60 years ago, in the Polish port city of Gdańsk, five young musicians came together to form a band that would soon capture the hearts of a nation. They called themselves ‘Czerwone Gitary’ (The Red Guitars), and before long, they were one of the most popular rock ‘n’ roll bands in Poland, amassing a devoted following across Eastern Europe.
The original lineup featured Krzysztof Klenczon, Jerzy Kossela, Bernard Dornowski, Henryk Zomerski, and Jerzy Skrzypczyk. Remarkably, Skrzypczyk, now 78, is still touring with the band. On his way to the band's first concert of 2025, marking their 60th anniversary tour, Skrzypczyk spoke with TVP World about the group's enduring appeal.
In the mid-60s, Poland was teeming with bands eager to become the country's answer to The Beatles. Yet rock ‘n’ roll's association with capitalism drew the ire of the communist government. To sidestep this, music promoter Franciszek Walicki coined the term ‘big beat’ to soften rock’s image. Walicki, a pivotal figure in Polish music, helped launch several successful bands, including Czerwone Gitary.
“Our band owes its name to Franciszek Walicki, the father of big beat, who simply named us after the color of our guitars,” Skrzypczyk told TVP World.
The band's origin story began in 1964, sparked by guitarist Jerzy Kossela’s fascination with California’s surf rock scene. While on leave from the army, still clad in his uniform, Kossela and his friends performed at Stodoła, a hip club in Warsaw. But Kossela had bigger plans. He wanted to make Czerwone Gitary “the loudest band in Poland.”
Paweł Brodowski, future editor of Jazz Forum magazine, recalled the moment: “Kossela showed us a piece of paper outlining his strategy. First, he aimed to be the best guitarist in his backyard, then to form the best band in the district, then the city. Only after that could he dream of becoming the best in Poland.”
From their debut concerts in the seaside town of Sopot during the winter of 1965, Czerwone Gitary’s ascent was steady. Their momentum surged when Seweryn Krajewski, a talented multi-instrumentalist and heartthrob, took over lead vocals. The band’s first album, To Właśnie My (It’s Us), sold 160,000 copies, and their follow-up, Czerwone Gitary 2, shattered records with 240,000 copies sold.
“That period felt like a crescendo for the band. Every country was searching for their version of The Beatles, and we fit that mold perfectly,” Skrzypczyk reminisced.
In 1969, Czerwone Gitary cemented their status when they received the Midem award in Cannes for the highest record sales in Poland, sharing the spotlight with The Beatles, who claimed the prize for the UK.
Throughout the 60s and 70s, Czerwone Gitary toured under the banner “We play and sing the loudest in Poland.” Their rock credentials were further solidified in 1967 when they opened for The Rolling Stones during an iconic Warsaw concert.
The Stones' audacious performance in the Palace of Culture stunned the authorities, which disapproved of Western rock music. While Mick Jagger’s provocative moves and Keith Richards’ scorching riffs caused a stir, Czerwone Gitary remained unscathed by the controversy. They continued to dominate the Polish rock scene until the fall of communism.
Though the band experienced a lull in the 90s, their music remains a staple of Polish culture. Classics like “Matura” (A-levels), an anthem for students, and the Christmas favorite “Dzień Jeden w Roku” (One Day in the Year) are fixtures on Polish airwaves.
For those new to Czerwone Gitary, Skrzypczyk suggests a seasonal listening guide:
Summer: “Historia Jednej Znajomości” (Story of a Relationship)
Spring: “Matura” (A-levels)
Autumn: “Jesień Idzie Przez Park” (Autumn Walks Through the Park)
Winter: “Dzień Jeden w Roku” (One Day in the Year)
To celebrate their 60th anniversary, Czerwone Gitary will embark on an extensive tour.
“Our calendar is packed until the end of 2025 with over 100 concerts. We’ll be busy, but we love it. Each set runs about two hours, but when the crowd is with us, we play even longer,” Skrzypczyk said, eager for the road ahead.
Sidestepping the censors
In the mid-60s, Poland was teeming with bands eager to become the country's answer to The Beatles. Yet rock ‘n’ roll's association with capitalism drew the ire of the communist government. To sidestep this, music promoter Franciszek Walicki coined the term ‘big beat’ to soften rock’s image. Walicki, a pivotal figure in Polish music, helped launch several successful bands, including Czerwone Gitary.
“Our band owes its name to Franciszek Walicki, the father of big beat, who simply named us after the color of our guitars,” Skrzypczyk told TVP World.
The band's origin story began in 1964, sparked by guitarist Jerzy Kossela’s fascination with California’s surf rock scene. While on leave from the army, still clad in his uniform, Kossela and his friends performed at Stodoła, a hip club in Warsaw. But Kossela had bigger plans. He wanted to make Czerwone Gitary “the loudest band in Poland.”
Paweł Brodowski, future editor of Jazz Forum magazine, recalled the moment: “Kossela showed us a piece of paper outlining his strategy. First, he aimed to be the best guitarist in his backyard, then to form the best band in the district, then the city. Only after that could he dream of becoming the best in Poland.”
The ‘Polish Beatles’
From their debut concerts in the seaside town of Sopot during the winter of 1965, Czerwone Gitary’s ascent was steady. Their momentum surged when Seweryn Krajewski, a talented multi-instrumentalist and heartthrob, took over lead vocals. The band’s first album, To Właśnie My (It’s Us), sold 160,000 copies, and their follow-up, Czerwone Gitary 2, shattered records with 240,000 copies sold.
“That period felt like a crescendo for the band. Every country was searching for their version of The Beatles, and we fit that mold perfectly,” Skrzypczyk reminisced.
In 1969, Czerwone Gitary cemented their status when they received the Midem award in Cannes for the highest record sales in Poland, sharing the spotlight with The Beatles, who claimed the prize for the UK.
Warm-up act for The Rolling Stones
Throughout the 60s and 70s, Czerwone Gitary toured under the banner “We play and sing the loudest in Poland.” Their rock credentials were further solidified in 1967 when they opened for The Rolling Stones during an iconic Warsaw concert.
The Stones' audacious performance in the Palace of Culture stunned the authorities, which disapproved of Western rock music. While Mick Jagger’s provocative moves and Keith Richards’ scorching riffs caused a stir, Czerwone Gitary remained unscathed by the controversy. They continued to dominate the Polish rock scene until the fall of communism.
Evergreens
Though the band experienced a lull in the 90s, their music remains a staple of Polish culture. Classics like “Matura” (A-levels), an anthem for students, and the Christmas favorite “Dzień Jeden w Roku” (One Day in the Year) are fixtures on Polish airwaves.
For those new to Czerwone Gitary, Skrzypczyk suggests a seasonal listening guide:
Summer: “Historia Jednej Znajomości” (Story of a Relationship)
Spring: “Matura” (A-levels)
Autumn: “Jesień Idzie Przez Park” (Autumn Walks Through the Park)
Winter: “Dzień Jeden w Roku” (One Day in the Year)
Anniversary tour
To celebrate their 60th anniversary, Czerwone Gitary will embark on an extensive tour.
“Our calendar is packed until the end of 2025 with over 100 concerts. We’ll be busy, but we love it. Each set runs about two hours, but when the crowd is with us, we play even longer,” Skrzypczyk said, eager for the road ahead.
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