Siluete

Siluete
Company type	Rock band
Industry	Music
Founded	1961 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Founder	Zoran Miščević, Branko Gluščević, Ilija Stanić, Zoran Simjanović, Jovan "Miške" Mišević
Defunct	1995
Headquarters	Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia)
Area served	Yugoslavia
Key people	Zoran Miščević (frontman), Ljuba Đorđević (keyboardist)
Products	Rock music recordings, live performances

Siluete (, translated as The Silhouettes) was a rock group originating from Belgrade in 1961, notable as trailblazers in the Yugoslav rock movement during the era of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Fronted by the magnetic singer Zoran Miščević, Siluete swiftly captured public interest through their vibrant live performances. The original ensemble disbanded in 1963, with some members forming an instrumental outfit influenced by The Shadows, later collaborating with vocalist Tomi Sovilj. Miščević rejoined the band in 1964, leading them to widespread acclaim across Yugoslavia for their lively and occasionally controversial stage presence. Throughout the 1960s, they ranked among the top Yugoslav rock groups, with Miščević emerging as the first major star of the local rock scene. Their rivalry with Elipse, whose keyboardist Zoran Simjanović had been a founding member of Siluete, was frequently likened by the media to that between The Rolling Stones and The Beatles.

In the late 1960s, Siluete embarked on international tours seeking a foreign record contract but disbanded in 1971 after failing to secure one. Miščević revived the band in the mid-1970s, navigating numerous lineup changes while remaining alongside keyboardist Ljuba Đorđević as core members. Although they maintained regular performances through the late 1970s and 1980s, their media presence and popularity diminished over time. The group ultimately ceased operations following Miščević's death in 1995.

1961–1971

Siluete officially came together on October 20, 1961, with Zoran Miščević handling vocals and bass, Branko Gluščević on rhythm guitar, Ilija Stanić playing guitar, Zoran Simjanović on keyboards, and Jovan "Miške" Mišević on drums. Drawing inspiration from the film The Young Ones and artists like Cliff Richard and The Shadows, they adopted the name Siluete. Their debut performance took place at a school dance at Belgrade Economy School, followed by numerous club and dance hall appearances. Shortly thereafter, Miščević was replaced by vocalist Miroslav "Mine" Minić. Early in 1962, they supported singer Đorđe Marjanović during a concert at Belgrade's Trade Union Hall and frequently performed in cabaret shows and clubs.

Following their summer 1963 gigs in Makarska and Dubrovnik, several founding members departed: Simjanović joined Elipse; Miščević, Gluščević, and Minić formed Lutalice; meanwhile, Ilić continued Siluete with a new lineup focused on instrumental pieces inspired by The Shadows. Tomislav "Tomi" Sovilj briefly took on vocal duties before Miščević returned; for a period both Sovilj and Miščević shared singing responsibilities until Sovilj left after about a year.

Their first significant appearance with this renewed lineup was at Vuk Karadžić Cultural Centre during a concert arranged by satirical magazine Jež. They subsequently performed extensively in Belgrade venues and participated in Novi Sad's Vatromet ritma festival in 1964—part of the pioneering Parada ritma rock festival series. A legal dispute prompted Sovilj to establish his own similarly named band.

By 1965, Siluete had achieved considerable acclaim due to their high-energy shows and distinctive style that contrasted sharply with the neat image of approximately 230 other Belgrade rock groups. They secured Best Band honors at the Parada ritma festival before an audience of 3,500 attendees. The band also appeared in Branko Bauer's film Doći i ostati (To Come and to Stay). At January 1966’s inaugural Belgrade Gitarijada festival, they earned second place from the jury but were favored by audiences; guitarist Dragi Jelić made his debut wearing a wig to compensate for his short hair amidst other members' long hairstyles. That year they performed over eighty concerts throughout Yugoslavia, including large venues and exhibitions featuring painter Olja Ivanjicki; they also appeared in Sava Popović's short film Rapsodija u crnom.

In 1966 Siluete released their debut EP Tvoj rođendan, which included covers of Small Faces, The Searchers, and Donovan songs. Despite critical disapproval and hurried production quality, it sold more than 60,000 copies. The following year saw two additional EP releases: Dona, featuring covers of Ritchie Valens and The Rolling Stones; and Kišu sam tražio, their first record containing original compositions penned by bassist Dejan Dunjić alongside covers of Bee Gees and The Searchers tracks.

These records ignited a media-driven rivalry with Elipse that was often compared to the famous competition between The Rolling Stones and The Beatles—Elipse being regarded as musically more proficient while Siluete were praised for their showmanship. Both bands served as opening acts for The Searchers during concerts in Belgrade and Zrenjanin in 1967. That same year Siluete won first prize at the second Gitarijada festival and appeared on television performing hits such as "I'm a Man" and "Massachusetts," filmed at Avala Film Studios. Film student Srđan Karanović produced a TV movie about them titled Učio sam dve godine kontrabas. They also featured in the series Krug dvojkom. Readers of youth magazines voted them Yugoslavia’s best band; much media coverage centered on Miščević’s long blond hair which sparked public controversies—he even insured his hair to maintain publicity. His provocative behavior included announcing plans to kill chickens on stage and encouraging audience disruptions. Fan enthusiasm was intense—Miščević became recognized as Yugoslavia’s first rock superstar since Đorđe Marjanović.

