Gdansk celebrates 55 years of Polish rock music
PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle
08.04.2014 08:47
The Godfather of Polish rock Franciszek Walicki was guest of honour at a ceremony in Gdansk, Monday, celebrating 55 years of a music the communist authorities at the time feared.
Franciszek Walicki signs autographs outside the Rudy Koot club, Gdansk: photo - PAP/Adam Warżawa
In March 1959, Franciszek Walicki founded the Rythm & Blues band, generally seen as the first rock band to be formed in Poland.
A marble bass guitar was unveiled at the ceremony at the Rudy Kot club in Gdansk on Monday evening - attended by rock luminaries Jerzy Skrzypczyk, Grzegorz Skawiński, Waldemar Tkaczyk, Jerzy Kosela, Sławomir Łosowski, Marek Piekarczyk and Krzysztof Skiba. - in memory of the first rock gigs on the Baltic coast, a development which the communist culture ministry considered a dangerous influence on Polish youth.
Marble guitar unveiled in memory of 55 years of Polish rock: photo - PAP
Walicki, now 92 years-old, was a central influence on the development of what was known as 'Big Beat' (Bigbit), though the communists eventually slapped a ban on the band playing larger venues.
The journalist and lyricist went on to found the Czerwono-Czarni band in 1960, the first Polish rock band to make a record (in 1961) and which lasted until it broke up in 1976. (pg)