Spitalul de Urgenta
Encyclopedia
Spitalul de Urgenţă, literally "Emergency Hospital", is a Romania
n pop
band, integrating elements of traditional Romanian music into a sometimes hard-edged rock
sound, although also incorporating influences as diverse as Balkan
folk music
, European classical music, and cartoon soundtrack music.
The group was formed 2000 in Bucharest
. Spitalul de Urgenţă is also the Romanian title of the American television show ER
, but band leader Dan Helciug says that the name actually derived from a time they were playing a concert and "all the musicians arrived injured… we looked like a band from a hospital." Helciug has now worked with quite a range of musicians and continues to release music in this style under the name Spitalul de Urgenţă more or less regardless of exactly who he is playing with. He also plays in the more rock oriented band Nod, which he describes as a blend of Rammstein
, Depeche Mode
and Korn
.
Helciug's lyrics often feature a bitter wit that does not lend itself to easy translation, especially because of his tendency to paraphrase (both musically and lyrically) pieces of well known traditional songs. For example, the chorus of their song "Trăiască Berea" ("Long Live Beer") uses a phrase from a traditional song, "Foaie verde şi-o lalea" ("Green leaves and a tulip"):
The album Alcool Rafinat ("Refined Alcohol", 2005) includes a number of covers and parodies including a reworking of the Judas Priest
song "Breaking the Law" as "Caut un bou" ("Looking for an Ox"), in which a cow wanders through Bucharest looking for love, and a more straightforward translation of the Tiger Lillies
' song "Whore" as "Curva".
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
band, integrating elements of traditional Romanian music into a sometimes hard-edged rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
sound, although also incorporating influences as diverse as Balkan
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, European classical music, and cartoon soundtrack music.
The group was formed 2000 in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
. Spitalul de Urgenţă is also the Romanian title of the American television show ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, but band leader Dan Helciug says that the name actually derived from a time they were playing a concert and "all the musicians arrived injured… we looked like a band from a hospital." Helciug has now worked with quite a range of musicians and continues to release music in this style under the name Spitalul de Urgenţă more or less regardless of exactly who he is playing with. He also plays in the more rock oriented band Nod, which he describes as a blend of Rammstein
Rammstein
Rammstein is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band from Berlin, formed in 1994. The band consists of members Till Lindemann , Richard Z. Kruspe , Paul H. Landers , Oliver "Ollie" Riedel , Christoph "Doom" Schneider and Christian "Flake" Lorenz...
, Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
and Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
.
Helciug's lyrics often feature a bitter wit that does not lend itself to easy translation, especially because of his tendency to paraphrase (both musically and lyrically) pieces of well known traditional songs. For example, the chorus of their song "Trăiască Berea" ("Long Live Beer") uses a phrase from a traditional song, "Foaie verde şi-o lalea" ("Green leaves and a tulip"):
- Trăiască berea in care ne-am născut
- Traiăscă berea că tare ne-a durut
- Foaie verde şi-o lalea
- Fie pâinea cât de rea
- Chiar aici in ţara ta
- Tot ţi-o fură cineva.
-
- - "Trăiască berea", Dan Helciug
-
- Long live beer in which we were born
- Long live beer, for we've suffered much
- Green leaves and a tulip
- However bad the bread may be
- Even here in your own country
- Someone will steal it [the bread] from you.
-
- - "Long live beer", Dan Helciug
-
The album Alcool Rafinat ("Refined Alcohol", 2005) includes a number of covers and parodies including a reworking of the Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
song "Breaking the Law" as "Caut un bou" ("Looking for an Ox"), in which a cow wanders through Bucharest looking for love, and a more straightforward translation of the Tiger Lillies
Tiger Lillies
The Tiger Lillies are a three-piece band, formed in 1989 and based in London. They have toured worldwide and won acclaim with their opera Shockheaded Peter....
' song "Whore" as "Curva".
Original lineup
- Dan Helciug (vocals)
- Viorel Preda
- Adrian Chepa (bass)
- Catalin Dalvarea
Other members
- Emil Chican (guitar)
- Vladimir Sergeyev (drums)
- Vali Craciunescu (accordion)
- Claudiu Stoica (ţambal)
Discography
- Trăiască Berea (2000, EP)
- Să Cânte Muzica! (2001?)
- Spitalomania (2002)
- Stupefiant (2004)
- Alcool Rafinat (2005)