Smak
Encyclopedia
Smak is a Serbia
n and former Yugoslav rock band. The group reached the peak of popularity in the 1970s when it was one of the top acts of the former Yugoslav rock scene. The band's leader, guitarist Radomir Mihajlović
, nicknamed "Točak" ("The Wheel"), is considered one of the top and most influential guitarists on the former Yugoslav rock scene.
, Kraljevo
and Kragujevac
: Radomir Mihajlović
(guitar
), Zoran Milanović (bass guitar
), Slobodan "Kepa" Stojanović (drums
), Slobodan Kominac (vocals), and Miša Nikolić (organ
). At the time a play entitled Smak, dedicated to the schoolchildren killed during Kragujevac massacre
, was performed at the Kragujevac theatre, and the band members choose the play title for their name. During their initial period the band often changed vocalists. In the beginning the band performed across Šumadija
, mostly at school dances, playing covers of popular rock songs. The band members spent the 1971 - 1973 period writing their own songs. At this time Mihajlović wrote 22 instrumental songs, from "Biska 2" to "Biska 23", dedicated to his friend from Čačak, a guitarist nicknamed Biska. These songs defined the band's sound, progressive rock
with jazz
and blues
elements.
Smak spent the summer of 1972 performing in Herceg Novi
, followed by a Serbian tour. In April 1973 the band appeared at the Požarevac
Gitarijada Festival (not to be confused with Zaječar
Gitarijada Festival
) and was seen as the best new rock band. This was followed by a successful appearance at the Pop Music Festival in Sanad. In October the vocalist Boris Aranđelović permanently joined the band after auditioning with a performance of Deep Purple
's "Child in Time
".
The early 1974 Smak spent working on new demos as well as looking for the new keyboard player. Tihomir "Pop" Asanović was approached to join the band, but he turned the offer down. The band released their debut single with songs "Živim ja" ("I Live"), originally entitled "Biska 13", and "Biska 16" in 1974 through PGP-RTB
. The song "Živim ja" featured the flutist Sreten Tasić "Tasa", at the time member of Oliver Mandić
's band Oliver, who by chance turned up at the studio during the recording session. Smak performed in Belgrade
for the first time on November 10, 1974 during the Radio Belgrade
show Veče uz radio (Evening by the Radio) anniversary concert, alongside Bijelo Dugme
, Pop Mašina
and other top bands of the time. Several days later the band performed at the University of Belgrade
Faculty of Philology
. This was the band's first performance with their new keyboard player Laza Ristovski
(a former Bezimeni and Boki Milošević Orchestra member). This was Ristovski's guest performance. He officially became a member in January 1975. Soon after, Smak performed with Hungaria
n band Omega
in Dom Sindikata Hall. In February the band performed at the Rock Evening of Opatija
Festival, and afterwards in Zagreb
at the Kongres rock majstora concert (Congress of Rock Masters). The general expectation was that Mihajlović would be declared the best guitarists of the event. However, the judges decided in the end that the top four guitarists were Bata Kostić (of YU grupa
), Vedran Božić (of Time
), Josip Boček (formerly of Korni Grupa
) and Goran Bregović
(of Bijelo Dugme
). This decision raised a few eyebrows since all of them were signed to Jugoton
record label, the principal event organiser. Shortly after, Smak performed as a support band on the Deep Purple
concert in Belgrade. This further expanded their growing fan base.
In April 1975 the release of the single "Ulazak u Harem" ("Entry to Harem") caused quite a stir. It turned out to be a first major controversy in the Yugoslav music industry. Smak signed deals with two record labels - Ljubljana's ZKP RTLJ
and Zagreb's Suzy
. Both labels simultaneously released the "Ulazak u Harem". ZKP RTLJ released it with B-side "Epitaf" ("Epitaph") and Suzy Records with "Sto ptica" ("100 Birds") on the B-side. To this day it remains unclear how such double signing was at all possible considering the serious legal ramifications for both Smak and the record labels in question. In late May the band went on a Bosnian
and Croatia
n tour with Bijelo Dugme
and East German band Phadys. They also did several live appearances with Hungarian band Sirius and Austria
n band Gypsy Love. This was soon followed by them headlining the Zagreb BOOM Festival
.
Smak's debut self-titled album
was released in 1975 and featured five tracks. A-side featured "Perle" ("Pearls"), "Mračni mol" ("Dark Passage"), "Blues u parku" ("Blues in the Park") and "Biska 2". B-side featured twenty minute instrumental "Put od balona" ("Road of Balloons"), originally entitled "Biska 20". Lyrics were written mostly by Mihajlović, but the band soon asked Mirko Glišić from Kragujevac for help. Glišić continued to collaborate with the band on their future releases. Album saw a considerable commercial success and was well received by the critics. It was followed by a successful Yugoslav tour and a three week tour in East Germany. In April 1976 the band released the EP Satelit
, featuring the title track hit. The EP was promoted in an unusual manner: the Ljubljana's ZKP RTLJ
record label invited about twenty journalists to a DC10 flight from Belgrade to New York
where Smak performed live during the flight. The band spent a week in New York, shooting "Satelit" video as well as performing live.
