Yu Grupa

YU Grupa are a rock band from Belgrade, formed in the autumn of 1970 by the brothers Dragi Jelić (vocals, guitar) and Žika Jelić (bass), both formerly of Džentlmeni, with Miodrag Okrugić on organ and Velibor Bogdanović on drums. They first played as Idejni Posed, a name suggested by Kornelije Kovač of Korni Grupa, until in November 1970, at the Sinagoga club in Zemun, DJ Zoran Modli let the audience pick a new name. Known for joining rock with Balkan folk elements, YU Grupa are described as the longest-lasting Serbian rock band.

Their first single, "Nona", drew on Kosovo folk music and sold out, and the band signed with Jugoton. Around the brothers the line-up changed often, with guitarist Miodrag "Bata" Kostić and drummer Ratislav "Raša" Đelmaš among those who came and went. After "Kosovski božuri" in 1972, the debut album YU Grupa came out in the summer of 1973 with "Trka", "Čudna šuma", "More" and "Crni leptir". Kako to da svaki dan? followed in 1974 and a second album called YU Grupa in 1975, with "Oprosti ljubavi", "Novi zvuk" and "Osveta". In 1977 the band played 64 concerts in the Soviet Union and released Među zvezdama, and Samo napred... came in 1979. At the end of 1981 the van carrying their equipment burned, injuring Žika Jelić, and the band stopped.

YU Grupa reunited in 1987 with Od zlata jabuka and played the Legende YU rocka concert. Ima nade (1988), with "Mornar" and "Dunavom šibaju vetrovi", Tragovi (1990), Rim 1994, recorded in Italy, and Dugo znamo se (2005) followed, with the brothers' nephew Petar Jelić on guitar. On 17 December 2015 they marked 45 years at the New Belgrade Sports Hall with guests including Dušan "Koja" Kojić of Disciplina Kičme, and in April 2016 released Evo stojim tu, with lyrics by Petar Jelić, Bora Đorđević of Riblja Čorba and Nikola Čuturilo. That February Dragi and Žika received the Order of Sretenje. Raša Đelmaš died in Belgrade on 28 October 2021.

The book YU 100 placed YU zlato 57th and the 1973 YU Grupa 62nd among Yugoslav albums, and "Čudna šuma" was covered by Disciplina Kičme and Prljavi Inspektor Blaža i Kljunovi. In the Rock Express Top 100 Yugoslav Rock Songs of All Times, chosen in 2000 by readers, critics and musicians, "Crni leptir" was ranked 18th, "Kosovski božuri" 33rd, "Čudna šuma" 50th and "Osveta" 60th.