Hańba (POLAND)

Imagine this…Kraków band Hańba travel through a divided 1930s Poland, in a concept work that chronicles punk’s emergence in this frenetic period, rather than some 40 years later. The uncertainty of interwar Europe channeled through punk is an eccentric, but intriguing prospect. The result is a rousing, rebellious sound that is indebted to the rich culture of a hectic era. The words of famous Polish poets such as Julian Tuwim are delivered in a brash Buzzcocks-esque vocal style befitting an enraged working class. Meanwhile, banjo and accordion replace guitars, and pulsing tuba stands in for bass. "Hańba stands for disgrace or shame," says Adam Sobolewski, the band's drummer. "It's some kind of shout used in a protest or in the political stage against someone who is doing something disgraceful." And Hańba have a lot to shout about – voicing their fierce opposition to interwar fascism, liberalism, clericalism, and communism. Who knew a punk revival could start in 1933?

The band reflects, “The Second Polish Republic (Oct. 07, 1918 – Sept. 30, 1939) is so interesting, for it's a condensation of everything that is the best and worst about Poland and Poles. On the one hand, the great Polish figures, phenomenal inventions, best literature, and on the other – illiteracy, xenophobia, antisemitism, poverty. […] We probably also liked the fact that at the time, the Republic of Poland was a melting pot of cultures, religions and ethnicities.”