Hungária (band)
| Company type | Musical ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Founder | Miklós Fenyő |
| Defunct | 1983; 1986; 1995 (multiple disbandments) |
| Headquarters | Budapest , Hungary |
Key people | Miklós Fenyő (lead vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist) |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
Hungária was a Hungarian pop-rock ensemble established in 1967 by Miklós Fenyő, who served as the lead vocalist, guitarist, and keyboardist. Despite facing intermittent restrictions imposed by Hungary's Communist authorities, by the early 1980s Hungária had become one of the nation’s foremost musical acts.
History
Miklós Fenyő, having spent time in the United States, made his debut on the Hungarian music scene in 1962 and formed the group Syconor two years later. In 1967, he partnered with lyricist István S. Nagy to write songs and launched Hungária to perform their material. The band initially focused on beat music and achieved victory in the televised talent contest Ki mit tud? in 1968. Subsequently, they transitioned toward psychedelic and hard rock genres, releasing their debut album Koncert a marson in 1970. Throughout its existence, the band experienced numerous personnel changes, with Fenyő remaining its only constant member.
During the mid-1970s, Hungária encountered significant obstacles due to the Communist government’s disapproval of rock music as a threat; this resulted in restrictions on record sales and live performances within Hungary. Consequently, their tours were primarily confined to East Germany and other countries aligned with the Soviet bloc. Their Beatles tribute album Beatles Laz came out abroad in 1978 but was prohibited from release in Hungary until 1997.
By 1979, Hungária embraced a 1950s rock ’n’ roll revival style featuring English-language lyrics and embarked on tours across Western Europe. Their 1980 release Rock ’n’ Roll Party became a major success on the domestic market, coinciding with the band adopting American 1950s fashion for their public image. The subsequent album Hotel Menthol (1981) also enjoyed considerable acclaim. In 1982, they performed before an audience of approximately 150,000 at Budapest’s Népstadion.
Disagreements regarding the imposed 1950s aesthetic led to the group’s dissolution in 1983. Following the breakup, Fenyő launched a prosperous solo career with his album Miki and briefly fronted Modern Hungária; meanwhile, other former members created the band Dolly Roll. Key original members reunited in 1995 to produce the album Ébredj fel Rockandrollia. A stage musical inspired by their work, named Hotel Menthol, premiered in 1998 and has since been staged over two hundred times.
Discography
- Koncert a marson (1970)
- Hungária (1971)
- Beatles Laz (1978)
- Rock ’n’ Roll Party (1980)
- Hotel Menthol (1981)
- Arena (1983)
- Finale? (1983)
- Reg volt, igy volt (1985)
- Van aki forrón szereti (1985)
- Szív, zene, szerelem (1986)
- Csók x csók (1987)
- Egyszer fenn, egyszer lenn (1988)
- Hungária aranyalbum (1990)
- Hungária válogatás (1994)
- Ébredj fel Rockandrollia (1995)
- Micsoda buli (1995)
Members
- Miklós Fenyő (guitar, vocals, keyboard), 1967–1995
- Péter Csomós (guitar), 1967–1971
- Miklós Matlaszkovszky (guitar, vocals), 1967–1969
- László Klein (bass), 1967–1969, 1971
- Péter Láng (saxophone), 1967–1969
- József Tóth (drums), 1967–1971
- Péter Sipos (vocals, bass), 1969–1980
- Tamás Barta (guitar), 1969–1972
- Zoltán Kékes (guitar, vocals), 1972–1995
- Gyula Fekete (saxophone, vocals), 1972–1995
- Róbert Szikora (drums, vocals), 1972–1982
- Dolly (vocals), 1980–1995
- Flipper Öcsi (vocals), 1980–1995
- Zsoldos Deddy (drums), 1982–1995
External links
- Hungária at Zene.hu
- Hungária on Discogs