Lutke
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Headquarters | Belgrade , Serbia |
| Products | Power pop music |
Lutke (; meaning The Dolls) is a Serbian power pop ensemble originating from Belgrade.
1980s
The group was established in 1987 by high school acquaintances Nenad Jovanović (guitar, vocals), Dejan Radovanović (guitar), Zlatko Šetvić (bass), and Zoran Aković (drums). Initially, they performed under the names Salame and Krvopije before adopting the name Lutke. Early personnel shifts included guitarist Saša Pavlović, who later embraced monastic life at Mount Athos. In 1987, the band produced a demo featuring the tracks "Ti si tako otrovna" and "Ja sam opet tu," with production by Srđan Babović, who would become a prominent turbo folk producer. Their songs received airtime on local radio stations and were showcased during live performances predominantly held in high schools.
Following a hiatus due to members' military service, Jovanović and Radovanović reassembled the band in late 1989 with new additions Dejan Stanišić on bass and Srđan Višnjić on drums. They recorded demos at Cacadu Studio, which gained frequent rotation on Radio B92, achieved positions on demo charts, and garnered support from influential DJ Milan Petrović "Tica."
1990s
During the early 1990s, Lutke mainly played at Belgrade's Dadov club amidst the political instability and economic hardships caused by the Yugoslav conflicts, which impacted their operations. Their demos "Nebo" and "Smešak kobnog jutra" appeared on Studio B’s Diskomer chart and were broadcast on RTB’s Afirmator program. These successes led to performances at the Brzi bendovi Srbije festival and key venues in Belgrade such as KST, SKC, and Dom Omladine.
In 1994, drummer Višnjić departed to focus on rally racing and was succeeded by Vladan Nojković. This lineup recorded their first album Moderan svet at Do-Re-Mi studio in Novi Sad, co-produced alongside Predrag Pejić and Aleksandar Stamenković "Stamena." Released in 1996 on cassette by L.V.O. Records, the album featured original compositions alongside a cover of The Pretenders' "2000 Miles," reflecting an engagement with the British britpop movement.
Promotional clips for "Ke putana" and "Moderan svet," both directed by Ivan Markov, were created; however, the latter video was banned following legal issues involving a model featured in it. The band toured mainly within Belgrade clubs and made their inaugural live performance outside the city in Kragujevac.
After Radovanović left in 1997, Đuro Kojić "George" (guitar, violin) and Maja Mladenović (organ) joined the group. Between February and June 1998, they recorded their sophomore album Polyester at Košutnjak Music Factory studio.
Produced by Đorđe Petrović and released in October 1998, Polyester presented material spanning their career with a strong focus on string arrangements. Guest artists included violinist Galina Kuzmanović and trumpet player Nenad Potje from Kristali. The single "Sjaj," again directed by Markov, became widely popular across the country.
The album's release was accompanied by significant media coverage and a tour featuring an ensemble of five violins, two cellos, and brass instruments. However, this tour was cut short due to the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia; subsequently, the band dissolved as members moved abroad. Concurrently, the Socialist Party of Serbia took control of Radio B92 and confiscated remaining copies of Polyester.
2000s
In the year 2000, Nenad Jovanović and Branislav Pakić established the electropop ensemble Foto, which released its debut album Kosmos Srbija in 2002 through the independent label Ammonite Records; the album's title track gained widespread popularity across the country. Concurrently, Jovanović revived Lutke by bringing in guitarist George Kojić and drummer Đorđe Kovačević, and they produced a music video for the track "Novi dan." The band expanded in 2004 with the addition of seasoned drummer Mladen Pajević, followed by bassist Drago Senić joining in 2005.
After a hiatus of nine years, Lutke unveiled their third studio effort, Fontanela, in 2007 under Ammonite Records. The album, produced by Drago Senić, comprised ten original compositions by Jovanović alongside a rendition of "Noćna ptica," originally by Drago Mlinarec and Karlo Metikoš. A promotional video was created for the song "N.L.O." The lineup at this time—featuring Jovanović, Kojić, Pajević, bassist Duška Rajković, and keyboardist/vocalist Dušica Stojković—undertook a promotional tour through major urban centers in Serbia, marking their first series of live shows after an eight-year break.
In 2009, Jovanović released Foto's sophomore album titled Sinteza, again through Ammonite Records. Around this period, Bojan Dmitrasinović took over drumming duties for Lutke.
2010s
April 2014 saw the release of Lutke's album Spiralni snovi (translated as Spiral Dreams). The record was promoted by singles such as "Beograd gori" ("Belgrade Is Burning") and a cover version of Leo Martin’s "Laku noć, draga" ("Goodnight, Darling"). Distributed on CD via Ammonite Records, the album was also made accessible for streaming on Deezer.
Towards the end of 2016, Lutke announced plans to release a new studio album scheduled for spring 2017.
Studio albums
- Moderan svet (1996)
- Polyester (1998)
- Fontanela (2007)
- Spiralni snovi (2014)
Other appearances
- "Znam da je kraj" (from the compilation Ovo je zemlja za nas?!?; 1997)
References
- EX YU ROCK enciklopedija 1960–2006, Janjatović Petar
- Official band biography on Myspace