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Chapter nineteen: a metal festival
Translation:
- Ondra: Do you still have some space left in that event plan of yours? I have an idea!
- Ondra: There is a nice ruin near Smržovka, Romantic one, sort of diabolical...
- Míla: I am not sure if...
- Ondra: So, I was thinking that there we could make another festival - a metal one!
And now for the narration.
Chapter 19 - A METAL FESTIVAL
Around the time when Tortharry is flying to Brazil, a certain married couple returns home late one night, only to find out that, by the sound of things, someone is giving their hi-fi a run for its money. They do not panic however, as they are well aware of what is going on – their son Ondra came to visit and is listening to metal.
“What are you listening to? It sounds good.”
“Vintersorg - Till Fjälls.”
“Play it again for us.”
“Sounds great!”
“And how about this…”
“Not bad either.”
“And this…”
“Is it morning already?”
And thus the parents became metal fans.
A week later, the father Míla, entrepreneur in the culture industry, sits in his study, thinking, and smoking heavily to stimulate his thoughts. What to come up with for next year to attract audience and make success? Ideas are scarce however. In fact, it is rather ways not to go that he can think of: no to a show of a pop music star, since he is a rocker and the fee would be astronomical; reject the invitation to make theatre performance in Cuba, as it is a bit shaky in there and besides, who would want to abstain from smoking for eight hours or more on the plane. Then perhaps, how about a series of theatre performances for children in some big shopping mall? Or how about releasing an album for the thirtieth anniversary of the local band Orkus?
But here comes Ondra with an idea. When he was visiting various festivals during summer, he also got to Eurion in a small town of Smržovka in Northern Bohemia, and found the romantic surroundings an interesting venue. Especially, given that ruin nearby, which would be great for a metal festival. So, he pitched the idea to his dad, who likes it as well and agrees. It seems that the base for a new metal festival is laid.
The year is 2007.
Chapter twenty: MetalGate
Translation:
- Míla: We added a metal festival into the event plan for next year. Now, we must figure out a name for it!
- Image two: ...Deep night...
- Ondra: For fuck's sake, let me home!
- Ondra: We'll call it MetalGate!
- Míla: That's good, apt indeed. How did you figure that one out?
And now for the narration.
Chapter 20 - METALGATE
Time for planning. In every proper agency, everybody knows everything, so when Míla, after going through the list of usual theatre and musical events that will be organized next year, was not yet finished, everyone knew what comes next – the announcement about adding a new festival into the portfolio. When the word “metal” was uttered and everyone realized that it is for real, various opinions surfaced. Yes! Metal! That will be great; the competition is not that brutal in this genre. Nonsense! The competition may not be brutal, but it is a charity, not business. Míla then says that everyone is correct, yet we proceed nonetheless and the new festival needs a name. Bring some suggestions to the next meeting.
About three days later, Ondra was returning home one night, and, as many times before, was struggling with the entrance gate to the courtyard of the apartment building in Lublaňská street in Prague where he lived at that time. The gate closed well, but opening it was another matter. The building was renovated two years prior, so the gate should run like clockwork, but it didn’t. Additionally, it was a foreign gate, since it was written on it that it is a “metal gate”, manufactured according to the strictest British norms.
After some time, Ondra managed to get inside, although he kept bitching about the get before he went to bed. When he was leaving the next morning, he took the time to study the gate’s locking mechanism. He did not find out anything significant, however on his way to the tram he was clear on how the new festival shall be called. And it was an idea worthy of millions.
The year is 2008.
Chapter twenty one: Smržovka
Translation:
- The local: In here? Not possible. We got subsidies so now we shall be reconstructing for five years.
- Ondra: It's gone bust. The castle is in reconstruction.
- Mayor: I know, I forgot to tell you. So make it in Parkáč!
- The local: Metal? Why not, although the mayor has no idea what he signed up for!
And now for the narration.
Chapter 21 - SMRŽOVKA
As was mentioned last time, Smržovka, an idyllic mountain town amidst Jizerské hory, became the location of the very first MetalGate OpenAir. The idea to use the local ruined castle as the actual venue went bust pretty soon, for the castle was just about to be reconstructed.
So back to Smržovka and what now? Fortunately, we recalled the local Parkhotel, the venue of the Eurion festival, a nice place in the middle of a large park. With the hotel having a large hall, it was clear that this is the place. We will have two stages – one outside, one indoors – there is a restaurant in the hotel, and nearby a green field that can serve as a campsite. Simply optimal.
The owner was a bit surprised about the outdoor stage, but liked the idea, and so did the town’s office of the mayor. The mayor himself and the lady from the local cultural center said that Smržovka will get some more attention. Little did they realize how much attention.
The year is (still) 2008.
Chapter twenty two: uproar as far as Tanvald
Translation:
- Ondra: You see, we made it!!!
- Tereza: Thank you. It went very well. So, next year, ok?
- Mayor: Rather not. People were complaining about the noise even in Tanvald.
And now for the narration.
Chapter 22 - UPROAR AS FAR AS TANVALD
Over 200 metalheads came to see what all the fuss is about, yet instead of going headbanging, they headed straight for the sausages and beer, making the onset of the festival to look almost like a picnic in the park in the nice summer afternoon. As one of the first bands noted from the stage: “Metal is no fucking ambient for sipping wine and beer, come make some noise!” As the afternoon turned into a cold evening in the mountains, the performances gained a lot more gravitas, especially those played indoors. The performance of Hyperion from Ostrava was almost magical, and their three cellos got the fans into such a rave that we wondered if the hall would survive.
Local authorities also “blessed” the festival with their attention. Right at the beginning, the criminal police from Jablonec arrived, saying that they are here to monitor those Satanists that are about to congregate, but when they saw the afternoon picnic, they left as promptly as they arrived. Next one to appear was a representative from OSA, the Czech performing rights agency. First, he was surprised that we want to see some ID of his to confirm that he is who he says he is, then he surprised even more that the event has all the permits and finally he said “I don’t need to listen to this” and made his exit. Probably the most forthcoming was the city of Smržovka whose leading representatives were present from the beginning and quite enjoyed themselves.
Parkhotel is really a nice place, on a hill right in the middle of the town. There are almost no houses in the immediate vicinity, but in the clear nightsky, the cold air carried the metal packed soundwaves far and wide. The next morning, we came to say goodbye to the officials from Smržovka as well as to make inquiries if we could return the next year to make vol.2 of the festival. We got a diplomatic answer that beside some complaints from the locals, to which they are used to, this time also the local villages and even the rather distant city of Tanvald complained about the noise during the night, so it would be best if we found some more remote area for next time.
