Republika

Republika became one of the most original Polish bands thanks to their catchy, poetic, new wave-inspired music and lyrics, which traced out a path to the Polish rock pantheon. Republika debuted at a new wave bands review in Torun in November 1981. Comprising Pawel Kuczynski (bass), Zbigniew Krzywanski (guitar), Slawomir Ciesielski (drums), and <a href="spotify:artist:3Gx5Yd5lrRmQ6hZpd4r3X2">Grzegorz Ciechowski</a> (vocal, piano, flute), the band began a three-month recording session in June 1982, which resulted in the classic 1983 album Nowe Sytuacje. Within a year, Republika recorded Nieustanne Tango, which was a logical expansion of the musical ideas they'd established on their debut. The band also released an English-language album, named after George Orwell's bell ringer, 1984. Due to internal quarrels, Republika disbanded in the summer of 1986. <a href="spotify:artist:3Gx5Yd5lrRmQ6hZpd4r3X2">Grzegorz Ciechowski</a> kicked off a solo career under the <a href="spotify:artist:0Y0MpkBrGD02Cx3Mmhfa9I">Obywatel G.C.</a> moniker; Kuczynski, Krzywanski and <a href="spotify:artist:3Gx5Yd5lrRmQ6hZpd4r3X2">Ciesielski</a>, along with vocalist <a href="spotify:artist:32qNyW2sjyjjPDQamC2f9O">Robert Gawlinski</a>, founded the band Opera. Using unreleased Republika song sketches, <a href="spotify:artist:3Gx5Yd5lrRmQ6hZpd4r3X2">Ciechowski</a> released a solo album, Obywatel G.C., in 1986. His debut was an artistic success rather than commercial one, but his 1988 sophomore effort Tak! Tak! was a blockbuster. In 1990, a concert in Opole acted as a catalyst for Republika's reunion. Only Kuczynski refused the proposition, so as a trio, the band issued their comeback album, 1991 -- a compilation of their well-known but rearranged songs. Kuczynski was replaced by Leszek Biolik, with whom <a href="spotify:artist:3Gx5Yd5lrRmQ6hZpd4r3X2">Ciechowski</a>, Krzywanski, and <a href="spotify:artist:3Gx5Yd5lrRmQ6hZpd4r3X2">Ciesielski</a> finished recording the final <a href="spotify:artist:0Y0MpkBrGD02Cx3Mmhfa9I">Obywatel G.C.</a> album titled Obywatel Swiata. In 1993, their first live unplugged album, Bez Pradu, was released. The same year, Republika recorded Siodma Pieczec, which represented a rather acoustic countenance, with keyboards and samplers replaced by Hammond or Rhodes piano. In 1995, they released the rather pop-sounding Republika Marzen. <a href="spotify:artist:3Gx5Yd5lrRmQ6hZpd4r3X2">Grzegorz Ciechowski</a>'s sudden death on December 22, 2001 interrupted production of the next Republika album. Four finished tracks, along with 15 live songs, showed up on a double-CD simply titled Republika. ~ Aleksander Stepien, Rovi