Tublatanka

Tublatanka is a Slovak rock band formed in the fall of 1982 in Bratislava, Slovakia best known for the hits Pravda víťazí and Dnes. The classic lineup consisted of Maťo Ďurinda (also known as Martin Durinda), Palo Horváth, and Ďuro Černý from 1982-1992. In 1992, Palo left the band leaving Martin and Ďuro to record their 1993 album with Martin composing guitar and bass melodies. Ďuro left the band in 1995 due to complications with drugs. Currently the band consists of Maťo Ďurinda, Juraj Topor, and Peter Schlosser.

Biography

Early years

The band formed in 1982 in Bratislava, Slovakia by Maťo Ďurinda (also known as Martin Ďurinda), Palo Horváth, and Ďuro Černý. Ďurinda was a student at Comenius University in Bratislava at the time where he met drummer Ďuro Černý in a wine bar called Veľkí Františkáni thanks to a friend of his. The two talked about their favorite bands such as: Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, Nazareth, The Who, Yes, Pink Floyd, etc. After much discussion the two decided to form a rock trio much like their heroes Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and ELP (Emerson, Lake, and Palmer). But they would need a very talented bassist.

Černý remembered seeing a talented and charismatic bassist named Palo Horváth playing in a band called Mentol so they decided to visit him at his flat in a district of Bratislava called Dúbravka. The three hit it off and decided to jam together for the first time, eventually, they decided to form a band together. The three began practicing and writing songs on the fourth floor of Ďurinda’s campus building until Ďurinda finished his schooling. With more and more songs being written, the trio wanted to sing in a style that everyone could relate to so they approached Martin Sarvaš, who was a student of architecture and good friend of Ďuro Černý to help write lyrics. Sarvaš was a lyricist for a band Černý was previously in.

The band began to perform in bars on most evenings around Bratislava and became quite popular amongst the crowds. Eventually they made a demo tape, gave it to Sarvaš and began shopping around for a record label. Sarvaš became their manager and created the image of their band. While getting intoxicated in Veľkí Františkáni, Černý and Ďurinda thought of their band name. Černý wanted to call the band Tublat (which is the name of an evil ape in Tarzan books) but this name was mocked by crowds while they played. They eventually decided on Tublatanka as a combination of TUBLAT and Moravanka (a former local band they admired). Another version, given by Ďuro Černý in an interview for the newspaper SME, is that a driver for the band suggested they call themselves Tublatanka, as a combination of Tublat- and a parody of local wind ensembles, whose names invariably ended in -anka.^[1]

1980s - Mainstream success

On January 30, 1983, there was a festival of the amateurish bands in PKO Bratislava (park of culture and relaxation) that was organized by Richard Müller under the title of “Mladá vlna 82”, where Tublatanka had an opportunity to appear as an opening band. The band had a notable unexpected success and the director of the Slovak Record Label OPUS, Milan Vašica, who was sitting among audience offered the boys to record their first big self-titled LP. The album sold over 100,000 in the first few months after it was released so OPUS records offered to record their second album which came out a year called entitled Skúsime to cez vesmír (Will try it through the Universe). While recording that album, Ďurinda was called into his basic military service and reported to Klátov much to his dismay since he wanted to finish recording the album. Sales for Skúsime to cez vesmír charted at the number one spot and the band started their “30-years tour” that was organized by Jožo Šebo (now he is a manager of Jana Kirschner.) The band was endowed by a wide range of fans in sold out concerts in the amphitheatres and the sport halls. The boys won their first performance on the television program Triangel with their song “O nás” (About Us).

The band recorded their third album Žeravé znamenie osudu (Glowing Sign of Fate) in 1988 and got the opportunity to record the album in OPUS record's new digital studio. The album sold 250,000 copies in the first few months and received the Zlatý erb OPUS-u (Golden Crest of Opus). Tublatanka then did concerts all over Czechoslovakia and the song “Láska, drž ma nad hladinou” (Buoy Me Up, My Love) was in first place of Czechoslovak chart of Formula Pop for several months. In November 1988, the band was invited to play in a music festival in Moscow that was held at a stadium in Luzhniki where ten shows were held with an attendance of 14-15 thousand of people in attendance.