After the band returned from the United States
, Mihajlović Točak recorded his first solo album R. M. Točak. In October the band released the single with songs "Ljudi nije fer" ("People, It Ain't Fair") and "El dumo". As a part of the single promotion, the one hour documentary about the band's stay in New York was broadcast. At the time Laza Ristovski left Smak to join Bijelo Dugme
, who at the time were Smak's main rivals. The organist Miki Petkovski from the band Breg joined Smak in November 1976. The band spent the spring of 1977 in London
recording the album Crna dama
(Black Lady). The lyrics were written by Mirko Glišić and the music by Mihajlović, except the music for "Tegoba" ("Struggle"), which was written by Petkovski. The album was produced by Martin Levan and featured luxurious cover designed by Dragan S. Stefanović. The album saw big commercial success, with hard rock
-oriented title track, ballad "Stvar ljubavi" ("The Matter of Love"), instrumental track "Domaći zadatak" ("Homework"), meant as a subtle musical dig at their rivals Bijelo Dugme, track "Halo" which featured Arenđelović's scat singing
, jazz rock track "Tegoba", and folk
-oriented "Daire" and "Plava pesma" ("Blue song"), last two featuring a London string quartet
. The album was received well by the critics, although Glišić's lyrics received mostly negative reactions for their overly abstract style. The sold-out Crna dama tour pushed the album sales and it quickly become gold.
The album attracted the attention of the Frankfurt
-based record label Bellaphon Records
. It quickly released the album in English language
, entitled Black Lady
, for the Western European market. The album was produced by Martin Levan and featured luxurious cover designed by Dragan S. Stefanović. Melody Maker
published the album review which described Smak as "a bad copy of Taste
and Deep Purple
". However, the album saw a very positive review in Guitar Player
. At the end of the year the band was given The Band of the Year accolade by the readers of the Yugoslav magazine Džuboks. In January 1978, at the Midem
music industry trade fair in Cannes
, the Black Lady rights were bought by Fantasy Records
and the Spanish
branch of RCA Records
. However, the band's popularity in Yugoslavia declined due to a number of bad live performances. The spate of band's bad luck culminated in the half empty Pionir Hall
venue in Belgrade in spring of 1978. The band soon recorded EP Nevidljive terazije (Invisible Scales), which featured songs "Nevidljive Terazije" and "Hitopadeza". In 1978 Petkovski left Smak due to his military service. He never returned to the band, however, some of the Smak lineup appeared on his own solo album Ko zna (Who Knows) released a year later. Petkovski was replaced by Tibor Levay, who previously performed with Radio Television Novi Sad Orchestra.
At the time Mihajlović often clashed with the rest of the band who did not seem overly keen on his lyrics writing efforts. Despite frequent arguments, they recorded the progressive rock
-oriented album Stranice našeg vremena
. The music and most lyrics were written by Nihajlović, with some lyrics written by poet Zoran Petrović from Kargujevac. The album was recoded in a village near Oxford
and produced by Barry Hammond. It featured David Moss
as the guest musician. Alongside new tracks, Stranice našeg vremena featured rerecorded "Ulazak u harem". The album was released through PGP-RTB
, while Bellaphon Records released the English language version entitled Pages of Our Time - Dub in the Middle. After the album was released Levay left the band. Soon after Mihajlović also left. His leaving was caused by the fact that rest of the members were dissatisfied with his lyrics and that they refused to use lyrics written by Moss on the Pages of Our Time - Dub in the Middle, on which Mihajlović insisted.
After Mihajlović left the band, Smak had several performances with almost anonymous guitarist Srđan Miodragović (a former Mirni Ljudi member) and former Time
members, Dado Topić
and Chris Nicols. However, at the beginning of 1979, Mihajlović returned to the band, and, together with him, Ristovski, who was disappointed with the situation in Bijelo Dugme and little success the album Stižemo (We are Ariving), which he recorded with Ipe Ivandić
, the original Bijelo Dugme drummer. With Dado Topić Smak recorded EP Na Balkanu (On the Balkans), which featured songs "Na Balkanu" and "Gore dole" ("Up and Down") with lyrics written by Marina Tucaković
. At the time the band ended their cooperation with Bellaphon Records. Bellaphon representatives were unhappy with little success Smak's English language albums sales, and the band was dissatisfied with the way record label promoted the albums. At the time, David Moss sued the Bellaphon Records because they used the title Dub in the Middle for the English language version of Stranice našeg vremena, which was originally his idea. He won, and the Bellaphon Records were ordered to pay him 10,000 United States dollar
s.
At the beginning of 1980 the band released the album Rok cirkus
(Rock Circus). The album was produced by Dado Topić and featured more commercial, hard rock-oriented sound, although songs "Instrumental Baby", "Hirošima" ("Hiroshima
") and "Ogledalo" ("Mirror") were somewhat reminiscent of the band's early works. The album was not received well by the critics, mostly because of the Marina Tucaković's and Mirko Glišić's rather flaccid lyrics. The album did not see expected success for two more reasons: it was released at the time of Yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito
's death, so there was almost no concert promotion of the album, and it was released at the time of huge popularity of New Wave music in Yugoslavia and a general decline of popularity of progressive and hard rock. In 1981 the band released album Zašto ne volim sneg
(Why I Don't Like Snow), which was originally recorded as Mihajlović's solo work. PGP-RTB label insisted on album being released as Smak rather than Točak's solo album. It featured Dado Topić and Zoran Živanović "Hoze" on vocals, but not Boris Aranđelović. Apart from the track "Južni voz" ("Southern Train"), a rather dark mood dominated the rest of the album, as Mihajlović dedicated it to his deceased brother. Among other tracks, the album featured an instrumental cover of Macedonian
folk song "Zajdi, zajdi
". In June 1981, the band decided to end their activity. They held a farewell concert in Kalemegdan
's Rockoteka in front of some 6,000 fans. The band officially disbanded in September 1981.
