The Plastic People of the Universe were a experimental Czech underground rock band. The band was formed in 1968 but had its license to perform revoked by communist authorities in 1970; the band was arrested on put on trial in 1976. Protests of these arrests led to the formation of the dissident group Charter 77 that eventually formed the backbone of the Velvet Revolution in 1989. Ironically, however, the band itself splintered around that time, with founding member bassist Milan Hlavsa starting a splinter group, that toured the West. Former czech president Václav Havel is a big fan of this group.
The band managed to record their first album, “Egon Bondy's Happy Hearts Club Banned” in 1974, although it would not be released until 1978 in France. Members of both the band and their audiences were often arrested, and at one such underground performance at Budejovice in 1974, state police rounded up hundreds of fans and band members, imprisoning six and expelling dozens from their universities.
In the spring of 1976 Czech police raided dozens of flats and communal homes; arrested twenty-seven members of the Plastics and other underground bands; confiscated and destroyed most of their instruments and equipment; and seized countless texts, music sheets, tapes and photos. Five members of the Plastics were imprisoned including Jirous, who would suffer three more arrests and convictions in the coming years. By the late seventies several members of the band had relocated to Vienna, where they continued to perform and record. The band would ultimately release “Co znamená vésti koně” in 1981, “Kolejnice duní” the following year, and “Půlnoční myš” in 1986. They also recorded but did not release “Hovězí porážka” in 1984. “Co znamená vésti koně” had to be completely re-recorded after the original tapes were destroyed in a mysterious fire the day after they were produced. The album was ultimately released on the mysterious Canadian label Boží Mlýn, which was registered in Canada with the same address registered to former band member and friend Paul Wilson.
For band Members and other info see - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Plastic_People_of_the_Universe
They have been described as similar to The velevet Underground and Frank Zappa.
Egon Bondy's Happy Hearts Club Banned [1978]
1 - A Leste Do Sol, Oeste Da Lua
2 - Zacpa
3 - Toxika
4 - Magicke Noci
5 - M.G.M.
6 - Okolo Okna
7 - Elegie
8 - Podivuhodny Mandarin
9 - Nikdo
10 - Jo - to se ti to Spi
11 - Ja a Mike
12 - Ranni Ptace
13 - Francovka
14 - Jednou Nohou
15 - Spfa Blues
16 - Apokalypticej Ptak
17 - Pisen Brance
Plastic People Of The Universe - Egon Bondy's Happy Hearts Club Banned [1978]
Kolejnice duní [1984]
1 - Sel pro krev
2 - Prasinec
3 - Kanarek
4 - Nenavist vola k reznickymu psu
5 - Petrin
6 - Moucha v rannim pive
7 - Bleskem do hlavy
8 - Spatna vec
9 - Papirovy hlavy
Plastic people Of The Universe - Hovezi Porazka [1984]
Kolejnice duní [2001]
1 - 100 Bodu
2 - Dopis Magorovi
3 - Phil Esposito
4 - Metastáze
5 - Kolejnice Duní
6 - Sociálne Blízcí
Plastic People Of The Universe - Kolejnice Duní