On September 16, 1989, the band had a big concert at the amphitheatre of Bratislava, that was recorded by professional film crew. In November 1989, when the Velvet Revolution broke out and the first demonstrations against the Communist Party for democracy began to appear, Ďurinda provided his guitar equipment and he installed a sound system in Hviezdoslavovo Square in Bratislava by four reproboxes and two amplifiers during the first three days of revolution. The song "Pravda víťazí" (The Truth Wins) became an unwritten anthem of Velvet Revolution. Repeatedly was this song was in first place of music chart on the television program called Triangel and even a videotape under the title “Pravda víťazí” that represented the successful concert at the amphitheater in Bratislava, appeared at the Christmas market. The concert tape was completely sold out.^[2]

1990s and lineup change

In 1990, the band left for Jevany to a studio of L. Steidl in Czech Republic to record their fourth album Nebo – peklo – raj (Heaven-Hell-Paradise). Andy Hryc, an actor who prepared also an intro to the song “Démon pomsty” (Devil of Revenge), christened the album at a significant debut where thousands of people were present. In 1992 the next album was released, entitled Volanie divočiny (Call of the Wild) in which not only featured the lyrics of Sarvaš, but also of Whisky (a Slovak musician who was also a good friend of Ďurinda’s).

In 1993, the relations between Ďurinda and Horváth began to diminish due to creative differences. After a show in Karlsruhe, Germany, Horváth left Tublatanaka due to creative differences with Ďurinda. As Ďurinda couldn't find anybody who would replace Horváth for a long time, he had to take over bass while he and Černý recorded their 1993 Christmas album Poďme bratia do Betlehema (Let's go to Bethlehem, My Brothers) that appeared at the Christmas market and it became extremely popular around that time. This album was christened by Silvia Lakatošová, the last Miss Czechoslovakia. At that time, Ďuro Černý became addicted in drugs after trying them with his friends from a band called Slobodná Európa (which he played often apart from Tublatanka with) offered him them. Černý was no longer able to play with Tublatanka and left to be cured.

Maťo stayed alone and had to look for new musicians. The advertisement in a newspaper Nový čas was useless, two interviews took place but nobody from more than 60 musicians were suitable to his liking. So he discovered a guitarist and singer named Jozef “Dodo” Dubán, a graduate of law who became available because he left his band Money Factor, as well as a bass guitarist Juraj Topor (designer of a fashion show), who, as the guitar technician, helped Maťo to prepare the concerts and before he had played together with the band If.

In August 1994, the band attended a music show in the Polish city of Sopot with its song "Ja sa vrátim" (I will Return). For the first time a drummer, Dušan Giertl, and their new band manager at the time managed the band from 1993 until 1997. So the new lineup of Tublatanka was formed and they began to prepare a new album and started practicing a new concert repertoire. Even a partly cured Ďuro Černý re-joined the band and a new CD Znovuzrodenie (Rebirth) was recorded. At the beginning of 1994, the band won a competition on STV and represented their country in the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin, Ireland with their song “Nekonečná pieseň” (Neverending Song). The band placed at the 17th place out of 25, so after their return to Slovakia only negative press and bad reviews welcomed them.

Ďuro Černý left the band once again in 1995 due to problems with drugs that led to severe health problems. Martin Uherčík replaced Černý in 1995. Shortly after this the band took a very long break from recording and released two greatest hits CDs that contained a few English versions of their songs originally intended for English Versions of their classic albums “Skúsime to cez vesmír” and “Žeravé znamenie osudu.”^[2]

2000s

In 2001, the band finally recorded and released a new album entitled Pánska jazda (Stag Party). This album did not feature lyrics by their usual lyricist Martin Sarvaš, instead, Ďurinda took over that job. The album transitioned Tublatanka into a more mainstream sound as opposed to their earlier work.

Martin Uherčík quit the band after Pánska jazda and was replaced by Peter Schlosser. Jozef “Dodo” Dubán committed suicide in 2002. Ďurinda never replaced him but instead decided to continue on as a rock trio once again. After another long successful run of touring, Tublatanka released “Patriot” in 2005 which contained 14 new songs and contained some lyrics by Martin Sarvaš once again. A year after it was released, Tublatanka released their second Christmas album Vianočný deň to much critical acclaim. Currently the band continues to tour all over Slovakia and Czech Republic.^[3]

Band members

Current members

• Maťo Ďurinda - lead vocals, lead/rhythm guitar, piano, bass guitar (1985–present)
• Juraj Topor - bass guitar, vocals (1994–present)
• Peter Schlosser - drums, percussion (2002–present)

Former members

• Ďuro Černý - drums, percussion (1985–1995)
• Palo Horváth - bass guitar, vocals (1985–1993)
• Jozef Dubán - lead/rhythm guitar, vocals (1994–2002)
• Martin Uherčík - drums, percussion (1996–2001)

Discography

• 1985: Tublatanka
• 1987: Skúsime to cez vesmír
• 1988: Žeravé znamenie osudu
• 1990: Nebo – peklo – raj
• 1992: Volanie divočiny
• 1993: Poďme bratia do Betlehema
• 1994: Znovuzrodenie
• 2001: Pánska jazda
• 2005: Patriot
• 2006: Vianočný deň
• 2010: Svet v ohrození

See also

• The 100 Greatest Slovak Albums of All Time

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tublatanka.

Official Website Tublatanka's Biography