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Piloti (band)

From Alfawiki
Piloti
Company typeRock band
IndustryMusic
Founded1980 in Belgrade, Serbia
FounderZoran "Kiki" Lesendrić
Headquarters
Belgrade
,
Serbia
ProductsMusic albums, live performances

Piloti (, translated as The Pilots) is a rock ensemble originating from Belgrade, Serbia, established in 1980 and fronted by vocalist, guitarist, and chief songwriter Zoran "Kiki" Lesendrić. Beginning their journey within the Yugoslav new wave movement, Piloti transitioned into a mainstream pop rock style, eventually becoming one of the prominent names in the Yugoslav rock scene during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The original lineup consisted of Lesendrić (vocals, guitar), Dragan Andrić (bass), Goran Bogićević (guitar), and Nenad Antanasijević (drums). Their debut album, self-titled and released in 1981, achieved considerable commercial success. The subsequent album, Dvadeset godina (1982), continued to reflect their new wave roots. After completing recording sessions for their third album, the group paused activities; the recordings remained unreleased. Piloti was reassembled by Lesendrić in 1984, adopting a more accessible sound that led to widespread popularity across Yugoslavia through the late 1980s and early 1990s. The band dissolved in 1997, briefly reunited in 1998, and was revived by Lesendrić in 2009 under the name Kiki Lesendrić & Piloti, producing three studio albums since then.

New wave period (1980–1983)

Piloti emerged in September 1980 from members of Kako, a melodic hard rock group noted for opening shows for Bijelo Dugme in 1979. The founding members were Lesendrić, Andrić, Bogićević, and Antanasijević. Early stage appearances included uniforms inspired by Bogićević's late father’s profession as a pilot, reinforcing the band's thematic identity.

In early 1981, Piloti performed at the Pozdrav iz Beograda festival held in Zagreb, attracting interest from the manager of Austrian artist Falco. Subsequently, they joined Falco on a European tour comprising around 40 dates alongside bands Ideal and Niagara. Although they qualified for the finals of the Subotica Youth Festival that year, Bogićević's academic commitments prevented their participation. Their frequent club gigs and incorporation of contemporary ska elements secured them a recording contract with PGP-RTB.

Their first album, produced by Dragan Jovanović, predominantly featured compositions by Lesendrić with contributions from Bogićević. The lyrics explored themes relevant to urban youth culture and produced hits such as "Imam diplomu" and "Ne veruj u idole," which garnered significant media exposure and sold over 100,000 copies throughout Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and the Soviet Union.

The follow-up record Dvadeset godina, released in 1982 and produced by Saša Habić, contained several minor hits but did not replicate the commercial impact of their debut. Subsequent lineup shifts occurred: Bogićević left due to compulsory military service; shortly after Antanasijević also departed. Drummer Zoran Obradović replaced him.

Work commenced on a third album entitled Zvuci civilizacije, with an extensive recording process exceeding 600 hours. However, military obligations for Lesendrić and other members resulted in an indefinite break; this album was ultimately never issued.

Pop rock era (1984–1992)

In late 1984, Piloti reassembled featuring Kiki Lesendrić, Goran Bogićević, Zoran Obradović alongside newcomers Dejan (bass) and Darko Grujić (keyboards), formerly part of Braća (Brothers). Throughout early 1985 they appeared at various festivals, charity events, and numerous concerts across Slovenia. Their demo track "Kada sanjamo" received substantial radio play; despite no recent album release, they performed live 58 times that year. On June 15th, Piloti took part in YU Rock Misija at Belgrade's Red Star Stadium—a Yugoslav contribution to Live Aid.

During summer 1986, they recorded their third album Kao ptica na mom dlanu (Like a Bird on My Palm), produced by Dušan "Šane" Petrović. Following recording sessions, Lesendrić restructured the band lineup—retaining Obradović while adding guitarists Safet "Saja" Petrovac and Milivoje "Miško Plavi" Petrović; Petrović transitioned from guitar to bass duties. Released with some delay in June 1987, this album marked Piloti’s stylistic shift toward pop rock with romantic themes replacing earlier socially conscious lyrics. It spawned popular tracks such as "Kada sanjamo," "Rekla je da u mojoj glavi čuje gitare i bubnjeve," "Iza oblaka," and the title song. The ensuing tour included an incident at Split Riva festival where Lesendrić suffered injury from an object thrown by an audience member.

During this timeframe, Lesendrić expanded his songwriting portfolio for leading Yugoslav musicians—creating hits like "Kolačići" for Marina Perazić; "Dolazi tiho" for Dejan Cukić; "Barakuda" and "Arija" for Viktorija; as well as co-writing "Spavaju li oči nebeske" with Goran Bregović for Zdravko Čolić.

