FPB
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| FPB | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Fourth Price Band |
| Origin | Teplice, Czech Republic |
| Genre(s) | punk rock |
| Years active | 1981-1987, 2008 |
| Associated acts | Už Jsme Doma Sanov 1 Koonda Haala Pseudo Pseudo |
| Former members | |
| Miroslav Wanek Romek Hanzlík Milan Nový Kamil Krůta Radek Uhlíř Petr Růžička |
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- This page refers to the '80s Czech punk band. For other uses of FPB, see FPB (disambiguation).
FPB, short for Fourth Price Band, was an influential Czechoslovakian punk band formed in 1981 in Teplice, a Czech town bordering Germany, by bassist, singer and poet Miroslav Wanek and his friend, Petr Růžička, who was considered the band's manager. These two were soon joined by drummer Milan Nový and, later, guitarist Romek Hanzlík.
The act of playing punk rock in the early '80s in a Communist nation drew much attention to the band, but the group was also notable for integrating musical complexity and poetry into the traditional punk fold. Cited influences include the Damned, Sex Pistols and the Clash. Wanek had also soon discovered Pere Ubu and the Residents, his favorites, through illegal tape trading in Czechoslovakia, and these influences would be more notable when, in 1986, Wanek joined Nový's other band, Už Jsme Doma, a highly influential and still-existing avant garde/punk rock band that has featured nearly every other member of FPB for a time.
A 'fourth price band' is a term used in Czech rock culture to describe a band that requires the absolute minimum payment for performing.
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[edit] History
The band began when Wanek, an ambitious young composer and musician, chatted with his neighbor Růžička, an organizer of illegal concerts who'd done minor jail time for his involvement in the underground music scene. The Czech government at the time was very strict about which musical artists it would legally sanction and which it would deem 'anti-social.' Starting a group outside of government sanctions was a complicated procedure, and the two decided to go at it together.
The two found drummer Milan Nový, and, needing a full band, ended up employing Nový's bandmates from his band at the time, Mikron, to form the first lineup of FPB. This lineup lasted for "three or four months" [1], and played one show, before the other members of the band were intimidated by government pressure, and the band was reduced to Wanek, Nový, and Růžička. After several months as essentially a two-piece, Wanek called up his former schoolmate Romek Hanzlík, who'd been playing in a 'bar band' called Admirál. Hanzlík was unhappy with present setup and accepted Wanek's invitation to join FPB.
This became the core lineup for the band between the years of 1981-1985. The band played frequently and gained much popularity in the Czech punk scene for their sophisticated take on the frantic, melodic punk rock of the time.
In 1985, Nový had co-founded a more experimental, musically omniverous seven-piece band called Uz Jsme Doma. Nový was playing saxophone in the band at the time. Wanek took an immediate liking to the band, who frequently shared the stage with FPB. In 1986, Wanek and Hanzlík were invited to join UJD, at first as guests of sort, while UJD were experiencing personnel problems. When a four-piece lineup of UJD, with Wanek and Hanzlík and sans Nový, solidified at the end of the year, Wanek and Hanzlík decided to focus on the new band and quit FPB.
Růžička was very opposed to hanging up the FPB moniker, so he and Nový put together a new FPB lineup around teenagers Kamil Krůta (guitar) and Radek Uhlíř (bass and vocals,) both of whom were involved with another popular Czech punk band, Sanov 1. This incarnation, playing a mix of Wanek's FPB songs and new material, lasted for two years before dissolving.
After the breakup of FPB, Nový and Krůta put together a two piece group called Pseudo Pseudo that lasted for a number of years. Hanzlík played in UJD from 1986-1997, before retiring from performing to work as a manager and promoter of bands, including UJD. Wanek continues to play in UJD. Nový had three stints in UJD - as the sax player from 1985-1986, the drummer from 1988-1989, and again the drummer from 1995-1996. Krůta also had a brief stint as UJD's bassist, from 1996-1997, although he never properly recorded with the band. Krůta currently plays in the experimental band Koondahaala and the Beetches.
In 2008, Miroslav Wanek announced plans a live set of FPB music performed by himself, Hanzlík, and the current members of UJD - Pepa Červinka, Tomáš Paleta, and Adam Tomášek. This performance is to coincide with the release of "Kniha prani a stiznosti," or "A Book of Wishes and Complaints," a 3-CD set of FPB material on Malarie Records.
[edit] Former members
Miroslav Wanek - bass, vocals (1981-1985, 2008)
Romek Hanzlík - guitar (1981-1985, 2008)
Milan Nový - drums (1981-1987)
Kamil Krůta - guitar (1986-1987)
Radek Uhlíř - bass, vocals (1986-1987)
Petr Kerka - guitar (1981)
Petr Růžička - manager (1981-1987)
Pepa Červinka - guest bass (2008)
Tomáš Paleta - guest drums (2008)
Adam Tomášek - guest trumpet (2008)
Other unknowns - guitars (1981)
[edit] Discography
[edit] Releases
- "Early Years" (recorded 1982-83, released 1987)
- "Live v Gongu" (1984)
- "Opatov - live" (1985)
- "Jedem v punku jako v tanku" (1984, 1987)
- "Kniha prani a stiznosti" (3xCD, due Aug 2008, Malarie Records)
[edit] Compilations
- "1984 The Third" (1987)
- "Razie" (1987)
- "Hrubý punkový hláska" (1987)
- "Czechoslovakia (Ten Czechoslovak Years 78-88)" (1989)
