Fra omslaget: "The Plastic People of the Universe are the legendary godfathers of the Czech underground music scene. Formed in 1968 shortly after the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia which crushed the liberal reforms of the Prague Spring, the band endured two decades of Soviet "normalization." Stripped of their professional status, then banned from performing in public, they were eventually thrown in jail. Their crime? Making music that didn't conform to the Communist regime's tastes. Yet the band never wavered in their determination to make their own authentic art and their brave perseverance ultimately led to the Velvet Revolution which ended the totalitarian regime in Czechoslovakia. Their incredible story has often allowed their music to be overlooked. Not anymore. A Consumer Guide to The Plastic People of the Universe is the first book to focus on the band's remarkably original music - a magical brew of progressive rock, free jazz, European roots music and psychedelia - and the only guide to review every album in their discography plus selected works by related bands - over 80 albums in all. Books and DVDs about the band are also reviewed inside."
The Plastic People of the Universe are the legendary godfathers of the Czech underground music scene. Formed in 1968 shortly after the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia which crushed the liberal reforms of the Prague Spring, the band endured two decades of Soviet "normalization." Stripped of their professional status, then banned from performing in public, they were eventually thrown in jail. Their crime? Making music that didn't conform to the Communist regime's tastes. Yet the band never wavered in their determination to make their own authentic art and their brave perseverance ultimately led to the Velvet Revolution which ended the totalitarian regime in Czechoslovakia. Their incredible story has often allowed their music to be overlooked. Not anymore.
A Consumer Guide to THE PLASTIC PEOPLE OF THE UNIVERSE is the first book to focus on the band's remarkably original music - a magical brew of progressive rock, free jazz, European roots music and psychedelia - and the only guide to review every album in their discography plus selected works by related bands including Pulnoc, Fiction and DG 307 - over 80 albums in all. Books and DVDs about the band are also reviewed within. Most of the band's amazing music has never been released in the U.S. This guide will tell you which albums are must-owns and where to track them down. Information on new and upcoming releases is also provided, including when and where to purchase the critically-acclaimed Pulnoc concert recording Live at P.S. 122 on CD.
The 8.5" x 11" soft-cover, full color book includes over 70 photographs - many of them rare and previously unpublished. Telling the band's incredible story while simultaneously reviewing the entirety of their recordings in chronological order, this book is an essential read for music fans and history buffs alike.
