Zone Rock in the RTC
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Zone rock (locally known as scena zonie or zonos scena, zone scene, in Wenedyk and Reformed Lithuanian respectively) in the Republic of the Two Crowns was developed in the early 1970’s. It was one of the most important genres of local popular music, taking root inside and outside the country.
History
Background
Rock music arrived in the RTC during late 1950’s and early 1960’s. At first, local bands played covers from foreign hits, sometimes with translated lyrics into Wenedyk or Lithuanian. By the mid-1960’s, with bands such as Rubrze Gitarze (The Red Guitars), Rubrze Niegrze (The Red and Blacks) or Arzurze Niegrze (The Blue Blacks), the first successful non-covers rock records appeared, and later, mostly among university circles, the first psychedelic bands sang both in foreign and national languages.
The RTC was still under reconstruction, the Second Great War was still a recent memory to many, the geographical proximity to the Snorist Block was seen as a threat, and the Catholic Church was seen as omnipresent and omnipotent by the younger ones who felt rather oppressed by a highly conservative society. In this background, combined with a strong musical tradition (classical, folk, Jass since the Interbellum period, and sung poetry), just one thing was needed to trigger the birth of a local zone rock movement like those in other countries.
The Birth of the Movement
In 1970, The Rockmen (an already well established English zone rock quintet which later would became a quartet called NoMoreEagleZ) performed two shows in Warsina, being opened by the Scottish band Jethro’s Tuil (at the time a rising band). These two concerts were massive successes. As Tadziej Nalepa, from Blackout and Breakout, told in an interview for Venedic Radio channel III in 2010:
I barely knew The Rockmen and never heard about Jethro’s Tuil, but it was so rare for foreign bands to visit the Republic at that time that I decided to go. On the first night, everyone was amazed. Until then, we were used to well behaved rockers on stage, but Morovitch from The Rockmen and Jethro Andersoun from Jethro’s Tuil showed us what would be the future. On the first night, the showroom was full, and on the second night, there were even more people. Many of them even went without a ticket, entering through the windows and even through the roof! It was complete insanity. Others, including me, forged tickets to enter. At the end, in the nearby streets, the ŚSN made an ostensive presence. It smelled to them like too much freedom and subversion.
Soon after, among university circles, the number of rock bands boomed under the influence of the memorable concert in Warsina. Ranging from highly educated conservatory students to local songwriters, this spirit managed to captivate an entire generation within a short time. Young people were restless, with a strong desire for freedom and to rebel against their parents’ generation. Those who were able to go to the zonee festivals abroad returned full of new ideas.
Countless bands started to perform in students’ clubs in major university cities, but none of them were able to release any records at this point. Finally, Klan, a band heavily influenced by Jethro’s Tuil, was the first to have a contract with the music industry and a recorded registration with their album Womień (The Human Being) in 1971. Despite being neither a nationwide success nor a masterpiece, it paved the way for the following national zone rock acts to succeed. Klan themselves later became one of the most celebrated national zone rock bands. Soon after the release of Womień, other bands were able to record. The Dzieszekie Wenedkie "Muza" record label (the largest in the RTC) saw the chance to take advantage of this booming trend and started to support new bands, promoting their debut records between late 1971 and 1973.
The release of Womień on September 1971 was a millestone for RTC rock music. It was soon followed that same year by the first zone rock albums by Skaldi and Jekwarel, influenced by Jethro’s Tuil and The Rockmen respectively.
The Golden Years
During 1972, the debut albums of Drakunie (a band later renamed to Ił Wiekły Drakuń) and Argonas (from Lithuania) were released, both acclaimed by critics and public. Drakunie's self-titled debut album became the best selling Wenedyk language rock album that year, becoming the first zone rock gold record in the RTC by selling over 160 000 copies. They also innovated by creating a new sub-genre of zone rock, called erudite rock; it mixed rock with classical music in a zonee context and introduced the trautonium as a leading musical instrument into national popular music, although it also had a strong presence of acoustic instruments. Argonas also adopted classical influences, but relied more on keyboards and electronics. These two bands became the leaders of the local zone rock movement, with Orkiestra Z, Blackout/Breakout and ŚSN later joining them. From mid-1970’s onwards, the so-called pentarchy Ił Wiekły Drakuń-Argonas-Orkiestra Z-ŚSN-Blackout/Breakout became the architrave that the scena zonie would be based on until the 1980’s, with the rise of punch rock, new wave (locally known as nowa węda), and hair rock. These three bands were all inspired by classical music in one way or another, even if jass influences were also present. During this period, the RTC became the leading country in terms of zone rock in continental Europe.
Festivals
The booming zone rock trend in the RTC was evidenced by the number of rock music festivals and gatherings that took place throughout the Republic. The first zonee presence was noted in a rock festival in the RTC in 1969 in the wake of the 1968 Mona Island Rock Festival. Later, in 1971, the Męć Kaldarzy (*here*'s Jarocin, calque from German Kesselberg/Cauldron Mountain) festival was held with the massive presence of zonees and participation of zone rock artists, demonstrating the power that the phenomenon was accumulating nationwide. As result of the large number of visitors, the festival was repeated annually until 1980, providing opportunities for other bands to get noticed and become famous. Another notable zone rock festival was the Rytmie Jewiętyci (Rythms of Youth), held in seven acts from 1973 to 1979 in the beaches of Warsina with last two acts being headlined by foreign zone rock stars such as Henderson Enfield Lockwood & Pitman and Jethro’s Tuil (whose records were revered in the RTC since they performed in Warsina in 1970).
These festivals were often free of charge and revealed a level of artistic freedom and competition. Fans found bands rising from obscurity to compete on the same stage with national heavy weights of national zone rock scene. This musical competition resulted in an upward spiral, each one intended to outdo the others. So much creactivity helped scena zonie to be at same level as the international zone rock scene even if most of its bands were mostly unnoticed abroad.
In parallel to the festivals a network of fanzines and radio broadcasts, more or less dedicated, were being set up, giving a boost to the zone rock trend. Some bands (usually the less politically controverse or the less weird-sounded) even were able to perform in national mainstream television networks or receiving airplay in national radio stations, mostly after 1974 when zone rock became something more or less mainstream thanks to NoMoreEagleZ’s international hit song Back From the S.N.O.R..
Success abroad
Despite the large number of zone rock acts, most were not able to have consecutive albums releasing regularly. Most were only able to release one or two albums before vanishing. Only a few more than ten bands were able to release a regular discography, and few were ever able to chart. The most commercially successful bands remained the so-called pentarchy. These three attracted the attention from foreign musical industry. All of these bands established relations with well-known foreign zone rock artists who wrote English lyrics for translated versions of several albums, aiming at promoting international sales. Ił Wiekły Drakuń released That Old Dragon in 1976 with lyrics by Peter Seinfeld (from Tyrean Yesman), getting attention from the foreign public and critics of scena zonie, later followed by the other bands.
