The group was founded in 1981 by Mirko Srdić “Elvis J. Kurtović”, Davor Sučić “Sejo Sexon” and Dražen Janković “Seid Karajlić”. Zabranjeno pušenje made a pause due to the departure of most of the members to the army. They are soon joined by guitarist Dražen Ričl “Zijo”, drummer Radomir Gavrilović “Hare” and singer Goran Petranović “Rizo” and the group starts with frenzied concerts, and then recording material for the first album, which was a great success and gave them a status as a cult Bosnian and Yugoslav group. Elvis had the role of songwriter and ideological leader in the group, he actively participated in that and later all future concerts he would participate by standing on the stage and strumming an untuned guitar, and occasionally taking the microphone in his hands. Soon after the return of the members of Zabranjeno pušenje from the army, Sejo Sexon leaves the group, but the collaboration between Sejo, Elvis and other members will continue through joint writing of texts, guest appearances at concerts and albums, and through the project “Top lista nadrealista" (Top List of Surrealists).
History
First album
The first album entitled "Mitovi i legende o kralju Elvisu” (Myths and legends about king Elvis) was recorded in the studio "Akvarijus", produced by Elvis, Raka Marić and Goran Vejvoda and released in 1984, for RTV Ljubljana. The album was made in the Monty Python/New Primitives spirit - as a "thematic radio show" dedicated to "najvećoj zvijezdi R’n’R-a, g. Elvisu J. Kurtoviću” (the biggest star of R'n'R, Mr. Elvis J. Kurtović"), whose songs (mainly covers of songs by iconic world rock bands and have more satirical than musical value), interspersed with the reading of Elvis' "biography", follow the alleged musical development of the "rock legend". The most important songs from this album are the cover of "Honky Tonk Woman" (The Rolling Stones) called "Baščaršy Hanumen", the song "Kad se babo vrati kući pijan", the cover of the song "Pinball Wizard" by The Who called "Ćiza-vizard" , and "Folk Raping", a disco song in which Elvis introduces the members of his group. All the songs on the album were written by Sejo Sexon and Elvis J. Kurtović. An interesting and little-known fact related to "Myths and legends about King Elvis" is the appearance of Margita Stefanović (from the group Ekatarina Velika) at the keyboards.
First line-up and second album
The line-up of the first and second album consisted of:
Mirko Srdić (Elvis. J. Kurtović) – extra, occasional vocalist
In the same line-up and under the same publishing house, in 1985, and produced by Boris Bele, the group released their second LP "Da bog da crk'o rok'n'rol". Guests on the album were keyboardist Borut Činč (Buldožer) and singer Anja Rupel (Videosex).
Mirko Srdić (Elvis J. Kurtović) – extra, occasional vocalist
Name of the group
How the group came up with the name
When Mirko Srdić i.e. Elvis J. Kurtović founded the band, Jasmin Kurtović, a great fan of Rock'n'Roll, lived in the neighborhood. When Jasmin got married and had a son, he immediately named him Elvis, which the band members immediately took as a joke that he named him after the legendary Elvis Presley. So they named their nameless composition "Elvis Jasmina Kurtović". After that, Jasmin Kurtović sued them and the court forbade the use of that name, however they no longer spelled it as Jasmina, but used the letter "J" (dži), so that it would not be associated with Jasmin. So Mirko Srdić became Elvis J. Kurtović, not only because of his nickname, but also because of his image and the popular zulufs that were an integral part of the image of Elvis Presley, and the Elvis of Sarajevo. After a few years, Jasmin moved from Koševo to the newly built Dobrinja, and Elvis J. Kurtović & His Meteors became popular throughout the country.
Aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina and the disbandment of the band