… and number 307 was a complicated diagnosis, a label that one only managed to get after receiving long-term psychiatric treatment, the aim being to get “the bookâ€, which in turn meant to avoid being called up for the army. P.Z.
Dg.307 was formed as a group in 1973 through the coming together of two important figures of the Czech underground culture of the time – Mejla Hlavsa, the founding and leading member of the Plastic People of the Universe, and Pavel ZajÃcek, a poet. A band was formed, which used ZajÃcek’s texts and exclamations incorporating them in a form of musical collage.
In the years 1973 to 1975 the FIRST FACE of Dg.307 appeared, experimenting with musical and non-musical influences, their performances inevitably incorporated the features of an unrepeatable happening. Industrial instruments were played together with classical instruments, unusual rythms were used, professional and amateur musicians played side by side, etc. Their rare performances took place in unusual surroundings, such as the art studios or country cottages of friends. Dg.307 together with The Plastic People of the Universe and other non-conformist musicians and artists from the Czech underground of the 1970s became a thorn in the side of the political establishment of the time and some of its members even ended up serving prison sentences as a result of their artistic expression. That was 1976. After their release their chances of being allowed to perform became even slimmer. The Czech non-conformist scene became the official enemy of the state. From this time dates the SECOND FACE of Dg.307, which was more or less carried out in secret. During this period there were only two live performances, both in 1979 at a friends’ farmhouse in Nová VÃska in Northern Bohemia. There was also a compilation of three home-made recordings, the so-called wooden box (Gift to the Shadows, Bird Breaking from the Chain and Torso). By this time, Mejla Hlavsa had left to devote himself entirely to the Plastic People and was no longer involved with Dg.307.
Pavel Zajicek left in 1980 to exile in Sweden and Dg.307 fell silent.
It was resurrected in 1992 when during one of his visits Pavel ZajÃcek together with Mejla Hlavsa made a new recording, which they called Artificially Flavoured. This basically solo recording of these two artists created the accidental GRIMACE on yet another face of Dg.307. In 2001 a new remake of this recording was made, the so-called d-construction, where other instruments and sounds and one entire song were added.
The THIRD FACE of the group, with shorter or longer pauses, lasts until the present. Dg.307 have remained faithful to their original creative principles at the core of which lies the poetry of Pavel ZajÃcek adapted to music, by now in substantially more harmonious and melodic structures than the pieces created in their pre-exile years. Songs which were on the borderline between music and raw ritual have over the years mellowed into a more palatable and accessible repertoire.
This can be found on the three albums of the THIRD FACE, Silhouettes, A Book written by Chaos and Concert.
And what will be the FOURTH FACE? We can only wait and see … One thing, however, is certain, there appears to be no limit on the artistic potential of Pavel Zajicek, he is already working on a new album. The quality remains to be heard, but it is already clear that it will not lack the abrasive suspense, cleansing self-reflection and liberating artistic testimony, which were present in all his previous artistic phases.
It has been said, that the world will not end with a mighty bang, but with a howl. In the music of Dg.307 we can already get a foretaste of the persistent whimpering …
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