"If something sounds too polished, it needs to be played in a way that makes your jaw skew sideways. Then it turns out exactly as it should," declared Tomasz "Titus" Pukacki, frontman of Acid Drinkers, in 1991 during his first press interview for the Rock'n'Roll monthly. To whom was he referring? Obviously to Robert "Litza" Friedrich, the band's guitarist and vocalist. In the same conversation, Litza observed: "I'd prefer people not to read too much into what we do. Let them listen to the music and enjoy themselves." Has much changed over the past 35 years? In reality, nothing much, and almost everything. Today, a few years after effectively putting their activity on hold, the band has re-emerged as one of the country's foremost live draws.

As a simple calculation confirms, the band's history begins in 1986 in Poznań. Notably, by the autumn of that same year, the celebrated "classic" line-up was already in place. Alongside Titus and Litza, it comprised Dariusz "Popcorn" Popowicz on guitar and Maciej "Ślimak" Starosta on drums. According to urban legend, or perhaps a story rooted firmly in fact, the band came into being on the day of Iron Maiden's legendary second concert in Poznań on 21 September 1986, when Litza and Titus chose to sell their tickets to the eagerly anticipated performance and use the money to purchase... cheap wine. The band's name stems from that episode. Shortly thereafter, Titus was called up for two years of military service, while his fellow musicians joined the line-ups of then highly regarded Poznań ensembles, Litza with Turbo and Popcorn with Wilczy Pająk. However, by the late 1980s, they had reunited to play together once more.

What distinguished "the Acids" was their refusal to compete with fellow metal bands on sheer speed or supposed "demonic" ferocity. Instead, their fascination with the rising thrash metal scene was tempered by a deep appreciation for 1970s hard rock, the British heavy metal wave of the 1980s, and the raw aesthetics of punk rock and hardcore punk. In place of inflated, infernal proclamations, they offered grotesque, tongue-in-cheek lyrics and album artwork, coupled with inventive arrangements: a creative streak later reaffirmed through their cover albums. In the late 1990s, Litza parted with the band, only to rejoin last year. The events that the quartet's members (Arka Noego, 2Tm2,3, Luxtorpeda, Flapjack, Armia, Kazik Na Żywo, etc.) went through during the intervening years could easily fill several volumes, as their endeavors, collectively and individually, were remarkably prolific.

And now that being "together" has been mentioned, it is splendid that the band has reunited in its royal line-up. Turbo and Pull The Wire will join them as special guest support acts.

Tomasz Janas

translation: Krzysztof Kotkowski

Acid Drinkers, 13 March, 8 pm, Poznań International Fair grounds, Hall 3A, tickets: PLN 150

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