latter featuring folk music
singer Lepa Brena
on vocals. The album also featured re-recorded "Vojskovođa". In 1988 Glavan left the band, and was replaced by Dušan "Golub" Karadžić. Alisa's third album Hiljadu tona ljubavi (Thousand Tons of Love), released in 1988, featured similar folk rock
sound. For the first time Živanović wrote part of the songs, including the album's main hit "Kesteni" ("Chestnuts"). After releasing the album Glupo je spavati dok svira Rock 'n' Roll (It's a Dumb Thing to Sleep while Rock 'n' Roll Is Playing) in 1989 and several concerts held, the band disbanded at the outbreak of Yugoslav wars
.
) which featured new versions of the band's old hits and new songs. Alisa disbanded once again shortly after and Živanović formed the band Vožd.
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.
1984 - 1991
Alisa was formed in 1984 by Miroslav "Pile" Živanović (vocals), a former Zvučni zid (Sound Barrier) and Jedan smer (One Way) vocalist, Predrag Cvetković (drumsDrum 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 ....
), a former member of Slađana Milošević's support band Ljudi (People), Aleksandar Kićanović (keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
), Zoran Jančeski (guitar
Electric 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...
), a former Sedmi krug (Seventh Circle) member, and Marko Glavan (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), a former BG 5 member. They released their debut self-titled album in 1985. All songs were written by the keyboardist Jovan Stoiljković, leader of Živanović's former band Zvučni zid, some of them during the 1970s while Stoiljković was the leader of band Bicikl (Bicycle). Stoiljković decided not to become an official band member, but rather an author of Alisa's fairy tales-inspired songs. Although poorly produced, album brought hits "Sanja" and "Vojskovođa" ("Warlord") that made Alisa teen stars in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. The album featured Saša Gnus on flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
and 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...
as a special guest.
Their second album Da li si čula pesmu umornih slavuja (Have You Heard the Song of Tired Nightingales
Nightingales
Nightingales is a British situation comedy set around the antics of three security guards working the night shift. It was produced by Alomo Productions for Channel 4 in 1990.-Outline:...
), released in 1987, was heavily influenced by the Sarajevo school of pop rock
Sarajevo school of pop rock
The Sarajevo school of pop rock collectively refers to the popular music created between 1960 and 1991 by artists and bands native to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina ....
. All the songs were once again written by Stoiljković. This album also featured Saša Gnus, now as an official band member. Main hits were the songs "1389." and "Posle devet godina" ("After Nine Years"), the latter featuring folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer Lepa Brena
Lepa Brena
Fahreta Jahić Živojinović is Yugoslavian pop-folk singer, better known as Lepa Brena , . Born in Tuzla and raised in Brčko, Bosnia and Herzegovina , she moved to Novi Sad in 1980 to pursue her career in singing. In 1982...
on vocals. The album also featured re-recorded "Vojskovođa". In 1988 Glavan left the band, and was replaced by Dušan "Golub" Karadžić. Alisa's third album Hiljadu tona ljubavi (Thousand Tons of Love), released in 1988, featured similar folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
sound. For the first time Živanović wrote part of the songs, including the album's main hit "Kesteni" ("Chestnuts"). After releasing the album Glupo je spavati dok svira Rock 'n' Roll (It's a Dumb Thing to Sleep while Rock 'n' Roll Is Playing) in 1989 and several concerts held, the band disbanded at the outbreak of Yugoslav wars
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
.
2001 - 2002
Živanović and Cvetković reunited Alisa in 2001. This lineup of the band also featured Dejan Resanović (bass guitar) and Bojan Mišković (guitar), Predrag Stojković (keyboards) and Mloš Đurić (percussion). They released the album Alisa, also known as Boško Buha (a former Yugoslav World War II heroBoško Buha
Boško Buha was a young Yugoslav Partisan who used to be one of the greatest icons of World War II in the former Yugoslavia.Boško Buha was born to Serbian parents in the Slavonian village of Gradina, near Virovitica in today's Croatia...
) which featured new versions of the band's old hits and new songs. Alisa disbanded once again shortly after and Živanović formed the band Vožd.
Studio albums
- Alisa (1985)
- Da li si čula pesmu umornih slavuja (1987)
- Hiljadu tona ljubavi (1988)
- Glupo je spavati dok svira Rock 'n' Roll (1988)
- Alisa (2001)