In the reviews that followed, we got compliment for a great band roster, excellent organization, and for making the fest on a place where you have a real restaurant and real lavatories, that is, not just the mobile ones. This criterion then became very important for us when selecting places for future open air gigs.
The year is (yet again) 2008.
Chapter twenty three: CDF
Translation:
- Dan: Czech metal is going downhill.
- Goro: They don't even ask us to play festivals.
- Pedyk: This is fucked up. What to do with it?
- All: Let's make a festival of our own, for us and our friends from other Czech bands.
- Goro: Spot on! In our camp by the lake! Chill out, beer, kids. Heavy metal for the whole family!!!
And now for the narration.
Chapter 23 - TORTHARRY FOUNDING "CZECH DEATH FEST"
As usual, we find our guys from Tortharry having a beer before a show, but this time their mood is rather grim. It makes them angry that current times do not seem to favor the Czech metal scene, giving it no significant attention and pushing it to utter margins. TV shows focusing on metal are born only to die soon after, festivals mostly ignore the local bands, and generally speaking the attention is predominantly outward on foreign metal production. Times are hard, but the guys want to go on, make new albums, play shows, but to do so, they realize they have to do something for Czech metal.
Thus the decision is made to found their own festival, invite their friends from other bands and thus make a new platform for the local musicians. It is clear that competition from the big festivals is significant, but how about using the lakeside in Červený Kostelec as the site so that whole metal families can go camping.
If nothing else, then at least Tortharry will play once a year on their festival for the pleasure of their fans and of the local fauna, since some rare birds appear to be nesting nearby, so hopefully they will not be scared away to much displeasure of the local ornithologists.
“So, gentlemen, let’s get it on and build our festival up, and maybe in time, we will find someone to join forces with so that we can make it even bigger.”
Thus it was that Czech Death Fest was born, sometime in 2009.
Chapter twenty four: competition
Translation:
- Míla: It was better last year in Smržovka. This year there were fewer people.
- Ondra: I told you after all that Tortharry are doing this year also a festival the same time we do!
- Míla: So, we do a festival for Czech bands and they do the same. We need to join forces somehow, this will not do!
And now for the narration.
Chapter 24 - COMPETITION
The first Czech Death Fest took place June 12 and 13 in Autocamp Brodský in the town of Červený Kostelec in Eastern Bohemia. Exactly one week later, MetalGate OpenAir launched its second installment in Vostrov open air club near Mnichovo Hradiště (Smržovka being a forbidden zone after vol.1). Two festivals, separated from each other by only a week and approx. 73 km. A strange coincidence.
There sits the MetalGate team wondering why the attendance dropped since last time. Tereza says that the promotion was weak. Slávka says that the entrance fee was too high. Míla thinks that times are bad for heavy metal. In the end, here comes Ondra saying that there was a brand new festival called Czech Death Fest, around the same time and nearby. “Who is behind it? Tortharry, it would seem. Nonsense, it is unlikely for a band to start a festival of their own at this time. What about however Mater Monstifera? Well, they have been organizing AFOD for quite some time now. We must look at that in more detail.”
The guys from Tortharry also already noticed that there is another festival interfering with their plans, organized by a promoter who has the coin. “Wouldn’t it better to make them disappear somehow? Or rather join forces? We must look at that in more detail."
The year is 2009.
Chapter twenty five: courtship
Translation:
- Míla: We are stealing each other's audience. We should pull it together.
- Goro: We are stealing each other's audience. We should pull it together.
- Goro: Let's make it at our place, ok? It is great.
- Míla: Showers and proper toilets you say? Ok then.
And now for the narration.
Chapter 25 - COURTSHIP
In the Prague based Matrix club, the metal bands contest MetalGate Massacre is about to begin. So that the competing bands have some audience, each round had a special guest to attract people. How was the Round One guest? Tortharry.
This brought an ideal opportunity to talk about festivals. Míla and Goro kept buying each other beers during the evening, and when the show was done, it was time to sit down and talk business. Here is a completely unauthorized transcript of the key conversation:
- Goro: "So, let’s cooperate, ok? But for this year already it’s too late, isn’t it?"
- Míla: "Yeah, we have the whole thing prepared, bands booked…"
- Goro: "So do we. How about next year?"
- Míla: "Could be. What would be the name of it?"
- Goro: "Czech Death Fest of course!"
- Míla: "I thought that MetalGate OpenAir!"
- Goro: "And I thought that we are cooperating."
- Míla: "So how about MetalGate Czech Death Fest?"
- Goro: "Hmm, why not. But it will be at our place."
- Míla: "But you have some protected fauna in there! I’ll find some other place. There is a nice camp near Beroun, close to the railway station…"
- Goro: "Screw the fauna. We have proper showers and toilets."
- Míla: "Brick, not those mobile ones?"
- Goro: "Yeah, brick. There’s also a pub on the grounds, where you get beer in a glass, and a lake."
- Míla: "If brick, then your place it is."
The debate was constantly interrupted by comings and goings of different persons from each side, trying to get some attention, saying: “Goro, I’ll have another beer, ok?” (Dan), “How does it look like, I want to hear it too” (Ondra), “Goro, I ordered booze for everyone” (Pedyk), “Leave it for a moment and come help me with the banners” (Slávka).
Then it was over and the deal was in essence made.
The year is 2010.
Chapter twenty six: MetalGate Czech Death Fest
Translation:
- Dan: This rocks!!!
- Ondra: Does indeed! And there is a barbecue in the evening!!
- Image 3: MetalGate Czech Death Fest – family-friendly music and drinking festival
And now for the narration.
Chapter 26 - METALGATE CZECH DEATH FEST
“Our campsite Broďák in Červený Kostelec is really great. In mid June a bunch of awesome bands will come, with them up to thousand fans, which is the right number for the place not to be cramped and all the beer stands not having long lines.” said Goro for the local Náchod TV. When asked what will attract people the most, he added, “We have great sound and a lake.” The anchor wanted to ask what does “the lake” means in heavy metal terminology, yet Goro had to run to organize stuff, which is what he usually does.
He was right: a good band rocks on the stage, some are headbanging, some are swimming in the lake, also headbanging. Others are sitting in the beer tent, consuming. Families with kids are having a picnic, while enjoying the performing pack. In the evening, everyone gets in their bets suit and goes to see Rotting Christ or Suffocation. Around midnight, the night gets cold so some go to the pub on the grounds, while others lit the campfires, barbecuing sausages.
