The band was formed in Belgrade in 1972 by Robert Nemeek (a former Dogovor Iz 1804, Dentlmeni, and Intro member, bass guitar, vocals), Zoran Boinovi (a former Exelent, Rokeri, Dentlmeni, and Intro member, guitar, vocals), Ratislav elma (drums), and Sava Boji (guitar, vocals). Boji soon left the band (he would later join the band Tako), and during the same year elma left Pop Maina and joined YU grupa. He was replaced by a former Intro and Siluete member Mihajlo "Bata" Popovi.
Pop Maina was one of the first bands on the former Yugoslav rock scene that moved from the 1960s rhythm and blues towards harder sound. They often organized free concerts, and in 1972 they organized a big free, open air concert at Hajduka esma. The concert also featured bands S Vremena Na Vreme, Porodina Manufaktura Crnog Hleba, and others. In May 1973 they organized another free concert at Hajduka esma, which featured bands Jutro, Grupa 220, Med, Vlada i Bajka, and others. In 1973 the band released their debut album Kiselina (Acid).[1] The album featured hard rock sound, but also featured psychedelic and acid rock elements. The album also featured several acoustic songs composed by Nemeek. Kiselina featured Sloba Markovi on keyboards, and three songs featured Mia Aleksi (at the time member of SOS). The album also featured S Vremena Na Vreme members Ljuba Ninkovi and Vojislav uki, Drago Mlinarec, and DAG members on backing vocals.[2] Pop Maina and S Vremena Na Vreme continued to cooperate in studio and on live appearances, and in 1975 Nemeek would appeare as a guest on S Vremena Na Vreme debut self-titled album.[3] After Kiselina was released Pop Maina held a large number of concerts. They often performed in Belgrade Sports' Hall. These concerts were organized with the help of (at the time) journalism student Aleksandar Tijani, and other Yugoslav progressive rock bands were often invited to perform. Pop Maina had an attractive live appearance: Boinovi was one of the first former Yugoslav guitarists that played long guitar solos, played guitar with a bow and behind his back.
At the beginning of 1975, in Akademik Studio in Ljubljana, the band recorded their second studio album Na izvoru svetlosti (At the Spring of Light).[4] The album was produced by Ivo Umek and Nemeek. It featured Ljuba Ninkovi and Sloba Markovi as guest musicians.[5] The album featured live blues track "Negde daleko" recorded on a concert in Belgrade Sports Hall on January 2, 1974,[6] and the song "Rekvijem za prijatelja" (Requiem for a Friend), with lyrics written by Ninkovi, dedicated to Predrag Jovii, the former singer of the band San, who died from an electric shock on a concert in air Sports Center in Ni. The album also featured a new version of the song "Zemlja svetlosti", previously released on a 7" single. After the album release the band was joined by the keyboardist Oliver Mandi. However, he left the band after only several performances. In 1976 the band released the live album Put ka Suncu (Road to Sun), becoming the first former Yugoslav band to release a live album.
At the end of 1976 Nemeek left the band due to his army obligations, and the bass guitarist Duan Petrovi, the drummer Duan uki (a former Innamorata member), and the guitarist Vidoja "Dinder" Boinovi (Zoran Boinovi's brother, a former Dim Bez Vatre member) joined the band. After he returned from the army, Nemeek moved to London, where he started working in the music instruments company Toma & Co. From London he also wrote for Yugoslav magazines RTV revija and YU video. The new Pop Maina lineup moved towards jazz rock. The band recorded the single with the songs "Moja pesma" and "Uspomena".[7] In 1977, Petrovi left the band and joined Generacija 5, and was replaced by Miroslav "Cvele" Cvetkovi (a former Tilt member). This lineup announced the recording of the new album. However, in 1978, Pop Maina disbanded.