It was the middle of the eighties. Young people in Nowa Huta neighborhoods spent time carelessly going to schools, sipping cheap wine on benches, having fun at parties or participating in cyclical solidarity demonstrations, teasing the militia and the ZOMO. Empty shelves in shops; food and stimulants that could only be bought with special cards.

It was then that the idea of ​​starting a band arose. The Francis Picabia duo was formed in the fall of 1986 by two colleagues from the Nowa Huta estate bench.

The rehearsals took place at the home of Jacek Kubicki, the team leader. At that time, access to any instruments was very difficult, which is why Jacek played a synthesizer converted by his uncle (amateur electronics) from a piano and a cigarette case as a keyboard instrument, connected to the amplifier via flanger effects. At the same time, he sang the lyrics he wrote, drawing inspiration from the works of artists such as Tristan Tzara and Richard Huelsenbeck. Marek Pawlikowski played bass, by a reputable, for those times, Czechoslovak company Jolana. A primitive drum machine was used as the rhythmic accompaniment.

The band practiced hard to compete in an artistic competition at the Cedzak music band review at the Nowa Huta Cultural Center - the then Mecca of home-grown artists. In 1986, Cedzak was won by the blues band Dekiel, while the Francis Picabia duo was awarded. In the same year, the band also played at the prom in High School No. 12 and at the Gwiazdkowa Nowa Fala (“Christmas New Wave”) at SCK Rotunda alongside bands such as Sztywny Pal Azji and Dezerter.
The award at the review gave the opportunity to rehearse at NCK, where there were social meetings with Chłopcy z Placu Broni, Dekel and other bands. Later, the band was enriched with a saxophone played by Grzegorz Python Drozd, and drums, of which Paweł Goryl took advantage.

After about six months of playing, Jacek and Marek continued their activities in such groups as Dwie Dorotki z Nowej Huty, Vavel Underground and others.

Tracklist

1. Szajse *
2. Radio is my art *
3. Sagan dudni **
4. Michalina *
5. Kipi kasza *
6. Oriental *
7. Balonik *
8. Kiss me moje usta *
9. Sagan dudni – space version *
10. Kipi kasza – space version ***

Performers

Jacek Kubicki - vocals, synthesizer, guitar (01–10)
Marek "Siwy" Pawlikowski - bass guitar, drum machine (01–10)
Paweł "Goryl" Nieciuński - percussion instruments (01, 02, 04-10)
Grzegorz "Python" Drozd - saxophone (04, 05, 07, 08)
Elżbieta Sędek - vocals (01, 06)
Compositions: Jacek Kubicki, Marek Pawlikowski
Lyrics: Jacek Kubicki

Production

Mastering / renovation: Jacek Sokołowski [Hagal Studio]

* Recorded on December 20, 1986 during the "Gwiazdkowa Nowa Fala" concert at the Student Cultural Center "Rotunda" in Krakow
** Recorded on November 22, 1986 during the Nowa Huta Review of Amateur Music Bands and Soloists "Cedzak '86" in Nowohuckie Centrum Kultury
*** Recorded in November and December 1986 in the rehearsal room of the Nowa Huta Cultural Center

Many thanks to Andrzej Robak for helping in preparing the publication