SEDAM VELICANSTVENIH/NIKADA

This is the first release of Indexi (sometimes phonetically spelled "Indeksi" as on this front cover), a pioneering Sarajevo-based beat group in what was then Yugoslavia. In the early phase of their work they mostly played covers of instrumental rock hits by the Shadows, the Hurricanes and the like, so this EP represents that kind of sound and style.

This 7" vinyl consists of four instrumental tracks, recorded during 1965; three covers of international standards and one original number penned by the co-founder and rhythm guitarist Ismet Arnautalić. For the title track, they chose to cover the main title from the popular western movie "The Magnificent Seven". Another two covers, "Teensville Tonight" and "Atlantis", present a routine imitation of their role models from this period, Johnny and the Hurricanes and the Shadows, respectively - a practice employed by most of the Yugoslav beat groups during the 1960s. It is noteworthy mentioning the role of Ismet's brother, Esad Arnautalić, then music producer at Radio Sarajevo, who arranged all three above numbers and added strings to both tracks on the B side of the vinyl. He was to play an important mentoring role both in the future career of Indexi and in acting as a driving force behind what was to be called the "Sarajevo School of Pop Music".

Speaking of performance, both "The Magnificent Seven" and "Teensville Tonight" feature a characteristic high-pitched sound of electric organ, while in the latter track Đorđe Kisić is given opportunity to prove his jazz drumming skills in a short but effective solo. Slobodan Misaljević's lead guitar shines in "Atlantis" when he shows he could easily compete with many of Yugoslav Hank B. Marvin imitators of the era, including an obligatory vibrato technique of guitar playing. Yet, this guitar sound is even more present in the original "Nikada", supported by toned-down organ backing and melodic bass lines that lead the entire composition. "Nikada" was subsequently proclaimed the first authentic rock and roll composition recorded in Bosnia/Herzegovina, and its author I. Arnautalić was awarded the Bosnian pop music prize "Davorin" in 2004.

However, the release date of this record is still in dispute due to the lack of professional record-keeping of the issuing label PGP RTB. Most rock journalists, critics, writers and discographers in the Yugoslav successor states claim this EP was released in 1964, mentioning that the release happened following Indexi's gig at the first Belgrade Guitar Festival ("Gitarijada"), when they as a prize for winning the second place (after Elipse, another beat band from Belgrade) got the opportunity to release a 7" EP. Yet, according to my research, the only time Indexi played at a festival in Belgrade was in January and February 1966, when they scored the fourth place at the "First Guitar Festival of Belgrade", and when one of the co-organizers was the record label PGP RTB. Thus, it seems that this EP was actually released after the First Belgrade Guitar Festival, most probably in February 1966, suggested also by the matrix runout dates etched in the ending grooves, which can be found in the Discogs database.

Nonetheless, considering the time and place of its recording, and modest production and technical conditions in the studio, this debut release of Indexi demonstrates instrumental talents and composing skills of the band members and their awareness of contemporary Anglo-American trends in pop music. It is a fine instrumental rock'n'roll release influenced by American surf and British beat music. Along with similar early records by Iskre, Atomi, Bijele strijele or Crveni koralji, it is historically important release for the early development of Yugoslav rock'n' roll scene in the mid-1960s.