INDEXI - Naše doba (1964-1969)

 

 

 

INDEXI were one of the earliest and most enduring bands in ex-Yugoslavia that enjoyed popularity across generations of the followers of rock music. The band was founded in 1962 in Sarajevo, Bosnia, and soon became synonymous to the so-called "Sarajevo Pop School" scene. Since all the members were university students, they had easily chosen the name for the band - INDEXI (plural of "index", a student's blue book for writing exams and attendance). In the beginning they played mostly instrumental covers of popular hits, but around 1967 started composing their own songs. The core line-up consisted of Slobodan A. Kovačević-guitar, Fadil Redžić-bass and Davorin Popović-vocals, while they frequently changed drummers and keyboard players. Similar to KORNI GRUPA, INDEXI led two parallel careers: the one as a popular band recording numerous singles and EPS, and performing at the pop festivals of easy listening "schlager" music; and the other one as a pioneering progressive band, which had recorded allegedly the first song lasting over 10 minutes in former Yugoslavia, "Negdje na kraju u zatisju" in 1969. At the beginning of the 70s INDEXI toured extensively and played at many pop festivals, making plans at the same time for recording their first LP album. Producers in the phonographic companies, however, insisted on their making hit-singles only. In this period they played in Soviet Union, Poland and Bulgaria in addition to frequent concert performances across Yugoslavia. This period saw the release of the legendary "Plima" single in 1972, a composition that had been recorded back in 1968 and featured one of the most memorable guitar solos in the Yugoslavian rock-scene, courtesy of Kovacevic. The rest of their career from mid-70s through 90s they occasionally recorded singles and appeared in concerts at random, deliberately avoiding temptations of a typical rock and roll life-style. Having their regular jobs apart from the band, they never bothered to pursue a commercial career unless they felt ready to perform and record together. This is why perhaps they maintained their longevity for 35+ years. Their music is characterized by a dominant organ sound with distinguished guitar, mirroring influences from Procol Harum, The Beatles, or early Deep Purple. Oddly enough, during almost four decades of the music career, INDEXI have managed to record only two proper studio albums. "Modra rijeka" from 1978 is nevertheless a pinnacle of the Yugoslavian progressive rock. A highly elaborated concept album based on the lyrics of the one of best-known Bosnian poets, Mak Dizdar, offers great musicianship in the manner of symphonic-style prog similar to YES for example. The second album, "Kameni cvjetovi" was released 1999 and is more mainstream rock oriented. In 2001 a trademark vocalist of INDEXI, Davorin Popović died so the story of the band thus ended. The final posthumous release was a double live CD "Poslednji koncert u Sarajevu". (progarchives.com)