Gordi (band)

Gordi
Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1977 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Founder	Zlatko Manojlović
Defunct	1984
Fate	Disbanded; revived in 2024
Headquarters	Belgrade, Yugoslavia (originally), Serbia (revival)
Key people	Zlatko Manojlović
Products	Music albums
Website	www.gordi.com

Gordi (; translated as The Proud Ones) was a Yugoslav rock ensemble established in Belgrade in 1977. Originally rooted in progressive rock, the band transitioned towards heavy metal during the early 1980s.

The group was founded by guitarist and vocalist Zlatko Manojlović, who had previously led the progressive rock outfit Dah. Gordi initially produced three albums blending progressive and hard rock styles before embracing heavy metal on their fourth studio release, Pakleni trio (1981). They followed up with a fifth album, Kraljica smrti (1982), before disbanding two years later. Subsequently, Manojlović embarked on a solo career marked by success. In 2024, he revived Gordi with a new generation of musicians, unveiling the comeback album Fenix, which leaned towards hard rock.

Within the post-Yugoslav territories, Gordi is predominantly recognized for their contributions to heavy metal, with their fourth and fifth albums being considered seminal works in the regional heavy metal landscape.

1977–1984

Formed in November 1977 by Zlatko Manojlović following his completion of mandatory service in the Yugoslav People's Army, Gordi's original lineup featured Zlatko on guitar and vocals, his brother Goran Manojlović handling keyboards, Stevan "Steva" Milutinović on drums, and Dragan Janković playing bass. After bassist Janković was replaced by Zdenko Pomper, the band released their debut album Čovek (Man) in 1978 via ZKP RTLJ. This record showcased a progressive rock style reminiscent of Manojlović's earlier band Dah. It included "Misli," a track formerly appearing as a B-side for Dah, with lyrics penned by Predrag Vuković from Igra Staklenih Perli.

Shortly thereafter, Pomper departed and Slobodan Svrdlan took over bass duties. With Svrdlan onboard, Gordi's sophomore album Gordi 2 was issued in 1979 through PGP-RTB. This release marked a shift toward hard rock, featuring singles such as "Ovog leta idem na more" and "Baci tu cigaru," which received substantial radio exposure across Yugoslavia. That same year, Gordi secured first place at an international rock festival held in Poznań, Poland. In 1980, Zlatko released his solo effort Zlatko i njegove gitare.

The band's third studio album, Gordi 3, arrived in 1981 via PGP-RTB and introduced drummer Čedomir Petrović "Čeda". The record blended progressive and hard rock with pop influences; tracks like "Haos u radio mreži" and "Stari as" enjoyed notable airplay. The instrumental finale "Uspavanka" was dedicated to Zlatko's son Miloš. That year also saw Gordi opening for the Ian Gillan Band during a Belgrade concert.

Following Goran Manojlović's exit in 1981, Gordi streamlined into a power trio and signed with Jugoton. Their album Pakleni trio (Hell Trio) marked a decisive move into heavy metal territory. This direction continued with their next release, Kraljica smrti (Queen of Death) in 1982. Despite this stylistic evolution, the band struggled to maintain their audience and ultimately dissolved two years later.

Post breakup

After the group's dissolution, Manojlović pursued solo ventures. Bassist Svrdlan joined the heavy metal act Ratnici, contributing to two albums. In 1983, he performed on U Škripcu's album O je!. During the early 1990s, Svrdlan relocated to Los Angeles, where he became part of Lost City and recorded Watching You (1993). He later joined British band Michael Aston's Gene Loves Jezebel, appearing on their 1999 release Love Lies Bleeding. Additionally, he played with Los Angeles-based band Q and contributed bass to five tracks on Generacija 5's 2005 album Energija.

In 1994, Gordi's track "Put do pakla" ("Road to Hell") was included on Komuna's compilation Pakleni vozači: Jugoslovenski hard rock, part of the YU retROCKspektiva collection. Rock Express Records reissued both Pakleni trio and Kraljica smrti in 2006 and 2007 respectively, each edition featuring bonus video content. In 2021, Croatia Records released Zlatko Manojlović’s box set titled Od Daha do Gordih, which contained remastered versions of both albums.

2024 Revival

In 2024, Manojlović revitalized Gordi with a new formation comprising his son Todor Manojlović on guitar and bass, Marko Terlević handling bass duties, Dalibor "Dado" Marinković on drums, and Berislav "Bero" Blažević playing keyboards; the latter two musicians are also affiliated with Parni Valjak. This ensemble produced the comeback record Fenix, released through Croatia Records, predominantly featuring hard rock compositions solely written by Manojlović.

Studio albums

Čovek (1978)
Gordi 2 (1979)
Gordi 3 (1979)
Pakleni trio (1981)
Kraljica smrti (1982)
Fenix (2024)

Singles

"Duga noć" / "Idi sad" (1978)

External links