A conversation with Andrzej Domżoł – guitarist, songwriter, composer and founder of rock bands, including Silver Samurai, with whom he released the album titled ‘Back to the 80’s’. The artist has also guest-played with bands such as Cree and Sami. He released the ‘Idol’ album under a stage name – Andy MC. His most recent work is ‘Rock’n roll call’, and it’s gripping.
What’s the genesis of the ‘Rock’n roll call’ project?
I’ve been playing music for a very long time and I’ve had quite a few of these projects included in my artistic output, but after the last one – namely Californian – broke up (after two years of intensive rehearsals and playing together, these young people left me high and dry, practically overnight), I was so desperate that I decided to drop music. I figured that since I was over 40, it was time to settle down, stop rocking the boat, quit my passion and start going to work, because life in Poland is definitely not a piece of cake and how much longer one can invest in themselves. But I met a wonderful woman who convinced me to keep the rock’n roll going, and when the band was formed she became its manager.
Who makes the band?
I persuaded my brother Hubert – who used to brilliantly play drums but then sold them and started fishing – to get back to music. Initially, Adrian Żeleźny, whom I worked with in Andy MC, played bass, but he chose stronger music and so – as he’s an ambitious and very talented musician – I gave him free rein. Now, I have a new bass player – Lukasz Czarnik, a very cool guy and a skilled musician. We used to play in a band called Silver Samurai, and he proves himself as a bass player who plays simple, doesn’t make things weird, and gives us such a free hand to improvise at gigs. The youngest member of our band is before his 30s, but he is already a financial planner, which impresses me a lot and gives us such sense of security as no one would trick us financially. A gem in the band is Rusłan Michnowicz, a graduate of the Music University (formerly, Academy), a great musician and multi-instrumentalist, who plays saxophone, keyboard, drums, bass, and sings backing vocals. He has played with various well-known artists, including Zbigniew Wodecki and Martyna Jakubowicz. More than 20 years ago, he came from Belarus and settled in my home town – Kobiór. That’s how we became friends. Then he left and for a few years a contact was lost, but when we met by chance on a weekend trip, it turned out that he lived 100 metres from our rehearsal room in Tychy. He came to the rehearsal, we played and it turned out that there was still chemistry between us. That’s how a very cool line-up was sewn together. I decided to play from my heart and under my real name. We collected all my compositions and played them during the rehearsal.
What songs have you chosen for the album?
Taking all my composing years into account, there are about 40 tracks. The title one was written 15 years ago and it is something that has always fed my soul. I thought it had to open my album one day. It has come true and I’m very proud of it. We wrote some of the tracks together with my life partner. We play pure rock’n roll, very melodic. I’m a fan of good melodies because that’s what people base their music choices on. I love overpowering melodies in the choruses, and I try to compose songs wrapping fingers around people’s hearts. Choosing material for the album, I decided on those melodies that I enjoy. Of course, I also took my friends’ suggestions into consideration, because sometimes I happened to throw something good in the bin. At last, the album consists of12 songs in a variety of moods. The most romantic, yet clear and upbeat, is ‘I’m in Heaven’. A music video has already been created for it. I really enjoy playing it live, especially on the beach, by the water, because it just floats, the sun goes down and it all comes beautifully together. The most rocking ‘Where did I park the car’ is about how we often forget where we leave our cars and misspend around 15 minutes looking for it. We played it recently on TV Katowice in the ‘Dej pozór’ programme. “Czas zmian” is quite a long, reflective piece. It features improvisations, drum solos, bass, saxophone, keyboards and my guitar solos. We gave a display of our skills. In the ‘Biegniesz ciągle’ track, we criticise the rush and the rat race, and musically, we try to break the sounds.
Are your songs despiteful, because you are a rebel?
I will always be one, that’s my nature. If a party requires suits, I’ll certainly be the one who puts on the short, shaggy pants, because I feel comfortable.
As Andrzej Domżoł and the band you have played more than a dozen concerts. Which of these do you consider the most important?
