CPg
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about the underground punk rock group. For other meanings, see CPG (disambiguation).
CPg is a controversial underground punk rock group formed by guitarist Zoltán Benkő and drummer Zoltán Nagy in Szeged, Hungary in 1979. Vocalist Béla Haska and bassist Zoltán Varga joined in 1981.
[edit] History
CPg were known for their anti-establishment songs, lyrics openly condemning the socialist state authority of then Soviet-occupied Hungary. By 1982 many establishments closed their doors to the act and the band was forced to relocate to Budapest. CPg gained considerable underground popularity among fans, however, by then the music industry and authorities were also on the lookout.
The final show was performed on March 5, 1983. Haska presented a chicken on stage, and fans quickly ripped it to pieces. Members of CPg were arrested on charges of political incitement. An investigation concluded that the band did not represent fascist ideologies, but in fact were anti-communists. The subsequent trial lasted for six months, involving numerous witnesses and additional evidence to support the charge.
All four band members were convicted. Benkő, Haska and Nagy each received two year jail sentences. Varga was placed on four year probation as a juvenile offender. Shortly after serving his sentence, Benkő, fled to America.
During the communist era, the only documented source of CPg music was poor quality DAT bootleg recordings, however, in 1993 an official CPg concert CD album was published by Trottel Records titled: Mindent Megeszünk. The late 90's saw the new reformation of the band.
In 1999, producer Róbert Kövessy made a 63 minute documentary on the early days of CPg, entitled Pol Pot Megye Punkjai (The Punks of Pol Pot County)
In 2003 Auróra Records released CPg's only album called "Embör vigyázz!" containing mostly old songs.
[edit] Name
Media slander claimed that the name CPg was an abbreviation Cigány Pusztitó Gárda (Gypsy Exterminator Gang) In fact, CPg stands for Come on Punk Group and was later changed to Coitus Punk Group by Zoltán Benkő.
[edit] References
- Ramet, Sabrina P. (1995). Social Currents in Eastern Europe: The Sources and Consequences of the Great Transformation. Duke University Press, p. 258. ISBN 0822315483. Retrieved on 2008-05-27.
- Szemere, Anna (2001). Up from the Underground: The Culture of Rock Music in Postsocialist Hungary. Penn State Press, p. 140. ISBN 0271021330. Retrieved on 2008-05-27.
- Blecha, Peter (2004). Taboo Tunes: A History of Banned Bands & Censored Songs. Backbeat Books, pp. 4, 171. ISBN 0879307927. Retrieved on 2008-05-27.
