"SIEKIERA (the axe) has cut everything that could be cut evenly" - Piotr Naglowski, Jarocin 84 announcer, shortly after their set.
"Even not quite punk people are crazy about SIEKIERA - the energy was huge. In one day, Siekiera became a nationwide sensation, and years later the word 'Jarocin' is synonymous with the band's category for many." - Robert Jarosz
Historical live recordings of Siekiera - one of the most legendary bands of the Polish music scene of the 1980s. Recorded during both of the band's performances: the competition and the final set at the Jarocin festival in 1984. Two songs from the final concert appeared on the "Fala" compilation LP (Polton, 1985). Years later, most of these live recordings appeared on the Siekiera "Na wszystkich frontach ´swiata" CD (W Moich Oczach, 2008), but only now for the first time are all the songs that were played on August 1 and August 4, 1984 being released in one place.
Less than five months after their debut show, the band had the chance to play in front of a huge audience. From the first moment the band was onstage, a violent musical and lyrical attack hit the audience and this was answered with what is considered, even after all these years, to be the biggest pogo in the history of Polish punk. The band qualified for the final round at the festival, and amidst that became the biggest surprise of the fest. The loudest response was told and written after the festival, from scattered punkers to the official press, describing this event in all kinds of ways. Often misinterpreted, Siekiera caused fascination and horror with their formula, aesthetics, appearance, and uncompromising sonic and verbal attack.
This band, the most brutal in sound and presentation from the eastern bloc during the first half of the 1980s, was able to create something incredibly characteristic and unique. They brought a local Eastern European spirit to the musical formula of aggressive hardcore punk developed by Discharge and the "Bristol sound" of the bands such as Disorder or Chaos UK, as well as Scandinavian HC (such as Headcleaners who are eagerly listened to in their hometown of Pulawy).
After more than 35 years since their beginning, despite hardware and technical limitations, they still make a huge impression on their audience.
Siekiera "Jarocin '84" LP is the second vinyl item released as part of the punk series of the Jarocin festival in cooperation with Warsaw Pact Records from the Trasa W-Z Archive. It contains 14 tracks from two sources - recordings from the soundboard and recordings by a microphone / tape player by someone in the audience. This LP comes with a gatefold cover, inner sleeve with lyrics sent to censorship by the band (and translations) and also 24-page booklet with commentary by Tomasz Adamski, an article by Robert Jarosz, lots of festival photos (including Sobocinski, Makowski, Wasaznik, Waszewski), and press archives. Mastering by Smok "Studio As One".
Here it is: an extremely important piece of history, which not only shook the foundations of Polish punk, but the entire musical culture of the People's Republic of Poland.
Tracklist:
01 Bylo Tylko Czterech Nas
02 Oddzial Slepych (Fala)
03 Piwko Dla Wojska
04 Banda Dzika
05 Idzie Wojna
06 Siersciotluki
07 Wojownik
08 Bylo Tylko Czterech Nas
09 Oddzial Slepych (Fala)
10 Laduj Dzialo
11 Wojownik
12 Idzie Wojna
13 Marysia
14 Rana Kluta