The visitor however has to beware bands running wild, enjoying themselves ad absurdum. For example: while barbecuing sausages, the vocalist of one Moravian band fell straight into the fire, which he put out, as he was loaded with beer. The fellow campers then carried him towards the stage, placed him over the barriers, where he stayed till morning. The fire had to be lit again. The next day, the keyboard player from the same band bathed his eyeballs in a very hot chili sauce and had to seek medical attention.
The cooperation between MetalGate and Tortharry brought a very promising outcome, both in 2011 and in 2012. Truly, family-friendly heavy metal.
Chapter twenty seven: you are cordially invited!
Translation:
- Image one: We welcome SAMAEL, the Friday headliner
- Image two: We welcome DESTRUCTION, the Saturday headliner
- Goro: Total destruction...
- Image three: Come celebrate with us, he is already five years old this year!!!
And now for the narration.
Kapitola 27 - SRDEČNĚ VÁS ZVEME!
Chapter 27 - YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED!
Together we have come this far. The chronicle concludes and all that remains is to cordially invite everyone the fifth anniversary installment, welcome our headliners as well as all the other bands and enjoy the festivities.
The year is 2013.
It is entirely possible that when you shall read this comic, the MG CDF vol.5 will already be a thing of the past. What lies ahead? We endeavored to look:
From the bowels of a transport zeppelin emerges a completely set-up and sound-checked boat-stage, ready for the band Bloody Past in Jolly Bag. This worldwide star of really core-skunk however delays with the kick-off of their performance, until the founding fathers Goro and Ondra take their honorary seats in the middle of the central platform directly opposite the stage. Both elders welcome the cheering crowds, although the fans on the northern platform are beginning to chant “Get-it-on”. This ritual cry in a language long forgotten has become a tradition on all events organized in BBC (Bohemian Bowl County), though only few fans today understand it.
The performance begins with a holographic intro, projected onto the refreshment tables of seated fans, as well as screened on a historic plasma display for all the orthodox conservatives, gathered in the Tortharry-oldskull-zone. This huge screen is one of the last functional ones in the whole world, which underscores the prestigious nature of the festival.
The first electromagnetic pulse finds its way to the implanted headphones of the die-hard aficionados as well as to the removable earphones of the guests. The stage slowly begins to move and its bow ripples the surface of Loch Brod Sky. Shortly thereafter, the band appears on the stage and cheering of the crowds knows no bounds.
The boatstage gradually encircles the whole lake, so that fans on each gallery can see the band up close and stops during the second round in front of the Tortharry-oldskull. The soundproof zone opens its front wall and the mild June evening is filled with 27dB monumental tones, related from the stage to the MetalGate Non Virtual Sound System via Yellowtooth technology.
The small group of living witnesses of the past times, accompanied by offspring from several generations, slowly begins to dance…
The year is 2083.
Chapter ten: Tortharry goes out into the world (episode one)
Translation:
- Goro: Guys, Dan managed to arrange shows in Switzerland and Portugal.
- Lemy: How shall we get there?
- Pedyk: I built a new console, but I guess we have to leave it at home.
- Goro: But we are not leaving this behind!
- Image 3: Move your asses guys, we have to drink it before we reach the border.
And now for the narration.
Chapter 10 - TORTHARRY GOES OUT INTO THE WORLD (episode one)
In 1996, Dan managed to arrange for Tortharry a show in Portugal, in the city of Penafiel near Porto. Since Dan studied there for one semester, it was not that big of a problem to get a gig in a land this far from Czech Republic.
But how to get there? Flying was not an option and the only vehicle available was Juan’s Citroen B5, which was then picked as the means of transportation. After filing up the trunk completely with beer, the guys embarked on a long journey across the entire Europe. There was lot of drinking involved as well as celebrations of the Czech football success on the 1996 EURO cup, where the Czech team ended second in the final. As soon as Tortharry crossed the Spanish-Portuguese border, Jarda, that is, Králík, decided to pass the time by shouting out loud the name of the Czech football played Karel Poborský, who in the aforementioned EURO cup scored the only goal in a quarterfinal match against Portugal, thereby assuring our victory. Well...suffice to say that Králík should have kept his mouth shut.
The year is 1996.
Chapter eleven - Tortharry goes out into world (episode two)
Translation:
- Image one: Keep the cheese, we want beer!!!
- Image two: Keep the wine, we want beer!!!
- Image three: The driver! He is sober and look what he is doing.
And now for the narration.
Chapter 11 - TORTHARRY GOES OUT INTO THE WORLD (episode two)
On their way to Portugal, Tortharry made a sidetrip to Geneva to play on some underground party in some Ghetto right in the middle of the city, surrounded by all the banks. A particular contrast indeed. The proud Swiss hosts boasted about leaving for the guys a whole barrel of beer, yet they did know whom they are dealing with. Shortly after Tortharry ended their show for about 50 local fans, the guys had to find the organizer and “convince” him to replenish their free beer supply, as said barrel turned out to be utterly insufficient. By the way, back then the price of one small beer there was, adjusted to Czech Crowns, approx 60 CZK – an insane amount!
Portugal turned out to be great! Tortharry looked forward to their show. Dan made several interviews for the local fan zines, and then the show was on.
Imagine that you travel all over Europe is a small car and then, the moment and the very reason of such an odyssey is finally at hand. The tension was growing; the intro began and about 1000 local fans were anxiously awaiting the Tortharry show to kick off. To their great surprise (and not only theirs), after maybe one minute of stagetime, the drummer Juan disappeared from the stage! What happened was that Juan unfortunately positioned his drum throne and during one fast passage he lost his balance and fell behind the drumriser, which was about 1.5 m high. Having however a solid constitution, in about 15 seconds, Juan was back on the stage and the show could continue.
Even greater surprise awaited Tortharry after the show, when they realized that the gig organizer is gone and the money with him. Dan however wasted no time and called the local police, and with their help the organizer was found the next day. He then finally paid Tortharry their agreed fee, thanks to which our guys had the finances on a journey home. There even was something left to buy more beer, which made the trip far more bearable. Although, not so much for Juan, whose butt hurt from his fall and on top of that he had to listen to the rest of the band making fun of his disappearing act.
The year is 1997.
Chapter twelve - the professionals
Translation:
- Image one: We played in Switzerland, Portugal, Latvia, Lithuania, as well as on various festivals; we have some CDs out and a van…
- Image two: …which Dan puked all over. What shall we do now?
