Indexi was one of the earliest and most enduring bands in ex-Yugoslavia and Bosnia/Herzegovina that enjoyed popularity across generations of followers of rock music. The band was founded in 1962 in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Since all the members were university students, they had easily chosen the name for the band – Indexi (plural of “index”, a student’s blue book for writing exams and attendance). Initially, they played mostly instrumental covers of popular hits, but around 1967, they started composing their own songs. The core line-up consisted of Slobodan A. Kovačević-guitar, Fadil Redžić-bass, and Davorin Popović-vocals, while they frequently changed drummers and keyboard players. Indexi led two parallel careers: the one as a pop band recording numerous singles and EPs, and performing at the pop festivals of easy listening “schlager” music; and the other one as a pioneering progressive rock band, which had recorded the first song lasting over 10 minutes in Yugoslavia, “Negdje na kraju u zatišju” in 1969.
At the beginning of the 70s, they released the legendary “Plima” single in 1972, a composition that had been recorded back in 1969 and featured one of the most memorable guitar solos in the Yugoslavian rock scene, played by Kovačević, largely thought of as one of the best and most influential guitarists in the country. For the rest of their career from the mid-70s through the 90s, they occasionally recorded singles and appeared in concerts randomly, deliberately avoiding the temptations of a typical rock and roll lifestyle. This is why perhaps they maintained their longevity for almost 40 years. The death of the singer Popović in 2001 marked the end of their career. Some of the living past members of the band along with many guest vocalists and musicians have continued performing to this day as a tribute band under the name Indexi i prijatelji (Indexi and Friends).
The founding members were:
Ismet Nuno Arnautalić (guitar) (1962-1969) (formed Jutro)
Šefko Akšamija (bass) (1962-1966)
Slobodan Bobo Misaljević (guitar) (1962-1966) (joined Pro Arte)
Đorđe Uzelac (keyboards) (1962-1965) (joined Smeli)
Nedim Nedo Hadžihasanović (drums) (1962-1964)
Other members:
Đorđe Kisić (drums) (1963-1968, 1976-2001)
Davorin Popović (vocals) (1964-2001) (ex Pauci)
Slobodan Bodo Kovačević (guitar) (1966-2001) (ex Lutalice)
Fadil Redžić (bass) (1966-1996) (ex Lutalice)
Kornelije Kovač (keyboards) (1967-1968) (formed Korni grupa)
Miroslav Šaranović (drums) (1968-1974) (ex Dinamiti, Lutalice, Pro Arte) (joined Ambasadori)
Đorđe Novković (keyboards) (1968-1969, 1973) (joined Pro Arte)
Ranko Rihtman (keyboards) (1969-1971) (ex Čičak)
Vlado Pravdić (keyboards) (1971-1973) (ex Vokinsi, Ambasadori) (joined Jutro)
Enco Lesić (keyboards) (1971-1972, 1975-1976) (ex Dalmatini) (formed Spektar)
Milić Vukašinović (drums) (1974-1976) (ex Čičak, Mića, Goran i Zoran) (joined Bijelo Dugme, formed Vatreni Poljubac)
Miroslav Maraus (keyboards) (1974-1975)
Nenad Jurin (keyboards) (1976-1981, 1983-1996) (ex Cod)
Perica Stojanović (drums) (1971, 1976) (ex Ambasadori, joined Vatreni Poljubac)
Davor Črnigoj (bass) (1996-2001)
Sinan Alimanović (keyboards) (1981-1982, 1995-2001) (ex Kosovski Božuri)