Laki Pingvini
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Headquarters | Belgrade , Serbia |
| Products | Studio albums, EPs, singles |
Laki Pingvini (; translated as The Easy Penguins) was a rock group originating from Belgrade, Serbia, active during the era of SFR Yugoslavia since their formation in 1979.
Initially associated with the Yugoslav new wave, the band eventually transitioned into genres such as synth-pop and pop rock. Over their career, they released two studio albums featuring multiple popular tracks before disbanding in 1986. Vocalist Đorđe Dragojlović later revived the group in 1995, producing a third album prior to another dissolution. The founding members reunited for two live performances in 2006.
Origins, rise, and initial disbandment (1979–1989)
Established in 1979, Laki Pingvini made their first public appearance on November 29, Republic Day, at a punk-themed costume event held in Zemun. The ensemble originally consisted of four vocalists and lacked a fixed formation but soon stabilized with Đorđe Dragojlović (vocals), Časlav Stanković (guitar), Srđan Đurić (bass), Aleksandar Rodić (keyboards, formerly of Kako and Piloti), and Milan Bubalo (drums, previously with Beograd).
Their steady activity commenced in September 1982, culminating in the release of their debut EP Šizika (Crazy Girl) the following summer. Produced by Saša Habić, this record featured notable tracks such as "Šizika" and "Možda, možda," the latter also included on the influential compilation Ventilator 202 Demo Top 10.
In 1984, they launched their first full-length album Muzika za mlade (Music for the Young Ones), produced by Slobodan Marković. This album contained hits like "Ne, nisam tvoj heroj," a rendition of John Paul Young's "Yesterday's Hero," alongside "Moja devojka." The production incorporated analog drum machines and experimental elements including sampled accordion sounds and car engine noises. Following its release, the band performed at the Split Music Festival with the song "Ja sam mornar" and a Serbo-Croatian adaptation of Paul Anka's "Love Me Warm and Tender," retitled "Voli me," which was featured on the festival’s official compilation.
In 1985 came the release of Striptiz (Striptease), containing tracks like "Čarobnjaci," composed by Zoran Simjanović with lyrics by Milan Oklopčić for the television series Ne tako davno. The album produced the single "Blago morskih dubina," which was also issued as the B-side to "Cry, Baby, Cry." Despite these efforts, public reception was limited, leading to the band's cessation of activities shortly thereafter.
Following this period, vocalist Dragojlović embarked on a short solo venture under the name Super Đoka. He appeared at the MESAM festival in 1986 with the song "Pokreni me," which was included on that year's festival compilation. In 1988, he took part in the television rock operetta Kreatori i kreature, collaborating with prominent regional musicians.
Reunion phases: 1994 acoustic set, 1995 revival, and 2006 reunion
In January 1994, Laki Pingvini reunited for an unplugged session at Belgrade’s Sava Centar; an acoustic rendition of "Šizika" from this event was later released on the live album Bez struje.
The band was reassembled in 1995 by Dragojlović with a refreshed lineup including Dragutin Jakovljević from Galija on guitar, bassist Rade Bulatović, keyboardist Ivan Aleksijević, and former Piloti drummer Zoran Obradović "Ćera". This formation produced the comeback album Stereo, which featured reimagined versions of past hits such as "Blago morskih dubina" alongside covers including Herbie Hancock’s "Cantaloupe Island" retitled "Šta bi dao bre," Brian Eno and John Cale’s "Empty Frame" under the name "Dragan, Marko i Violeta," and Pro Arte’s "Lola." Despite self-producing this record, the group disbanded shortly after its release. During this time frame, Dragojlović also contributed guest vocals to Ruž’s cover of "Šizika" found on their album Kao nekada....
On March 10, 2006, the original members reunited once more to perform as special guests during a Delča i Sklekovi concert at Belgrade Youth Center. Their final performance took place on October 17, 2006, serving as opening act for Duran Duran at Belgrade Fair.
After 2006
Bassist Časlav Stanković passed on 2 October 2012, while drummer Milan Bubalo died on 7 December 2023.
Legacy
The band's impact continued through various renditions and homages: in 1995, Ruž recorded a version of "Šizika" featuring Dragojlović; in 2011, the Serbian post-rock group Petrol presented a full live performance of the Muzika za mlade album at the Mixer festival in Belgrade; and in 2014, the jazz group Bata Božanić Kvintet covered "Možda, možda," with Dragojlović appearing as a guest musician.
The demo version of "Možda, možda" was included on the compilation Ventilator 202 Demo Top 10 and was ranked 100th in the publication YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike. The track "Šizika" secured the 56th position on the B92 Top 100 Yugoslav songs list in 2006 and was also acknowledged by Radio 202 listeners as among the top 60 songs released by PGP-RTB/PGP-RTS throughout sixty years.
Studio albums
- Muzika za mlade (1984)
- Striptiz (1985)
- Stereo (1995)
EPs
- Šizika (1983)
Singles
- "Cry, Baby, Cry" / "Blago morskih dubina" (1985)
Other appearances
- "Možda, možda" (included on Ventilator 202 Demo Top 10, 1983)
- "Ja sam mornar" / "Voli me" (from Split '84)
- "Šizika" (featured on Bez struje, 1994)