- Image three: We shall get a bus!
And now for the narration.
Chapter 12 - THE PROFESSIONALS
Another invaluable experience for Tortharry was double tour over Latvia and Lithuania in 1997 and 1998. For this occasion, the band got their first van, a green Peugeot. It was an older model, but in excellent condition with brand new upholstery, and the guys were really thrilled from having it; so much so that they did not hesitate to properly celebrate the occasion already when leaving Náchod. Since back then the Czech Republic was not in EU, the band had to spent approx. 45 minutes on the border crossing, passing the time in various ways, mostly however with drinking hard liquor, meaning that upon entering Poland (distant about 10 km from their homes) our guys were already completely wasted. Near Warsaw, the aftermath hit. First, while on a gas station, Martin got sick and leaning over the pump he threw up right at his shoes. After he was able to drive on, the band got underway only to be forced to stop about 15 seconds later. This time, it was Dan who got sick, and being too wasted to open the doors or windows, he christened the interior of the van with a massive hurl. Even after a heavy cleaning operation of both Dan and the van, Dan still bore the traces of the incident on the Lithuanian border, where guys bribed the customs officers with CDs and t-shirts to expedite their entry into the country. All got finally cleaned only after Tortharry reached their destination.
The year is 1998.
In the times of the Czech metal boom, when Tortharry were heavily touring abroad, they were also providing PA and sound services. For that purpose, the band bought a Karosa bus, with which they frequented various domestic metal shows, operating the sound systems and in lot of times, also performing. Quite memorable was the NUCLEAR STORM festival in 1998 in Slavičín, south Moravia. It was organized by their friend Láďa Pukyš in a beautiful outdoor venue adjacent to a football field, where the guys tested their football skills of penalty shots or of who scores the most goals as well as who catches the most shots. Quite often however, the ball flew everywhere else but the cage, giving Králík the task of returning the stray ball, which on one occasion turned out to be quite unfortunate for him, as he fell into a creek once a returned utterly wet and bruised from head to toe. Generaly speaking, Králík had a truly bad luck – during the Portugal tour he almost skinned his chest when making a dive jump into the sea; during yet another jump he lost his sunglasses he forgot to put away; and not to mention the loss of his front teeth which we covered in one of the previous issues. All this however was nothing compared to what happened the next morning.
The year is 1999.
Chapter thirteen: how Kropička disappeared
Translation:
- Image one: We are really good. We play on festivals, we provide sound for festivals, we provide lights for festivals, we have a bus. Damn, we’re good.
- Goro: Pedyk and Kropička will keep an eye on things! And go easy on the booze.
- Kropička: I’m going home, I’m so sick.
And now for the narration.
Chapter 13 - HOW KROPIČKA DISAPPEARED
Continuation from the previous chapter:
It was a common practice on those festivals, where Tortharry were providing PA and sound services, to appoint two watchers who kept an eye on the equipment till the very morning. It was also a common practice that said watchers were often passing the time with various booze-related activities. On the Nuclear Storm festival, this task went to Kropička (the lights engineer and technician) and Pedyk (the sound engineer), which in itself was rather nonsensical, since both guys spent the whole day taking care of the light and sound, but anyway, after the festival was done, they stood guard over their equipment. Since the night was cold, both guys were drinking alternately beer and coffee with rum; a combination that proved fatal to Kropička, who does not drink coffee and never has. That nigh however each drank a whole bucket of it, resulting in Kropička getting very sick and disappearing into the dark during the early morning hours.
The year is (still) 1999.
Chapter fourteen: Kropička found
Translation:
- Lemy: Where is Kropička?
- Pedyk: No idea.
- Goro: Then get your ass up and go build the stage!
- Juan: Kropička is lost?
- Goro: I see someone, but he does not look like him.
- Goro: No, it is Kropička after all!
- Kropička: Thirsty...blisters...50 km on foot...also hitchhiking...
And now for the narration.
Chapter 14 - KROPIČKA FOUND
Completion of the previous chapters:
No one knew where Kropička went and Pedyk was genuinely surprised that he is nowhere to be found. Sometime towards the evening, when his absence was becoming truly worrying, among other things because Kropička was the only one who knew how to operate the lights, he suddenly reappeared at the FOH. The guys knew that when Kropička gets really wasted, he goes to a survival mode and he must and wants to get home at all costs. This time, he did not however realize that home was 250 km away.
Thus Kropička pulled off a 15 km hike towards home, and then even caught a ride that took him yet another 15 km. Then, on one crossroad, he suddenly came to his senses, realizing that he is in the middle of nowhere, not knowing where to go or what to do. The coffee and rum got his head all messed up, but fortunately, all turned out well in the end. He found a way back and lit up the evening festival stage in his usual professional matter, as well as provided the rest of the band with yet another unforgettable story to tell. Eventful were the travels of Tortharry.
The year is (still) 1999.
Chapter fifteen: recording with Miloš Doležal
Translation:
- Miloš Dodo Doležal: It is really good, but we have to redo the whole thing.
- Miloš Dodo Doležal: Done, good work; to celebrate, I will take you to the ball of Sparta football club.
- Image 3: What shall we do there, we support FC Slavia! We shall beat the crap out of those Spartans. I think they shall beat the crap out of us.
And now for the narration.
Chapter 15 - RECORDING WITH MILOŠ DOLEŽAL, IN OTHER WORDS, TORTHARRY ON THE FC SPARTA BALL IN ŽIROVNICE
In 2003, Tortharry was recording their nex album, later entitled White. After very good experiences with the Hacienda Studio, owned by Miloš “Dodo” Doležal, there was no reason to look elsewhere for the task ahead. This time, Miloš presided over not only the production, but also the pre-production, which was something new for the band, but they went into it with enthusiasm.
Our guys remember as if it were yesterday what Miloš said when they arrived to his studio one afternoon: “Guys, all that you sent me (that being a cassette with their own pre-production), is wrong. We need to discuss this.” And so they did, in a nearby pub, meaning that they returned to the studio in the evening utterly wasted. The next day, they discussed it again, began redoing the compositions and started recording.
Towards the end of their studio sessions, Miloš mentioned that there is a football ball in Žirovnice on Saturday – an excellent way to blow off steam after a week-long recording. That evening, the guys first headed for dinner, during which they already drank up significantly as well as met a local self-made-man called Sony (since he was selling Sony electronics), who offered to drive them to the ball. That was a bit surprising, considering that Sony was contentedly boozing with the band the whole time, and besides, the ball was taking place about 200 meters from the pub where they had dinner. But nevermind, let’s go with Sony.
