Peđa D'Boy

Predrag Jovanović (Serbian Cyrillic: Предраг Јовановић) (born April 14, 1950 in Kruševac, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia) is a Serbian musician and entertainer. He is known as a former frontman of the Yugoslav group D' Boys by his stage alias Peđa D' Boy, and previously as a vocalist for the German rock band Jane.

Biography

Born to a mother (Mila Matić) who is also involved with singing, Jovanović was a vocalist of the group Lutalice during the 1960s. In 1967 he had a cameo appearance in the famous Yugoslav black wave film Kad budem mrtav i beo by the acclaimed director Živojin Pavlović. In the famous singing contest scene he is introduced as "Predrag Jovanović, young hippie from Kruševac" before proceeding to sing "I'm a Believer" by The Monkees.

Jovanović moved to France where he played various clubs as well as in metro stations. Much like other hippies of the period, he also visited Goa in India where he performed with rock and jazz musicians from all around the world.

Being good at fashion design and tailoring, in the mid-1970s he opened a clothing store on Ibiza, where in 1980 he met the members of the West German rock group Jane. He became their rhythm guitarist and vocalist, participating in the recording of their 10th album.

In the early 1980s, he returned to SFR Yugoslavia, trying to establish himself on the then vibrant Yugoslav pop and rock scene. He played a session gig at the exhibition of the prominent Yugoslav comic book artist Igor Kordej, together with another musician, Miško Mihajlovski, with whom he formed the group D' Boys in 1982, nicknaming himself Peđa D'Boy.

D' Boys became popular all around former Yugoslavia for their humorous style and partying image, and especially for its synthpop hit "Jugoslovenka" (Yugoslav girl), although they were often mocked by the media for their trivial lyrics. The group released two albums Ajd' se zezamo (Let's have fun) and Muvanje (Hitting on). Before recording their first album, during a certain period Peđa ran a small clothing and jewelry business on the touristy Adriatic island of Hvar.

After few years, Miško Mihajlovski left the band and started performing as Miško D' Boys, while the rest of the group led by Peđa D' Boy changed its name to Peđa D' Boy Band and released their album Avantura in 1985. Later, Peđa started a solo career and represented SFR Yugoslavia at the Song of the Mediterranean festival in Palermo, Italy, where he got the second prize. Also, he took part in YU Rock Misija, the Yugoslav contribution to Bob Geldof's Band Aid campaign.

After releasing his album Laku ti noć mala produced by Kornelije Kovač, Peđa left the country in 1987. He appeared once more in 1992 on a retro-concert of ex-Yugoslav pop and rock music in Belgrade.

In 1997, in London, UK he recorded a new material, produced by Mark Evans, including a remix of the D'Boys best known hit "Jugoslovenka".

He resides in Belgrade where he still performs. In May 2007, he took part in Veliki brat VIP, local version of the celebrity Big Brother reality show, featuring popular personalities from Serbia, Bosnia, and Montenegro.

Discography

With D'Boys

Singles

• "Mi smo D'Boys" / "Crne oči, plava ljubav" (Jugoton, 1983)

Studio albums

• Ajd' se zezamo (Jugoton, 1983)
• Muvanje (Jugoton, 1984)

With Peđa D' Boy Band

• Avantura (Jugoton, 1985)

With Bilja Krstić

Singles

• Bubi (PGP RTB, 1985)

With Jane

• Jane (Brain, 1980)

Solo works

• General (City Records, 2008)

See also

• D' Boys
• SFR Yugoslav pop and rock scene
• Serbian rock

References

• Janjatović, Petar. Ilustrovana Enciklopedija YU Rocka 1960-1997, page: 50, publisher: Geopoetika, 1997 (Serbian)
• Official myspace
• Official site