After being regular openers for concerts of international zone-rock big-name bands hosted by the RTC, these five main bands were finally able to go on tour abroad as the main acts regularly from mid-1970’s onwards, being in general well accepted. Ił Wiekły Drakuń was also notable for being the first zone rock band to perform in a snorist country (Hungary) in 1976. The effect of their concert in Hungary was comparable to The Rockmen/Jethro’s Tuil concert in Warsina in 1970, triggering the moskal rock scene (the zone rock made in Snorist Block). Both Ił Wiekły Drakuń, ŚSN and Orkiestra Z perfomed at the Canterbury Rock Festival (August 1980), the largest zonee event ever. Some other bands besides the big five also sold some of their albums in foreign countries and were able to perform abroad, but just not as regularly.
Decline
After peaking in terms of popularity and creativity between 1977 and 1981, zone rock bands started their decline worldwide; the RTC was no exception. Until then, record labels supported and gave much creative freedom to zone rock acts, even if there were not good commercial results. While the beginning of popularity of zone rock coincided with prosperity in the industrialized countries right after the Oil Crisis of Hijra 1393, its decline coincided with the beginning of the economic crisis in those countries resulting from the rise of oil prices caused by the Persia-Iraaq War.
Times have led to new shorter trends of rock music, such as punch rock and new wave, with lesser artistic pretensions. Again, music was just a product to consume rapidly. Zone rock bands started then to lose the leading position in terms of creativity, popularity, and critical reception.
Between 1974 and 1980, a huge number of zone rock records were released in the RTC, much more than national market could ever absorb, not being promoted abroad. Just a few bands were really able to keep making music. Most zone rock bands were unable to survive in the national music scene for a long time, as the RTC was still a not too large market for non-commercial musical trends. In time, many artists abandoned zone rock in order to survive in the music business by turning to more commercial forms of music or working as session musicians for other artists. During the late 1980’s, there was not any current music comparable to regressive rock, when some veteran bands (as well as some new ones) tried to return to the non-commercial beginnings of zone rock outside large international record labels. In the RTC, as well as in many other countries, it was an era of ephemeral music where market strategies prevailed over artistic skills and socio-political activism. One by one, all surviving local zone rock bands disbanded between 1983 and 1989, ending the scena zonie.
Notable bands
Ił Wiekły Drakuń
See main article: Ił Wiekły Drakuń
Orkiestra Z
See main article: Orkiestra Z
Argonas
Argonas (named after argon element) was the most notable Lithuanian zone rock band, debuting in 1972 and being one of the first of the erudite rock sub-genre. It was also the first rock band in the RTC without a guitarist, having a line-up with a drummer (Arūnas Mikuckis), a bassist and vocalist (Artūras Kuznecovas), and a duet of keyboardists (Giedrius Kuprevičius on piano and other accoustic keyboard intruments and Julius Vilnonis on trautonium, clavioline and later also orchestron, both sharing organs). Vilnonas popularized the use of the locally made Vilnius-4 trautonium (as well as its upgraded version 5 later on) which became rather popular among the zone rock bands in the RTC.
Giedrius Kuprevičius, a former carillonist from Kaunas and later a music teacher at the Kaunas Faculty of the Lithuanian Academy of Music, founded Argonas together with three of his pupils. During late 1972, they were able to release their self-titled debut album, which was quite a commercial success, taking advantage from the popularity of Drakunie's debut album released a little before. Like other erudite rock bands during this early period (1972-73), their compositions mimicked classical music. Unlike Drakunie, their approach to erudite rock relied heavily on keyboards and electronics, inspired by zone-rock band Henderson Enfield Lockwood & Pitman. In fact, ever since, they were often considered as a rip-off of the English band.
Their second album, Giliausias šulinys atspindi dangų (The Deepest Well Reflects the Sky) was released next year and followed the classical-like style of the previous one. In 1974, Argonas surprised listeners by releasing a keyboard-driven heavy zone album proving heavy zone rock would not necessarily be guitar-driven like Lead Aeroplane or Venedic Breakout. Žemė Z (Z Earth) was their first gold album award establishing Argonas as one of the leading bands of the scena zonie. It was followed by three well-selling erudite rock concept albums: Utopija (Utopia) in 1975, Žemės žmogus (Man of Earth, based in a homonymous science fiction novel by Algis Budrys) and finally their masterpiece Herkus Mantas both in 1977. This album portrayed the Prussian medieval hero Erks Mānts (Herkus Mantas in Lithuanian) who rebelled against the Teutonic Order but set the action in a modern context, very similar to the Hungarian Rebellion of 1956.
Argonas was able to go on tour abroad regularly from 1975 onwards, first across Europe and then later in North America. Their next albums, the fully instrumental Kakofonija (Cacophony) and Šviesa (Light), released in 1978 and 1979 respectively; they were not as critically successfull as previous ones but were still toured across Europe, making Argonas successful abroad. They were expected at the Canterbury Rock Festival, but Kuprevičius left the band in 1980 to return to teaching, causing a hiatus which lasted until 1984. He was replaced by a guitarist, Linas Pečiūra, and the keyboard part was rather simplified. In fact, Argonas returned in a rather commercial styling, hoping to survive in those times when they no longer played the dominant style of music. After two more-or-less successful and rather commercial albums, Argonas finally disbanded in 1988. In 1997, Argonas’ classic line-up returned for an one-off sold-out concert in Kaunas.
Czesław za Niemię’s bands
Czesław Juli Wydrzyvki, usually credited as Czesław za Niemię (Czesław of the Neman), was a key character of the history of rock music in the RTC. He was born in a Venedic-ethnic family in a Lithuanian village in the shores of Neman River. Together with his family moved to Warsina during early 1950’s.
In 1962 he was one of the founders of the Arzurze Niegrze (The Blue Blacks), which became one of the most prominent beat bands in the RTC. After being their keyboardist he left in 1966, being since then the frontman of several bands which succeded each other, usually as vocalist and playing organ (later also trautonium and orchestron)
Jekwarel
His first band was Jekwarel (Watercolour), which was the first local rock act having a not to have maskot-like name (something which later became usual among the zone rock bands). In 1967 Jekwarel debuted with a self-titled successful album (awarded as gold record) which introduced psychedelic rock in the RTC. Next release, two years later, wasn’t so much successful. Late 1971 they converted into a zone rock act releasing Strani je ił Mąd (Strange is this World), with not too complex and long tracks and influences from both The Rockmen and beat music. Political positions expressed in this album (the most political among the only three local zone rock albums released that year) didn’t help it to have much airplay but even so some of its tracks became hymns among the growing national zonee audiences. Soon after, early 1972, Jekwarel disbanded as their third album wasn’t a commercial success as they expected.
Jenigmatycy
Following the disbanding of Jakwarel Czesław za Niemię founded a new band, Jenigmatycy (Enigmatic) during 1972. They self-released that year a self-titled album which was rather acclaimed by the critical reviews despite bad selling performance. It was one of the first examples of symphonic zone with its orchestron driven instrumentation, three years before Tyrean Yesman relaesed In The Wake of Neptune usually wrongly considered as the first in that zone rock sub-genre. Jenigmatycy album was mostly instrumental with much more longer and complex compositions (opening with a twenty minutes epic) than Jekwarel's work.