After Smak broke up, Mihajlović dedicated himself to his solo career and also started working as a guitar instructor. Ristovski cooperated with various musicians and recorded several solo releases before moving back to Bijelo Dugme, Aranđelović recorded the solo album Iz profila (Profile View) and moved to London shortly after, and Stojanović formed the hard rock band Cveće (Flowers).
. The album was produced by and all the lyrics were written by Mihajlović, and it featured Nicols, Miša Komnenić and Vlada Nikodijević as guest keyboardists. The album was not well received by the critics, and after a shorter tour Smak disbanded again, although they continued to occasionally perform in Kragujevac.
" and "Tobacco Road
", and Serbian traditional song "Ukor".
(Fox Cinema), produced by Mihajlović. Mihajlović wrote the music for all fourteen songs and part of the lyrics. After the album release, the band held a number of concerts but without expected success. During the spring of 1997 Smak performed in Slovenia
, and in May, in Kragujevac cinema Šumadija, they held a concert without audience. The recording of the concert was released on the album Live Without Audience. After the album release, Sale Marković became the bands new bass guitarist. In 1999 Smak released the album Egregor. Only one album track featured lyrics, while the others featured Najdanović's scat singing. The song "5. maj" was dedicated to Led Zeppelin
. The album was produced by Mihajlović and Saša Habić.
In 2001, the compilation album Istorija (History) was released. The album featured songs from all the periods of Smak's career and the song "Blues od vina", which was recorded on the 1974 Veče uz radio birthday concert. In 2002, the recording of the concert Smak held at the Kragujevac cinema La Cinema was released on the live album Live - klub La Cinema. After the release of the album the band disbanded. In 2005, the album Antologija! (Anthology!), which featured Smak old songs rerecorded with Najdanović on vocals, was released. In the autumn of 2006, PGP-RTS
released remixed material from Crna dama.
channel.
on their album Neverne Bebe I. The band covered the song once again on their 2004 album Neverne Bebe IV - Dvoje - The Best Of . The song "Crna dama" was covered in 2000 by singer Viktorija
on her album Nostalgija.
The book YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike
(YU 100: The Best albums of Yugoslav pop and rock music) features two Smak albums: Crna dama
(ranked #40) and Smak
(ranked #63).
In 2006, "Plava pesma" was ranked #61 on the B92 Top 100 Domestic Songs list.
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 band. The group reached the peak of popularity in the 1970s when it was one of the top acts of the former Yugoslav rock scene. The band's leader, guitarist Radomir Mihajlović
Radomir Mihajlovic
Radomir Mihailović , also known as Točak , is a Serbian rock guitarist. He is best known as the guitarist for the Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Smak. Mihailović is considered one of the top and most influential guitarists of former Yugoslav rock scene.-Studio albums:*R.M...
, nicknamed "Točak" ("The Wheel"), is considered one of the top and most influential guitarists on the former Yugoslav rock scene.
1971–1981
Smak was formed in December 1971 by musicians from ČačakCacak
Čačak is a city in central Serbia. It is the administrative center of the Moravica District of Serbia. Čačak is also the main industrial, cultural and sport center of the district...
, Kraljevo
Kraljevo
Kraljevo is a city and municipality in central Serbia, built beside the river Ibar, 7 km west of its confluence with the Western Morava. It is located in the midst of an upland valley, between the mountains of Kotlenik in the north, and Stolovi in the south.In 2011 the city has population of...
and Kragujevac
Kragujevac
Kragujevac is the fourth largest city in Serbia, the main city of the Šumadija region and the administrative centre of Šumadija District. It is situated on the banks of the Lepenica River...
: Radomir Mihajlović
Radomir Mihajlovic
Radomir Mihailović , also known as Točak , is a Serbian rock guitarist. He is best known as the guitarist for the Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Smak. Mihailović is considered one of the top and most influential guitarists of former Yugoslav rock scene.-Studio albums:*R.M...
(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...
), Zoran Milanović (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), Slobodan "Kepa" Stojanović (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 ....
), Slobodan Kominac (vocals), and Miša Nikolić (organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
). At the time a play entitled Smak, dedicated to the schoolchildren killed during Kragujevac massacre
Kragujevac massacre
The Kragujevac massacre was the murder of men and boys in Kragujevac, Serbia, by Nazi German soldiers between 20–21 October 1941. All males from the town between the ages of sixteen and sixty were assembled, including high school students, and the victims were selected from amongst them...
, was performed at the Kragujevac theatre, and the band members choose the play title for their name. During their initial period the band often changed vocalists. In the beginning the band performed across Šumadija
Šumadija
Šumadija is a geographical region in Serbia. The area is heavily covered with forests, hence the name...
, mostly at school dances, playing covers of popular rock songs. The band members spent the 1971 - 1973 period writing their own songs. At this time Mihajlović wrote 22 instrumental songs, from "Biska 2" to "Biska 23", dedicated to his friend from Čačak, a guitarist nicknamed Biska. These songs defined the band's sound, progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
with jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
elements.
Smak spent the summer of 1972 performing in Herceg Novi
Herceg Novi
Herceg Novi is a coastal town in Montenegro located at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor and at the foot of Mount Orjen. It is the administrative center of the Herceg Novi Municipality with around 33,000 inhabitants...
