Galija

Galija (Serbian Cyrillic: Галија; lit. 'Galley') is a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Niš in 1977. The central figures of the group are brothers Nenad Milosavljević (vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica) and Predrag Milosavljević (vocals), the two and the drummer Boban Pavlović being the mainstay members of the band. Galija's initial releases were progressive rock-oriented, but in the mid-1980s the band moved towards more mainstream rock sound to large commercial success. At the time of Galija formation, Nenad Milosavljević had already gained the attention of Yugoslav public as singer-songwriter. The group released their debut album Prva plovidba in 1979, featuring Predrag Milosavljević as guest vocalist. With the release of their second album Druga plovidba in 1980, Predrag Milosavljević became the group's official member. The band managed to gain a loyal fanbase and score several hits, before switching to mainstream rock sound in mid-1980s. The arrival of guitarist Jean Jacques Roskam and multi-instrumentalist Bratislav "Bata" Zlatković, alongside collaboration with poet Radoman Kanjevac–who would replace Predrag Milosavljević as the band's principal lyricist–resulted in the album trilogy consisting of Daleko je Sunce (1988), Korak do slobode (1989) and Istorija, ti i ja (1991). The albums, featuring multi-layered and politically provocative lyrics, achieved critical acclaim and commercial success, the group entering the 1990s as one of the most popular Serbian bands. In mid-1990s, the band's association with the ruling Socialist Party of Serbia led to criticism coming from sizable part of rock fans and music press. Predrag Milosavljević left the band in 1995, and the group went on hiatus in late 1990s. Galija returned to the scene in mid-2000s, with the lineup featuring both of Milosavljević brothers, remaining one of the top acts of the Serbian rock scene since.