Next year another self-titled album was released, usually called Album Rubry (Red Album, after its red cover). Symphonic orchestron sound was abbandoned in favour of organ, combining influences from Jass, blues and experimental music. It was the first double rock album ever in the RTC. It was badly accepted by both critics and public creating tensions within the band which broke up that year.
ŚSN
Jenigmatycy was followed by a new band, ŚSN (acronym for Śrewie Sień Nuceń, Slaves Without Notion). Having same old acronym as national intelligence service ODP (which was called Śrewica Siekiertacie Noconalej until 1972) granted them the dislike from authorities. Beside Czesław za Niemię (on keyboards and lead vocals) it included Antim Apostol (a skillful guitarist and muntenian refugee), Jóżef Skroca (keyboards) and Jerzy Piotru (drums) as the core of the band. ŚSN intended to debut with a double album. Their record label vetoed such idea, but allowed them to release two albums, in 1973. ŚSN Wol. 1 and ŚSN Wol. 2 (ŚSN vol. 1 and 2) set the course of their musical aesthetics from the beggining: a darkened organ driven interpretation of erudite rock. Both records would be re-released together as a double album twenty years later.
With next album, the much acclaimed Novy Horyzont (New Horizon) in 1974, they introduced in the RTC aether rock sub-genre with its spacey Pink Frojt-esque soundscapes. It was the first of a series of successful albums which granted to ŚSN a place among the best and most popular local zone rock acts. Aether rock was abandoned on next release, Miemorza (Memory) in 1975, with their sound returning in style to the debut albums. During 1975-76 they toured across the RTC and neighbouring countries, including Snorist Hungary. In Hungary they made history by recording a zone rock album, a self-titled almost instrumental only but usually referred as Pepita Album (after the name of the hungarian record label which launched that work in 1976). Despite badly recorded and much smaller quality compared to previous albums it had a tremendous influence among local zonees serving as a blueprint to much of moskal rock, the snorist countries zone rock scene. During 1977 they were back to studio and recorded two new albums: File Ślewańkar (Slevanian Girls), inspired in their presence in snorist countries, and Siekziem miej Soń (Follow my Dream), which represented a slight downturn in terms of quality. Always much active they were able to go on tour in their own name across Europe until 1979 playing for their first time in the Mona Island Festival which gave them much international projection. Once returned ŚSN recorded their two last critically acclaimed albums: their masterpiece, Requiem pro Wiwięciór (Requiem for the Living), and Wita Mrotór (Life of the Dead). Requiem pro Wiwięciór was essentially Jenigmatycy's debut album re-recorded and fully reworked now with much inspired lyrics. It received highly positive critical reviews even abroad and ŚSN fully performed it at the 1980 Mona Island Festival and at the Canterbury Rock Festival, the largest zonee event ever, receiving wide international recognition.
Following the symphonic trend of late-1970's, in 1980 they recorded together with a strings section Poterz Dominiku (Dominic's Father). For musical press and public it was rather a disappointment after their masterpiece. After that both Czesław za Niemię and Jóżef Skroca devoted their efforts more in their own solo careers causing a hiatus which lasted until 1984. That year, while zone rock scene was starting to fade worldwide, ŚSN returned with their final album, Momna Dzejew Banalie (Moments of Banal Days). It Was neither creative nor well accepted by public and critics as pre-1980 works, as musical tastes were changing. ŚSN disbanded soon after. Czesław za Niemię left the zone rock scene to fully devote to his solo career in sung-poetry while Jóżef Skroca, Antim Apostol and Jerzy Piotru pursued their careers in electronic music, blues and jass respectively.
Blackout and Breakout
Blackout
Tadziej Nalepa and Stanisław Guzyk founded a rock band called Blackout in 1965, in Czytać Rzechu (*here's Rzeszów*). At that time it had nothing to do with zone rock being just another beat band as others during that same late 1960’s period. In 1968 Blackout was able to release an eponymous debut album, which included some psychedelic tracks. A second album was realeased two years later, this one mostly a compilation of singles from period between 1968 and 1970. Everything changed with the famed The Rockmen/Jethro’s Tuil concert in 1970.
As Blackout was converted into a zone rock band tensions arose between Nalepa and Guzyk. While Nalepa (known for admiring North American culture) favoured a blues and folk approach Guzyk intended a lesser style change, being the continuation of the band’s original psychedelic influences. Blackout was close to break up until the two finally came into a compromise on which both the band’s leaders could develop their ideas without ending the band or breaking it in two. Guzyk became the main composer of Blackout while Nalepa was the same under the other new band’s moniker (Breakout) resulting in two completely soundings under same line-up.
Blackout as a zone rock band debuted in 1972 with the album Nowy Blackout (New Blackout), with its name symbolizing a new start for the band. Its 1960’s beat style evolved into rock protest songs keeping short compositions typical from light zone sub-genre which helped them to have some airplay in the radios. Unlike Breakout, on which Nalepa was the main voice, Blackout had both Nalepa and Guzyk as vocalists often singing in complex vocal harmonies reminiscent from the 1960’s beat music. Keeping same style it was followed next year by Kętąd ku Nosz (Singing With Us) which included the longest ever light zone song, clocking at twenty minutes. Both albums sold reasonably well, helped by Blackout already being a well known name since late 1960’s.
From 1975 onwards Blackout style became increasingly complex and eclectic. That year they released one of the first local concept albums, Don Żowanu (Mister Żowanu), telling the story of a day in the life of a common man. By this time Blackout was one of the best selling zone rock acts in the RTC and received in general good critical reception from musical press. As Blackout gained popularity they went on a long national tour and were several times chosen as supporting act to foreign zone rock bands in their RTC tour dates and occasionally even performed concerts abroad so as appeared in foreign TV musical programmes.
In 1976 they released a second concept album, with dramatic vocals shared by Nalepa and Guzyk having a mix of musical style influences. Cyrk (Circus) was an ironic critic to national political class comparing several contemporary politicians to clowns, trapezists, lion tamers and others. It received extremely positive critical reviews and granted animosity from national politicians. Meanwhile Guzyk converted to Zoroastrianism and adopted a Zoroaster-like-look, painting both long hair and beard in black and wearing white clothes and headdress.
