Laboratorija Zvuka

Biography

Laboratorija zvuka (meaning in serbian: Sound laboratory), sometimes credited as Laboratorija only, was an eminent act of the former Yugoslav New Wave scene and the Yugoslav Pop and Rock scene in general. The band was formed in 1978 in Novi Sad, SAP Vojvodina, SR Serbia, then a part of SFR Yugoslavia. They were noted for their eccentric style, erotic lyrics, unusual line ups and bizarre circus-inspired stage performances. The main creators of the band were the brothers Predrag (Peđa) and Mladen...

Laboratorija zvuka (meaning in serbian: Sound laboratory), sometimes credited as Laboratorija only, was an eminent act of the former Yugoslav New Wave scene and the Yugoslav Pop and Rock scene in general. The band was formed in 1978 in Novi Sad, SAP Vojvodina, SR Serbia, then a part of SFR Yugoslavia. They were noted for their eccentric style, erotic lyrics, unusual line ups and bizarre circus-inspired stage performances.

The main creators of the band were the brothers Predrag (Peđa) and Mladen Vranešević, who comprised a prominent music tandem in former Yugoslavia, especially active in composing music for television and film. The other members in the first line up were: Dinna Vranešević (vocals), Aleksandar Pejak (guitar), Vera Lajko (keyboards), Dragan Zarić (drums), Đorđe Urban (bass guitar), Vince Olah and Miroslav Ćurćijanski (violins).
They achieved their first mainstream success at the Opatija pop music festival. Their first three singles were released for PGP-RTB, but afterwards, they signed for Jugoton to release their debut album Telo (Body) with the following line up: Mladen Vranešević (vocals), Peđa Vranešević (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Đorđe Urban (bass), Ivan Kašik (drums), Dinna Vranešević (vocal), Aleksandar Pejak (guitar) and Renata Viggy (vocals). The album included a tribute song to then-popular Petar Čelik, formerly a skinny boy who later rose to a bodybuilding champion. They picked up Petar and his wife to join their stage performances. While the band was playing, Petar was practicing his bodybuilding using various training devices. They also picked up some marginal character from the streets of Novi Sad called Vilmoš Kauboj. He also toured with them and performed on stage as a circus type of an announcer. The complete band on stage consisted of 13 persons.
In the end of 1980 they released one of their best known hits, the ska song "Ska-kavac joj zaš'o u rukavac" which featured quotes from folklore erotic poetry compiled by Vuk Karadžić. The other side of the single featured the song "Mod-deran". The title of the song is a play on words: in Serbian, the whole word "moderan" means "modern", but when split into two parts, it stands for: Mod, which is a follower of the Mod subculture, and "deran", which may be translated as brat or "troublemaker". The single cover featured the band dressed in Mod Revival fashions and 2 Tone styling, which was fashionable during the time of the New Wave music period. "Ska-kavac joj zaš'o u rukavac" was included on the compilation Svi marš na ples! released by Jugoton in 1981.
With a slightly changed line up, they released their second album Duboko u tebi (Deeply inside you) for Jugoton in 1982. In this period they were also influenced by the classic rocknroll sound. Their retro-inspired ballad "Zaboravljena draga" was included in Vrući dani i vrele noći compilation released by Jugoton in 1982. In the same year, an older citizen in Novo mesto, SR Slovenia saw a poster announcing their concert and mistaken Vilmoš Kauboj to be Josip Broz Tito. Thinking that the band is making a ridicule of the president, the man reported them to the police. Peđa was formally sentenced to 40 days in prison, but the whole case was soon dismissed and all charges were dropped.
They later played at the Zagreb Bienale festival in Zagreb, SR Croatia which that year featured Gang of Four and Classix Nouveaux. There, they established contacts with foreign record labels.
Afterwards they went to play in Germany where they recorded the new single Devica 69 (Virgin 69) and in 1984 they traveled to London, UK for their artistic performances at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA).
In 1986 they release their third album Nevinost (Innocence) for Jugoton. The album featured a bizarre guest appearance of the "prophet" Dušica Ilić aka Kleopatra, a person who became popular for predicting future events. The album included the hit singles "Daj mi bugi, dam ti vugi" (Give me Boogie, I give you Woogie) and "Igra" (Game).
During the 1980s they composed pop and rock tunes, as well performed for numerous children TV shows incl. Poletarac, Fore i fazoni, Čik pogodi ko sam, Priče iz Nepričave starring Zoran Radmilović and Milena Dravić and many others.
After a long period of inactivity, in 1996 they released their last album with a Montenegrin title Nema niđe te ljepote.
Soon afterwards, they disbanded.
Mladen Vranešević died in July 2006.

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