| Pasarea Phoenix |
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Pasarea phoenix is a Romania n band which started in the 1960 's. It began by doing some covers of Beatles songs. However they soon had to change their Style since the Romania n Communist regime disliked any form of Western Culture . This restrictions made the band's leader Nicolae Covaci look for Inspiration within the Romanian culture. This gave them a Unique sound that reminds of the original Romanian songs and stories. BIOGRAPHY Around the year 1961 in Timisoara two students at the medium school no.2 start an electric rock band inspired by "the Shadows." The two students were Nicolae Covaci (born in 1947) and Kamocsa Camo Bela (born in 1945), and the band was called "the Saints" (orig. "Sfintii") In 1964 the band has to change it's name which was too "mystic". The band was called Phoenix. Nicu Covaci also changes the composition of the band by adding Florin "Moni" Bordeianu (born in 1948), Claudiu Rotaru, Ioan "Pilu" Stefanovici (born in 1946 ) and Gúnter "Spitzi" Reininger (born 1950) For the next couple of years the student band will become popular in Timisoaras clubs and teenager dorms by performing western songs (Beatles, Kinks, Animals, Rolling Stones). In 1965 they will have their first big concert in Bucharest. Their performance will bring a collaboration with Cornel Chiriac to record some of their songs. The first songs recorded were "Stiu ca ma iubesti si tu" (I know you love me to), "Dunare, Dunare"(Danube, Danube) and "Bun e vinul ghiurghiuliu" (Good is the vine of Ghiurgu). The same year marks the beginning of their collaboration with Victor Carcu, who will write many of their most famous songs, like "Vremuri"(Times), "Si totusi ca voi sant"(And yet I am like you), "Nebunul"(crazy), "Floarea stancilor"(Mountain flower) and "Canarul"(canary). In decembre 1967 Phoenix will have their first major series of concerts in many western cities, finished by two huge concerts in Timisoara. In April 1968 they win the first national rock competition in Iasi They start working on a rock theater play "Omul 36/80" (the man 36/80) which will win several prizes for originality. In 1969 Ioan "Pilu" Stefanovici is replaced by Dorel "Baba" Vintila Zaharia (born in 1943) For the next year the band becomes more and more popular, frequently visiting Bucharest and being invited in talk shows about music. In 1970 Moni Bordeianu emigrates from Romania and Nicu Covaci brings the band back in anew formation "Spitzi", Cornel Liuba (drums), Kovacs Zoltan (base) si Laurentiu Butoi (flute) after a few months Mircea Baniciu (born in 1950) joins the band. Zoli, Laurentiu and Cornel are replaced by Joszef Kappl (born in 1950) and Costin Petrescu ( born in 1949). Also this marks a radical change in the style of the band. Now Phoenix will turn to the Romanian folklore, pagan rituals, mystic animals and old traditions. This year Phoenix will start the collaboration with the Institute of Etnografy and Folclor and the Folclore section of the Timisoara University for an ambitious project. "Cei ce ne-au dat nume" (The ones that gave us the name) was a rock poem that combined traditional wooden instruments with modern sounds. During this project the band starts collaborating with Valeriu Sepi (born in 1947) who will eventually join the band. The show, although innovative and culturally valuable will be accepted by the communist regime only after almost a year. The recorded version will also be a lot shorter due to censorship. However the record will be a major realization since it is the first LP produced by a romanian rock band. In 1973 Phoenix will represent Romania at the "Golden harp" festival in Bratislava (Cehoslovacia) and then in the "Disc festival" in Sopot (Poland). On Monday 19 November 1973 Phoenix will hold a memoriable concert in Bucharest presenting their new hit's "Andri Popa", "Pavel Chinezu", "Strunga" which will compose the new disc "Mugur de fluier" The new songs were still influenced by folclor but they have a new style. This style is the result of the collaboration with new text writers Andrei Ujica and Serban Foarta. Based on those new songs Nicu Covaci will create a new show "Introducere la un concert despre muzica veche la romani" (Introduction to a concert about old music for Romanians) in which he will introduce violines, flutes, archaic percussion and other traditional instruments. The show was newer finished due to a new collaboration with "Cenaclul Flacara." This period is considered the peek for Phoenix. Their sound was original and powerful and full stadiums were common for their concerts. Every winter the members of the band would retereat to Mount Semenic and plan the next songs. The winter of 1974-75 will bring a newcommer to the band Ovidiu Lipan "Tandarica" (born in 1953). In that winter the show "Zoosophia", title that will change into "Cantafabule" is created. The show becings by calling all mithic animals and continues by dedicating a song to each of them finishing with the Phoenix bird, the band's symbol. The show will pe first presented in Timisoara in February 1975. The disc will pe recorded in very short time and will be published the same year with a misspeling in the title "Cantofabule." What follows are two years of almost continuous concerts but also the creation of the soundtrack for the movie "Nemuritorii" Two concerts: Orastie (1976) on the ruins of Sarmisegetuza and Alba Iulia (1977) are considered the heights of the band. A year latter Nicu Covaci moves to Holland and the future of the band seems uncertain. DISCOGRAPHY Released in Romania
Released in Germany
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