, followed by a Serbian tour. In April 1973 the band appeared at the Požarevac
Požarevac
Požarevac is a city and municipality in eastern Serbia. It is the administrative center of the Braničevo District of Serbia...
Gitarijada Festival (not to be confused with Zaječar
Zajecar
Zaječar is a city and municipality in the eastern part of Serbia. According to the 2011 census the town has a population of 36,830, and its coordinates are 43.91° North, 22.30° East...
Gitarijada Festival
Gitarijada
Gitarijada is a musical festival held in Zaječar, Serbia in order to promote demo bands. Held since 1969, Gitarijada is one of the longest lasting festivals in Serbia and in South Eastern Europe and the largest festival of young and unsinged bands in South Eastern Europe...
) and was seen as the best new rock band. This was followed by a successful appearance at the Pop Music Festival in Sanad. In October the vocalist Boris Aranđelović permanently joined the band after auditioning with a performance of Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
's "Child in Time
Child in Time
"Child in Time" is a song by British hard rock band Deep Purple. Featured on their 1970 album Deep Purple in Rock, the song is 10 minutes and 18 seconds long.-History and characteristics:...
".
The early 1974 Smak spent working on new demos as well as looking for the new keyboard player. Tihomir "Pop" Asanović was approached to join the band, but he turned the offer down. The band released their debut single with songs "Živim ja" ("I Live"), originally entitled "Biska 13", and "Biska 16" in 1974 through 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...
. The song "Živim ja" featured the flutist Sreten Tasić "Tasa", at the time member of Oliver Mandić
Oliver Mandic
Oliver Mandić is a Serbian pop musician, composer, and producer - very prominent and popular throughout the 1980s.-Early biography:...
's band Oliver, who by chance turned up at the studio during the recording session. Smak performed in 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...
for the first time on November 10, 1974 during the 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...
show Veče uz radio (Evening by the Radio) anniversary concert, alongside Bijelo Dugme
Bijelo dugme
Bijelo dugme was a highly influential former Yugoslav rock band, based in Sarajevo. Active between 1974 and 1989, it is widely considered to have been the most popular band ever to exist in former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and one of the most important acts of the Yugoslav rock...
, Pop Mašina
Pop Mašina
Pop Mašina was a former Yugoslav progressive rock band from Belgrade. Pop Mašina was formed in 1972, and released two studio albums and one live album before disbanding in 1978...
and other top bands of the time. Several days later the band performed 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...
Faculty of Philology
University of Belgrade Faculty of Philology
The Faculty of Philology is one of the constituent schools of the University of Belgrade. The school's purpose is to train and educate its students in the academic study or practice in linguistics and philology.-History:...
. This was the band's first performance with their new keyboard player Laza Ristovski
Laza Ristovski
Laza Ristovski was a Serbian and former Yugoslav keyboardist, best known for his involvement with Smak and Bijelo Dugme rock bands, as well as for his eclectic solo work that spawned many different musical genres.-Biography:Laza Ristovski was born in Novi Pazar as his father, a JNA officer, was...
(a former Bezimeni and Boki Milošević Orchestra member). This was Ristovski's guest performance. He officially became a member in January 1975. Soon after, Smak performed with Hungaria
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...
n band Omega
Omega (band)
Omega is one of the most successful Hungarian rock bands.-Biography:Formed in Budapest in September, 1962 by the winds player László Benkő on organ and János Kóbor as a singer and rhythm guitarist, they initially performed covers of British and American rock songs, frequently changing the lineup of...
in Dom Sindikata Hall. In February the band performed at the Rock Evening of Opatija
Opatija
Opatija is a town in western Croatia, just southwest of Rijeka on the Adriatic coast. , the town proper had a population of 7,850, with the municipality having a total 12,719 inhabitants.-Geography:...
Festival, and afterwards in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
at the Kongres rock majstora concert (Congress of Rock Masters). The general expectation was that Mihajlović would be declared the best guitarists of the event. However, the judges decided in the end that the top four guitarists were Bata Kostić (of YU grupa
YU grupa
YU grupa is a Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band. One of the pioneers in combining rock music with the elements of the traditional music of the Balkans, YU grupa is considered the longest-lasting rock band to come from Serbia....
), Vedran Božić (of Time
Time (rock band)
Time was a rock band from Yugoslavia that was formed in 1971 by Dado Topić after leaving his previous band Korni Grupa. The original lineup consisted of, in addition to Topić, Tihomir Pop Asanović , Vedran Božić , Mario Mavrin , Ratko Divjak and Brane Lambert Živković...
), Josip Boček (formerly of Korni Grupa
Korni Grupa
Korni Grupa was a former Yugoslav rock band from Belgrade. Korni Grupa was one of the first former Yugoslav rock bands to achieve major mainstream popularity. The band's first releases were commercial pop-oriented songs. Korni Grupa later turned towards progressive rock, continuing, however, to...
) and Goran Bregović
Goran Bregovic
Goran Bregović is one of the most internationally known modern musicians and composers of the Balkans. He currently splits his time between Paris and Belgrade, where he settled down during the Yugoslav Wars.Bregović has composed for such varied artists as Iggy Pop and Cesária Évora...
(of Bijelo Dugme
Bijelo dugme
Bijelo dugme was a highly influential former Yugoslav rock band, based in Sarajevo. Active between 1974 and 1989, it is widely considered to have been the most popular band ever to exist in former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and one of the most important acts of the Yugoslav rock...
