Plamenih 5
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Headquarters | Belgrade , Yugoslavia |
| Products | Rock music |
Plamenih 5 (, translated as The Flaming 5) was a Yugoslav rock ensemble originating from Belgrade in 1964. Although they never issued official records, they are acknowledged as trailblazers in the development of the Yugoslav rock movement.
1964–1969
The band was established in 1964 with the initial members Branislav Aranđelović (guitar), Dragoljub Pavlović (bass), Miomir Petrović (rhythm guitar), Dragoslav Lazarević (keyboards), and Dobrivoje Radojević (drums). Subsequent additions to the lineup included Slobodan "Boba" Orlić (bass) and Vojislav Čobanski (rhythm guitar).
Their early performances predominantly featured beat covers, and in 1965 they held consistent gigs at Belgrade’s Euridika club. That same year, they secured first place at the Festival of Youth and appeared at the influential Parada ritma festival. Vocalist Haim Moreno joined the group in early 1966, leading to a third-place finish at the Belgrade Gitarijada festival. The band also shared stages with notable performers such as Čavke and Danica Mihajlović "Daniela," a singer based in Germany.
Their only known recordings were made as session musicians on Mihajlović’s 1966 EP I Got You Baby, which included the track "Ja nekoga želim" ("I Want Somebody"), later adapted by British artist Don Fardon under the title "I Need Somebody."
In 1967, their composition "Skarlet" ("Scarlet") received limited airplay following a Radio Belgrade broadcast. Additionally, they recorded "Ja nikad nisam bio sam" ("I Was Never Alone") for the television program Koncert za ludi mladi svet. By late 1967, lineup changes saw Moreno replaced by Miloš Stajić and Aranđelović succeeded by Ljuba Sedlar.
Dragoljub Pavlović contributed the song "Oči" ("Eyes") for the anthology film Vreme ljubavi, which ultimately remained unreleased, likely due to its controversial focus on drug addiction.
Toward the end of the decade, Plamenih 5 transitioned to a more sophisticated musical style but did not attain widespread popularity and dissolved by 1969.
After disbandment
Following his exit from Plamenih 5, Branislav Aranđelović founded Plamenih 6, comprising Miodrag Nedeljković (bass), Lazar Paskul (organ), Dušan Ranković (trumpet), Miroslav Filipović (trombone), and Radomir Trivić (drums). Initially acting as a support band for artists like Nina Spirova, Tomi Sovilj, and Gordana Krisper, they offered a varied setlist but failed to achieve notable commercial impact. In the 1980s, Aranđelović became a member of Rokeri s Moravu.
During the 1970s, Slobodan Orlić was active with Siluete and Opus, while Dragoslav Lazarević pursued a career as an audio technician at Radio Belgrade.
In 2000, their track "Ja nikad nisam bio sam," originally recorded for Television Belgrade, was featured on Jugobeat Explosion: 60s Punk From Yugoslavia, a compilation released by the Dutch label Red Beat.