{{Short description|Yugoslav rock band}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Elektroni | image = | caption = | image_size = 250 | landscape = | alias = | origin = Karlovac, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia | genre = {{flatlist| * Instrumental rock * beat music * rock * folk rock * rhythm and blues * pop rock}} | years_active = 1961-1970 | label = Jugoton | associated_acts = | website = | current_members = | past_members = Jurica Grosinger<br />Ivica Bičanić<br />Branko Spudić<br />Miro Stern<br />Marijan Klobučar<br />Božidar Božek<br />Ivica Čadež<br />Marijan Banić<br />Mirko Novosel<br />Silvio Vedrina<br />Marjan Janjac<br />Vatroslav Slavnić<br />Boris Borošić<br />Darko Domijan<br />Velimir Cvijanović<br />Boris Licitar<br />Ratko Pogačić }} '''Elektroni''' (trans. ''The Electrons'') were a Yugoslav rock band formed in Karlovac in 1961. The band is notable as one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene.
== History == ===1963–1969=== Elektroni were formed at the end of 1961 in Karlovac by teenagers Jurica Grosinger (guitar), Ivica Bičanić (bass guitar), Branko Spudić (drums), Miro Stern (rhythm guitar), Marijan Klobučar (keyboards) and Božidar Božek (tenor saxophone).<ref name="janjatović105">{{cite book|last=Janjatović|first=Petar|title= Ex YU rock enciklopedija 1960–2023|year=2024|publisher=self-released / Makart|location=Belgrade|page=105}}</ref> The band had their first public performance in 1964 in their hometown, on the ''Mikrofon je vaš'' (''The Microphone Is Yours'') competition.<ref name="istorija185">{{cite book|last1=Fajfrić|first1=Željko|last2=Nenad|first2=Milan|title= Istorija YU rock muzike od početaka do 1970.|year=2009|publisher=Tabernakl|location=Sremska Mitrovica|page=185}}</ref> Initially they performed The Shadows-influenced instrumentals, and later started performing covers of foreign rock hits, but also covers of traditional songs and their own material.<ref name="janjatović105"/> The band held numerous performances on the island of Rab.<ref name="istorija185"/> In 1966, the band performed on the Zagreb Music Festival, winning the Zagreb City Silver Plaque.<ref name="istorija185"/> In May 1966, they opened the First Festival of Vocal-Instrumental Ensembles in Zagreb with an instrumental cover of the March on the Drina.<ref name="janjatović105-106">{{cite book|last=Janjatović|first=Petar|title= Ex YU rock enciklopedija 1960–2023|year=2024|publisher=self-released / Makart|location=Belgrade|page=105-106}}</ref> In 1967, the band performed on the Second Festival of Vocal-Instrumental Ensembles. By then the band's drummer was Ivica Čadež.<ref name="istorija186">{{cite book|last1=Fajfrić|first1=Željko|last2=Nenad|first2=Milan|title= Istorija YU rock muzike od početaka do 1970.|year=2009|publisher=Tabernakl|location=Sremska Mitrovica|page=186}}</ref> For a certain period of time, keyboardist Marijan Banić, vocalist Mirko Novosel and vocalist Kristijan Silvio Vedrina performed with the band, all of them leaving Elektroni after a short period of time.<ref name="janjatović105"/><ref name="istorija186"/>
In 1967, Čadež, Bićanić and Stern left the group, and were replaced by Marjan Janjac (drums), Vatroslav Slavnić (bass guitar) and Boris Borošić (rhythm guitar).<ref name="janjatović106">{{cite book|last=Janjatović|first=Petar|title= Ex YU rock enciklopedija 1960–2023|year=2024|publisher=self-released / Makart|location=Belgrade|page=106}}</ref> The new lineup of the band turned towards pop rock sound and performing their own songs.<ref name="janjatović106"/> In 1968, the band released their only EP, ''Jedne noći'' (''One Night''), through Jugoton record label. Beside the title track, the EP featured the songs "Drugog voliš" ("You Love Someone Else"), "Srna" ("Roe Deer") and "Sjećanje" ("Memory").<ref name="janjatović106"/> All the songs were composed by Slavnić, and the lyrics were written by young poet Velimir Franić.<ref name="janjatović106"/>
The band's last lineup featured Jurica Grosinger (guitar), Vatroslav Slavnić (bass guitar), Darko Domijan (vocals, bass guitar, trombone), Velimir Cvijanović (drums), Boris Licitar (organ) and Ratko Pogačić (saxophone).<ref name="janjatović106"/> The band ended their activity in 1970.<ref name="janjatović106"/>
===Post breakup=== After Elektroni disbanded, Darko Domijan started a successful career of a pop singer.<ref name="janjatović106"/> For a period of time, his backing band Peta Rijeka (''Fifth River'') featured his former Elektroni bandmate Boris Licitar on keyboards.<ref name="janjatović106"/>
The band's short-time keyboardist Marijan Banić died in 1976, and short-time vocalist Kristijan Silvio Vedrina died in 1981.<ref name="janjatović105"/> The band's original rhythm guitarist Miro Stern died in 2000, and the original bass guitarist Ivica Bičanić died in 2003.<ref name="janjatović105"/>
In 2005, the song "Srna" and previously unreleased recordings "Moovin' and Groovin'" and "Začarano more" (a cover of The Islanders song "The Enchanted Sea") were published on the box set ''Kad je rock bio mlad - Priče sa istočne strane (1956-1970)'' (''When Rock Was Young - East Side Stories (1956-1970)''), released by Croatia Records in 2005 and featuring songs by the pioneering Yugoslav rock acts.<ref name="janjatović106"/>
== Discography == ===EPs=== *''Jedne noći'' (1968)
===Other appearances=== *"Srna" / "Moovin' and Groovin'" / "Začarano more" (''Kad je rock bio mlad - Priče sa istočne strane (1956-1970)'', 2005)
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *[https://www.discogs.com/artist/975926-Elektroni Elektroni] at Discogs
Category:Croatian rock music groups Category:Yugoslav rock music groups Category:Yugoslav rhythm and blues musical groups Category:Croatian instrumental rock musical groups Category:Beat groups Category:Musical groups established in 1961 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1970