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Band history

1987-1994

Previous to the ’Kortársak’, a fellowship of keen youngsters established the band called ’Temporary’ in autumn 1987. Beside the latter members of ’Kortársak’ József Komlós performed as singer and lyricist and Károly Bozsik as bass guitarist. At that time Péter Háry played on trumpet and Zsolt Kormos Z. played simply guitar.

As a sudden change at Christmas 1987 Zsolt Kormos Z. took over singing and they debuted with a complete programme in the Erkel Ferenc Community Centre, in Kecskemét, which brought down the house. The official date of foundation of the band ’Kortársak’ could be connected to a test day on 15 March 1988, when their name was changed to ’Contemporaries’ that is ’Kortársak’, which sounds similar to the previous ’Temporary’. Since then the set up is constant: Zsolt Kormos Z., singer and guitarist, Gábor Lepés plays synthesizer, Péter Háry plays bass guitar, Zoltán Bíró plays saxophone, and Imre Farkas is the drummer. They replaced the former English languages tracks with Hungarian songs.

At an early stage they wrote songs in the style of funky, later they formed their unique sounding style. In summer 1988 they had a thoughtful programme with 20 tracks, which included the third of the songs known today (’Summer kills’, ’Mirror and Mask’, ’The third sex’, ’When the rain falls’). Fans could listen to these tracks on the ’Kortársak’ Album, which was recorded with the assistance of László Lovász. It was selected partly from radio and partly from home made records.

Thanks to this song-productive period, they frequently took a part in several talent-spotter competitions between 1988 and 1991. They got the greatest attention on the1991 Á. B. Pop-festival. Their song, named ’The embrace saves neither’ was said to be the most prominent production of the year. In the following years the band used every effort to play on stage. They had off more than 500 concerts around the country and they were invited to Switzerland several times, where their music was acknowledged as Western-European standard music.

They gladdened their fans with two albums in 1992: the ’The Backdoor to Heaven’ (with the songs of ’You stay on the bridge’, ’Eclipse’ or the ’Black Days’), then the ’Arms Against the Dreams’ was published under the name of Dandelion with their songs in English. On the Hungarian Radio one could hear about them via Máté Viktor. Out of the last album the’Children of May’, released in 1993 (with the prosperous ’Angel’ or the ’Black Light’) lots of additional songs were born (’Chameleon’, by them ’Firedance’) which were played on concerts only but have never been released officially. A revised version of the song called ’Simultaneous Love’ could be heard of in 1994, and also a clip was made of it.

2007

It has been a long time since the ‘Kortársak’ gave any sign of life. Indeed the band did not cease, but it did not exist. The name of the band popped up on forums here and there, and a new person always turned up to remember them and ask about them curiously. The first Kortársak-meeting was realised on 15 December 2007, when all the 5 members of the former band represented themselves personally. There was remembering, smiling, pride and chatting. Many sparkling eyes met, shelved friendships revived, funny stories were told. There, on the first meeting arose first the idea of reforming the band and making a new video clip. A homepage started in 2007 which undertook to collect everything available about the old ‘Kortársak’. Since then, the homepage has been continuously flaring, thanks to the keen collector fans and the members of the band.

Being enthused over it, in the same year the Kortársak Band Fan Club was formed, which has aspired from the beginning to put everyone in touch, who further on care for the destiny of the band and their music. If nothing else, but they could send a message for the band or just take a note of the happenings inquiringly. The organisers of the Club give coverage on their own blog, they are available on the iwiw and have already set up 4 successful Kortársak-meetings. They made interviews with the members of the Band, and with their amplifier, which made everything that is known about the band more shaded.

Thanks to the acquaintanceship of the Club a small team was formed, the ‘Kortársak Team’. At last with their help the clip of the reprocessed track was completed, titled ‘Kármen’, which had its premiere on 22 November in 2008. The curiosity of the clip is that over the musicality it serves a social aim via co-operating with the Blue Line Child-crisis Foundation. Meanwhile, something happened peace and quiet in 2008. Three members of the former Kortársak Band (Péter Háry, Imre Farkas and Zsolt Kormos) decided that they want to continue something after the making of the Kármen Clip which is not remembering at last, but some kind of new, fresh music, and value. We can proclaim that the Band exists again! The creative work and the jamming have started, the songs are being born, although the sounding has changed a bit, the Kortársak-style is recognizable.

