Psychedelic Cowboys

The Psychedelic Cowboys started in late 1998 in Budapest, Hungary. It offically began after the Californian band named Awakening had transformed from an American band into a Hungarian one. This fascinating and peculiar situation happened as a result of Mouksa (the founder, lead vocalist, and guitarist of Awakening) deciding to spend more and more time, and eventually moving to Hungary.Originating from the San Francisco bay area, the Awakening toured Hungary from the beginning of August to the end of October 1997. However, with internal tensions and prior commitments mounting, the band began, not to dissolve, but to metamorphose. Hungarian musicans began to, one by one, fill the lineup: bass guitar, drums, and violin. Thus, the 1997 tour ended with the final concerts, and a few studio tracks, being laid down by a mostly Hungarian band, who would go on to eventually help form the original core for the Psychedelic Cowboys.In 1998 only two Awakening members came back from America (Mouksa and guitar/vocalist Shambhalla) to play again in Eastern Europe. The Hungarian backup band from the year before had already committed to playing.The Awakening, still considered an American band, played in July and August. Nevertheless, after a cancelled Romanian Rock festival in late August, irreconcilable differences finally split up the two remaining Americans, leaving Mouksa with an all Hungarian band. However, it was after recording a number of songs in November and December with two new additions. (Hungarian guitar legend Janos Rudolf Toth and much revered harmonica player Tamas Szabo) that Mouksa decided to change the name of the band to the Psychedelic Cowboys.