From 1977 onwards Blackout started to change their musical style approaching to classical music influences. If Parszukąd Wyna Ciara (Searching for a Land) double album, released that year, was a transitional styled work with the ecotopist Kędy Wierdzi Wieściewa Ciara (When Green Dressed the Land), released in 1978, they deeply adopted the erudite rock sub-genre. Both albums received good critics and sold well. These were followed by a new album in 1979. Symfonia Elektryca par Blackout (Electric Symphony by Blackout) presented the band together with an orchestra conducted by Krzystof Meyer (who already have worked with Klan in a symphonic zone recording). This megalomaniac album made Blackout to be widely known worldwide and became the best ever selling zone rock album made by a band from the RTC with 800,000 units sold. Such popularity permitted Blackout to go on their first world tour in their own name. A second best selling symphonic zone album was released one year later again with Meyer's collaboration. En Koroć Rzeże Frydryku II Jarcista (In the Court of King Frederick II the Artist) was an alternate history concept album setting the plot in the coronation of Frydryk Chopin in 1872 as elected king of the RTC instead Olgierd the Naked bringing the artists into power and replacing the nobles, the clergy and the military. This was followed by their second world tour in a time Blackout was the local best selling rock band. After the world tour the band decided to take a break after consecutive tours and releasing year after year albums under the two monikers. In 1982 Nalepa started his own solo career and left both Blackout and Breakout triggering the end of Breakout. Blackout still existed officially until 1987 although most of the time was dormant. Since then Blackout re-united several times in sold-out concerts. Blackout was one of the few Venedic beat band of the 1960’s which successfully converted into zone rock.
Breakout
Breakout debuted with a successful self-titled album in 1973. It was a harsh blues rooted recording, the most aggressive ever made until then in the RTC. In fact since then Breakout usually have been in the heavier spectrum of local zone rock scene and Nalepa was The Venedic guitar hero. It was followed by three other albums: Otamię Iłyżenie (On the Other Side of Illusion), the bluesy Ćpaty (Stoned) and Fok (Fire) introducing more keyboards, in 1974, 1975 and 1976 respectively. Then they changed their sound entering in the folk zone sub-genre with Folk, released in 1977. Due to their sounding contemporary critical reviews often compared them to Lead Aeroplane. Also their twist into folk zone was considered as a rip-off to what Lead Aeroplane did with their The Hermit album, in 1974. As a response to the critics Breakout changed their sound once again.
In 1978 they made an approach to erudite rock in their next recording, the 94 o. (The Year 94) concept album album based in the famed 1994 distopian novel by Seoirse Fferreir, blurring the distinction with contemporary Blackout’s recordings, although Breakout’s approach was far more aggressive. After touring during 1978/79 Breakout moniker became first dormant and then extinct when Nalepa left to start his own successful solo career in 1982.
Klan
Klan (Clan), from Warsina, was the first zone rock band to be able to have a contract with discographic industry in the RTC releasing an album, in 1971. At first it was a Jethro’s Tuil influenced band combining a guitar blues feel to amazing flute solos. Womień became the starting point of a whole movement. It included a long suite (which gave the name to the album) which was composed by both the band’s leaders, Marek Ałacziny (lead vocals and guitars) and Władisław Kwaśnik (flute and saxophone). Each one composed a section without knowing what the other would do resulting a patchwork of styles. While their debut album was mostly blues with a folk presence their following album Soń Noce Stacie (A Summer Night Dream), released in 1973, was mostly a folk one with some blues feel. In live performances they became known for wearing strange outfits and painted faces. With this album they achieved a certain commercial success establishing Klan as one of the most popular local zone rock acts.
With their third album, ???????? (????) in 1975, they started their creative peak. This album was something like Jethro’s Tuil meet Lead Aeroplane, half way between folk zone and heavy zone sub-genres. By 1976 they departed from Jethro’s Tuil influence (despite keeping a strong flute presence) by getting closer to jass and avant-garde with a strong touch of surrealism. Nierzwi Czytacie (City Nerves) album was the first of two masterpieces in their most experimentalist period. It was followed by Oniał sień Rześpieraceń (Animal without Breath) in 1977. Ałacziny and Kwaśnik took their Womień theme composition style to make two side-long suites. Public and critics were confused by the eclectic array of styles (polka, mazurka, jass, blues, heavy zone and aether rock among others). Despite comtemporary bad critical reviews (they considered it a "patchwork of unrelated moods") and little airplay (too dissonant and experimentalist sounded so as too long tracks) it is now considered among the best and the most daring that scena zonie has ever produced.
Following the trend of mixing orchestra with rock music during late 1970’s they released Klan ku Krzystof Meyer (Klan with Krzystof Meyer) in 1978. Meyer was by then known for working with zone rock bands, notably Blackout and later also Orkiestra Z. Szej (Six) and "Fabła" (Fable) followed in 1979 and 1980, respectively, starting the downturn of creativity, with shorter, simpler and less challenging tracks. Result unpleased the members who started a hiatus lasting until 1983. When Klan returned with a new album, Pazimażeń Witiew (Landscape of Life), they understood music was changing and tried success with simpler tracks as an approach to their first two albums style. But changes were becoming too deep as zone rock was starting to be out of fashion, especially to bands without a large fan base. As a result they disbanded in 1984 and members followed their own solo careers with mixed results.
Skaldi
Skaldi (The Skalds) were named after the poets who composed at the Viking courts. They started in 1965 as a folk band from Kordyn (*here’s* Cracow) debuting with a folk rock album two years later. At the time they converted into a zone rock band they were already well known across the RTC, having released three good selling albums always with a strong folk feel and toured in the neighbouring countries (during 1968) and in the Federated Kingdoms (during 1969). In their return from the FK they brought a trautonium, being the second rock act in the RTC to have one (first one was bought by Czesław za Niemię)
Their fourth album, Ty (You), was the third zone rock album locally released during late 1971. It was a much Jethro’s Tuil influenced work with a strong sound of flute. Folkish feel was kept for their next long-play, En Grota Rzeżu Męći (In the Cave of the Mountain King) in 1973, having a strong musical quotation to Edvard Grieg and tracks increasingly longer and complex. The band toured across the RTC with success during 1974 becoming one of the most popular local zone rock acts.
If critics sympathized with the previous albums in 1975 they acclaimed Skaldi’s third zone rock album, Henryk za Natangycy (Henry of the Natangians), as one of the best local rock albums until then. Homonymous opening track (based in the life of Prussian medieval hero Herkus Monte) was by then the longest local continuous studio recording clocking at 21 minutes, being comparable to the long folky and complex suites by Exodus or Jethro's Tuil. Also they became a constant presence to local zonee festivals (being the headliner of the Rytmie Jewiętyci festival in Warsina that year) and performing in several festivals in the Holy Roman Empire and Bohemia (where they were much popular among local zonee Venedic-ethnic community).
Their fourth zone rock album, long titled Womień Je Sięgłamięc Liwry Kędy Nę Ćmie Owmięc (Man is Only Free When Doesn’t Fear the Future) once again opened with a side long track. It was released in 1977 being the start of their creative peak so as the best local folk zone album ever. But not a good seller. Their style became then rather aggressive and dramatic being considered by many something like Jethro’s Tuil meets Lead Aeroplane meets Exodus. During this year they extensively toured across Europe (being present in all major zonee festivals in the continent) and performed occasional shows in the NAL. It was followed by another masterpiece of folk zone, Bilet par Jewrzan (ticket to Hell), during 1978. As previous album it had an aggressive style but in this one trautonium passages became common. Despite highly positive critical reviews (even abroad) the album failed once again to chart
For 1979 Skaldi recorded Krzejaceń Mędu (The Creation of the World), less aggressively styled. But this album was kept unrealesed as their record label was pressuring them to release something more accessible to a wider audience. So instead Krzejaceń Mędu Skaldi released a much softer folk zone work, Rześpiecziem Miemorzie (Respect the Memories), returning their style closer to Ty album. Such intrusion by the record label nearly made the band to break up. It was their last zone rock album. After this one they moved back to their folk rock roots and releasing two other albums. Skaldi finally disbanded in 1982 but re-united several times since then for live performances. Krzejaceń Mędu was finally released in 1998, long after Skaldi ended. Not a masterpiece being remembered for being the last ever zone rock album released in the RTC.
