NEW 7"
Warsaw Pact Records
Let us now go back to the very beginning... Taking place in 1970-1979 in Jarocin, Wielkopolskie Rytmy
Młodych (Youth Rhythms of Greater Poland) transformed into Ogólnopolski Przegląd Muzyki Młodej
Generacji (National Review of Young Generation Music) and in June 1980 opened an important chapter
for the music scene in Poland. At the same time, political transformations also take place throughout
Poland, only to erupt a moment later, in August 1980, with a scale of strikes and workers' protests that
would result in a military coup and martial law, which would take place a year later. The social and youth
movements cemented. For the latter, from now on it will be Jarocin that will be the main place of meeting,
exchange and confrontation.
For the first edition of OPMMG Jarocin, in addition to more prominent names such as MAANAM,
PORTER BAND, KASA CHORYCH, KOMBI and debutants like DŻEM, two bands from our circle of
interest - KRYZYS and NOCNE SZCZURY - are also invited. The former do not make it and thus
NOCNE SZCZURY become the only, and at the same time mythical, first ever performer of "punk music"
to appear on the festival stage. The band from Władysławowo was invited as one of the most interesting
formations representing a "new phenomenon", opening the door to dozens of punk bands that appeared in
the following years.
During their performance, they presented only two songs - composed, by the way, by a major British band
that remade the world in 77 - adding lyrics of their own. Due to temporary perturbations in the line-up, the
group was powered by the one-time baton-wielding hard rock band CYTRUS.
This short concert was definitely more than a presentation of the group's own. It was a representation of
the new angry culture and the community around it. It was the Night Rats (Nocne Szczury) who were
among the first to so explicitly promote the inter-city integration of punk communities, celebrating their
own performers and friendly centres through joint tours and meetings at gigs across the country - "Today
we'll meet in Remont / Or in Gdansk's Rudy Kota / If you want it in the Great Mill / Or somewhere
further afield in Jarocin". The message loudly shouted from the stage "We have to be strong punks - we
are, ourselves" reached successive generations of punx, experienced by exclusion, contempt and
aggression from the so-called normal and orderly society or the uniformed services. This slogan is etched
into our punk DNA.
NOCNE SZCZURY was one of the first bands of the Polish punk movement and one of the first to break
the hitherto boring and predictable pattern of alienating professionalism in music. They were living proof
of the punk phenomenon in Poland at the turn of the 70s and 80s, which exploded all over the country
from Władysławowo to Ustrzyki Dolne and was absolutely not a situation taking place only in big cities.
Their participation in these processes, but above all the sincerity and togetherness emanating from the
numbers performed, guarantees them a well-deserved place in our punk history, which continues and, as
we now know, has not become just a "marginal art".
Two mega-archival tracks from Jarocin 1980, preceded by an important announcement by Walter
Chełstowski on a seven-inch vinyl record - the best sounding recordings that have survived of this
legendary formation. Another rarity of the first wave of punk in PL discovered. Entire run on black vinyl,
limited to 500 copies. No further pressings are anticipated.
"In front of you a punk group from Władysławowo - NOCNE SZCZURY!".