Crni Biseri

Crni Biseri
Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1963 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Defunct	1980
Headquarters	Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Products	Rock music recordings, concerts

Crni Biseri (, translated as The Black Pearls) emerged as a Yugoslav rock ensemble originating from Belgrade in 1963, widely acknowledged as trailblazers in the Yugoslav rock movement.

Starting their musical journey with beat music, they later embraced rhythm and blues, establishing themselves as one of the foremost rock groups favored by the youth across Yugoslavia during the 1960s. Although their prominence waned with the rise of new musical styles in the early 1970s, they maintained an active presence through the decade's end. Their discography includes multiple EPs and singles, alongside a single full-length studio album released in 1976. The band dissolved in 1980 but briefly regrouped in 1997 for a concert aired by Radio Television of Serbia.

1963-1970: Formation and Rise to National Fame

The band was assembled in Belgrade toward the close of 1963, initially comprising Goran Vukićević (acoustic guitar, keyboards, harmonica), Predrag "Krcko" Jovanović (drums), and brothers Ivan (guitar) and Slavko Božović (saxophone). Their name was drawn from the 1958 Yugoslav motion picture Black Pearls. Their debut appearance took place during winter 1963 at a winter house for scouts in Belgrade. Shortly thereafter, bassist and vocalist Vladimir Janković, known as "Vlada Džet," joined the lineup, followed by vocalist Radan Valčić. By autumn 1965, the group transitioned from beat to rhythm and blues, featuring Valčić on vocals, Vukićević on guitar, Janković "Džet" handling bass and vocals, Zoran Petković on rhythm guitar, and Dragan "Krcko" Jovanović on drums.

On 23 January 1967, Crni Biseri competed at the Gitarijada festival held at Belgrade Fair. They initially secured first place from the jury; however, after a public vote challenge, they shared the award with fellow band Delfini. In April of that year, they issued their debut EP containing cover versions alongside Janković’s original composition "Ne odlazi," which was promoted under the guise of a Bob Dylan cover to facilitate approval from their record label. This EP featured adaptations of international hits with lyrics penned by Leposava Stefanović and received favorable critiques from Yugoslav music journalists. The band frequently performed at Belgrade’s Euridika club.

In 1967, Crni Biseri made appearances in the Black Wave cinema movement’s film When I Am Dead and Gone as well as on television programs performing songs such as "Ringišpil" and a rendition of "Wild Thing," notably filmed aboard a moving train.

In 1968, vocalist Valčić left to focus on medical studies; he was temporarily replaced by Nenad "Duka" Dukić, who had previously gained recognition at the Subotica Youth Festival. Dukić provided vocals on their second EP released that year, which included covers of international tracks. The single "Nisam više taj" became a significant radio success despite receiving mixed reviews from critics. Following Dukić’s exit, Valčić returned for their third release featuring covers of songs originally by The Tremeloes and The Bystanders. During the same year, the band also appeared in Stole Janković’s film The Girl in the Park.

In 1969, drummer Jovanović departed and was succeeded by Jovan Ljubisavljević "Kića," formerly of Gumene duše. The following year saw another change when Valčić left again and was replaced by Dragan Baletić, previously a vocalist for Juniori.

1970-1980: Decline and Disbandment

Crni Biseri stood out as one of the few Yugoslav beat groups that persisted into the 1970s; however, their popularity waned as progressive rock gained prominence in Yugoslavia. In 1973, the band took a hiatus while Janković and Baletić fulfilled their compulsory military duties. Upon their return, the group reassembled without guitarist Petković. Keyboardist Dragan Batalo briefly joined but soon departed to join Zlatni Prsti, and was succeeded by Dragan Raičević, who had previously played with Saphiri and Juniori. In October 1976, drummer Ljubisavljević left for his military service, replaced by Velibor "Boka" Bogdanović, known for his work with Plavi Dečaci, Džentlmeni, YU Grupa, among others.