). This decision raised a few eyebrows since all of them were signed to Jugoton
Jugoton
Jugoton was the largest record label and chain record store in the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia based in Zagreb, Socialist Republic of Croatia. After the breakup of Yugoslavia the company continued to work in independent Republic of Croatia under the name Croatia...
record label, the principal event organiser. Shortly after, Smak performed as a support band on the Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
concert in Belgrade. This further expanded their growing fan base.
In April 1975 the release of the single "Ulazak u Harem" ("Entry to Harem") caused quite a stir. It turned out to be a first major controversy in the Yugoslav music industry. Smak signed deals with two record labels - Ljubljana's ZKP RTLJ
ZKP RTLJ
Založba kaset in plošč RTV Ljubljana or Založba kaset in plošč Radiotelevizije Ljubljana , was a major record label based in Ljubljana, Socialist Republic of Slovenia, during the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
and Zagreb's Suzy
Suzy (record label)
-History:The company was established in the then Socialist Republic of Croatia in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1972.After the abandonment of the socialist system and the subsequent breakup of Yugoslavia, during the 1990s the company transformed to SUZY d.o.o....
. Both labels simultaneously released the "Ulazak u Harem". ZKP RTLJ released it with B-side "Epitaf" ("Epitaph") and Suzy Records with "Sto ptica" ("100 Birds") on the B-side. To this day it remains unclear how such double signing was at all possible considering the serious legal ramifications for both Smak and the record labels in question. In late May the band went on a Bosnian
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...
and Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n tour with Bijelo Dugme
Bijelo dugme
Bijelo dugme was a highly influential former Yugoslav rock band, based in Sarajevo. Active between 1974 and 1989, it is widely considered to have been the most popular band ever to exist in former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and one of the most important acts of the Yugoslav rock...
and East German band Phadys. They also did several live appearances with Hungarian band Sirius and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n band Gypsy Love. This was soon followed by them headlining the Zagreb BOOM Festival
Boom Festival
The Boom Festival is a biennial festival which takes place in Portugal.The festival features music, paint, sculpture, video art, installations cinema, theater and a concept of crosspollination of different art forms....
.
Smak's debut self-titled album
Smak (album)
- Personnel :* Boris Aranđelović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Laza Ristovski - keyboards* Zoran Milanović - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums, congas, gong...
was released in 1975 and featured five tracks. A-side featured "Perle" ("Pearls"), "Mračni mol" ("Dark Passage"), "Blues u parku" ("Blues in the Park") and "Biska 2". B-side featured twenty minute instrumental "Put od balona" ("Road of Balloons"), originally entitled "Biska 20". Lyrics were written mostly by Mihajlović, but the band soon asked Mirko Glišić from Kragujevac for help. Glišić continued to collaborate with the band on their future releases. Album saw a considerable commercial success and was well received by the critics. It was followed by a successful Yugoslav tour and a three week tour in East Germany. In April 1976 the band released the EP Satelit
Satelit (EP)
- Personnel :* Boris Aranđelović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Laza Ristovski - keyboards* Zoran Milanović - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums, congas, gong...
, featuring the title track hit. The EP was promoted in an unusual manner: the Ljubljana's ZKP RTLJ
ZKP RTLJ
Založba kaset in plošč RTV Ljubljana or Založba kaset in plošč Radiotelevizije Ljubljana , was a major record label based in Ljubljana, Socialist Republic of Slovenia, during the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
record label invited about twenty journalists to a DC10 flight from Belgrade to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
where Smak performed live during the flight. The band spent a week in New York, shooting "Satelit" video as well as performing live.
After the band returned from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Mihajlović Točak recorded his first solo album R. M. Točak. In October the band released the single with songs "Ljudi nije fer" ("People, It Ain't Fair") and "El dumo". As a part of the single promotion, the one hour documentary about the band's stay in New York was broadcast. At the time Laza Ristovski left Smak to join Bijelo Dugme
Bijelo dugme
Bijelo dugme was a highly influential former Yugoslav rock band, based in Sarajevo. Active between 1974 and 1989, it is widely considered to have been the most popular band ever to exist in former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and one of the most important acts of the Yugoslav rock...
, who at the time were Smak's main rivals. The organist Miki Petkovski from the band Breg joined Smak in November 1976. The band spent the spring of 1977 in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
recording the album Crna dama
Crna dama
- Personnel :* Boris Aranđelović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Miodrag Petkovski "Miki" - keyboards* Zoran Milanović - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums, percussion-The Harmonium Quartet:* Pat Nalling - first violin...
(Black Lady). The lyrics were written by Mirko Glišić and the music by Mihajlović, except the music for "Tegoba" ("Struggle"), which was written by Petkovski. The album was produced by Martin Levan and featured luxurious cover designed by Dragan S. Stefanović. The album saw big commercial success, with hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
-oriented title track, ballad "Stvar ljubavi" ("The Matter of Love"), instrumental track "Domaći zadatak" ("Homework"), meant as a subtle musical dig at their rivals Bijelo Dugme, track "Halo" which featured Arenđelović's scat singing
Scat singing
In vocal jazz, scat singing is vocal improvisation with wordless vocables, nonsense syllables or without words at all. Scat singing gives singers the ability to sing improvised melodies and rhythms, to create the equivalent of an instrumental solo using their voice.- Structure and syllable choice...