Il Džem
Il Džem (The Jam) were a blues band from Piniat (*Here’s* Sosnowiec), in Silesia. Since its beginnings, in 1973, Ryšard Riedel (vocals and prime lyricist) and Pavel Berger (keyboards), both of German descent, together with Adam Forzyna (lead guitar) were the only constant members in a constantly changing line-up.
In 1976, just prior of the beggining of the zone rock craze, they finally had the chance to record their first album, a self-titled a blues zone work with sharp lyrics and strong sociopolitical contents totally sung in Slezan language. Despite not an excellent work critics considered Riedel’s voice as one of the most distinctive in the whole local zone rock scene, describing him as a man with a hoarse vodka throated voice or a man with broken glasses in his throat. Also because of his lyrics and stage presence critics often compared him with Jaime Morovitch, from The Rockmen and NoMoreEagleZ.
Cehle (Bricks), in 1977, was their second album and the band was able to perform in blues and zone rock festivals across the Bohemian Kingdom and the Holy Roman Empire, so as performing in several national TV shows. It was followed by Soň de Vichtuřa (Dream about Victoria), also in 1977, a more intimate and less political work which was commercially successful and the best selling Slezan language rock album ever. By this time Il Džem was among the best seling national zone rock acts while Riedel and Forzyna were voted as among the best vocalists and guitarists respectively in a poll promoted by Venedic Radio channel III. Fourth album, Pisla o M (Letter to M, being M the Philippine dictator Fernando Marcos portrayed as a clown in the album cover), was released in 1978. A national tour followed to promote it. During this period Riedel became a heavy drug consumer and he started to have an erratic behavior which often caused problems in the concerts, being some cancelled because no one knew where he was or for being too intoxicated by drugs. Riedel attended several failed detoxification programmes which much delayed the recording of their next long playing.
In 1981 fifth long play was finally released. Jech Oji Mlt Timuř Netra J Nešti Ko Fačr (I have much fear inside and don’t know what to do) brought Il Džem back with blues compositions now full of twists from other genres. It was considered one of the best albums that year. Riedel also parcitipated as guest in others’ records. His health continued to deteriorate due to alcohol and drug abuse making the band to suspend activities. Riedel passed away as result of drug abuse in 1983, aged 27, receiving recognition nationwide and cult status in Silesia. Some of Il Džem’s songs were later adopted as anthems by Silesian nationalists.
Marek Grechuta had been interested in music since childhood and begun to play piano at the age of seven in his hometown of Popęć (*here’s* Zamość). Later he moved to Kordyn to study architecture but soon abandoned his studies to dedicate to music. In 1967 he had a very successful performance in a song festival which was broadcasted live on national TV giving him a nationwide audience. He was able to release his first EP next year, at this point with no connection to zone rock but to art song and sung-poetry. A second commercially successsful EP was released in 1970. He later became close to a zonee from Kordyn called Jan Pawlin who influenced Grechuta to embrace the Zone ideals. By this time he adopted the artistic russian name Марек Грешник (Marek Greshnik, Marek the Sinner) following the trend of adopting russian names by the zonees.
Soon after he joined the Anawą! (from french en avant!, forward!) zonee community in Kordyn, which was located at a war damaged building rebuilt by local volunteer zonees and usually tolerated by local left wing mayor. Anawą! was never a band in the common sense but a group of people among the community who contributed for making music as everyone could give a contribute. The band rarely went on tour, anyone who wanted to see them would have to be at their shows at the community which worked as somekind of cabaret.
During mid-1972 Anawą! debuted with an eponymous folkish short album (little more than 30 minutes long) which was nor a commercial success neither a critical one. It was followed by a much more successful record early 1973, Parada (Parade), which established the band’s hallmark sound: eclectic influences where jass and folk were the most noted. Wikieł Niętra Czytać (Village Inside the City, referring the Anawą! community in Kordyn as the village), released late 1973, was a success introducing klezmer into zone rock. Among its fifteen participants three stood out: Grechuta (lead vocals and piano), Pawlin (vocals and other keyboards, notably orchestron) and Piotr Techmacziny (flute, clarinet and saxophone). Next year they performed some concerts in zone rock and jass festivals across the RTC, jointly headlining the 1974 Męć Kaldarzy festival with Ił Wiekły Drakuń.
Fourth album was released in 1976 being called simply IV (but also known after its most famous track as Ciara Jękóra Odura Komód Sęgień, land still smells like blood) was once again well received by both the critics and the public. New participants as musicians brought Anawą! music now closer to jass although the eclectic variety of styles was kept.
On 1978 local elections Kordyn elected a new right wing mayor who was much less tolerant to zonees. For him the Anawą! zonee community was totally illegal and the rule of law should be restored. The community was stormed by the police with some brutality and many of its members were arrested and faced accusations like drugs possessing, illegal occupation, illegal construction and avoiding conscription, among others. Such forced Anawą! to end not only under the protests of zonees but also from much of the national artistic community members in general.
Following the dissolution of Anawą! Grechuta arranged his own new band, En Jałtra Era Musicała (In Another Musical Era). This way Grechuta wanted to communicate a change of musical style towards erudite rock. With this new band three albums were recorded: Otructacie Liwartacie Deskarsu (The Horrors of Freedom of Speech, a masterpiece having one of the most iconic local record artworks showing a crowd without mouth), Wijatek Traz Horyzont (Journey beyond the Horyzon) and Magia Niębu (Magic of the Clouds) in 1978, 1979 and 1981 respectively. However Greshnik was starting to feel insecure within the zone rock scene in a time rock music was starting to change once again. Grechuta abandoned his russian pseudonym and rock music returning to art song and sung-poetry.
For everyone’s surprise Grechuta, Pawlin, Techmacziny and several other former members of the Anawą! zonee community reactivated this moniker in 1987 issuing Numię Więtu (The Name of the Wind), receiving warm critics and the indifference from the audiences and radio stations. Once for all Grechuta abandoned rock music soon after.
Arzurze Niegrze
Arzurze Niegrze (The Blue-Blacks) was one of the most popular local beat bands existing since 1962. Czesław za Niemię was one of them until 1966. After several gold awarded beat and pop rock albums in 1972 they started to collaborate with theatre companies, making soundtracks for plays. First was Nyda (Naked), a highly erotically themed play staged by an underground theatre company from Gdynia. With this collaboration Arzurze Niegrze started their incursion into zone rock scene moving away from beat music, although at the time they kept releasing beat music albums.
