In the series of stories about the music scene in Bydgoszcz in the 1980s, the first strictly blues band in our city – Beer Band – cannot be omitted. The team was formed in 1986 and successfully operated for five years.
The band was founded by Aleksander Drążkowski, Władysław Refling, and Tadeusz Wróblewski. Initially, the group tried to practice at the cultural center on Toruńska Street.
From the Canoe Trip to the Rehearsal Room
– We met Olk during a canoe trip – says Władysław Refling. – He had a guitar, and since I loved music and had previously sung in a choir in elementary school, I would timidly sing along during breaks by the fireside on the Brda River. Something must have clicked, because after the trip, Olek invited me to the MOK on Toruńska Street, where Tadzio, the bassist, and he took guitar lessons. There was a room there where we could practice for free, thanks to the goodwill of our teacher.
For poor teenagers, it was like a godsend. We started playing together, and with the help of Tadzio’s older brother, Jaca, who had a huge vinyl collection and invaluable knowledge about music. We also met outside of rehearsals at Tadzio’s, listening to various white blues and rhythm ‘n’ blues performers. Jaca was studying in the same year as Witek Albiński, the drummer of Nowy Rynek (later renamed Lord Vader). For us, novices, it was our first meeting with a serious musician. And something clicked again because Witek suggested playing with the guitarist, Rysiek Poćwiardowski. Playing with such musicians was like wind in our sails. Besides singing, I started playing the harmonica.
At the Threshold of a Career
In the fall of 1986, the band moved from Toruńska Street to the student club “Beanus ’70” on Chodkiewicza Street at the Higher School of Pedagogy. Over time, they gained a large fan base, not only in Bydgoszcz but also in the country. This was thanks to their performances at festivals and concerts in Poland. – We mainly played our own arrangements of selected songs, trying to make them stand out from the sea of blues. I think we made good choices because everything started to happen, largely thanks to Witek Albiński’s organizational skills – recalls Władek Refling.
Festivals and Concerts Abroad
In 1987, the Bydgoszcz team performed in Jarocin and at “Fama,” but above all, they appeared at the Rawa Blues festival in Katowice. A year later, their music was discovered by blues fans from Ukraine. In 1989, Michał Biniecki replaced Witek Albiński. This did not prevent the group from achieving further success, as they performed in Estonia and became laureates of the Rock Pokoju ’89 festival.
Beer Band Discography
Beer Band did not leave behind many recordings. Several songs were recorded at PiK radio in Bydgoszcz. The rest appeared on compilations “Czy znajdziemy Leitmotiv? FAMA ’87” and “Festiwal Muzyczny ’89 Rock Pokoju”.
Photo by Sławek Rymaszewski
