Luna (1980s Serbian band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Defunct | 1984 |
| Headquarters | Novi Sad , Yugoslavia (now Serbia) |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
Luna (; translated as The Moon) was a Serbian post-punk and gothic rock group originating from Novi Sad, active during the era of the former Yugoslavia.
Emerging from the ashes of the new wave ensemble La Strada, the band took its name from the Bernardo Bertolucci movie La Luna. Luna rapidly attracted attention and developed a dedicated following. Their chance to record a debut album came through Marko Brecelj, an ex-member of Buldožer, who discovered them after a performance in Rijeka. The lineup featured Zoran Bulatović "Bale" on guitar, Slobodan Tišma on vocals, Ivan Fece "Firchie" on drums, and Jasmina Mitrušić "Mina" handling keyboards and vocals. Their sole album, Nestvarne stvari (Unreal Things), was released after the band had disbanded; it received widespread critical praise and is considered among the most significant works in the rock scene of former Yugoslavia. In 2004, Luna briefly reunited for a special appearance at the Novi Sad Exit festival.
Formation and ascent
In mid-1981, following lineup changes within La Strada, including the departures of bassist Boris Oslovčan "Bora" and guitarist Predrag Ostojić, Slobodan Tišma (guitar, vocals) and Ivan Fece "Firchie" (drums) remained. They were soon joined by Zoran Bulatović "Bale," formerly of Pekinška Patka, who took on bass duties. The group prepared for a brief three-date tour organized by Muzička Omladina, sharing stages with acts such as Lačni Franz, Čista Proza, and Fotomodeli. Despite solid performances, this lineup dissolved shortly thereafter.
Later that same year, Bulatović (guitar), Tišma (vocals), and Fece "Firchie" (drums) established Luna, recruiting Marinko Vukmanović—another former member of Pekinška Patka—as bassist. The band's name was inspired by Bertolucci’s film La Luna. Due to members’ prior reputations, public interest surged immediately. Bulatović took charge of composing and arranging music while Tišma focused on lyric writing. Just before their debut public performance, Vukmanović departed to form the pop band Primavera and was replaced by Jasmina Mitrušić "Mina," who contributed keyboards and vocals.
Luna’s first live show occurred in March 1982 at Vienna’s Arena during the Novosadski Novi Talas festival. The band quickly built a devoted fan base performing throughout Novi Sad and Belgrade, earning favorable reviews from critics. Journalist Petar Luković praised them as “likely the most sophisticated Novi Sad band of their generation,” noting their fusion of avant-garde alternative styles with accessible pop elements. Critic Dragan Kremer hailed Luna as “the finest band we have,” forecasting their prominence in the near future.
The group recorded a demo at Radio Novi Sad studios featuring the track "Ogledalo lune" ("The Mirror of Luna"), which gained popularity locally through frequent airplay on Studio B radio station. This demo, along with earlier recordings from La Strada and live material, was later compiled on the bootleg cassette Hokej klub Virginitas released by Ding Dong records. In autumn 1983, Luna toured through Croatia and Slovenia with concerts in Zagreb, Rijeka, Ljubljana, and Kopar. Following their performance in Rijeka, former Buldožer musician Marko Brecelj presented their demo to Boris Bele of Helidon record label, enabling them to secure a recording contract.
Recording of debut album and band dissolution
Upon returning from their tour, the group entered Aquarius Studio in Belgrade to record their first album, collaborating with sound engineer Đorđe Petrović and producer Saša Habić. Bulatović noted that they approached the studio sessions thoroughly prepared with a well-defined recording plan. The production wrapped up by September 1983. Nevertheless, a conflict arose between Bulatović and Tišma, which resulted in Tišma's removal from the lineup. Jasmina Mitrušić departed alongside him to reestablish La Strada the following year. Subsequently, Bulatović fulfilled his service in the Yugoslav People's Army, joined Imperium of Jazz, while Fece became part of Katarina II.
The debut release, Nestvarne stvari (Unreal Things), was issued by Helidon in early 1984. Due to the band's disbandment and absence of promotional efforts, only 920 copies were pressed. The album contained lyrical compositions such as "Lambo," "Okean" (featuring Mitrušić on lead vocals), "Amazon," and "Ogledalo Lune," noted for their sparse instrumental arrangements. Tišma adopted the alias Artur, inspired by poet Arthur Rimbaud. The publication Rock ranked Nestvarne stvari as the seventh best album of 1984; the ensemble earned the Sedam Sektetara SKOJ-a accolade in Zagreb, with critics praising it as one of the most outstanding debuts in the former Yugoslav music scene.
Activities following breakup and short-lived reunion
After reforming La Strada, Tišma and Mitrušić released the album La strada in 1987 before disbanding again in 1989. Tišma subsequently withdrew from music to focus on publishing poetry and novels, including acclaimed works like Bernardijeva soba (2012). Mitrušić completed her studies at the Musical Academy and relocated to Italy, where she contributed to projects such as Pesme iznad istoka i zapada.
In 1992, Bulatović briefly revived Luna with former members of La Strada and Obojeni Program, Robert Radić and Zoran Lekić; however, this iteration dissolved after Bulatović moved to New York City. Material recorded during this phase was later released in 2006 as Bulatović's solo album Summer Without Syphilis. While in New York, he established White Rabbit Cult alongside bassist Draško Nikodijević, issuing ...And The Gods Made Wars in 1999, which incorporated sampled content related to the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. In 2000, Bulatović remastered and re-released Nestvarne stvari through his independent label Fatamalanga Records. By 2010, he reunited with former members of Pekinška Patka for a comeback single and announced plans for a cover album.
Fece became part of Katarina II, which later transformed into Ekatarina Velika, participating in their self-titled debut recording before completing his mandatory service in the Yugoslav People's Army. He subsequently joined Laboratorija Zvuka and rejoined Ekatarina Velika for their 1988 Ljubav tour prior to relocating to New York City. Before departing, he patented an innovative drum tuning system. In New York, Fece formed the supergroup Collateral Damage with members from Električni Orgazam and Bezobrazno Zeleno; although no recordings were released, proceeds from their activities supported Novi Sad Children's Hospital. In 2007, he issued EKV Revisited, featuring re-recorded Ekatarina Velika tracks with original vocal tracks included.
One-time reunion
Two decades following their breakup, the original Luna lineup came together once again on July 3, 2004, performing on the main stage of the Novi Sad Exit festival. During this appearance, the band delivered a complete rendition of the album Nestvarne stvari, along with three additional tracks absent from the album: "Metropolis," "Muzika" ("Music")—whose demo versions had been included on the semi-official compilation Hokej klub Virginitas (1988)—and the previously unreleased "Hulica." At that period, Luna recorded these three tracks at Radio Novi Sad studio with plans to issue them together with the live Exit performance; nevertheless, these recordings have yet to be officially released.
Legacy
Lyrics from four Luna compositions were incorporated into Petar Janjatović's anthology Pesme bratstva, detinjstva & potomstva: Antologija ex YU rok poezije 1967 - 2007 (Anthology of Ex YU Rock Poetry 1967–2007).
Studio albums
- Nestvarne stvari (1984)
Compilation albums
- Hokej klub Virginitas (joint release with La Strada; 1988)
Other appearances
- "Ogledalo Lune" featured on Made In Yugoslavia - Πράξη Πρώτη (1992)
References
- NS rockopedija, novosadska rock scena 1963-2003, Mijatović Bogomir; Publisher: SWITCH, 2005
- EX YU ROCK enciklopedija 1960-2006, Janjatović Petar;
- Biographies of Luna and La Strada at Slobodan Tišma's unofficial blog