The ball venue was the local castle in Žirovnice, which however did not stop Sony to drive his Škoda all the way to the courtyard. There he parted company with the guys, saying that he will go home to get his FC Slavia jersey. The ball however was for FC Sparta fans, which, given the fact that Tortharry are also FC Slavia fans, pointed to a very interesting evening. There they met a local businessman, the tallest and strongest guy in all of Žirovnice, named Jirka, and had they not made his acquaintance and became friends, the White album would most likely have never been created, since the FC Sparta supporters would have killed Tortharry on the spot.
Indeed, they made quite a stir that night, and each time a fight was about to take place, Jirka defused the situation. Only Martin got into trouble with some elderly gentleman, who grabbed him by his hair and was threatening to kick him out. Martin kept yelling “Denyyy”, calling Dan for help, whilst still making fun of the whole thing. In the end, no major incident and/or loss of life occurred.
The year is 2003.
Editorial note: FC Sparta and FC Slavia, both Prague based teams and ones of the most prominent in the Czech football league, are traditional rivals, which entails equal rivalry between their respective fandoms.
Chapter sixteen: letter from Dalai Lama
Translation:
- The band: What happened? Where are you going?
- Králík: I got a letter from Dalai Lama that I will be the new Buddha!
- The band: You too Juan?
- Juan: No, I am going to Benecko to help my folks on their farm!
- Image three: We are screwed. No, we are not. We'll find someone else.
And now for the narration.
Chapter 16 - LETTER FROM DALAI LAMA
After one of Tortharry shows, specifically, after the gig in Prague based club Kain in September 2004, the toothless Jarka, a.k.a. “Králík”, got a letter from Dalai Lama himself, allegedly asking him to become the new incarnation of Buddha himself. Overjoyed with such a prospect, Králík does not hesitate to visit every single member of the band to tell him the news, good for him, but bad for Tortharry. Thus Králík left and the band was suddenly in need of a new guitarist.
Shortly afterwards, Tortharry found themselves besieged by yet another departure, this time of Juan, who migrated to the Krkonoše mountains, to where his parents moved after Juan refused to take violin lessons (see chapter one). It took 15 long years to mend the wound between him and his folks, until in 2004 he was called to take over the family farm Bumbálka near Benecko, thus being forced to conclude his engagement in the band. This is also why the controversial album “White”, regarded as a turning point in the Tortharry discography, featured at that time the rising stars of Czech music Miloš Meier and Roman Lomtadze, who joined Tortharry for this one occasion only.
What a predicament; first the guitarist quits, now the drummer. To be continued.
The year is 2004.
Chapter seventeen: weed and porn
Translation:
- Goro: What do you otherwise do?
- Panther: I smoke weed.
- Goro: What do you otherwise do?
- Máca: I sell dildos and rubber vaginas.
- Image three: Well, now it really kicks ass!
And now for the narration.
Chapter 17 - WEED AND PORN
Tortharry keeps looking for a new guitarist. Six months later, Máca, an easy going fellow from the feral region of “Zápolice” (beyond the city of Police nad Metují lies an incredibly small village called Žďár nad Metují). This renowned businessman, dealing in dildos, rubber vaginas, latex, whips, handcuffs and other adult toys, first joined the tribute band CZECH SEPULTURA REVIVAL, where he met Dan and Lemy, who were also members. Thus, shortly afterwards (sometime towards the end of 2004) he teamed up also with Tortharry which at that time was gaining recognition in the Czech Republic. To his first rehearsal, Máca arrived in a black Trabant (indeed a rarity in 2004), which clearly signified that he would fit more than well with the rest of the guys.
At that time, Tortharry is also looking for a new drummer, which proves a more difficult feat. After numerous try-outs, when the situation is looking grim, a teenager called Panther, who has been playing drums since his childhood and honing his skills in various local bands, appeared in Červený Kostelec. “His drumming skills are not bad. He has the looks so the girls will have something to look at. And the weed? Well, we’ll have some with him from time to time,” our guys assess, thus deeming Jirka “Panther” Rosa, the first class stoner, ripe for joining Tortharry. And so he did.
The year is (still) 2004.
Chapter eighteen: Samba metal
Translation:
- Dan: Sepultura invited us to Brazil!
- Image two: How can Panther converse with that Mexican? He speaks no foreign language.
- Image two: He drank the bottle of Vodka we had for the road and now he is fluent in six languages!
And now for the narration.
Chapter 18 - SAMBA METAL (that is, skywards, flight to Brazil)
When Tortharry were heading to their tour in Brazil, for some of them it was the first flight ever in their lives. The guys bought the cheapest flight tickets possible, with departure from Vienna instead of Prague. They drove to Vienna then, left the car in a paid parking lot and went to the check-in. It was already a time when one must almost strip naked on the airport to pass through the various security checks, which proved difficult, since all of them wore heavy Steel or New Rock boots, so even getting those off turned out to be quite a feat.
During a stopover in Madrid, the band got a bottle of Smirnoff vodka from a Freeshop, thinking that they would have just a few shots and then perhaps hit the sack. In the end, only Martin and Máca fell asleep. Dan and Panther got all the way to the bottom of the Smirnoff bottle, and after Dan got tired and also went to get some shut-eye, Panther, who spoke no foreign language, spent the whole night talking to some Columbian, who was flying from Denmark back home to see his family. Afterwards, Jirka spent long time recollecting all the various details form that guy’s life, leaving the rest of the band wondering about what alcohol can do to one’s language skills. If only one could practice it at school :-)
In the morning, Jirka woke up Dan, telling him that some flight attendant keeps harassing him and he has no idea what she wants. As it turned out, she was asking Panther to put his table down so that she could serve breakfast, and since Jirka was already sobering up, it was beyond his comprehension :-)
The year is 2007.
