Samonikli
Encyclopedia
Samonikli was a former Yugoslav rock
band, notable as one of the pioneers of the former Yugoslav rock scene
high school students. The band was named after a book of short stories by writer Prežihov Voranc
. Group members changed frequently in the early period, but by 1964 they stabilized in the following lineup: Marin Pečjak (vocals), Milan Pavlov (guitar
), Marko Novaković (bass guitar
), Bojan Drndić (rhythm guitar
) and Vukašin Veljković (drums
). Initially the band performed at school proms and college dance parties. The band covered rock hits, as well as traditional
songs and 1930s and 1940s schlager
s, while their own songs were mostly The Shadows
-inspired instrumentals.
In 1965 and 1966 they played regularly at dances at the University of Belgrade
's Faculty of Technology and soon became widely popular. In 1966 they won first place at a country-wide youth festival of rock bands, which entitled them to represent their country at an international festival of youth orchestras in Hungary
, which featured well-known Eastern Europe
an groups, such as Illés
, Metró
, Omega
, and others, where they were viewed as a "western" group. The April 1966 issue of Belgrade youth magazine Susret wrote that Samonikli were the first "electric guitar band" in Belgrade to work with a group of violin
ists, preparing their subsequent two recordings, "Dozvoljavate li gospodine" and "Povetarac i ja", the latter of which became one of the top hits of 1966 on a popular Radio Belgrade
II music program called Muzički automat.
At the end of 1966 they were joined by the drummer Branislav Grujić. They were featured in a very popular series of shows on Belgrade Television called Koncert za ludi mladi svet (Concert for a Young and Crazy World). Their recordings were featured in many popular radio programs, including Nedeljom u devet i pet (Sunday at 9:05), produced and hosted by Nikola Karaklajić. Towards the end of their career in 1967 and 1968, they covered many hits by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
. They disbanded in early 1969 to pursue other professional interests.
. In 2003, marking their 40th anniversary, Samonikli held a dance concert for their friends and fans at the Duga Club in Belgrade, returning to their instrumental music. In 2005 and 2006 they held two dance concerts for several hundreds of fans in Belgrade's Park Restaurant.
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, notable as one of the pioneers of the former Yugoslav rock scene
1963-1969
The band Samonikli was formed in 1963 by four BelgradeBelgrade
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...
high school students. The band was named after a book of short stories by writer Prežihov Voranc
Prežihov Voranc
Prežihov Voranc was the pen name of Lovro Kuhar, a Slovene writer and Communist political activist. Voranc's literary reputation was established during the 1930s with a series of Slovene novels and short stories in the social realist style, notable for their depictions of poverty in rural and...
. Group members changed frequently in the early period, but by 1964 they stabilized in the following lineup: Marin Pečjak (vocals), Milan Pavlov (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...
), Marko Novaković (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), Bojan Drndić (rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
) and Vukašin Veljković (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 ....
). Initially the band performed at school proms and college dance parties. The band covered rock hits, as well as traditional
Traditional music
Traditional music is the term increasingly used for folk music that is not contemporary folk music. More on this is at the terminology section of the World music article...
songs and 1930s and 1940s schlager
Schlager
Schlager music is a style of popular music prevalent in Central and Northern Europe and the Balkans and also in France and Poland. In Portugal, it was adapted and became pimba music...
s, while their own songs were mostly The Shadows
The Shadows
The Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...
-inspired instrumentals.
In 1965 and 1966 they played regularly at dances 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...
's Faculty of Technology and soon became widely popular. In 1966 they won first place at a country-wide youth festival of rock bands, which entitled them to represent their country at an international festival of youth orchestras in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, which featured well-known Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
an groups, such as Illés
Illés
Illés was a Hungarian rock/beat band , and was one of the biggest groups of the 1960s and early 1970s rock boom in Hungary...
, Metró
Metró
Metró was a very famous Hungarian rock band in the 1960s and early 1970s. When the Hungarian government cracked down on rock music that they considered subversive, Metró left the music industry. Band leader Zorán Sztevanovity has pursued an active solo career after his tenure with the band....
, Omega
Omega
Omega is the 24th and last letter of the Greek alphabet. In the Greek numeric system, it has a value of 800. The word literally means "great O" , as opposed to omicron, which means "little O"...
, and others, where they were viewed as a "western" group. The April 1966 issue of Belgrade youth magazine Susret wrote that Samonikli were the first "electric guitar band" in Belgrade to work with a group of violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ists, preparing their subsequent two recordings, "Dozvoljavate li gospodine" and "Povetarac i ja", the latter of which became one of the top hits of 1966 on a popular Radio Belgrade
Radio Belgrade
Radio Belgrade is a state-owned and operated radio station in Belgrade, Serbia.The predecessor of Radio Beograd, Radio Beograd-Rakovica, started its program in 1924 and was a part of a state wireless telegraph station. Radio Beograd, AD started in March 1929...
II music program called Muzički automat.
At the end of 1966 they were joined by the drummer Branislav Grujić. They were featured in a very popular series of shows on Belgrade Television called Koncert za ludi mladi svet (Concert for a Young and Crazy World). Their recordings were featured in many popular radio programs, including Nedeljom u devet i pet (Sunday at 9:05), produced and hosted by Nikola Karaklajić. Towards the end of their career in 1967 and 1968, they covered many hits by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Jimi Hendrix Experience were an English-American psychedelic rock band that formed in London in October 1966. Comprising eponymous singer-songwriter and guitarist Jimi Hendrix, bassist and backing vocalist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell, the band was active until June 1969, in which...
. They disbanded in early 1969 to pursue other professional interests.
Reunions
In December 1985, Samonikli reunited to play in Belgrade's Dom Sindikata Hall, along with many other popular sixties groups, at a commemorative concert marking the 25th anniversary of rock music in BelgradeBelgrade
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...
. In 2003, marking their 40th anniversary, Samonikli held a dance concert for their friends and fans at the Duga Club in Belgrade, returning to their instrumental music. In 2005 and 2006 they held two dance concerts for several hundreds of fans in Belgrade's Park Restaurant.
Recordings
Although featured in radio and television shows, none of Samonikli recordings was ever officially released on vinyl record or any other format.- "Povetarac i ja" (Radio BelgradeRadio BelgradeRadio Belgrade is a state-owned and operated radio station in Belgrade, Serbia.The predecessor of Radio Beograd, Radio Beograd-Rakovica, started its program in 1924 and was a part of a state wireless telegraph station. Radio Beograd, AD started in March 1929...
) - "Dozvoljavate li gospodine" (Radio Belgrade)
- "Usamljena gitara" (Radio Belgrade)
- "Ne ustupam vam svoje mesto" (Radio Belgrade)
- "Gde su ruže nestale" (Radio Belgrade)
- "Massachusetts" (Radio Belgrade)
- "Mene moja nana" (Radio Belgrade)
- "Izgubljena ljubav" (Radio Belgrade)
- "Budi se Istok i Zapad" (Radio Belgrade)
- "Heroj Tito" (Radio Belgrade)
- "Napisao sam volim te u pesku" (TV Belgrade)
- "Takav čovek" (TV Belgrade)
- "Da li vidiš" (TV Belgrade)
Sources
- EX YU ROCK enciklopedija 1960-2006, Janjatović Petar; ISBN 978-86-905317-1-4
- Siniša Škarica, Kada je rock bio mlad: Priča s istočne strane (1956.-1970.), V.B.Z. d.o.o., Zagreb, 2005. godine. ISBN 953-201-517-5