To the delight of all these we changed the face of the homepage, which does not only function as a remembrance site, but has become the official website of the Band. It tries to provide current news, information and photos for the flaring fanclub. We hope, this time the members of the ‘Kortársak’ will get the deserted attention.

Imre Farkas Yba – Drummer

Drawing to the end of my carefree childhood, I felt that I could continue my life without a rummer break if I become a musician. In my decision helped a lot that my mother – who had been a member of a noted choir for decades – matriculated me to a musical elementary school. I learnt to play on clarinet apart from getting the basic musical training. Later I became percussionist. I got a role in simpler chamber strips written for percussion. I learnt to play on the drums with a private teacher. After the school of music I learnt a craft.

I became printing machine master. During this the wave of the ‘80s got me too, and I played in different performances: I was accompanist at an avant-garde fashion-show, I played in the band ‘Timur és csapata’ (Timur and his team), in the ‘Magasabb szempont’ (Higher viewpoint), in the ‘Ideiglenes csoport’ (Interim group), in the ‘Hycomat Bianco’, in the ‘Szófia csoport’ (Sophia group) and several other bands, mostly formed by friends. In the meantime I endeavoured more seriously to play the music of my taste. I finally found it in a slowly decanting formation. That time the ‘Kortársak’ started and 6 years of unforgettable experience... which broke my press-career (in two). I played music as a job only during the existence of the Kortársak, after the band had broken up; I returned to my original profession.

My favourite bands: Japan, and its successors, the Dali’s car. My role model is Steve Jansen (Japan).

Péter Háry – Composer, Bassguitarist

I was born in a musican family as the first son. My mother is a librarian; my father is a music teacher and theatre musician, so my musical grounding was given. I started to play on trumpet when I was seven. Since I won the second place on a national competition at the age of 10, it was not a question which way to be managed by my family. My parents told that they had not have to goad me, I particed diligently and got in to the Conservatory in Szeged by the time I was 14. After touching the bottom hard several times during the secondary school, I realised that my father’s way is not what I would like to do in my life, even if I honour what he has done as a musican and an educator.

After the final exam I did one year in the Musical Teacher’s Training College, during which I started learning to play bass guitar. Later I felt, that this is the only thing what I really want, so I gave up my studies and after a few months of finding my way I was called to the Temporary, ancestor of the Kortársak.

Rock and Band. After some little family disagreements and reconciliation I worked with complete chest forward on my first and so far my most favourite band, the Kortársak. I learnt almost everything I know about the pop-profession that time. What was left after the band: almost 5 years, about 50 songs, more than 300 live concerts and a huge routine. At the suspension of the active band I learnt sound engineering. As sound enginier I worked at the Origo Studio in Kecskemét for two years, then I spent two years abroad as bassguitarist playing in musicals at the Rock theatre Company. From the money I saved abroad I started to build my own studio in 1998. My first an album came from the Vénusz band, which became a Platinum-Record. After this the errands came for both studio records and for instrumentation. That time I had already contributed to the ‘Ákos production’ as composer and stage musician for five years.

Two albums from the Zanzibar, Krisz Rudolf, and No Thanx albums are some of the golden-records attached to my name. I also worked together with Ákos on songs of a double record, and 7 other golden-records. I am glad to remember other productions too, for example: the ‘Varga János Project’ (ex East), the Sun City Band, the album called ‘Mélyen’ from Attila Mátyás, some tracks on the Fruzsina Kovácsovics’s Album - ‘Üveggolyó’, ‘Vegasztár’ Album from Kowalsky + a Vega and ‘Stigma’ from Kentaur – Urban, which was composed by me and that made me took a fancy again for writing songs after 10 years. The last band in which I was a member was called ‘The Unbending Trees’. Their first album was released in 2008 in the attendance of the English Strange Feeling Records.

It was played on the BBC a lot and a BBC session was made too. According to my knowledge this has not happened with a Hungarian band so far. I am especially proud of my song called ‘Overture’, which is performed in duett by the band and the world famous Tracy Thorn. Other works: music for ads, background music, signals, the 20 minutes cartoon track of Sicc and the opening soundtrack of the KAFF (Animation Film Festival Of Kecskemét). I learnt to play on a 12 stringed instrument called Chapman Stick in 1997 which is not well known in Europe. I started to learn playing the guitar in 2007, and I ordered a Warr Guitar, made by an American instrument-maker, in 2008, which is modelled after the Stick but is a more modern instrument. Because my language is the music, I am expecting to play on a lot of instruments later on.