, jazz rock track "Tegoba", and folk
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....
-oriented "Daire" and "Plava pesma" ("Blue song"), last two featuring a London string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
. The album was received well by the critics, although Glišić's lyrics received mostly negative reactions for their overly abstract style. The sold-out Crna dama tour pushed the album sales and it quickly become gold.
The album attracted the attention of the Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
-based record label Bellaphon Records
Bellaphon Records
Bellaphon Records is an independent German record label. Their artists have included Geordie, Limahl, Johnny Cash, Nektar, and Ganymed.Bellaphon were founded in 1961 by Branco Zivanovic. They are headquartered in Frankfurt. The company runs the labels Bellaphon, Bacillus and L&R. Bellaphon has...
. It quickly released the album in English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, entitled Black Lady
Black Lady (album)
- Personnel :* Boris Aranđelović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Miodrag Petkovski "Miki" - keyboards* Zoran Milanović - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums-The Harmonium Quartet:* Pat Nalling - first violin* John Knight - second violin...
, for the Western European market. The album was produced by Martin Levan and featured luxurious cover designed by Dragan S. Stefanović. Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
published the album review which described Smak as "a bad copy of Taste
Taste (band)
Taste was an Irish rock and blues band formed in 1966 that gained fame in large part because of their unique style, and the talent and charisma of the band's founder, songwriter and musician Rory Gallagher...
and Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
". However, the album saw a very positive review in Guitar Player
Guitar Player
Guitar Player is a popular magazine for guitarists founded in 1967. It contains articles, interviews, reviews and lessons of an eclectic collection of artists, genres and products. It has been in print since the late 1960s and during the 1980s, under editor Tom Wheeler, the publication was...
. At the end of the year the band was given The Band of the Year accolade by the readers of the Yugoslav magazine Džuboks. In January 1978, at the Midem
Midem
-MIDEM:Short for Marché International du Disque et de l'Edition Musicale, MIDEM is the world's largest music industry trade fair, which has been held annually at and around the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France, since 1967...
music industry trade fair in Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
, the Black Lady rights were bought by Fantasy Records
Fantasy Records
Fantasy Records is a United States-based record label that was founded by Max and Sol Weiss in 1949 in San Francisco, California. They had previously operated a record-pressing plant called Circle Record Company before forming the Fantasy label...
and the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
branch of RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
. However, the band's popularity in Yugoslavia declined due to a number of bad live performances. The spate of band's bad luck culminated in the half empty Pionir Hall
Pionir Hall
Pionir Hall, or Pionir Arena is a sports arena in Belgrade, Serbia, located in the Belgrade's municipality of Palilula...
venue in Belgrade in spring of 1978. The band soon recorded EP Nevidljive terazije (Invisible Scales), which featured songs "Nevidljive Terazije" and "Hitopadeza". In 1978 Petkovski left Smak due to his military service. He never returned to the band, however, some of the Smak lineup appeared on his own solo album Ko zna (Who Knows) released a year later. Petkovski was replaced by Tibor Levay, who previously performed with Radio Television Novi Sad Orchestra.
At the time Mihajlović often clashed with the rest of the band who did not seem overly keen on his lyrics writing efforts. Despite frequent arguments, they recorded the progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
-oriented album Stranice našeg vremena
Stranice našeg vremena
- Personnel :* Boris Aranđelović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Tibor Levay - keyboards* Zoran Milanović - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums-Guest:* David Moos - Congas, Timbales, Maracas, Castanets, Gong, Cabasa...
. The music and most lyrics were written by Nihajlović, with some lyrics written by poet Zoran Petrović from Kargujevac. The album was recoded in a village near Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and produced by Barry Hammond. It featured David Moss
David Moss (musician)
David Moss is an American composer, percussionist and self-taught vocalist, founder of the David Moss Dense Band; co-founder and artistic director of the Institute for Living Voice, Antwerp...
as the guest musician. Alongside new tracks, Stranice našeg vremena featured rerecorded "Ulazak u harem". The album was released through 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...
, while Bellaphon Records released the English language version entitled Pages of Our Time - Dub in the Middle. After the album was released Levay left the band. Soon after Mihajlović also left. His leaving was caused by the fact that rest of the members were dissatisfied with his lyrics and that they refused to use lyrics written by Moss on the Pages of Our Time - Dub in the Middle, on which Mihajlović insisted.
After Mihajlović left the band, Smak had several performances with almost anonymous guitarist Srđan Miodragović (a former Mirni Ljudi member) and former Time
Time (rock band)
Time was a rock band from Yugoslavia that was formed in 1971 by Dado Topić after leaving his previous band Korni Grupa. The original lineup consisted of, in addition to Topić, Tihomir Pop Asanović , Vedran Božić , Mario Mavrin , Ratko Divjak and Brane Lambert Živković...
members, Dado Topić
Dado Topic
Adolf "Dado" Topić is a singer who sang the entry from Croatia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 together with the band Dragonfly. He is one of the most popular rock musicians of Croatia and the former Yugoslavia. He was the lead singer of Time, a 1970s progressive rock band...
and Chris Nicols. However, at the beginning of 1979, Mihajlović returned to the band, and, together with him, Ristovski, who was disappointed with the situation in Bijelo Dugme and little success the album Stižemo (We are Ariving), which he recorded with Ipe Ivandić
Ipe Ivandic
Goran "Ipe" Ivandić was a former Yugoslav rock drummer, famous for his work with the band Bijelo Dugme.-Early years:...