Their fourth studio effort Osmeh letnje noći (A Midsummer Night Smile), launched in June 1988 and produced internally by the band, featured guest appearances including Bajaga i Instruktori keyboardist Saša Lokner along with backing vocals from Bane Lesendrić and Viktorija. The ballad "Leto" stood out as a highlight. Subsequently Petrovac departed; Petrović shifted roles to guitar and keyboards; bassist Bane Lesendrić joined.

In 1990 Piloti released their fifth album Neka te Bog čuva za mene (May God Save You for Me), also self-produced. Guest musicians included Bijelo Dugme members Goran Bregović (guitar) and Laza Ristovski (keyboards), guitarist Vlada Negovanović, saxophonist Jova Maljoković; backing vocals were provided by Zana’s Jelena Galonić and former member Darko Grujić. The lead single was "Tajna je u tebi skrivena." Additionally, the album contained a cover of Pete Townshend’s "The Only Thing Left," retitled "Jedino što nam ostaje."

In 1991 PGP-RTB issued the compilation Najveći hitovi (Greatest Hits), focusing mostly on material from their post-new wave period with some earlier songs re-recorded. That year Piloti performed at Belgrade Spring festival presenting a version of "Devojko mala," originally featured in the film Love and Fashion, which was included on the festival’s compilation titled Beograde.

Commercial Success, Breakup, and Short-Lived Reunion (1993–1997, 1998)

During the early 1990s, Piloti joined forces with esteemed keyboardist Laza Ristovski—noted for his previous work with Smak, Bijelo Dugme, and Osvajači—to compose soundtracks for Darko Bajić's film Zaboravljeni (The Forgotten Ones) and Dragan Kresoja's Full Moon over Belgrade. The soundtrack songs were compiled into the album Zaboravljeni, which featured Piloti's rendition of "Spavaju li oči nebeske," a track co-created by Kiki Lesendrić and Goran Bregović originally for Zdravko Čolić. Additional tracks such as "Gradovi, ulice" and "Samo korak do dna" were co-written by Lesendrić alongside new drummer Zoran Babović "Babonja" (previously of Kako and Zana). The album’s highlights included the popular ballad "Zaboravljeni" as well as lesser hits like "Čini mi se da" and "Kao da je mesec stao za nas dvoje". Following this project, Ristovski officially joined the band for a period.[1] At the same time, Lesendrić established the supergroup Dobrovoljno Pevačko Društvo with former members of Idoli, Srđan Šaper and Nebojša Krstić, releasing the album Nedelja na duhove.[1]

In 1996, Piloti took part in the Budva Summer Festival presenting the song "Neverna si". That year also saw Lesendrić and Petrović collaborate with Greek vocalist Manolis Mitsias on the album Στο Δρόμο Με Τα Χάλκινα (On the Road with Trumpets), which featured Greek-language adaptations of Piloti’s songs; Petrović contributed on accordion, piano, bass guitar, percussion, and handled production duties.[1] The following year, Piloti released Dan koji prolazi zauvek (A Day which Is Passing Forever), produced by Lesendrić and Igor Borojević. The compositions were crafted by Lesendrić and Babović with lyrics penned by Lesendrić. This album included contributions from guest artists such as Nenad Stefanović "Japanac", Nenad Jelić, Slobodan Marković, slide guitarist Ana Popović, vocalist Dejan Cukić, and the Igor Popović String Quartet. Tracks like "Neverna si" and the title song gained moderate attention. Additionally, 1997 marked the release of the compilation Ne veruj u idole, encompassing material from Piloti's initial five albums.[1]

Piloti ceased activities in autumn 1997.[1] A brief reunion occurred in 1998 featuring Lesendrić alongside Darko and Dejan Grujić, with Vlada Migrić on drums; however, this lineup dissolved shortly after. During this short-lived comeback, they recorded "San za jedan dan" with singer Marina Perazić, a track written by Lesendrić that appeared on Perazić's album Ista kao more.[1]

Kiki Lesendrić & Piloti (2009–present)

Following Piloti’s initial disbandment, Kiki Lesendrić pursued songwriting and production roles within the Greek divisions of PolyGram and Universal Music Group, collaborating extensively with prominent Greek artists. In 2008, he unveiled his debut solo album Mesec na vratima (The Moon at the Door), featuring compositions by Lesendrić and politician Mlađan Dinkić, with lyrics contributed by Lesendrić, Dinkić, Marina Tucaković, Đorđe Balašević, Momčilo Bajagić, and Vlada Mrvić. The project included guest performances from Bajagić, Tony Cetinski, members of Van Gogh, Ana Đokić and Dejan Popin from Orthodox Celts, Vlada Negovanović, Laza Ristovski, Slobodan Marković, Dragoljub Đuričić among others. Released in two editions, it contained bonus tracks such as a refreshed version of Piloti’s classic "Kada sanjamo" featuring Tijana Dapčević, a live rendition of "Neverna si" recorded at Exit Festival 2008, and "Strawberry Wine" performed with Van Gogh.

