Every country has its own classic musicians, and Hungary is no exception – from jazz heroes to well-known prog-rock outfits, there is a lot to cover when we discuss the country’s music history. Although these bands didn't receive the fame they deserved outside of the local scene for several reasons, time heals everything, and nowadays people beyond music freaks like Andy Votel know that Bergendy was one of the funkiest bands of Eastern Europe. We present a guide to Hungarian bands that any music fan should certainly listen to – and some of them are playing in Budapest soon.
1/8
Syrius
Progressive fusion jazz influenced by impressionistic effects and Frank Zappa – that’s how we would sum up the first (and most important) album of one of the most underrated Hungarian bands, Syrius. “The Devil’s Masquerade” was recorded in Australia, and that’s the only record created by the classic lineup: Zsolt Baronits (alto and tenor saxophone, vocals); Miklós Orszáczky aka “Jackie” (vocals, bass, violin, acoustic guitar); László Pataki (piano, organ); Mihály Ráduly (alto and tenor saxophone , flute, piccolo); and András Veszelinov (drums, vocals). There is a strong ’70s experimental-avant-rock edge to it too, with a butter-churning funky rhythm section – sometimes a bit too cacophonous for everyone’s liking, but clearly a masterpiece.
2/8
Vágtázó Halottkémek
Galloping Coroners, or Vágtázó Halottkémek (sometimes simply called VHK), emerged in 1975, instinctively finding its path to play instinctive primeval music evoking the elementary powers of nature with a free spontaneity and overwhelming energy. Their music could be called shamanistic ethno-hardcore punk with elements of krautrock and free jazz, or as The New York Times wrote, “the Coroner’s music is basic and elemental and filled with obsessive, galvanizing passion” – but honestly, there aren’t really words to describe what they do. After eight albums and hundreds of concerts they split up in 2001, but reformed in 2008 as Vágtázó Életerő (Galloping Life Force). However, they still perform as VHK sometimes – for example on June 5 at Barba Negra Track, where they will celebrate the band’s 40th anniversary!
3/8
Piramis
Piramis (Pyramid) formed in 1973, with members Lajos Som (bass), Miklós “Pinyó“ Köves (drums), János Závodi (guitar), Péter Gallai (keyboards), and Sándor Révész (vocals). During those times, Sándor was already famous for singing in Generál, and Lajos was previously playing in well-known hard-rock bands like Tűzkerék, Neoton, and Taurus, but with Piramis he went into a softer direction – and it paid off. They soon became the most popular Hungarian band, and they held that position through the release of their fourth album (“Erotika”, 1981). It is also widely accepted that they released the best Hungarian concert album, “A Nagy Buli” (“The Great Party”), back in 1979.
4/8
Omega
What is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Omega? That Kanye West sampled their song “
Gyöngyhajú Lány” in his song “
New Slaves”? That the song was also covered by the Scorpions with new lyrics as the song “
White Dove”? That Klaus Meine’s band used to open for them and not the other way around, as most people would think? Yes, all of these things are true. Omega was formed in 1962 by organist László Benkő and vocalist/rhythm guitarist János Kóbor. Their first three albums were influenced by the Beatles and the era’s hard- and psychedelic-rock bands, but after Gábor Presser (keyboardist) and József Laux (drummer) left the band to form Locomotiv GT, their music became more and more progressive, synth-heavy and futuristic. After the departure of these two members, the band found new players, and the new lineup remained the same until today. This incarnation of Omega released ten more albums from 1972 to 1987. Many of these were released both in Hungarian and in English in the hopes of generating wider interest in their music. To an extent, it worked, as the band successfully toured in Germany and England, but somehow the breakthrough never happened. Still, they are active and keep playing when they can – you can catch them on May 30 at Budapest Park.
5/8
Bergendy
Bergendy formed in the late 1950s as a jazz group and went through a bunch of personal and artistic changes through the ’60s and ’70s. Their best era was the one when the band was fronted by Ferenc Demjén (1970-77) – that’s when they released their most cultic albums like “Hétfő (Hét fő)”, which was the first Hungarian double album, or “Ötödik sebesség”. Although they’ve never forgotten their jazz roots, their music has more to do with pop-rock, Latin-tinged funk, and the legacy of Queen.
6/8
Moby Dick
One of the most famous Hungarian trash-metal bands after Pokolgép was formed in 1980, when the two founding members, Tamás Schmiedl and Norbert Mentes, were only 14 years old. Their take on the genre was heavily influenced by bands like Led Zeppelin, Motörhead, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden. In just two years’ time, they played in front of thousands of people and started recording their first demos, which were rejected by all the labels. In fact, Moby Dick released their first album, “Ugass, Kutya!” (“Keep barking, dog!”), only in 1990. They broke up eight years later, but reformed in 2002 and have been playing gigs ever since – be sure to catch them on August 8 at Eine Kleine Trash Music Festival.
7/8
Locomotiv GT
The band was founded in 1971 with an all-star lineup: Gábor Presser and József Laux came from Omega, Károly Frenreisz came from Metro, and Tamás Barta earned his renown as the guitarist of Locomotiv GT. Although their self-titled debut was a bit too experimental for Hungarian ears, foreign listeners loved it, and the band had the chance to play with Joe Cocker and Genesis. Their second album, “Ringasd el magad”, on which Tamás Somló replaced Frenreisz, became a major success and catapulted the band into the highest league. They broke up in 1984 but reunited in 1992, and kept playing together for years. As far as their style is concerned, LGT can’t be described with a word or two: they mixed pop, rock, funk, jazz, and everything else in such a unique way that is hard to put into words. Not surprisingly, they are one of the truly legendary Hungarian bands, and everybody nationwide knows their name.
8/8
Illés
As one of the most important Magyar bands, sometimes called “The Hungarian Beatles”, Illés started in 1957 as a family band, but the final lineup was formed in 1965 and they started to write their own songs, with many of them appearing in films. Although they are often called a beat band, their songs were also influenced by folk and the latest trends in Western pop/rock music. They maintained their success through four albums, until disbanding in 1973. They also recorded songs in English and German, and toured Western Europe and the UK while they were active.
