Disciplin A Kitschme, originally known as Disciplina Kičme (, transl. Backbone Discipline), was a Serbian and Yugoslav and, for a period of time, British rock band, formed in Belgrade in 1981. The band was noted for their unique and energetic sound, with bass guitar as the primary instrument and drawing inspiration from punk rock, funk, blues, jazz fusion, Motown, rap, the works of Jimi Hendrix, Yugoslav 1970s progressive and hard rock bands, and in the later phases of their career from jungle and drum and bass.
Disciplina Kičme was formed by bass guitarist and vocalist Dušan Kojić "Koja" as one of the two spin-offs of the seminal Yugoslav new wave band Šarlo Akrobata, the other being Ekatarina Velika. Initially, the band featured Kojić on bass and vocals, Srđan Marković "Đile" on bass and Nenad Krasavac on drums. Marković soon left the band, Disciplina Kičme continuing as a duo. Krasavac was later replaced by Srđan "Žika" Todorović, but returned to the band in the mid-1980s, the group performing with both Krasavac and Todorović on drums. The band's debut album, Sviđa mi se da ti ne bude prijatno, released in 1983, presented the band's raw and minimalist sound, with Kojić's dominant bass lines combined with the aggressive sound of Todorović's drums, bringing cult following to the band. Since the band's second album, Svi za mnom!, released in 1986, the band's lineup included a brass section. With Svi za mnom! the group gained the attention of the media, and until the dissolution of Yugoslavia the band enjoyed significant mainstream popularity. With the outbreak of Yugoslav Wars, Kojić moved to London, where he reformed the band under the name Disciplin A Kitschme, featuring female vocalist Gofie Bebe and drummer Peter Warren. From 1995 to 2003, the band was based in London, releasing three studio albums, performing in Great Britain and occasionally touring former Yugoslav republics. In 2003, Kojić returned to Belgrade, where he reformed Disciplin A Kitschme with younger musicians, the last lineup of the band featuring Kojić on bass guitar and vocals, Manja Đorđević on vocals, Rade Vulić on drums and Igor Djeke on harmonica. Đorđević died in April 2019, and three months later, Kojić suffered a stroke from which he only partially recovered, and the band—although never officially announcing their disbandment—has not been active since.
History
Dušan Kojić's beginnings (late 1970s and early 1980s) Dušan Kojić "Koja" started his musical career in the late 1970s, in the band Limunovo Drvo (Lemon Tree), which would later evolve into new wave band Šarlo Akrobata. Consisting of Milan Mladenović (guitar, vocals), Kojić (bass guitar, vocals) and Ivica Vdović "Vd" (drums, vocals), Šarlo Akrobata was short-lived, participating in the seminal compilation album Paket aranžman (Package Deal) and releasing only one studio album, Bistriji ili tuplji čovek biva kad... (Brighter or Dumber a Man Gets When...). Nevertheless, the group became one of the most notable acts of the Yugoslav new wave scene.
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Kojić also wrote for Džuboks magazine under the pseudonyms Novica Talasić (a pun coming from the Serbian language term novi talas, transl. new wave) and Zeleni Zub (Green Tooth). At the end of 1970s, he hosted discussions on new wave held in Belgrade's Students' Cultural Center and also worked as a DJ in Belgrade's Akademija club. He appeared in Jovan Živanović's 1979 film Radio Vihor zove Anđeliju (Radio Wind Calling Anđelija) and Miloš Radivojević's 1980 film The Promising Boy, writing a part of music for the latter.
Belgrade years (1981–1992) After Šarlo Akrobata ended their activity in late 1981, Kojić formed the band Disciplina Kičme with former Urbana Gerila member Nenad Krasavac "Kele". The band featured Kojić on vocals and bass guitar and Krasavac on drums. The first lineup also featured another bass guitarist, former Radnička Kontrola and UKT member Srđan Marković "Đile", but after a short period of time, he left the band. The following year, Krasavac went to serve his mandatory stint in the Yugoslav army, and was replaced by former Radnička Kontrola and Centar drummer Srđan "Žika" Todorović. At the beginning of their career, the band occasionally performed with the alternative theatre troupe Kugla glumište (The Ball Theatre) from Zagreb.