Critics often accused Siluete of emphasizing image over musical growth. In pursuit of international success, they played extensively in Austrian and West German clubs such as Vienna’s Chattanooga and Hamburg’s Star Club. Austrian media portrayed them as heirs to hajduk traditions resisting Ottoman rule. Guitarist Dragi Jelić departed to join Džentlmeni (later founding YU Grupa) and was succeeded by Slobodan Todorović. Rumors circulated about performances at a Nuremberg cemetery during these overseas tours.

After unsuccessful attempts abroad, Siluete concentrated once again on their domestic audience with a comeback concert featuring Džentlmeni and jazz ballet ensemble Džezabal; critics applauded their renewed musical focus. They toured widely across Yugoslavia with new guitarist Ljubomir Sedlar from Vizije, including an extensive New Year's Eve show at Belgrade Youth Center. However, some concerts provoked riots: chairs were broken and members attacked during a Sarajevo show (1968); guitars were smashed amid fights with audiences in Novi Sad. During summer 1968 they maintained an intense schedule performing four times weekly at Belgrade schoolyards.

In 1969 bassist Dunjić relocated to London; Aleksandar Cvetković took over bass duties. After releasing the single "Sećanje na Keti" / "Dosadan dan," Siluete resumed European club engagements aiming for foreign recording contracts but ultimately disbanded when these efforts failed. Most members returned home except Miščević who remained two additional years performing with an Italian group before retiring from music upon his 1973 return.

1975–1995

In 1975, Miščević revitalized Siluete with only one original member remaining, Ljuba Đorđević on keyboards, joined by Slobodan "Boba" Orlić handling bass, Dragan Vukelić on electric piano, and Radomir Dramičanin playing drums. Although their tours incorporated theatrical elements, the group achieved limited acclaim and eventually disbanded once more. The following year, Miščević and Đorđević reformed Siluete with a younger lineup, releasing singles such as "Ponoćni voz" ("Midnight Train") and "Makedonsko devojče" ("Macedonian Girl"), the latter featuring Lidija Vekovska, a former Miss Yugoslavia.

During the late 1970s through the 1980s, Siluete faced challenges in retaining their prominence amid evolving musical landscapes, mostly performing in smaller venues with scarce media attention. They participated in major festivals where they frequently performed covers of Bijelo Dugme's hit "Kad bi bio bijelo dugme," modifying the lyrics to highlight Siluete's own legacy. Additionally, they served as the opening act for Bijelo Dugme's 1979 concert at JNA Stadium. Over time, more than 180 musicians were part of Siluete, with Miščević and Đorđević remaining as the band's core members. Following Đorđević's passing in 1986, Miščević continued leading the group until his death on April 4, 1995, which marked the band's conclusion. In 1994, Siluete's track "Tvoj rođendan" was included in the compilation Sjaj izgubljene ljubavi: Muzika šezdesetih, a segment of the YU retROCKspektiva series.

Post 1995

The year 2000 saw the release of the compilation album VIS Siluete, offering a comprehensive survey of the band's musical output. Significant songs like "Tvoj rođendan," "Uhvati vetar," and the previously unreleased instrumental "Tema Silueta" were featured in the 2005 box set Kad je rock bio mlad – Priče sa istočne strane (1956–1970), issued by Croatia Records, which spotlighted pioneering rock groups from Yugoslavia. Notably, "Tema Silueta" was recorded back in 1962 during a rehearsal session at Gvozden Eror's apartment.

Miroslav Petrović, a former guitarist for Siluete, went on to establish the old city music ensemble Daniluške and composed the main theme for Branko Bauer's television series The Farm in the Small Marsh, in which he also made an appearance. He died in the early 1990s.

Drummer Miroslav Minić moved to Germany to join the Belgrade Show Orchestra before relocating to Norway in 1971. He continued performing until 1986 when he shifted his career focus to fashion design.

Legacy

Miščević earned significant accolades recognizing his contributions to Yugoslav music, including both the SR Serbia Seventh of July Award and the First of May Award.

The track "Uhvati vetar" was later interpreted by Yugoslav rock band Jura Stublić & Film on their 1989 album Zemlja sreće ("Land of Happiness").

EPs

Tvoj rođendan (1966)
Dona (1967)
Kiša (1967)

Compilation albums

VIS Siluete (2000)

Singles

"Sećanje na Keti" / "Dosadan dan" (1969)
"Makedonsko devojče" / "The Girls From Macedonia" (1976)
"Ponoćni voz" / "Plačem" (1977)

Additional releases

"Tvoj rođendan" / "Uhvati vetar" / "Tema Silueta" (from Kad je rock bio mlad – Priče sa istočne strane (1956–1970), 2005)

External links