Polish
musician’s scandals
Everyone has heard about different scandals of British and American bands. But many of us don’t know about our local stunts.
Some native artists didn’t want to be worse than their western mentors.
First Polish group who has gained the ‘scandalous’
nickname was Oddział Zamknięty. This group was created by five young guys, who
were really bored with life in grey reality of socialist Poland. They decided
to broke away from previous lifestyle of other polish musicians. In the first
half of eighties, they have began to shocking public opinion. All newspapers
reported about revolting libations after their concerts. During those parties
they regularly have demolished hotel rooms. In the west similar behavior was
current and good known, but in Poland it was sensation. The most popular of
their scandals erupted after one of these parties because they made a
watch-fire in hotel room. It wasn’t the end. They also destroyed the wall
between their rooms. After all they said: “We were really tired. We didn’t have
strength to walk through the corridor all night.” Unfortunately, their
lifestyle was very detrimental. Too much alcohol, too much drugs, too little
rest. After three years when they have lived in tour, while the concert, their
vocalist suddenly lost his voice. It was the end of some part in polish rock’s
history. Oddział Zamknięty still exists but it isn’t the same group.
Another artist who shocked our society was Jan
Borysewicz. This very talented guitarist, composer and initiator of one of the
most famous polish group – Lady Pank, induced probably the biggest scandal in
socialist Poland. They have never been too polite, but his strange prank in
1986 was unprecedented. During a concert which was organized for children on
the 1. June, he suddenly undressed and showed his sexual organ. After this case
every press titles totally condemned him. The band was immediately suspended.
For this reason, some their fans have tried to… commit suicide. Union of Polish
Socialist Youth submitted an application for definitely ending group’s activity
but it didn’t happen. Communist authorities decided that group should be
completely ignored. Into the bargain, in the same time representatives of
famous american record company – MCA came to Poland. They wanted to sign a
contract for the second album with Lady Pank (first longplay appeared in United
States in 1985). Unfortunately they found only remains of the former group with
completely broken leader. It was the end their cooperation with western giant. After
a few months they come back but never recovered their earlier popularity.
A different artist who is known as an exhibitionist is
Krzysztof Skiba. In eighties he was an active member of very specific
opposition formation. It was called “Orange Alternative”. They haven’t been
organization who wanted to fight with regime like another opposition groups. Of
course, they have supported different formations, but they decided to ridicule
communists. For example members of “Orange Alternative” have appeared in
well-known places where made an idiotic happenings. Security service was
completely helpless because every attempt to intervene against orange dwarfs, invoke
ridicule of people on the street.
After transformation of 1989, many people who
supported Solidarity in the eighties were really disappointed. Frustration also
included some musicians. One of them was Krzysztof Skiba. During a concert
which was viewed by the Polish prime minister – Jerzy Buzek, he showed his ass.
Then, he said he wanted to express his opinion about Polish politics. In
contrast to case of Borysewicz, his group didn’t suffer any penalty.
Sources:
http://wiadomosci.dziennik.pl/polityka/artykuly/152075,buzek-zobaczyl-goly-tylek-skiby.html
http://www.gazetawroclawska.pl/artykul/165861,gwiazdy-znow-sa-niegrzeczne,id,t.html
http://muzyka.wp.pl/gid,316421,page,8,title,Seksualni-skandalisci,galeria.html?ticaid=1fee5
http://forum.80s.pl/viewtopic.php?t=10577
Sources:
http://wiadomosci.dziennik.pl/polityka/artykuly/152075,buzek-zobaczyl-goly-tylek-skiby.html
http://www.gazetawroclawska.pl/artykul/165861,gwiazdy-znow-sa-niegrzeczne,id,t.html
http://muzyka.wp.pl/gid,316421,page,8,title,Seksualni-skandalisci,galeria.html?ticaid=1fee5
http://forum.80s.pl/viewtopic.php?t=10577
You mostly talk about musicians in the 80's. As you said - grey reality was really depressing and I guess that's why rock artists were that scandalous. They had some statement. Nowadays there's one rule in show business - it doesn't matter what people say about you, as long as they're talking about you. Scandals are now needed to promote a movie or new album.
ReplyDeleteAleksandra, I agree with you. Nowadays scandals are the way, in which majority of stars - singers or actress- wins a popularity. In my opinion, this is a negative phenomenon, because less and less stars have some movies, lyrics or songs, which are really valuable.
ReplyDeleteI can't say a lot, because I am not interested in scandals and musician's life. Sometimes I see some information when I am looking for something over the Internet, but for me it is really meaningless to read about these "famous" people. They are so famous, because of some things, which they have just done, sometimes really foolishly. We hear about them for two or three days and than nobody remembers them. Sometimes it lasts long. I think they should work more on the music they play, not only try to make scandal every day to be the most famous. I can see some differences in scandals now and in the past. Those in the past were more important, had purpose and we can even say they were required because of the grey reality.
ReplyDeleteWhen the musicians want to promote their album or they don't want dissapeared from the scene, the main thing is to make lots of noisy, I mean said something astonishing, did something weird. People admire scandals, they love reading about stars in newspaper but this phenomene leads to collapse an art.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the previous speakers - nowadays scandal is the easiest way to become famous. That's why today, there are many celebrities who aren't known for their skills (they are not actors, singers, artists), they are just famous for being famous. They would do anything just to make people talk about them. I don't approve such a career path, because it is more difficult for really talented people to show up.