, the original Bijelo Dugme drummer. With Dado Topić Smak recorded EP Na Balkanu (On the Balkans), which featured songs "Na Balkanu" and "Gore dole" ("Up and Down") with lyrics written by Marina Tucaković
Marina Tucaković
Marina Tucaković is a Serbian songwriter who has composed several hit albums in former Yugoslavia. She is a known collaborator with Ceca, Lepa Brena, Jelena Karleusa among others...
. At the time the band ended their cooperation with Bellaphon Records. Bellaphon representatives were unhappy with little success Smak's English language albums sales, and the band was dissatisfied with the way record label promoted the albums. At the time, David Moss sued the Bellaphon Records because they used the title Dub in the Middle for the English language version of Stranice našeg vremena, which was originally his idea. He won, and the Bellaphon Records were ordered to pay him 10,000 United States dollar
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
s.
At the beginning of 1980 the band released the album Rok cirkus
Rok cirkus
- Personnel :* Boris Aranđelović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Laza Ristovski - keyboards* Zoran Milanović - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums...
(Rock Circus). The album was produced by Dado Topić and featured more commercial, hard rock-oriented sound, although songs "Instrumental Baby", "Hirošima" ("Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
") and "Ogledalo" ("Mirror") were somewhat reminiscent of the band's early works. The album was not received well by the critics, mostly because of the Marina Tucaković's and Mirko Glišić's rather flaccid lyrics. The album did not see expected success for two more reasons: it was released at the time of Yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
's death, so there was almost no concert promotion of the album, and it was released at the time of huge popularity of New Wave music in Yugoslavia and a general decline of popularity of progressive and hard rock. In 1981 the band released album Zašto ne volim sneg
Zašto ne volim sneg
- Personnel :* Dado Topic – vocals* Zoran Živanovič – vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" – guitar* Laza Ristovski – keyboards* Zoran Milanović – bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" – drums...
(Why I Don't Like Snow), which was originally recorded as Mihajlović's solo work. PGP-RTB label insisted on album being released as Smak rather than Točak's solo album. It featured Dado Topić and Zoran Živanović "Hoze" on vocals, but not Boris Aranđelović. Apart from the track "Južni voz" ("Southern Train"), a rather dark mood dominated the rest of the album, as Mihajlović dedicated it to his deceased brother. Among other tracks, the album featured an instrumental cover of Macedonian
Macedonian language
Macedonian is a South Slavic language spoken as a first language by approximately 2–3 million people principally in the region of Macedonia but also in the Macedonian diaspora...
folk song "Zajdi, zajdi
Zajdi, zajdi, jasno sonce
Zajdi, zajdi, jasno sonce is a Macedonian-language folk-style song written and composed by Aleksandar Sarievski...
". In June 1981, the band decided to end their activity. They held a farewell concert in Kalemegdan
Kalemegdan
Belgrade Fortress , represent old citadel and Kalemegdan Park on the confluence of the River Sava and Danube, in an urban area of modern Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Stari Grad...
's Rockoteka in front of some 6,000 fans. The band officially disbanded in September 1981.
After Smak broke up, Mihajlović dedicated himself to his solo career and also started working as a guitar instructor. Ristovski cooperated with various musicians and recorded several solo releases before moving back to Bijelo Dugme, Aranđelović recorded the solo album Iz profila (Profile View) and moved to London shortly after, and Stojanović formed the hard rock band Cveće (Flowers).
1986 reunion
In October 1986, Smak reunited in the old lineup featuring new keyboardist, Milan Đurđević, a former Nova Zemlja member. The band recorded the comeback album Smak 86.Smak 86.
- Personnel :* Boris Aranđelović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Milan Đurđević - keyboards* Zoran Milanović - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums...
. The album was produced by and all the lyrics were written by Mihajlović, and it featured Nicols, Miša Komnenić and Vlada Nikodijević as guest keyboardists. The album was not well received by the critics, and after a shorter tour Smak disbanded again, although they continued to occasionally perform in Kragujevac.
1992 reunion
In 1992, Smak reunited with Ristovski playing the keyboards. The band held several concerts in Serbia and released a compilation album Retrospektiva (Retrospection), the rerelease of Pages of Our Time, and a live album odLIVEno which featured recordings from their 1992 concerts in Sava Centar. odLIVEno featured, alongside Smak songs, covers of blues songs "Cross Road BluesCross Road Blues
"Cross Road Blues" is a song by Delta Blues singer Robert Johnson; released on a 78 rpm record in 1936 by Vocalion Records, catalogue 3519. The original version remained out of print after its initial release until the appearance of The Complete Recordings in 1990...
" and "Tobacco Road
Tobacco Road (song)
"Tobacco Road" is a song written and first recorded by John D. Loudermilk in 1960 that was a hit for The Nashville Teens in 1964 and has since become a standard across several musical genres....
", and Serbian traditional song "Ukor".
1994–2002
In 1994, Mihajlović and Stojanović reunited Smak once again. The new lineup featured, alongside Mihajlović and Stojanović, young musicians: Slobodan Stojanović's son Dejan "Kepa Jr." Stojanović (second drum kit), Dejan "Najda" Najdanović (a former Kramer member, vocals), Vlada Samardžić (bass guitar) and Milan Milosavljević (a former Alhambra member, guitar). This lineup of the band recorded the album Bioskop FoxBioskop Fox
- Personnel :* Dejan Najdanović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Milan Milosavljević - guitar* Vlada Samardžić - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums* Dejan Stojanović - drums...