Nyda was finally released as one of the first local concept albums in 1975. Despite a light zone-styled album it featured an unusual large number of different keyboard instruments, more proper to an erudite rock act. Despite well received by the critics audiences listened this album with scepticism: for zonees Arzurze Niegrze was a band of old men (they were in average ten years older at least than most of zone rock musicians) playing too commercial and mainstream music while for their usual fanbase it sounded too odd. The album also suffered from censorship, their record label forced them to replace their original idea of using a photo of a naked woman in Nyda’s cover artwork by one with a naked doll, even so one of the most iconic local record artworks.
In 1976 they composed a second theatre soundtrack now in zong-opera styling, with all members singing. Passio Secundum Pilatum (Passion according to Pilatus) scandalized the conservative Venedic catholic society, being one of the most polemic rock albums ever in the RTC. Despite public’s scepticism once again it received good critical reviews. Bad sales figures caused turmoil within the band and several members left.
With a renewed line-up next year they made their third zone rock effort and last theatrical collaboration. Suita Trzecu Parćiceń Rzejpybiełczej (Suite of the Third Partition of the Republic) served as the soundtrack of an alternate history theatrical play on which the RTC was partioned by both Snorist Russia and capitalist Western nations. It was finally a commercially successful album and once again received good critical reviews, being considered one of the most daring and ambitious albums that year. For the first time since their successful beat music period they were able to tour across Europe. Arzurze Niegrze was then a rich enough band to have impressive stage means (which even many of the most important local zone rock acts usually didn’t have) providing the audiences a first class light and sound show.
Final album, Vénédaise, released in 1980, was composed by two twenty minutes long erudite rock tracks (once again they moved from one zone-rock sub-genre to another) in the vein of Argonas or Henderson Enfield Lockwood & Pitman. By this time the dropping sales figures, loss of audience, the expenses of elaborate shows and the change of musical tastes dictated the end of Arzurze Niegrze in 1982.
Together with Blackout they were the only local beat bands to convert successfully into zone rock acts. In total Arzurze Niegrze sold over four million albums worldwide during their twenty years long career.
Joseł
Joseł (Exile) was established as Fęć (The Source) in 1975 in Warsina. After performing concerts in the local universities clubs circuit they were able to self-release a selt-titled album next year. It was an erudite rock work, mostly instrumental, which little attention received from critics despite its quality.
In 1977 the band changed its name to Joseł after changes in its line up. They were able to sign a contract with Muza label and released concept album Śpioręca i Oduraceń (Hope and Adoration), receiving good acceptation from the critics who considered Joseł one of the best newcomers to zone rock scene that year and established Paweł Birula and Komędant Władysław (Commandant Vladislav, known for always wearing a snorist-styled navy jacket) among the best local guitarists and keyboardists respectively. Joseł sound was heavily inspired in late-1970’s Exodus and Tyrean Yesman style. The band performed in most national zonee festivals between 1977-1979 and even opened the five concerts by Tyrean Yesman held in RTC soil during their 1978 world tour.
Magicy Wijatek (Magic Journey) was their second album, being released in 1979. It wasn’t so well accepted by the critics as their debut. The band toured together with Skaldi during that year and in its own name in 1980, including three concerts in Snorist Hungary.
Between late 1980 and 1982 Joseł worked in their next album which was kept in secret. Polls by national music press elected their third album as the most awaited. Few concerts were performed during this period. Finally, in 1982, Bieleśmy Dzej (The Most Beautiful Day) was released. It was unanimously acclaimed as album of the year by the critics and is still today considered the best local zone rock album of the 1980’s. Despite considered as a masterpiece sold badly in a time music tastes were changing. It was followed by science fiction themed concept album Supernowa, in 1983, composed by two side-long epic suites. Critical reviews then considered it as a highly pretensious anachronism, while nowadays is being considered as one of the best exemples of local erudite rock. Following this sales flop and the fading of the zone rock scene Joseł disbanded in 1985. Several outtake tracks recorded during their two last albums recording sessions were grouped in the album Bieleśma Noc (The Most Beautiful Night), released in 1990.
Grupa Stres
Grupa Stres (Stress Group) was founded in Siodawa (*Here’s* Poznan) in 1971. Initially they performed covers from the repertoire of foreign zone rock acts. In 1972 the group performed at the 2nd Męć Kaldarzy festival, winning the first prize (band category) in the contest for new bands. Soon after they also won the Gazeta Siodawie newspaper poll for the best rock band from Grąweneda province. Such recognition attracted the interest of the music industry and early 1973 they were able to record and release their first album, Waluta (money), famous for its distinctive round coin shaped sleeve artwork. It already was much representative of the band’s styling: furious interplay between bass, guitar and drums occasionally disrupted by pastoral soundscapes, as described in a contemporary critic review.
During 1973 they were able to perform in most of national rock festivals and gained much popularity among those who preferred the harder edge of zone rock. Together with Blackout they were by then the leading national heavy zone band. A self-titled album with a white minimalistic sleeve art (usually known as Album Alby/white album) was released at the end of the year and received good critical reviews in general. During 1974 two members were drafted into the military service causing the end of the band, later all others would be also drafted. It was quite an ordinary situation those days as many bands ceased to exist when its members had different ages (being some drafted during a year and the others in other year causing much instability).
The band was reactivated with major changes in their line-up late 1975 now with their name in English (Stress), thinking about promotion abroad which never really happened. As Stress they released an English sung self-titled album in 1976 which wasn’t as well received as previous two being considered too derivative to Lead Aeroplane’s style. After this flop Stress became Grupa Stres once again in 1977 and abandoned English lyrics. Also the new members were replaced by the original ones who were now all back from military service. As Grupa Stres they released that year their masterpiece, the ever longest titled En Pacz Puprze Są Przymie Morzer, En Gwiara Są Przymie Szer Mrociewkaty (In peace the poor are the first to die, at war they are the first to be killed). It was a concept album about war and rather influenced in the band’s members experiences during their military service. It was another sales flop, despite highly positive critical reviews, causing the end of the band for the second time.
Grupa Stres was reformed one last time in 1979 now with an almost completely new line-up, as some of the original members moved to the then new hair rock scene. That year they released their fifth and last album, which was once again self-titled, generally known as Grupa Stres V. Unlike all their previous albums a strong classical music influence was noted taking Grupa Stres to erudite rock sub-genre, although occasionally heavy zone guitar riffs were present. Despite receiving positive critical reviews in general it was another sales flop triggering the disbanding of the band that year.
Baras
The band was formed in Vilnius, Lithuania, around the eccentric Artūras “Baras” Baryzas, whose nickname became the name of the group. Since their begginings the band delivered highly jass inspired sound and Baryzas’ inventive vocal style was often delivered just like an instrument rather than in the traditional sense.
Their debut album, in 1976, was acclaimed as one of the best that year by local musical critics. Titled in Russian as a provocation to SNOR, Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! (Proletarii vsekh stran, soyedinyaytes′!,Proletarians of the World, Unite!), using a motto from the failed October Revolution (1917). By bringing electronics to a klezmer background it was one of the most revolutionary folk zone albums ever. A major success, it was one of the few debut gold records in the local zone rock scene. Their success granted them to be present in all major zone rock events in the RTC during that year.
