Dezerter
Encyclopedia
Dezerter, founded as SS-20 in 1981 in Warsaw
, Poland
, is one of the most popular punk bands from Poland. They had to change their original name to Dezerter because of the reaction of the Communist authorities (SS-20 was a NATO reporting name
of a Soviet
ballistic missile, and this name was regarded too provocative by the government). Besides a band had very controversial lyrics and being constantly attacked by state censorship they made a choice to change a name without change anything else. To become less recognizable by regime they often changed name at posters, sometimes written as "De-zerter", sometimes as "The Zerter" - it was cheap and efficient trick to cheat an opponent.
Dezerter debuted during the Mokotów
Music Autumn Festival, in November 1981. In 1982, together with other Polish punk rock bands (TZN Xenna
and Deuter
) it went on a tour across the country, also playing in the 1982 Jarocin Festival
). In 1983 Dezerter recorded a four-song 7″ EP, Ku przyszłości (Into the future) also known as Spytaj milicjanta (Ask (a question to) a cop). The record was issued by the state label Tonpress and it was very warmly welcomed by fans, with 50,000 copies sold. With fast guitar riffs and intelligent lyrics written by Grabowski, Dezerter's concerts have drawn thousands of fans and its LPs were very popular, especially in the late '80s and early '90s.
The most famous Dezerter's live appearance took place during the 1984 Jarocin Festival in Jarocin
, Poland and it was attended by some 20,000 people. The concert was recorded and later parts of it were released (together with four songs from mentioned EP at beginning) on the LP Underground Out of Poland
. The LP was produced by Joey Shithead, vocalist of a Canadian band D.O.A.
. Dezerter however is not widely known in other countries perhaps because the band refrains from singing in the English language
. Nevertheless, the band played in several European countries, Japan and the U.S.A. (in New York City
and Chicago
, early November 2009, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall
).
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, is one of the most popular punk bands from Poland. They had to change their original name to Dezerter because of the reaction of the Communist authorities (SS-20 was a NATO reporting name
NATO reporting name
NATO reporting names are classified code names for military equipment of the Eastern Bloc...
of a Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
ballistic missile, and this name was regarded too provocative by the government). Besides a band had very controversial lyrics and being constantly attacked by state censorship they made a choice to change a name without change anything else. To become less recognizable by regime they often changed name at posters, sometimes written as "De-zerter", sometimes as "The Zerter" - it was cheap and efficient trick to cheat an opponent.
Dezerter debuted during the Mokotów
Mokotów
Mokotów is a dzielnica of Warsaw, the capital of Poland. Mokotów is densely populated. It is a seat to many foreign embassies and companies...
Music Autumn Festival, in November 1981. In 1982, together with other Polish punk rock bands (TZN Xenna
TZN Xenna
TZN Xenna - was one of the early Polish punk rock bands.-1981 - 1983:*Krzysztof Chojnacki Zygzak *Marek Kucharski Marcus *Sidney *Tomasz Kożuchowski Gogo Szulc -1983 - 1987:...
and Deuter
Deuter
Deuter is a German New Age instrumentalist and recording artist known for his meditative style that blends Eastern and Western musical styles.- Biography :...
) it went on a tour across the country, also playing in the 1982 Jarocin Festival
Jarocin Festival
Jarocin Festival was one of the biggest and most important rock music festivals in the 1980s Europe, by far the biggest festival of alternative music in the Warsaw Pact countries....
). In 1983 Dezerter recorded a four-song 7″ EP, Ku przyszłości (Into the future) also known as Spytaj milicjanta (Ask (a question to) a cop). The record was issued by the state label Tonpress and it was very warmly welcomed by fans, with 50,000 copies sold. With fast guitar riffs and intelligent lyrics written by Grabowski, Dezerter's concerts have drawn thousands of fans and its LPs were very popular, especially in the late '80s and early '90s.
The most famous Dezerter's live appearance took place during the 1984 Jarocin Festival in Jarocin
Jarocin
Jarocin Jarocin Jarocin ( is a town in central Poland with 25,700 inhabitants (1995). Since 1999 Jarocin has been located in the Greater Poland Voivodeship, prior to that it was located in the Kalisz Voivodeship (1975–1998).- History :...
, Poland and it was attended by some 20,000 people. The concert was recorded and later parts of it were released (together with four songs from mentioned EP at beginning) on the LP Underground Out of Poland
Underground Out of Poland
Underground Out of Poland is the debut studio album by Polish punk rock band Dezerter. It was released in US during 1987 through Maximumrocknroll Records , and was re-released in 1996 by QQRYQ Productions and 2002 by Pop Noise Records...
. The LP was produced by Joey Shithead, vocalist of a Canadian band D.O.A.
D.O.A. (band)
D.O.A. is a hardcore punk band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. They are often referred to as the "founders" of hardcore punk, along with Black Flag, Bad Brains, Teen Idles, and Minor Threat. Their second album Hardcore '81 was thought by many to have been the first actual reference to...
. Dezerter however is not widely known in other countries perhaps because the band refrains from singing in the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Nevertheless, the band played in several European countries, Japan and the U.S.A. (in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, early November 2009, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
).
Members
- Robert "Robal" Matera – guitar, vocals
- Krzysztof Grabowski – drums
- Jacek Chrzanowski – bass
Previous members
- Dariusz "Stepa" Stepnowski – bass, vocals
- Dariusz "Skandal" Hajn – vocals (until 1985, deceased)
- Paweł Piotrowski – bass, vocals
- Tony von Kinsky – bass, vocals
Studio albums
- Underground Out of PolandUnderground Out of PolandUnderground Out of Poland is the debut studio album by Polish punk rock band Dezerter. It was released in US during 1987 through Maximumrocknroll Records , and was re-released in 1996 by QQRYQ Productions and 2002 by Pop Noise Records...
(1987) - Kolaboracja (1987)
- Kolaboracja II - (1989)
- Wszyscy przeciwko wszystkim (1990)
- Blasfemia (1992)
- Ile procent duszy? (1994)
- Deuter (1995)
- Mam kły mam pazury (1996)
- Ziemia jest płaska (1998)
- Legowisko nieznanych wytworów mej wyobraźni" (1998) with Trafika Dżajant
- Decydujące starcie (2001)
- Nielegalny zabójca czasu (2004)
- Punk’s not jazz (2006)
- Prawo do bycia idiotą (2010)