(Fox Cinema), produced by Mihajlović. Mihajlović wrote the music for all fourteen songs and part of the lyrics. After the album release, the band held a number of concerts but without expected success. During the spring of 1997 Smak performed in Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
, and in May, in Kragujevac cinema Šumadija, they held a concert without audience. The recording of the concert was released on the album Live Without Audience. After the album release, Sale Marković became the bands new bass guitarist. In 1999 Smak released the album Egregor. Only one album track featured lyrics, while the others featured Najdanović's scat singing. The song "5. maj" was dedicated to Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
. The album was produced by Mihajlović and Saša Habić.
In 2001, the compilation album Istorija (History) was released. The album featured songs from all the periods of Smak's career and the song "Blues od vina", which was recorded on the 1974 Veče uz radio birthday concert. In 2002, the recording of the concert Smak held at the Kragujevac cinema La Cinema was released on the live album Live - klub La Cinema. After the release of the album the band disbanded. In 2005, the album Antologija! (Anthology!), which featured Smak old songs rerecorded with Najdanović on vocals, was released. In the autumn of 2006, PGP-RTS
PGP-RTS
PGP-RTS is a major record label based in Belgrade, Serbia. It is a successor of PGP-RTB which was established in 1958 in Belgrade, then capital of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia....
released remixed material from Crna dama.
2010–present
In 2010, the lineup Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" (guitar), Dejan Najdanović "Najda" (vocals),Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" (drums), Milan Milosavljević "Mikica" (guitar), Dejan Stojanović "Kepa Junior" (drums) and Miloš Petrović "Šomi" (bass) reunited and started writing new material. From summer until autumn of the same year, the band had written four new songs one of which, "Delfin" ("The Dolphin") was premiered on the band's official YoutubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel.
Legacy
The song "Daire", featuring a pasasage from "Zajdi, zajdi", was covered in 1994 by the band Neverne BebeNeverne 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...
on their album Neverne Bebe I. The band covered the song once again on their 2004 album Neverne Bebe IV - Dvoje - The Best Of . The song "Crna dama" was covered in 2000 by singer Viktorija
Viktorija
Snežana Mišković , better known by her stage name Viktorija , is a Serbian female rock singer known for her husky voice.-Biography:Snežana Mišković was born in Vučitrn. She came to Belgrade as a student in 1976, where she started performing with Society of Culture and Arts Branko Krsmanović and the...
on her album Nostalgija.
The book YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike
YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike
YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike is a book by Duško Antonić and Danilo Štrbac...
(YU 100: The Best albums of Yugoslav pop and rock music) features two Smak albums: Crna dama
Crna dama
- Personnel :* Boris Aranđelović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Miodrag Petkovski "Miki" - keyboards* Zoran Milanović - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums, percussion-The Harmonium Quartet:* Pat Nalling - first violin...
(ranked #40) and Smak
Smak (album)
- Personnel :* Boris Aranđelović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Laza Ristovski - keyboards* Zoran Milanović - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums, congas, gong...
(ranked #63).
In 2006, "Plava pesma" was ranked #61 on the B92 Top 100 Domestic Songs list.
Studio albums
| Title | Released |
|---|---|
| Smak (album) - Personnel :* Boris Aranđelović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Laza Ristovski - keyboards* Zoran Milanović - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums, congas, gong... |
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| Crna dama - Personnel :* Boris Aranđelović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Miodrag Petkovski "Miki" - keyboards* Zoran Milanović - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums, percussion-The Harmonium Quartet:* Pat Nalling - first violin... |
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| Black Lady (album) - Personnel :* Boris Aranđelović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Miodrag Petkovski "Miki" - keyboards* Zoran Milanović - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums-The Harmonium Quartet:* Pat Nalling - first violin* John Knight - second violin... |
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| Stranice našeg vremena - Personnel :* Boris Aranđelović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Tibor Levay - keyboards* Zoran Milanović - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums-Guest:* David Moos - Congas, Timbales, Maracas, Castanets, Gong, Cabasa... |
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| Rok cirkus - Personnel :* Boris Aranđelović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Laza Ristovski - keyboards* Zoran Milanović - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums... |
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| Zašto ne volim sneg - Personnel :* Dado Topic – vocals* Zoran Živanovič – vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" – guitar* Laza Ristovski – keyboards* Zoran Milanović – bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" – drums... |
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| Smak 86. - Personnel :* Boris Aranđelović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Milan Đurđević - keyboards* Zoran Milanović - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums... |
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| Bioskop Fox - Personnel :* Dejan Najdanović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Milan Milosavljević - guitar* Vlada Samardžić - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums* Dejan Stojanović - drums... |
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| Egregor (album) - Personnel :* Dejan Najdanović "Najda" – vocals* Radomir Mihailović "Točak" – guitar* Mikica Milosavljević – guitar* Sale Marković – bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" and Dejan Stojanović Kepa Jr. – drums... |
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EPs
| Title | Released |
|---|---|
| Satelit (EP) - Personnel :* Boris Aranđelović - vocals* Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" - guitar* Laza Ristovski - keyboards* Zoran Milanović - bass* Slobodan Stojanović "Kepa" - drums, congas, gong... |
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