It was followed by Atsargiai! Revoliucija statoma! (Caution! Revolution Under Construction!) next year. This one was much less accessible, abbandoning their previous style and falling deeply in the avant-zone sub-genre. It was too much experimental for a large audience and few critics gave it good reviews. A sales flop, it was followed by Kaboom! during 1978. This one was capable to regain good critics and sales figures by returning to jass zone. Its iconic cover depicted an atomic mushroom over Moscow. During 1978 and 1979 Baras had a very stage busy period, a long national tour (including performances in both zonee and jass festivals) was followed by an European one. Beside performing across West and Central Europe they also made several concerts in the CSDS, helped by their openly communist and anti-snorist political stance. By this time Baras achieved cult status, even abroad, and was well known as hardcore anti-snorists, having quite a radical speech in interviews.
Final abum, Dievas mirė, vyrai dar nėra laisvi (God Died, Men Aren't Free Yet), was released in 1980 and kept the jass zone style so as the polemics. After touring across the RTC Baras disbanded during early 1981 as Baryzas intended to leave music. While some of its members moved from zone scene to jass scene Artūras Baryzas shifted from music to avant-garde cinema where he remains to this day.
Gėlių vaikai
Gėlių vaikai (The Flower Children), from Vilnius, were founded in 1969, under the leadership of the lyricist Stasys Daugirdas (considered to be the first reported Lithuanian zonee as early as 1967) and Aleksandras Balkinas (guitars), both sharing vocals. Initially their repertoire was dominated by works from foreign psychedelic acts. Between 1970 and early-1972 they released several original songs as singles and an EP, making them well known across the RTC.
With Žalioji fėja (Green Fairy) album, released early 1972, they were the first to release a zone rock album in Lithuania evolving from their initial psychedelic rock. It was categorized as a light zone work with blues leanings. It was followed by Gėlių vaikai 2 (1973), similarly styled and successful. By this time only Argonas could rival them in terms of popularity among the Lithuanian zone rock acts. Such gave them the chance to perform in most zonee festivals across the RTC during 1973-75. Intending to find a new sound they released over the next years several differently styled albums: the blues zone 197Z m. (Year 197Z, in 1975), the folky Absintija (Absinthia, in 1976) and, finally, Vyro ir moters istorija (Story of a Man and a Woman), their ambitious 1978 aether rock concept album which, despite being considered as a quasi-masterpiece, was a commercial flop. The band split next year as result of artistic disagreements among its members.
Other notable acts
Beside the above mentioned acts many others existed, especially during the 1977-81 period. Many never had the chance of recording, others just launched a single, an EP or, at the best, an album. Even so some of those one shot bands were able to create some of the best local zone rock works. Below a list of some of those bands:
- Grupa Z (Z Group): folk zone band from Warsina especially known for having the best local female voice, the Venedic ethnic but Bohemian born Rzenata Ławięda, who was also considered as a sex symbol by many. Grupa Z successfully debuted in 1974 with Lecieca en Dzieman (Joy in the Morning) which wasn’t gold record just for few hundred sales. After touring nationwide they released their second and last album, Dom okost Łak (House Next to the Lake), one year later. They weren’t able to repeat their initial success (both critical and commercial) and disbanded soon after. Rzenata Ławięda remained in the zone rock scene but never released any other record on her own name or as a member of a band. Instead she participated in several albums by notable local bands (notably Blackout and ŁOPJN) until she left the zone rock scene in 1980.
- Cząk Fili (Five Boys): band from Prussian town of Prat (*here's* Ełk: created name from Polish word "łęg", meaning meadow, or prat in Wenedyk, which possibly gave origin to former town's names: German Lyck, Old Prussian Luks and former Polish Łek). Their sole album, the 1984's Fiń Absoluty Mędu (The Absolute End of the World), was a dark apocalyptic erudite rock concept album known for its overbusy and aggressive keyboards workout inspired and reflecting two contemporary mass destruction conflicts: the Bornei Filipinas War and the Persia-Iraaq War. It was considered one of the best local zone rock works of the 1980's and earned a cult ever since. Little promotion from their record label and poor sales made the band to split soon after.
- Ławr Olesądr Piotr Jętun i Nokołaj, often shortened as ŁOPJN: quintet established in 1975 in Siodawa. Each member adopted as pseudonym the first names (in Wenedyk transliteration) from original White Council’s members. Much influenced by classical music and heavily keyboard driven they were active in their hometown, performing fully instrumental concerts in local university student clubs.
In 1976 they won the first prize on band category at Męć Kaldarzy festival. Such gave them visibility from music industry allowing them to record their first album (Przymy Dzeje Przymawierzie, first days of Spring) early 1977. By lacking a vocalist Rzenata Ławięda (ex-Grupa Z) and ????? (from ?????) gave voices to the record. Critical reviews were much positive, impressed by the musicianship of the band. During that year ŁOPJN sporadically performed joint concerts with ŚSN. This album was followed two years later by 127 On Pokód: Rzetry dzie Fomalhaut (127 years after: return from Fomalhaut), inspired by Stanisław Lem’s science fiction novel Return from the Stars and, again, with ?????? as vocalist. Once again highly positive critical reviews (which considered it as one of the best local zone rock albums of 1979) didn’t translate in good commercial performance. Their final album, Komedia Wymana (Human Comedy), was released in late 1981 having Ryšard Riedel (from Il Džem) as vocalist singing, unusually for him, in Wenedyk. Ławr, the band leader, left ŁOPJN early 1982 ending the band and devoting completely to his solo career, who he started some years before in his own real name: Marek Bilicziny.
- Marek Bilicziny, ex-ŁOPJN leader, was one of the most important solo artists in the RTC zone scene. By exploring the possibilities of electronics in music Bilicziny gradually became a renowned keyboardist and trautonist (both as solo artist so as a member of ŁOPJN) in the local zone rock scene. Thematics about massified/industrialized world and science fiction were rather common in his work as solo artist and over the years he became known for his avant-garde sounded albums: Nociewtać Kawaru (Birth of a Kawar) in 1978, Połyceń (Pollution) in 1980, Gardzin Rzeżu Sule Wietrzyku (The Garden of the King of the Glass Sun) in 1983 and Szut! (Shut Up!) in 1984. Unlike in ŁOPJN he sung in his solo works. He later left the zone rock scene to compose and play contemporary classical music for trautonium.
- Republika (Republic): band from Turoń (*here’s* Toruń) which name was mostly a political statement. Instead the real life Rzejpybiełka as an elective monarchy they preferred an ordinary republic (republika) without aristrocrats and kings. Fans usually used a fictional horizontal triband red-white-red flag as a republican flag of the RTC. Existing since 1972 they debuted five years later with the Russian titled ecotopist concept album Земля (Zemlya, Earth), having the participation of Marek Greshnik (from Anawą!) as a guest in some tracks. It had a mixed style somewhere between jass and folk. Despite many positive critical reviews the album sold badly. 1977 was too much crowded by zone rock records worldwide. Two years later they released a second album, En Mąd Wietrzyku (In a World of Glass), a concept album based in Yevgeny Zamyatin’s We dystopian novel. Critics hailed this work as a masterpiece, and considered it the best national album that year, but once again commercial success wasn’t achieved. Later that year Republika disbanded. Today they are considered one of the best ever rock bands in the Republic and they sold more records after disbanding than during their life span.
