Hungary

The Hungarian Communist Party had a large part in the history of rock ‘n’ roll in Hungary.

In 1956 the people of Hungary revolted against the Hungarian Government, which was just a tool for enforcing Soviet policies. The Soviet Union quashed the revolt in November. More than 2,500 Hungarians were killed & more than 20,000 were wounded. Then began the arrests & the exodus. Tens of thousands of Hungarians were arrested for their alleged roles in the revolutionary. 26,000 were sentenced to some crime of which at least half were imprisoned & more than 350 were executed & many hundreds were deported to the Soviet Union. Another 200,000 Hungarians fled their homes & homeland.

János Kádár became the new Prime Minister of the Hungarian Revolutionary Worker-Peasant Government & General Secretary of the Hungarian Communist Party. For the next ten years Kádár’s objective was to create a unity amidst the chaos in Hungary. By 1968, Kádár decided that the country was sufficiently unified & they must pursue a new economic program, The New Economic Mechanism (NEM).  By 1970, the Hungarian Communist Party decided to crack down on the newly burgeoning rock’n’roll scene. Illés, an award winning band & probably the preeminent band in Hungary at the time was banned from recording or even performing. Omega was the other top band at the time. In 1971 Omega split into two groups. Part of the group (László Benkő, Tamás Mihály, János Kóbor) kept the name Omega. The other part of the group (Gábor Presser, József Laux, & his wife Anna Adamis [Presser’s song-writing partner & unofficial member of Omega]) formed Locomotiv GT.

Do you hear that train a-comin’? This is their fifth release, V (no, duh!), its release banned in Hungary, once more for Locomotiv GT. It would be with the sale of their eighth album that Locomotiv GT would finally receive royalties for their musick. Sounds like the story of early Blue musicians in the American South. Not a good thing.

János Karácsony – electric & acoustic guitar, & bass; Tamás Somló – vocals, bass, alto-saxophone & mouth organ; Gábor Presser – vocals, piano, organ, & percussion; & József Laux – vocals, drums, bongos, & percussion.

 Locomotiv GT – V, Pepita SLPX 175 15/16 double album, 1976. 

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Side A –

Csak az Jöjjön (Only Who can Stand It)

A Kicsl, a Nagy, az Arthur és az Indián ( A Small, a Big, an Arthur & the Indians)

Rajongás (Adoration)

Valamit mindig Valamiert (Something by Something)

Side B –

Mindenki (Everybody)

Ahogy Mindenki (As Everyone)

Rohanj Hozzám (Run to Me)

Tiltott Gyümölcs (Forbidden Fruit)

Side C –

Fiú (Boy)

Ha a Csend Beszélni Tudna (If Silence Could Talk)

Senki Gyermekei (Nobody's Children)

Szelíd Erőszak (Gentle Force)

Ikarus 254 (Icarus 254)

Side D –

Arra Mennék én (I'd Rather Go There)

És Jött a Doktor (& the Doctor Came)

Segíts Elaludni (Jenny's Got a New Thing)

Ülök a Járdán (I Love You Frisco)

Az eső és én (Endles Rain)

Várlak (I Believe You)

Ezüst Nyár (Silver Summer)

Álomarcú Lány (Lady of the Night)

Neked Írom a Dalt (I Write a Song for You)

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The 1980s saw the state run Record Production Company dismantled. Hungary's authorities realized that restricting rock was not effective in reducing its presence or influences. They decided to dull the anti-government sentiments by encouraging young musicians to sing about the principles of Communism & obedience. But the early part of the decade saw the arrival of punk & New Wave music in full force. Although the authorities quickly tried incorporating their philosophy into those styles as well, they were far from successful. The first major prison sentences for rock-related subversion were given out. The members of the punk band CPg were sentenced to two years imprisonment for political incitement. As the 80s continued, internal problems made it impossible for the Hungarian government to counter the activities of rock & other musical groups. With the collapse of the Communist government, the Hungarian music scene finally began to come out from under the shadow of musical tyranny.

Kampec Dolores formed in 1984. Their musick is a unique blend of traditional Hungarian folk & Eastern European jazz elements. Playing to the strengths of the unfamiliar-to-many sounds & melodic qualities of the Hungarian language gives an exquisite aura to an already amazing balance between alternative 80s underground rock & avant/R.I.O.

By 1985 they were opening for Nico at her Budapest concert. Later, they got to be part of Pere Ubu`s 1988 Reunion World Tour. The Dutch anarcho-punk group The Ex helped them release their first self-titled album. Levitation was their second release.

Although later works occasionally went for the more experimental, improvisational, vocal eccentric stylings of Levitation, the band had become more focused on a world-folk direction, a more ethnic/ethereal, less underground sound. Levitation is the embodiment of the band’s most furious avant-rock greatness. This is the truth at the heart of the name Kampec Dolores, which comes from an old Hungarian proverb used by rural Hungarian village people. Neither word is Hungarian: Kampec is Yiddish (to be pronounced with a at the end…kampeca), while Dolores is Latin. The villagers say it when somebody dies. It means "the end of pains".

Kampec Dolores core members are: Gabi Kenderesi – vocals & violin, & Csaba Hajnoczy – guitar, bass, etc. On Levitation they are joined by: Szineg Ildikó – vocals, guitar, & bass; & Zoltan Szegvári – saxophone.

 Kampec Dolores – Levitation, Rer Megacorp Point East PE 07, 1991. 

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Side A –

Nyitány (Overture)

Levitáció (Levitation)

Szépsége titkos (It's Beauty)

Kínai kép (Chinese Picture)

Anae (Anemia)

Side B -

Három vagy hét (Three or Seven)

Egy róka szállt itt (A Fox Flew Past Here)

Király (King)

Olajfák (Olives)

Közhírré tétetik (For Everybody)

Enjoy…I sure am,

NØ