Chapter one: drums and violin
Chapter 1 - THE BIRTH, PUBERTY, BOOZE AND A FIRST DRUMKIT MADE OF BUCKETS AND A TRASHCAN
Some time around 1984, a gang of teenagers, yearning for the blasting sound of rock riffs, began to congregate in the small East Bohemian village of Velká Dřevíč, trying to figure out how to satisfy their rapidly growing musical urges. At this point, any chicks are still out of the picture, and so Juan and Martin (a.k.a. Lemy) are hanging out on a freshly fertilized field, beer in hand, thinking how to play it all out to become the megastars. So close to where Iron Maiden and Metallica are, only so little remains to be done…
Back to reality though: no cash, no other musicians nearby, parents don’t want to hear about it; simply put, everything is sideways. No point in crying about it though, with cards dealt like this, it’s time to relieve grandmas of some coin, loot some kick-ass buckets and pillage the local public swimming pool for at least one trashcan. Should be enough for a simple drumkit. Now, all that is needed is few meters of hard foil to wrap the buckets and the trashcan and onwards to the basement for come rocking. However, all must be done in utter secrecy, as Juan’s parents nourish a dream of him becoming a violin virtuoso, a maestro! Needles to say, Juan is of different opinion: “Martin, screw some fucking fiddles, I want to play rock”, says he while depositing the violin via a ballistic trajectory to the nearest basement corner.
The first rehearsals in Juan’s basement are highly unrestrained; the guys learning the rock way of life, epitomized by beer and peppermint liquor. Parents are pissed of course, still wanting Juan to take violin lessons. Their dream is however destined never to become a reality; traumatized, they begin withdrawing into the nearby mountains of Krkonoše, seeking peace of mind.
It takes one drop to make the proverbial cup overflow. When Juan was away at one point (either wandering the wild or on vacation; the record is not clear on this point), his friends took his brand new orange-pearly drums and repainted them menacingly black to make them more fitting to heavy metal. This turns out to be too much for the parents to handle, resulting in them moving to Krkonoše for good, somewhere near Benecko.
The first songs celebrate the local golden ale – the Olivětín brew – and the lyrics are getting a more concrete form, something along the lines of “O my sweet brewery…”
The year is 1985.
Editorial note: Since the fiddles became Juan’s nightmare, he was occasionally called “The Violinist”; a moniker he never really got rid of.
Chapter two: console instead of manure
Translation
- Pedky: I can't listen to this, the sound is all crappy. What you need is a sound engineer, and that is what I do best!
- Kropička: I can't look at this, not even through a window. I'll be your new lights engineer.
- Juan, Lemy: Two musicians, two engineers. Isn't that weird?
- Ještěrka: Nope! I am your new manager!
And now for the narration.
Chapter two - CONSOLE INSTEAD OF MANURE. KROPIČKA AND JEŠTĚRKA JOIN THE TEAM
Hearing the band rehearse as far as on his field, one day a strapping fellow and a farmer called Pedyk shows up in the band basement; an impressive figure, looking like a crumb from a hundred kilos bread. Mudded shoes, straw here and there, a faint odor of manure; such are the qualities of this guy who appeared out of nowhere in the rehearsal room. He claims he will make the band a kick-ass sound, if they take him in as their sound engineer. What he heard from the basement leaves much to be desired in his opinion, and what it needs are some amps, mixes and other such thingies, which the Commies do not like selling to UG individuals.
“So guys, it is going just fine”, says Pedky while listening to the band rockin’. Suddenly, David, a.k.a. “Kropička”, appears outside the basement windows, marches right in and rolls out the booze. He then begins to boast how great he is when it comes to stage lighting, fixing amps and building cabinets.
“This may come in handy”, says Lemy. “We know shit about this stuff, Kropička is a brother-in-arms when it comes to drinking, and we need a lights engineer and a technician. Thus Kropička became the member of the team.
And as the enterprise grows in size and chaos inevitably ensues, the Metal God himself sends them Ještěrka (Lizard) as their manager to at least try to bring some order into it.
The year is 1988.
Editorial note: Should we attempt a translation of some of the other mentioned monickers, we can say that "Kropička" translates roughly as "Sprinkler", and "Ještěrka" means "Lizard".
Chapter three: Květák brings in Králík
Translation
- Lemy: Dude, I had not idea Květák plays something.
- Juan: I did.
- Lemy: Let's take him in!
- Květák: I have two new friends, a bassist and a drummer.
- Králík: It needs someone for the rhythm guitar!
- Juan: Let's rock, homies!
- Králík: Metal!
- Postman: Bullshit! You have been conscripted!
And now for the narration.
Chapter three - KVĚTÁK BRINGS IN KRÁLÍK, FIRST NAMES OF THE BAND AND THE OBSTACLE OF ENLISTMENT
During breaks in rehearsing, which are otherwise filled with smoking and boozing, the band at times idly stares out of the basement windows into Dřevíč, and what they keep seeing is this cauliflower-like hair appearing at the nearby house. After closer investigation, the guys found out that this fabulous bush belongs to a guy named Karel, who is secretly, to avoid his parents seeing him, playing a homemade guitar. His cauliflower-like visage is so striking that he instantly becomes another member of the team, and is nicknamed accordingly, that is, “Květák” (Cauliflower).
The new line-up works perfectly; the guys however want more. “It does not sound bad, but what we need is a second guitar. Its player however has to be of a particular look to help boost our image”, says Květák one day. That requirement is ultimately fulfilled by Jarda, thanks to his unmistakably rabbit-like teeth, who has been hanging around then band den for some time now. Once in, he keeps claiming that thanks to him the band will become even more metal and set on a path towards a bright future. In return, he will forever be called “Králík” (Rabbit).
The year is (still) 1988.
Despite the band going well, guys are still unsure where their metal inclinations are, or what to call their pack for that matter. Initially, they pick the name IMAGO, later EXEKUTOR and keep frequenting culture commissions, presenting their music, hoping the Reds will allow them to be an officially recognized band. Slowly but surely they mature into extreme metal orthodoxy, disregarding any other metal styles. The ascendancy however hits a wall, when the tragedy, called enlistment orders, arrives, bringing the band to an utter halt. Yet, thanks to calling in some favors, the whole pack is stationed in the nearby city of Nové Město nad Metují, thus allowing for a considerable leisure in the boot camp. Chilling out in the boiler room, the comm. center, or in radio station, as well as other similarly strategically significant assignments help the guys to survive the gloomy times of military service, so much so that an alcohol poisoning looms on the horizon at times – too much booze, very few girls, and even less of music. Demotion for over-consumption of alcohol and other disciplinary measures are regular parts of the band setlist.
The year is 1990.
Editorial note: in the unfortunate reality of communist Czechoslovakia indeed every band, if it were to function legally, had to be assessed by special commissions to ensure their music is ideologically proper and not counter-revolutionary. For Czech heavy metal bands this meant that they were banned on the spot. And not only metal bands.
Chapter four: Tort Harry
Translation
- Image 1: We need some name, we already been Imago, then Exekutor, and it’s all just crap!
