We continue our subjective review of rock bands from Bydgoszcz in the 1980s. This time, we will remind you of the story of a group that was the first legally released Polish formation on the South American market.
Faithful fans of Polish heavy metal sounds will certainly remember the band Lord Vader from Bydgoszcz. The history of this well-deserved team for the national scene was told to the editorial staff by Witek Albiński, the leader and co-founder of the band, later recognized as a journalist and teacher, television producer, and active musician in bands like Graffiti. A few years ago, he was the manager and drummer of the Jary Band, the legendary vocalist of Oddział Zamknięty – Krzysztof Jaryczewski. Currently, he is a harmonica player of the blues band Bydgoscy Bluesmani.
From Rubikon to Nowy Rynek
“- It all started in primary school. In the seventh grade, while I was in the hospital, I met Darek Hałas. We had common musical fascinations and even formed a band that never even had a rehearsal. We would tell people that we had a band, but we didn’t actually do anything. However, we instilled a certain musical idea in ourselves,” recalls Witek Albiński. “Later, our paths diverged, and I started playing with the guys from the Bydgoszcz band ‘Mechanik.’ It was the Rubikon band, which later changed its name to Nowy Rynek. Its name came from the place where we had rehearsals – the basement of a tenement house at Nowy Rynek 1.”
Fatum on the “Jedynka” chart
After some time, Dariusz Hałas became the vocalist of Nowy Rynek. However, due to misunderstandings in the band, Hałas and Albiński left and soon formed the band Fatum together with Witold Nowicki and Marek Felski.
“- It was a short time of real work with Darek in the band, not pretending like in elementary school. That time showed us that we can pursue our plans and fulfill our dreams together. That’s why when they kicked Darek out of Nowy Rynek, I decided to leave and do something together with him,” recalls Witek Albiński. Fatum with Witold Nowicki on guitar and Marek Felski on bass, also playing covers of bands like Black Sabbath and Budgie, was liked by the audience. The result of this popularity was a recording session at the Polskie Radio PiK studio in February 1983. The song “Idź Dalej” from that session was listed for two weeks on the “Jedynka” chart.
By Red Maluch to Jarocin
In 1985, the band submitted their application to the festival in Jarocin. Witek Albiński: “- We sent the application, but didn’t receive a response, so I called the cultural center in Jarocin, which organized the festival. They confirmed that the Fatum band qualified. We packed ourselves into a red Maluch (Fiat 126p), with Darek and new musicians – guitarist Adam Gołębiowski, bassist Roman Różański, and me. And we set off. When we arrived, it turned out that Fatum would indeed perform, but not us, but a band with the same name from Warsaw. We were quite angry, and it was then that the idea of changing the name was born. After a few months of operating as Fatum and searching for a name, Lord Vader was created.”
21st vocalist. Lord Vader vs. Vader
Before Fatum officially transformed into Lord Vader, there were several breaks in the band’s activity due to the search for… a vocalist. “- Darek left the band several times because he was looking for musical happiness