ReplyDeleteThere is not much for me to comment here because polish musicians aren't interesting to me. Scandals should have a deeper meaning, like protest against something. I will give an example of famous punk-rock band called Sex Pistols - they attempted to play 'God save the Queen' on a barge sailing on Thames just in front of Westminster Palace. The song's lyrics described Queen Elizabeth's reign as 'facist regime' and contained verses about 'no future' for british people. I think this kind of scandals holds much greater value than leaked nude pictures of contemporary musicians or other unsophisticated ways of getting attention.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Wojtek. Those scandals are despicable and vulgar. But I think that they in some way are appriopriate to that kind of discipline like politics, which mostly is carrying on embarassing methods. Of course we cannot forget about this commercial site of making scandals, which also nowadays is probably the most effective way to promote a band. I prefer more sophisticate ways of objection. For example, songs of Marek Grechuta are full of negative references to communist system. But that kind of protest was more effective, because critique was hidden in implied meanings so it could be legal.
ReplyDeleteAll around the world there is a fashion for beeing scandalous. A lot of musicians make up different stories to appear in the music industry. Other artists like poets or painters also try to find scandal as their way to fame, but undoubtedly in musicians area it's the most common. I find it pathetic, but these days it is said that no publicity is bad publicity.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'm not against scandals, as long as they mean something - something more than "I want to be famous!". I think that if I were living in PRL I would be glad to see someone, who makes fun of this stiff reality. Nowadays, in western reality, getting undressed in front of hundreds of people means just getting undressed in front of hundreds of people, so, more or less, that you are stupid or extremely narcistic - or that you are Jim Morrison and you were just drunk.
ReplyDeleteI agree with most of you. Nowadays scandals become method by which people get the popularity of self and promotions. You can say that ,at present what counts is how you behave, how many scandal you provoke not how you sing or play. In my opinion, this is a negative phenomenon, because there are less musician and actress/actor that can be assessed as artists
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say. I think that everyone in oneself life was dreaming for a moment about rock star or musician's life. It is very colurful and different style of living. Very different than grey, boring reality. Hours of the concerts, months on the tour and houndrets of fans. By this type of behevior which Bartek said about musicians want to distinguish themselves from the masses. Sometimes like in the case of Borysewicz it was pathetic because on the concert for children but I know other examples like Red Hot Chili Peppers bassman Flea went on the scene completly naked opposite to 300 thousand of people on the Woodstock 99. It was no shocking very much. ;p
ReplyDeleteI think scandals are still popular among musicians. The way of provoking has changed tough. Demolition or outrageous behavior was popular in 80’s and 90’s. People used to shock public opinion to demonstrate their political views or to express anger. That’s what artists do: they use alternative ways to express their feelings.
ReplyDeleteNowadays celebrities provoke just to get paparazzi’s attention. Michał Wiśniewski even made reality show of his private life, called “Jestem, jaki jestem”. Doda - known for criticizing Church, Nergal – fined for destroying the Holy Bible, Tomasz L. (Virgin) for taking a part in sex scandal. Rumor and buzz are supposed to bring them fame or promote albums and gigs. Sadly, in my opinion, they are not good enough and not worth the turmoil.
Scandals? It is silly to talk about artist’s behaviour or life style from that point. Go to same common flat and there you can find much more shocking behaviour, immoral, aggressive or obscene. I am not talking about celebrities or stars that promote themselves by scandals. Artists are the people with problems, alcohols, family or identity and it is nothing strung that they behaviour like your brother, mother or father and sister. It is hypocrisy. It is sad but it is a social problem not a scandal or artists way of fun…Even if it looks like.
ReplyDeleteNovadays i think that scandals are just way to earn popularity, but earlier (mainly in '70 - '80) that was part of musician life - just like concerts, crowd and making music - musicians just were like that. We have to remember that music makers are specific kind of people - charismatic, nonconformic, self-confident and of course independent. Add some booze or drugs and you have already made scandal. Now it's more like a pose.
ReplyDeleteI am not interested in musician’s life scandals. I think that scandals are easy way to become famous because people are looking for something unusual. There is many gossip portal in the internet and that kind of webpage have a lot visitors who search scandals. If some musician have a financial or popularity problem specially causes scandals to download attention.
ReplyDeleteSo… My precedings speakers said these situations are ugly and obnoxius. I don’t think so, our musicians are polite compared to rock stars from western countries. Few towels, doors and handle from bath? Common, that’s not armaggedon. Rolling Stones, Sex Pistols have been making real disasters in their hotels. Members of Led Zeppelin, for example, ride on bicycle on their hotel’s corridor. Sexual scandals? Look at Rammstein, their videos and concerts. So, our stars are really polite.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion scandals are a part of showbusiness. Nowadays scandalist are everywhere - for example Lady Gaga, who sang in concert in meal rather than normal clothes. I think that without these actions the world would be boring.
ReplyDeleteThis presentation isn't really interresting as it could be. And it's probably because these bands are not existing anymore, not as they were. In this presentation I would put more about present scandals and protests. Nothing farther.
ReplyDelete