Timpuri Noi
Timpuri Noi is a Romanian alternative rock band.
Timpuri Noi was formed in 1983, and remained an underground act up to 1991. This was mainly due to what was percieved as "subversive lyrical content" in the Ceauşescu era. Incidentally, the name derives from a stereotype of the period: its literal meaning is "New Times" (in the sense of "New Age"), used to signify Marxist Socialism. The tongue-in-cheek reference is somehow associated with the Bucharest metro station of the same name (see: Timpuri Noi). The name is also the Romanian translation of Modern Times, the Charles Chaplin classic 1936 film.
In the early ninties, up to around 1995, the band arguably became the top Romanian act. Around the time, they had the opportunity to be the opening act for rather prestigious (albeit musically diverse) foreign acts during concerts in Bucharest: Ian Gillan and Uriah Heep in 1992, Scorpions in 1993, Saxon, Paradise Lost and Jethro Tull in 1994, Iron Maiden and Kreator in 1995, Eros Ramazotti, Joe Cocker and Rod Stewart later in the same year.
1994 also signifies an important event in both Timpuri Noi's career and Romanian music in general: Timpuri Noi gives the very first unplugged performance in this country, recorded as an album in the same year (see below).
1997 - The band is presented with one of the MCM French music television and Radio France Internationale "Decouvertes de Rock a l'Est" (Eastern European New Acts) Prizes, performing in a special gala concert. (The previous year, Timpuri Noi had been interviewed for MTV Europe during a festival in the Romanian city of Braşov.)
Timpuri Noi has a claim to being the Romanian band to have performed most live concerts (over 150). This is considered a particular achievement in a country in which most singers choose to lip sync.
The band split in 2001, with members becoming involved in personal projects - Partizan for Artan, ZIDD (sometimes mentioned as "Zid" - Romanian for "wall") for Dan Iliescu. A reunion for certain appearences (concerts, guaranteed to be "100% Unplugged") was staged in 2005.
Timpuri Noi's early music reflects New Wave influences. Later, the band incorporated a sound that was a mixture of Red Hot Chili Peppers guitars, Led Zeppelin intermezzos, clear vocals (Artan is a classicaly-trained vocalist, and a member of the Romanian Radio House Choir; he also cites Simple Minds as a personal favorite) and grunge-influenced additional sounds. They are noted for highly original, usually melancholic lyrics - all in Romanian. The songs had anthem-like qualities - most notably the likes of "Luca", "Perfect", "Stan", "Emigrant USA", "Nǎmol", "Stere", "Mistreţul", "Lume care m-ai lucrat", "Fumatul" (all performed on their "Unplugged" album) or "Albele furtuni".
Members
- Adrian Pleşca, nicknamed "Artan" - vocals
- Dan Iliescu - guitar (vocals on some songs)
- Cǎtālin Neagu - drums
- Cǎtālin Rǎsvan - bass guitar
Additional or early members:
Adrian Bortun - bass guitar
Marian Moldoveanu - guitar
In some concerts, the band would use two backing female singers (wether vocals or violins): the official site mentions Denis Iliescu, Crina Godescu and Maria Radu.
Discography
1994 - Timpuri Noi (album)
1994 - Timpuri Noi Unplugged
1996 - De regiune superior
2000 - Basca Abundenţei