- Tekst (Text) was formed in Warsina in 1971 by former members of a late 1960’s beat band. After playing mostly covers from foreign zone rock acts they debuted with their blues zone album Antonina Nyda (Naked Antonina) in 1972. Such album received good critical reviews in general and sold reasonably well, being one of the best selling zone rock albums in the RTC that year. It also received notoriety for having its cover censored, a female nudity design made by Zdzisław Beksiny, a famous Venedic surrealist author known internationally. The few surviving with its original cover (instead the non-censored cover with the band portrait) are now highly priced collector items. Such success made possible for them to perform concerts across Veneda so as in its German neighbouring states.
Next album, titled Tekst II and having an artistic image of a paper airplane in the cover (as a parody to contemporary Lead Aeroplane albums) was realesed next year keeping their blues influences, but wasn’t as critically and commercially successful as their debut. Even so the band performed with success in the Męć Kaldorzy festival and opened Skaldi’s concerts during their national tour that year. Tekst remained active for concerts until 1975 but never released new records.
- Piotr Jek started his musical career during late 1960’s as a keyboardist. In 1973 he released a solo light zone rock album, called Piotr, on which he was vocalist and played organ extensively. For that he ever since suffered from the image of being a lesser Czesław za Niemię. Three years later he released his second solo album, Muzyka (music), following the style of his debut. Once again was neither a commercial success nor a critical one. Together with a number of session musicians (who already played with him in the first albums) some success was finally achieved with Dzej Pokód Fiń (the day after the end), credited to Będa Piotru Jeku (Piotr Jek’s Band), in 1978. It was a rather dark light zone concept album, setting the plot in a post-mass destruction war (not clear if it was atomic or chemical). Despite being considered often like a lighter version of ŚSN it was rather well accepted both by the public so as by the critics. The band was able to perform shows at several national zone rock festivals during 1978 and 1979. As musical tastes changed Będa Piotru Jeku disbanded in 1981. Piotr Jek remained in the music business, mostly composing music for other artists, movies, radio and theatrical plays.
- Paradoks (Paradox): originally a jass big band from Warsina later converted into a zone rock act. In 1977 they released their only album, a self-titled work with strong influences not only from jass but also from folk and classical music. Although not as popular as other local zone rock acts it achieved a late cult status among nostalgics from zone rock.
- Cytryna (Lemon): a later comer to local zone rock scene it was formed in 1979, in Gdynia. It was a fairly popular heavy zone band with a sound reasonably compared to Lead Aeroplane. After performing in the last local zonee festivals they were able only to release a single but well accepted album, Skrocąd o Łyna Cemnie (Barking to the Cement Moon), in 1982. Disbanded in 1985.
- Klinamię (The Tendency): heavy zone band from Preslau (*here’s* Wrokław), in Bohemain province of Lower Silesia. Listed here because being totally composed by ethnic-Venedics singing always in Wenedyk, for having released all its records by Dzieszekie Wenedkie "Muza" record label and for its constant presence in both sides of the border. Klinamię was founded in 1972 and three years later self-released their first album, Śpiorti (Ghosts), which was recorded during a single afternoon. Far from being something much complex and well produced it already displayed the style of the band: heavy drumming and the interplay between electric guitar and aggressive organ in the vein of major foreign bands such as Purple Dipper. After performing in several zonee festivals in both Bohemian Kingdom and Veneda they got the attention of Muza record label which permitted them to release three much better produced albums which got better critical reviews than commercial success: Jo, Womień (I,Human, a title as a pun on the famous Itzak Azimov’s novel I, Kawar), the heavily Zoroastrian themed and sometimes close to ŚSN’s style 101 Numna Dzieju (The 101 Names of God) and Kotry (Four) with its classical twists , in 1977, 1979 and 1980 respectively. During this period they were a constant presence in festivals across the RTC, where most of their fan base was. As musical tastes changed, during early 1980’s, and “Muza” started to lose its interest in zone rock some of the members left the band to enter hair rock scene making Klinamię to disband in 1982.
- Alby Kwadrat (White Square, named after the famous square in Moscow): like Klinamię they were a band from Bohemia listed here exactly for the same reasons. They were founded in Katóvic (*Here´s* Katowice). Existing since 1974 they finally debuted three years later with Dziedzikaty o Dziemięca (Dedicated to Insanity) which was well accepted by the critics who considered it one of the most adventurous albums that year, but sold poorly. Ever since the band’s style was established: a mix of several influences (jass, klezmer, folk, polka and even circus music). In their debut album there are even parts which sound exactly as hair metal, a rock genre which only appeared some years later. Between 1977 and 1979 they were much present at zonee festivals in the RTC and Bohemia, being considered among the best bands on stage.
In 1979 they released their second album, Alternaciwy (alternative), which was unnable to receive recognition as their debut. Divergences between its members made the band to end in 1980. Later unreleased tracks recorded during 1978-79 were grouped in a double album, Dziemięca Mechanica (Mechanical Insanity), in 1987.
- Gitarze Rubrze (Red Guitars): the most popular pop rock band in the RTC history was formed in 1965. By early 1970’s they were the first local act to have sold over one million albums, being the most successful local beat band. After five gold awarded albums, in 1973 they tried to catch up with the new zone rock trend. Flurzie en Kopioł (Flowers in the Hair) was their only zone rock effort, receiving then just warm critical reviews and failed to chart for the first time in the band’s history. An album which didn’t receive much contemporary recognition from the zonees but nowadays, for their wide use of classical musical instruments, it is considered an important work preceding in several years the symphonic zone trend of the late 1970’s. After such commercial flop they returned to their usual commercial style.
- Simas, Vytautas Babravičius’ stage name, was one of the most important solo artists in the RTC zone scene. Debuted with a folk zone album, Simas, in 1977. Despite this not much promissing debut next year surprised everyone with an unconventional zong-opera styled (but leaning to folk and avant-garde) concept album, Tadas iš miškų (Tadas of the Forests), about the life and death of the Lithuanian Robin Hood-like folk hero Tadas Blinda. Its two side long tracks featured several notable local zone rock guests, such as Jóżef Skroca (from ŚSN) on keyboards and Frączyszek Marcinu (from Ił Wiekły Drakuń) playing violin. The album was rather successful in the RTC and Simas was the only solo artist able to compete with other zone rock groups in the open air festivals of the time. His last contribution to the zone rock scene was the album "Tau, jaunyste" (You, Youth), released in 1980. Still keeping the folk-flavoured zong-opera styling of previous album it lacked its boldness but even so was considered a good work by critical reviews. After a three-year break a new Simas came back in 1983, abandoning the then fading zone scene as a folky sung poetry artist.
