II
Bajaga i Instruktori
(Serbian Cyrillic: Бајага и Инструкториzra)

About:

Momčilo Bajagić (19 February 1960)

Momčilo Bajagić "Bajaga" started his musical career as a singer for the band TNT. After TNT disbaned in 1976 Bajagić joined the band Ofi led by organist Toma "Ofinger" Stojković. Aftrer also this band fell apart he joined popular rockband Riblja Čorba. In 1983 he assembled a group around him from bandmembers of popular bands like Tilt, Suncokret and Ofi. Essentially Bajagić just wanted to record a solo album but remain a member of Riblja Čorba. The album ‘Pozitivna geografija’ (Positive Geography), released in 1984, turned ou to be much more succesfull then expected. Bajagić had no intention of promoting Pozitivna geografija in concert, but eventually decided to listen to the advices of some and hold several concerts. For the liveshows they changed the name into Bajaga i Instruktori, chosen after the idea of the journalist Peca Popović. The success of Bajagić's solo album caused for conflicts inside Riblja Čorba and eventually he was kicked out. At the beginning of 1985, the band recorded the album ‘Sa druge strane jastuka’ (On the Other Side of the Pillow).  An extensive tour followed, in part with Bijelo Dugme with whom they performed in Moscow. At the end of 1985, in the magazine Rock, they were voted Rock Band of the Year, Bajagić the Rock Musician of the Year. For the third album the band got company from a string of guest appearances amongst whom Josipa Lisac on vocals in "Ja mislim 300 na sat" ("I Think 300 kmph"), Kornelije Kovač, bass guitarist Bata Božanić,  Rajko Kojić (Bajagić's former bandmate from Riblja Čorba and more. The band also recorded a cover of The Beatles song ‘All You Need Is Love’ as a give away 7" single given as a gift with an issue of Rock magazine before the album release. After some band changes Bajagi recorded ‘Prodavnica tajni’(The Secrets Shop) in 1988 named after Dino Buzzati book La boutique del mister. Again they toured Yugoslavia but growing nationalism already stirred. In Split, fans of local football club threw various objects on the stage, but after the intervention of the security the concert was continued. At the beginning of 1990, Bajaga i Instruktori performed in Timişoara, Romania, on a rock festival organized two months after the fall of Nicolae Ceauşescu.

During 1992, despite the outbreak of the Yugoslav Wars, Bajaga i Instruktori performed and held successful concerts in Macedonia and Slovenia. The 93 album Muzika na struju (Electric Music). The album featured the anti-war ballad "Golubica" ("She-Pigon"). The song was based on the instrumental Bajagić played at Terazijska česma on March 9, 1991. Another protestsong "Marinina tema" ("Marina's Theme") was written for the theatre play Život Jovanov (Life of Jovan). Beside "Golubica", the album featured anti-war songs "Gde si" ("Where Are You") and "Ovo je Balkan" ("This Is the Balkans"). At the beginning of 1994 the band was refused acces to Slovenia and were only allowed in after the intervention of the Slovenian president Milan Kučan. In November 1994, after a concert in Priština Bajagić had a big row with bandmembers Stamatović and Golubović which ended Bajaga i Instruktori activity. Bajagić set to writing soundtracks. In 1996, Bajagić reformed Bajaga i Instruktoria and recorded the album Od bižuterije do ćilibara (From Bijouterie to Amber). In 2001, the band recorded the album Zmaj od Noćaja (Dragon of Noćaj) followed by a Live – compilation in 2002. In 2005 one more album followed after which the band gradually stopped producing.  There were some signs of life in 2008 with two new songs: "Bežiš od mene ljubavi" ("You're Running Away from Me, My Love") and "A ti se nećeš vratiti" ("And You're not Coming Back"). In December 2009, the band celebrated 25 years of existence with three concerts held in Belgrade's Sava Centar, a year later the event was celebrated with a box set entitled Antologija (Anthology)

On the web:

- Bajaga's website: http://www.bajaga.com/

If you like this, you probably like... / european counterparts:

Ramoncin (Spain)

What do we think:

DB: compared to the grungy blues of Riblja Čorba Bajaga's soloproject is much more radiofriendly pop. No wonder it got so popular in FRS Yugoslavia. The lyrics were sweet, the music not to wild but wild enough to appeal to young people. The lend their sound from the british new wave and added some rock 'n roll to it. Personally I feel that Bajaga lacks a bit of an own signature to withstand international competition but that said they did record some nice songs on their first albums. .

Recommended albums:

♪♪♪ - Pozitivna geografija - 1984

♪♪♪ - Sa druge strane jastuka - 1985

♪♪♪ - Jahači magle - 1986

- Prodavnica tajni - 1988

♪♪ - Muzika na struju - 1993

- Od bižuterije do ćilibara - 1997

- Zmaj od Noćaja - 2001

- Šou počinje u ponoć - 2005

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♪♪♪♪♪ = outstanding album, an absolute must-have
♪♪♪♪ = great album, highly recomended
♪♪♪ = nice album
♪♪ = be careful, requires listening before buying
♪ = best to be avoided