The band's only studio album, the boogie rock-influenced Motorok, was released in 1976 alongside the single "Ti si uvek htela sve" / "Moj brat i ja". Afterward, Baletić exited and was replaced by Branislav "Cile" Živančević from Op Cup. In 1977, under the moniker Denis, they recorded English-language singles including "Hush Hush Maria" and "Night in Casablanca". Crni Biseri officially dissolved on 1 January 1980. Shortly after, Živančević attempted to lead a version of the band under the same name but discontinued it following opposition from other members.

Throughout their existence, Crni Biseri performed nearly 3,000 concerts across Yugoslavia as well as in Malta, Tunisia, and Morocco. They also composed music for various productions at the Belgrade Drama Theatre.

Post-breakup

Nenad Dukić left Crni Biseri in 1968 and shifted his focus from performing to becoming a film critic.

After the group's disbandment, Janković established the band Tunel with Ljuba Ninković (formerly of S Vremena Na Vreme) and Steva Stevanović (ex-SOS). He later served as an editor at Radio 202 followed by a position at record label ITMM. Together with former Crni Biseri drummer Jovan Ljubisavljević "Kića" and ex-Siluete guitarist Boban Birtašević, he founded Vlada Džet Band.

1997 reunion and beyond

In 1997, Crni Biseri reunited with vocalists Dragan Baletić and Branislav Živančević for a concert held at the Crna Maca club in Zemun, which was recorded and broadcast by Radio Television of Serbia. The next year saw the release of a compilation album titled Crni Biseri, featuring previously unreleased songs such as "Moja draga," "Hey Girl," along with the band's earliest studio recordings from 1965: "Mesto pod suncem" (a cover from the film A Summer Place) and "Kamena vizija" (a rendition of P. J. Proby's "Tips of My Fingers").

In 2008, Vladimir Janković authored an autobiographical work entitled Godine na 6 (The Years Beginning With 6), documenting both the Belgrade rock scene of the 1960s and his experiences with Crni Biseri. This publication included a CD containing early releases as well as unreleased tracks.

Among notable members who have passed away are Dragan Baletić (2005), Jovan Ljubisavljević (2014), and Predrag Jovanović (2021).

Legacy

The song "Džudi, Džudi" by Crni Biseri was covered by Yugoslav folk rock ensemble Garavi Sokak on their 1991 album Pozdrav iz Sokobanje.

Band members

Goran Vukićević – guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, harmonica (1963–1980)
Ivan Božović – guitar (1963–1965)
Slavko Božović – saxophone (1963–1965)
Dragan Jovanović "Krcko" – drums (1963–1968)
Vladimir Janković "Džet" – bass guitar, vocals (1964–1980)
Radan Valčić – vocals (1964–1968; 1968–1970)
Zoran Petković – guitar (1965–1973)
Jovan Ljubisavljević "Kića" – drums (1968–1976)
Nenad Dukić – vocals (1968)
Dragan Baletić – vocals (1970–1977)
Dragan Batalo – keyboards (1974)
Dragan Raičević – keyboards, vocals (1975–1980)
Velibor Bogdanović "Boka" – drums (1976–1980)
Branislav Živančević "Cile" – vocals (1977–1980)

Studio albums

Motorok (1976)

Compilation albums

Crni Biseri (1998)

Extended plays

Ne odlazi (1967)
Nisam više taj (1968)
Kišna noć (1972)

Singles

"Moja mala ledi" / "Moj svet nije tvoj svet" (1968)
"Tražimo sunce" / "Ram-dam-dam" (1969)
"Poučna priča" / "Čekanje" (1970)
"Ona zna" / "Povratak" (1972)
"Lutalica" / "Pismo devojci" (1973)
"Večiti rok" / "Želim" (1975)
"Dar-mar" / "Šta ću sad" (1975)
"Džudi, Džudi" / "Nikada" (1976)
"Mlinarev sin" / "Tiho muzika svira" (1976)
"Ti si uvek htela sve" / "Moj brat i ja" (1977)
"Katarina (Ne želi da živi više sa mnom)" / "Moreplovac" (1977)
"Hush Hush Maria" / "Night in Casablanca" (as Denis, 1977)
"Aspirin" / "Susret na uglu" (1978)
"Tašta" / "Zimski dan" (1979)

External links