- Image 3: If death metal, dude, then Tortharry!
- Editorial note: “Ja wohl! Tort Harry!” refers to the band name being on several occasions misspelled in Germany as Tort Harry instead of Tortharry. Divided like that, Tort Harry means “Cake Harry” in German; indeed fitting for a death metal band.
And now for the narration.
Chapter four - HOW THE NAME CAME AROUND AND TORTHARRY BEGAN WRITING THEIR DEATH METAL HISTORY
With the enlistment successfully survived, Martin and Králík are setting up families and the band returns to the garage to rehearse and make the first demo recordings, which were captured using a double reel stereo magnetophone (Martin made the first copies of the demo on his dual cassette recorder, called “the twin”, practically destroying it after an approximately 300th copy). The only thing still not established is a proper band name. Imago is long dead, and there is already another band called Exekutor, meaning that it has to be something original.
During one of the many festivities in Velká Dřevíč, we find our guys burning the midnight oil in search of name, coming up with already desperate suggestions such as TORTURA and with other similar oddities. Who would have thought that this word will become the cornerstone for the final name. The band is so drunk, so unable to articulate that at long last someone utters the ultimate garble of something like T-o-r-t-a-r-y.
“Hey dudes, that does not sound bad, but it has to be more classy. Since we are going extreme, playing death metal, we need equally bad-ass name. We shall be called T O R T H A R R Y.”
It turned out to be a bit risky name from the start, especially in the neighboring Germany and Austria, where it got inevitably misspelled as Tort Harry. So welcome to the West, Cake Harry. This unforeseen moniker was really pissing the guys off. Nonetheless their German friends nicknamed them thus on several occasions and gloriously printed it on show posters.
The year is 1991.
Chapter five: duped Goro
Translation
- Lemy: Pedyk, this old piece of shit amp is all messed up. Sometimes, it doesn’t even work at all.
- Pedyk: We could sell it to Goro from Turbulence.
- Ještěrka: Good idea! I can hardly wait for the fun, but we must not tell him that it doesn’t work.
- All: And while we are there, we should get Dan to join us. He is really good!
And now for the narration.
Chapter five - HOW TORTHARRY SWINDLED GORO THE HOUND BEFORE HE JOINED THE TEAM
Like every Wednesday, after a game of indoor football, the Tortharry smart-asses are sitting in the Krkovička’s pub in Velká Dřevíč, plotting how to sell an old and pretty much broken down amp to a young group of wannabe musicians called Turbulence, and simultaneously how to lure the young newbie guitarist Dan away from Turbulence and into Tortharry. After the tenth round, the plan is hatched and the guys are getting the kick out of the idea of duping these metal fledglings:
“We shall offer Turbulence our useless piece of shit amp and convince them they must absolutely have it so that they mean something in the metal world and are heard all the way from Stárkov to Dřevíč. BUT, we must not tell them that it’s not working :-) And before they figure it out, we shall draw the one called Dan over to us. He is really good and has a great talent. Hopefully, the guys won’t take us doing so too hard, especially that little hound Goro, who is strumming at the guitar there. Poor bastard.
But business is business: “Onward to the great world of Death Metal!”
The year is 1992.
Chapter six: Květák is out
Translation
- Květák: Guys, I want to play Deep Purple, not metal.
- Juan: Sure boss, but not with us! Bye bye dude!
- Lemy: Do you think we will really manage to draw Dan over?
- Juan: Sure thing bro! He is a death metalhead, not like the other suckers from Turbulence...
- Image 3: R.I.P. Turbulence
And now for the narration.
Chapter six - KVĚTÁK IS OUT
Květák is not faring particularly well. His guitar technique gravitates more to Deep Purple and the sort, so the time is ripe to replace the old chewed up head with a new young one. How about that newbie who plays in that band Turbulence from Stárkov? Yep, that is the band, in which the second guitarist is that shortie called Goro.
During one of the joined shows of Tortharry and Turbulence, the guys ask the young newbie Dan, in all secrecy of course, to join the rising megastar of Tortharry. Ambitious Dan is intrigued so much that he succumbs to the lure, screws his friends from Turbulence and agrees to the deal. He leaves the gig happy and with a contract worthy of millions in his pocket. Some time later, still in utmost secrecy to keep the rest of Turbulence oblivious, Dan travels to Jaroměř to rehearse with Květák, wherein Květák rigorously tests his piano play with compositions from Dvořák, Mozart and other icons of the global piano metal, while Goro is on one hand still trying to figure out why the amp he bought from Tortharry is not working and on the other hand beginning to suspect that something is not right with Dan, as if he had some clandestine dealings behind his back.
And thus it was, unfortunately for Turbulence, that the young newbie Dan joined the Tortharry team.
The year is (still) 1992.
Chapter seven: first time in studio
Translation
- Image one: Petrovice studio; recording today: Tortharry
- Dan: I am recording with my new band our demo…Tough dudes, I hope I’ll fit in…
- Dan: What the fuck have I got myself into. They snore like hell, I haven’t slept in days and Králík got so wasted that he is biting asphalt!
- The band: Recorded! Let’s celebrate! Death metal!
- Králík: Fdena fill kill me!
And now for the narration.
Chapter 7 - THE FIRST VISIT TO A STUDIO, THAT IS, HOW KRÁLÍK LOST HIS TEETH
After Dan joined, the band has a full line-up for several years to come. So how about we show the world how we play our death metal? Sure thing! We shall record a groundbreaking stellar demo. Are you in, guys? Onward then to Petrovice near Karviná to record the demo “Flames Of Eternity” in the local studio.
After finding suitable lodgings, Dan is to share room with Pedyk and Králík and he is perplexed as to why the rest of the band is so amused by this arrangement. All becomes clear however after three sleepless nights, for Dan shared room with band’s greatest snoring tandem. This role was later undeniably passed to Martin, who on more than one occasion drove the guys utterly mad during their travels.
On the way back from the studio, it is celebration time all the way! Rum, beer and other booze is one hell of a combo, which however proved unfortunate for Králík, who at one point exited the vehicle head first, making a very close encounter with the asphalt road and breaking off his trademark front rabbit-like teeth. So much blood, as if from ten rabbits, was spilling everywhere and the only thing poor Králík was able to do is scream “Fdena fill kill me”, that is, pronounced with a full set of teeth, “Zdena will kill me” (Zdena being his wife). So thus it was that Králík lost his beautiful teeth.
The year is (once again) 1992.
