Kalemegdan Disk - ROCK FROM EASTERN EUROPE

Guerilla Records Release Information

Perhaps there is no need to introduce this legendary recording, but few people realized that this year it will be 50 years since the band secretly walked into Houska Castle and started recording there in the winter of 1974. And Sváťa Karásek was their light. As usual, we had the original tape of Robin Popper, who recorded at the castle, and Ondra Ježek’s Jámor studio, which added another dimension to the songs. Incredibly, this edition is the first vinyl to feature all the songs that were recorded at the House.

But there is a blank fourth side left, what to do with it? And this was the format of the concert congratulations on the church marriage of the Kukalovi family, introduced by Magor, which the band played in the hall of the U Králů restaurant on 31 January 1975, just after the recording was finished. I would like to point out in advance that although we had the original tape from the archive of Pavel Prokeš, this recording has more documentary and historical value than discophile value. Such was the time.

And instead of long sentences, I will quote the words of Vojta Lindaur (1957-2018), who included this recording in the top ten most important Czechoslovakian records of all decades: “Basically, the then already purely underground band combined their very special music with the poetry of Egon Bondy and not only managed to accurately describe the feelings of a large part of the teenagers of the time, but mainly thanks to Hlavsa’s compositional skills, they managed to create a timeless record. These are not just songs of defiance, but above all about inner freedom. Besides, it’s also a lot of fun.”

Gafefold cover with photographs by Ondřej Němec, Oldřich Schuller and Petr Prokeš, including an insert facsimile of the original cover.

Side A, B & C (CD version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMlV_rjlKrc&list=OLAK5uy_muia-rfGUo1QMn3qMeXQfvLBuRw50oL-4&index=2

Tracklist

Side A

1. Dvacet / Twenty 1:52
2. Zácpa / Constipation 7:54
3. Toxika / Toxic Chemicals 3:54
4. Magické noci / Magical Nights 6:11

Side B

1. MGM / Metro Goldwyn Mayer 0:21
2. Okolo okna / Around the Window 5:51
3. Elegie / Elegy 1:15
4. Podivuhodný mandarin / The Wondrous Mandarin 5:35
5. Nikdo / Nobody 3:31
6. Jó, to se ti to spí / Oh yeah, how Nicely You Sleep 3:25

Side C

1. Já a Mike / Me and Mike 1:04
2. Ranní ptáče / Early Bird 1:23
3. Francovka / Francovka 3:00
4. Jednou nohou / One Foot 4:12
5. Spofa blues / Spofa Blues 2:48

Side D

1. Magorův úvod / Magor’s Intro 2:25
2. Dvacet / Twenty 2:13
3. Zácpa / Constipation 7:01
4. Jó, to se ti to spí / Oh yeah, how Nicely You Sleep 3:26
5. Toxika / Toxic Chemicals 3:57
6. Včera v neděli / Yesterday on Sunday 4:59