The Beatmen
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Defunct | 1966 |
| Headquarters | Bratislava , Czechoslovakia |
| Products | Music recordings (singles, live album) |
The Beatmen were a Slovak rock ensemble active between 1964 and 1966, distinguished by their predominantly English-language lyrics and strong inspiration drawn from the Beatles. They specialized in the big beat genre and produced a total of six recorded tracks throughout their existence. The group was fronted by vocalist and guitarist Dežo Ursiny, who subsequently established a similar band named the Soulmen.
History
Initially formed in 1964 by Peter Petro (drums), Miroslav Bedrik (guitar), and Marián Bednár (bass), The Beatmen soon added lead guitarist Stano Herko, who was shortly succeeded by Dežo Ursiny. Their 1965 output included two singles, each containing two songs, which helped them build a fan base within Czechoslovakia.
In 1966, they achieved the milestone of being the first Eastern European band to perform beyond the Eastern Bloc, appearing in Munich, West Germany. That same year, they served as the opening act for the British rock group Manfred Mann during a concert in Bratislava. After these events, most band members relocated to West Germany, while Ursiny remained in Czechoslovakia to create the Soulmen.
Apart from their official releases, The Beatmen recorded at least five additional tracks that were not published at the time but later emerged in 1997 and 2000 on Ursiny's compilation albums Pevniny a vrchy and Pevniny a vrchy 2. These songs include "Walkin' Home", "Hey Mr. Jones", "Schôdzka" (Slovak title with English lyrics), "Mám ju rád" (a Slovak adaptation of the Beatles' "She Loves You"), and "Keby som bol Nór" featuring Slovak lyrics.
Band members
- Dežo Ursiny – lead guitar, harmonica, vocals
- Miroslav Bedrik – rhythm guitar, vocals
- Marián Bednár – bass guitar, vocals
- Peter Petro – drums, vocals
- Stano Herko – lead guitar
- Juraj Eperješi – guitar
Discography
Albums
- Are Goin' On (live recording, 2017)
Singles
- "Safely Arrived" / "The Enchanted Lie" (1965)
- "Break It" / "Let's Make a Summer" (1965)
- "Stand Up and Go" / "As You Love Me" (1966)