Any regulars around these parts know by now that I’m a fool
for On-U Sound. I’ve posted up a lotta Mark Stewart with or without Maffia,
Singers & Players, Bim Sherman, Little Axe, Tackhead…well, you get the
picture. I never woulda thought I be finding some righteous dub in the Czech Republic,
especially not with a On-U connection. Guess that thunk stunk like a skunk.
Michal Ditrich & Milada Ditrichova, long before world
musick became popular, had a dub dream. That dream was Hypnotix. They release
their first album in 1990, titled Rastaman in Prague. Throwing down
African rhythms & Asian modes mixed with Bourama Badji’s Senegalese verses of
dub poetry, Hypnotix grabs the ear of Steve
Barker, a prominent DJ on BBC Radio. He gets them invited to
contribute to the compilation called Shocks
on the Wire along with the likes of Dub Syndicate & Suns of
Arqua.
By their third album, they are being produced by Louis
Beckett of Adrian Sherwood’s On-U Sound (producer for African Head Charge &
Asian Dub Foundation, among others).
On New World Order, Hypnotix are: Bourama Badji –
vocals; Petr Pokorný – guitar; Václav Slon Kořán – rhythm guitar; Michal
Ditrich – bass & double bass; Přemek Urban – keyboard; Milada Ditrichova –
percussion & xylophone; & Luboš Hnát - drums
Hypnotix – New World Order,
African Dance Records 006, 1993.
decryption code in comments
Tracklist –
Roots
Zion
Uncle Sam
Ande Sopi
Inkatha
Question
Jambo Style
Roots Dub
Psí Vojáci
(Dog Soldiers) is a Czech Republic underground band from Prague, active between the years 1979 – 2011,
then reforming in 2012. Its frontman is a singer, piano player, composer &
a songwriter Filip Topol, son of the playwright Josef Topol & brother of
the writer Jáchym Topol. He formed the band in 1979 along with his elementary school
classmates David Skála - drums & Jan Hazuka - bass. Psí vojáci first
performed publicly in 1979 at the IX. Prague
Jazz Days. They quickly attracted the attention of the Czech secret police. At
the time, the band members were 13 years old. The band was not allowed to
perform publicly. They were forced to play at private underground events (one
being at future first President of the Czech Republic Václav Havel’s cottage in
Hrádeček).
The Velvet Revolution (Czech: sametová revoluce) or Gentle Revolution (Slovak: nežná revolúcia) was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 to December 29, 1989. Dominated by student & other popular demonstrations against the one-party government of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, it saw to the collapse of the party's control of the country, & led to the subsequent conversion to a parliamentary republic.
After 1989 Psí Vojáci became popular concert performers. They started playing at many clubs as well as music festivals. They toured clubs in Hungary, Austria, Germany, & the Netherlands. They performed at music festivals in Belgium & France.
Filip Topol said, describing their musick:
“There have always been some elements of punk in Psí ojáci.
Our music speaks to punks in a different way than the music of truly punk
bands, but I believe we share a lot of what they feel.”
The group disbanded in August 2011. They started playing
again in the original formation in October 2012.
On Sestra, Psí Vojáci are: Filip Topol – vocals & Casiotone
MT-68; Luděk Horký – guitar & bass; Jiří
Jelínek – saxophone; David Skála – drums; & Jáchym Topol – lyrics & readings
with guest Monika Načeva – vocals on “Ohnivá voda”.
Jáchym Topol & Psí Vojáci – Sestra (Sister), Indies Records, 1994.
decryption code in comments
Tracklist -
Vlčí sen, Do města, Jiný příběh (Wolf's Dream, to
the City, is Another Story)
Ohnivá voda (Fire Water)
Cestou (Way)
Ráno, pořád (In the Morning, Still)
Kdykoli (Whenever)
"Teď jděte v pokoji" (“Now Go in Peace”)
Starý slova (Old Words)
Je tam (Is There)
Já, to mně a B. a obrana (Me, it’s Me & B. &
defense)
Enjoy,
NØ
Hypnotix
ReplyDeleteIi2LvlePnb63oXQ-cUDFOl-pekt-m2Ae64IXGj_JMkc
Psí Vojáci
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Loved the radio in Prague when I was there. A totally eclectic mix...Psi Vojaci is great. Haven't hard Hypnotix... but I love me some on-u, so thanks.
ReplyDeleteicastico,
Deletethanks for your loyalty here
& thanks for the informed comments.
wanna help out on this journey?
i'm working so hard, sometimes i forget
to...
ya know, Enjoy
I am sorry to bring up to date so harshly, but Filip Topol died in June 2013.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your great blog.
Deeply saddened by the news (old, I guess - 2013), Psí Vojáci are a great band & Filip was an ace. But thank you for your update. It only makes the musical legacy of these musicians all the more valuable.
Delete