Subsequent to the album release, Lesendrić reassembled Piloti under the name Kiki Lesendrić & Piloti to support the record through touring. This incarnation included guitarists Vlada Negovanović and Vladan Vučković "Paja," bassist Marko Nikolić, keyboardists Bojan Vasić and Vojislav Dragović, drummer Marko Kuzmanović, and violinist Filip Pat. After performing across Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Poland, and Italy throughout 2010, they issued a live album and DVD titled Svet je lep kada sanjamo (The World Is Beautiful When We Dream), featuring recordings from Belgrade Beer Fest 2009 and a concert in Novi Sad.

In 2012 came the release of Slučajno i zauvek (Accidentally and Forever). Besides Lesendrić’s input, Mlađan Dinkić also contributed to the album’s content; lyricist Đorđe Balašević wrote words for songs including "Queen in Wien (Prvi maj 1978)" and "Budi tu kad padne sneg." This record introduced new band members keyboardist Vladimir Preradović and drummer Srđan "Džoni" Dunkić; Van Gogh’s Dejan Ilić played bass for studio sessions. Guest musicians featured Spanish flamenco guitarist Rayito, Predrag Manov on guitar, cellist Kristina Ivanković, along with John Holms Brass Trio. On certain tour dates during this period, Lesendrić’s son Đorđe performed on drums.

The 2016 album Širom zatvorenih očiju (Eyes Wide Shut) incorporated two compositions by Dinkić. The song "Manje-više" showcased vocalist Sara Jo; additional guests included Nenad Zlatanović (Texas Flood) on guitar, Predrag Manov on guitar as well as Ana Štajdohar providing backing vocals. Comic artist Gradimir Smudja designed the album cover. On April 22nd that year, the band appeared alongside Riblja Čorba, Van Gogh, Galija, and Električni Orgazam during the reopening ceremony of Tašmajdan Stadium. The following year saw the release of a compilation titled Rekla je da u mojoj glavi čuje gitare i bubnjeve, featuring re-recorded versions of their greatest hits.

In 2022 Piloti released their most recent studio album Mali tragovi na nebu (Small Traces in the Sky). All tracks were composed by Lesendrić except for "Negde duboko tu," which was written by Dinkić.

Legacy

The track "Ne veruj u idole" was interpreted by the Serbian hard rock and heavy metal ensemble Trigger on their 2012 release EX. Meanwhile, the song "Kao ptica na mom dlanu" received a rendition by the Serbian pop group The Frajle on their 2019 album Obraduj me, featuring guest artist Kiki Lesendrić.

In the year 2000, "Kao ptica na mom dlanu" secured the 74th position on the Rock Express Top 100 Yugoslav Rock Songs of All Times chart. A decade later, in 2011, listeners of Radio 202 voted it among the top 60 songs released by PGP-RTB/PGP-RTS throughout their sixty-year history.

The lyrics from "Imam diplomu" ("I Have a Degree") were included in Petar Janjatović's collection Pesme bratstva, detinjstva & potomstva: Antologija ex YU rok poezije 1967 - 2007.

Studio albums

  • Piloti (1981)
  • Dvadeset godina (1982)
  • Kao ptica na mom dlanu (1987)
  • Osmeh letnje noći (1988)
  • Neka te bog čuva za mene (1990)
  • Zaboravljeni (1993)
  • Dan koji prolazi zauvek (1996)
  • Slučajno i zauvek (credited as Kiki Lesendrić & Piloti; 2012)
  • Širom zatvorenih očiju (credited as Kiki Lesendrić & Piloti; 2016)
  • Mali tragovi na nebu (credited as Kiki Lesendrić & Piloti; 2022)

Live albums

  • Svet je lep kada sanjamo (credited as Kiki Lesendrić & Piloti, 2010)

Compilation albums

  • Najveći hitovi (1991)
  • Ne veruj u idole (1997)
  • Najveći hitovi (2009)
  • Rekla je da u mojoj glavi čuje gitare i bubnjeve (2017)
  • Greatest Hits Collecion (2019)

Video albums

  • Svet je lep kada sanjamo (credited as Kiki Lesendrić & Piloti, 2010)

Other appearances

  • "Devojko mala" featured on the compilation Beograde, released in 1991

See also

External links

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named janjatović232
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