Jan 23 2012
The plastic people of the universe (1968)
Summary: the life and work of the musical band that stood against the communist regime, playing an important influence in the students and young people who formed the resistance of the Velvet Revolution.
The plastic People of the Universe are a musical group from Prague, created in 1968. It was during the time of the communist party of Alexander Dubcek that the members of this band started to manifest theirs disagreement with the political situation in the Czechoslovakia. For this reason they had a great intervention after the Prague Spring. The Rock and Roll band couldn’t stand what happened in Prague after the Soviet tanks entered the city, putting an end to the hope of hundreds of Czechs; they become an example of artistic perseverance.
The inspiration of this group comes from the immense numbers of revolutions and demonstrations all over Europe and America, and specially the Beatles. Another inspiration for the group was Frank Zappa, an American artist connected to the music, specifically Jazz and to the film industry. The group Velvet Underground was too a source of inspiration, the American rock group was never commercially and successful but the critic consider them as one of the most important groups of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Like the Velvet Underground had Andy Warhol as their manager, The Plastic People of the Universe had Ivan Jirous, an art historian and cultural critic. He was responsible for the formation of the group too because he introduced some of the members. They were Vratislav Brabenec, clarinet, saxophone and vocals; Josef Janícek, keyboard and vocals; Jirí Kabes, vionin and vocals; Joe Kafafiát, guitar and vocals; Ivan Bierhanzl, contrabass; Ivan Kandl drums and vocals. But the former members were Mejala Milan Halavsa, bass guitar and vocals, Paul Wilson vocals and Jan Brabec drums. In 1970, because of their politics ideas, the communist party forbid them to play and took form them the License of Musicians.
They sing in English for the reason that at the time this was the language of the rock, Paul Wilson translated the lyrics into English. At the beginning their repertoire was mainly covers of the Velvet Underground and the Fugs. After Paul they started to sing in Czech with lyrics form the poet Egon Bondy but it was again forbidden by the government. Later their music, was written principally by Milan Hlavsa, becoming madly unique, darker and more atmospheric. An entire underground society grew around them including other bands and artists form all areas. The underground culture succeeds in small Bohemian villages out of the government’s eyes. In 1974 they already were a success, thousands of students wanted to listen to their music in Ceske Budejovice but the police didn’t allow the performed. Instead hundreds of fans were led through a dark tunnel to the rail station while being beaten with clubs, then herded onto a waiting train and sent back to Prague. Names were written down, students were arrested and others were expelled from school. This day was known as the “Ceske Budejovice Massacre”. Once they couldn’t act openly they started to make secret concerts and had to live like this until the Velvet Revolution. However this ended up resulting in their arrestment in 1976, as well as other people who stood up against the regime. They were considered to be “organized disturbance of the peace”. The Czech members were sentences form 8 to 18 months and Wilson was deported. Vaclav Havel attended the trial and gathered outside in the hallway. He left the trial feeling disgusted with the world and resolved to make a difference.
In 1978 they realised their first record Egon Bondy’s Happy Hearts Club Banned, in France, while Paul Wilson realized it in Canada under the name The Passion Play. A year later they had a new album called Jak bude po smrti whish was influenced by the writer Ladislav Klíma. In 1981 they already performed the new record. Co znamená vésti koně (released in Canada as “Leading Horses”) was their next album.
In 1982 Vratislav Brabenec, was forced to exile in Australia and a year later they already had a new album ready, Hovězí porážka. In 1986 they had another album called Půlnoční myš (Midnight Mouse).
In 1997 the members of The Plastic People of the Universe followed different ways. They only get back together in 1997 in honor of the Charter 77, performing regularly.
In 2001 one of the members died Milan Hlavsa. But until today they keep playing all over the world.