Two years ago we played a concert in Mysłowice and that’s when the Andrzej Domżoł project started. It was frenzy there, a great reception. I have good memories of the concert at the Roma cinema in Zabrze – the oldest studio cinema in Silesia. I like its atmosphere, I generally like places still breathing the air of the People’s Republic of Poland. It was such a carefree time. I was a child then, but I remember long queues, and nobody was in a hurry to get anywhere. I also had the opportunity to meet Grzegorz Głasek, president and co-owner of SPS Construction, during an integration meeting of the “Charisma and Vocation” Group. He invited me into his car and played unreleased songs by Seweryn Krajewski from the 1960s. Great music, we couldn’t stop listening. He’s a fan of music and has an open heart for anyone in the arts. We became friends and then I played a concert at his palace, which I have many warm memories with. Then there was a very good New Year’s Eve concert at the hotel with a view on the mountains – Mazowsze Medi SPA in Ustroń, during which many generations had a great time, teenagers and 80-year-olds went wild there. We played material from a yet-to-be-released album and people reacted brilliantly. We never expected everyone to leave the DJ playing in the room next door and come to us.
The pre-release of the album took place in Cechownia in Gliwice, while the release in Kobiór. Why?
It all started in Kobiór. At the age of 5 I heard ‘Jump’ by Van Halen on the radio, I stopped playing with the electric train and stuck my ear to the radio. I thought it was probably impossible to create anything better in music anymore. I experienced a similar fascination a short while later when I watched the video of “The Final Countdown” by Europe on a videotape my father’s friend had brought from West Germany. When I was in the first grade of primary school, I heard Dire Straits and was so impressed that I made two drumsticks out of wood, a drum from a plastic container and a snare drum from an empty wood preservative can. I set up the drums in the barn and practised basic rock rhythms from songs I heard, for about six months. My dad showed me the first chords on the guitar, so I started practising The Rolling Stones band riffs by ear. I taught my younger brother to play the drums. We decided to earn money for better instruments, we collected scrap metal and worked on construction sites. I took guitar lessons for four years at a music centre. When I was sixteen, my friend and I formed a band called ‘The Departure Zone’. We even recorded an amateur album at the Rondo Studio in Rybnik, but never released it. We wrote the lyrics ourselves and composed the music during rehearsals. It was kinda pop-rock playing, a substitute for what I play now. For a few years, we performed on the stages of local festivals in Lower Silesia, winning some local festivals.
Have you always played this music genre?
No. I once performed classically at Pszczyna Castle with an orchestra under the baton of a conductor/musician from the Silesian Philharmonic. I prepared for this concert for a year. Later, with the Silver Samurai band, we played hard rock, and I improvised dynamic solos on the guitar. We played for an audience of many thousands and supported bands such as TSA, Dżem and Nocny Kochanek. Our biggest achievement was opening for Military Camp Fest in Warsaw in 2010, following the release of our album titled ‘Back to the 80’s’.
Apparently this album has now reached an incredible price on the market.
In Kielce, at a record exchange, it was sold for 500 PLN. It’s hard to get it, because it’s unique. We only released half a thousand for the whole country, and people fight tooth and nail for it (laughs). I don’t even own any, because I gave them all away. I gave the last copy to Jan Borysewicz of Lady Pank, during a workshop I took part in, run under his guidance.
What are your music inspirations?
I like Bruce Springsteen, Brian Adams, Stage Dolls. After years of playing hard rock, I’ve matured into making rock music with a warm sound and have returned to playing Fender Stratocaster guitars.
Are you already working on your next album?
Yes, we’ve already recorded 5 tracks. I think we’ll release a new album next year.
Where can we buy the ‘Rock’n roll call’ album?
I’m a main seller. We have our own stall and we sell it, but you can also get your copy at concerts. Soon, it will appear in the assortment of the Ysuccess online shop and hopefully Empik and allegro. In addition, the album tracks can already be heard on Spotify and on social media. I recommend listening while jogging, cause it’s really empowering.
What are you most proud of?
I’m proud of the sound of my guitar. I developed it by myself. I’ve played drums since childhood, but the guitar is closer to my heart, because you can make beautiful sounds with it. Of course, I like drums too. I record sketches first on drums, then bass, guitars and finally send it to the guys to play.
What are your dreams?
My biggest dream is to play at the Silesian Stadium as a support for Brian Adams. There are lots of cool artists in Poland as well, and supporting them is my plan for the next year. In the following years, I wish things to happen even better…
Dorota Kolano
Beata Sekuła