Chapter eight: recording the first album
Translation
- Ještěrka: I booked a studio in Hradec. You are ready as you can be, so don't screw this up and don't get wasted.
- The rest: yeah, yeah...
- Ještěrka: It is going splendidly. 90% done, so how about we celebrate it a bit.
- The studio guy: Gentlemen! Enough with the beer!
And now for the narration.
Chapter 8 - RECORDING THE FIRST ALBUM
To record their first CD entitled "When The Memories Are Free", Tortharry ventured to the nearby city of Hradec Králové, on the outskirts of which was at that time a very well equipped studio owned by Mr. Sonda, who also employed a talented sound technician Václav Vlachý as a studio technician. The time spent there was the first true studio experience for the band. Guys were however well prepared so the whole recording went indeed smoothly.
That may have been the reason why towards the end of the recording the attention of the guys began to shift to other matters, such as who eats the largest amount of boiled pork, supplied by the local slaughterhouse, or who drinks the largest quantity of beer during the recording. When Martin was opening his 14th bottle, while recording the vocals, even Mr. Sonda thought that enough is enough and uttered the memorable statement: “Gentlemen, enough with the beer.”
Furthermore, one evening while visiting the local disco near Opatovice Lake, the drummer Juan got into a fight with the local mob. Clearly, he shouldn’t have called the local mobster Čabajda “pigface” and “dickburger”. Naturally, Čabajda took offense and his goons started beating Juan with extreme prejudice. When all this occurred, the rest of the band was long gone; only Dan remained, who, thanks to taking karate lessons, managed to successfully defend himself. Juan on the other hand did not take karate lessons and did not manage to ward off his attackers.
After escaping from the clutches of the mob, Dan and Juan made a run for it, back to the studio through a nettle covered field. Only in the next morning did the full extent of Čabajda’s handiwork become apparent. Juan’s black eye looked really terrible and it took approximately six months to fully heal. To avoid the same mistake, the band devised a different entertainment for their last evening. After returning from yet another disco, the band decided to make fun of Králík, who was sleeping the band’s bus, so they pushed the bus, with Králík sleeping inside, about 20 meters to a different location. Even though it may seem nonsensical, they all got a great kick out of it, except Králík who was rather surprised when he woke up.
The year is 1993.
Chapter nine: Ještěrka bids farewell and the hound steps in
Translation:
- Divine Providence: Thou shall be an insurance agent forever thereafter, amen!
- Ještěrka: Farewell guys, I shall be an insurance agent!
- The band: Holy shit, who shall replace him?
- Pedyk: Easy, the little hound Goro!
And now for the narration.
Chapter 9 - JEŠTĚRKA BIDS FAREWELL AND THE HOUND STEPS IN
One day, Aleš “Ještěrka” Janečka, one of the founding members of Tortharry, became an insurance agent, which bode ill for his involvement in the band. He is forced to pass on the role of the band manager, yet there is no one to take over. At first, he passes the management to Králík, who however also has little time to carry out the added duties.
In the pub, in the rehearsal pit, during shows, maybe even in their sleep the guys are wondering whom to entrust with this profound post. Then suddenly, a twisted, insane thought emerges – let’s call Goro to arms. “Dude, that Goro from the late Turbulence, whom we two years ago swindled and destroyed his band?”
Yes, that is the one. He likes metal, he is hard-working and he could help us. If we put him on a short leash and keep him from biting us, then he will be of use. The hardest thing will be to find him, since after our con, he disappeared and was last seen near Tokyo. And thus the band ventures to Japan, armed with a whistle to find the hound, which they do and later on, Goro joins the team as the new band manager.
The year is (stil) 1993.
Editorial note: Well of course, Goro never was in Japan. The last part plays on the plot of the 1980 Japanese TV series “Ôgon no inu”, known around here under the title “Goro, the white dog”, which tells a tale about a young girl named Reiko, her father and their dog Goro. One day, the father and Goro leave Tokyo to hunt a giant bear, which however kills the father. After learning that her father is dead and Goro lost, Reiko leaves Tokyo and travels across Japan to find the dog. Goro itself is also searching for Reiko.
It remains unclear whether Goro, the Tortharry manager, actually got his nickname inspired by this very TV series.
The story of one festival
This year, Czech Death Fest has its fifth anniversary installment; likewise, MetalGate shall celebrate five years of existence and Tortharry recently hit 20 years milestone. All that calls for one big celebration. As a special treat, we prepared for you a comic series – about how Czech Death Fest came to be, starting with the origins of its organizers; first with Tortharry, then with MetalGate and finally, how it all got intertwined.
MetalGate Czech Death Fest was conceived not long ago, but the fact it simply was meant to be, is quite obvious if you consider the essence of the past 20 years. It is as if sometime in the 1980s some higher power, be it an angle or a demon (hard to say who presides over us, maybe both), arranged pieces for a game and when that game was finished (probably to its liking), that power uttered the proverbial “Let it be done”. And on earth, populated by all those pieces, things started to happen. For said power (I’d say a good one, since all turned out well in the end), the game was done in moments, but on earth no one knew anything, only the pieces moved according to the higher masterplan. In the passage of time, it appeared as if nothing has really been happening. Quite the contrary, as our story attests.
At first, the band Tortharry had to form, gain respect and acclaim, expand and grow in strength and come up with all sorts of ideas, such as tour Latin America or put together a festival. Sometime afterwards, MetalGate agency had to emerge. Finally, these two had to meet and start cooperating. By then, each one had their own festival, but when they met and became friends, they arrived at the inevitable conclusion – “Let’s combine both enterprises”. And thus it was.
What began was a festival co-organized by a Czech metal icon and by a the new blood in the metal business, and in the four years that it has been around, it became the fifth most popular metal festival in the Czech Republic.
Of course, all sorts of family-related, work-related or personal matters interfered with all this. And when you reminisce with roasted pork in one hand and a mug of beer in the other, you suddenly realize you have a great story for a comic series.
Since our comic features a lot of characters, we present you, as they say in film, with a full cast:
TORTHARRY
- Miloslav Jirman (founding member, active till 2004) – drums – a.k.a. Juan
- Martin Vacek (founding member, active) – bass guitar, backing vocals – a.k.a. Lemy
- Karel Stehlík (founding member, active till 1992) – guitar – a.k.a. Květák
- Jarda Rubeš (founding member, active till 2004) – guitar – a.k.a. Králík
- Dan Pavlík (active from 1992) – guitar, lead vocals
- Jiří Rosa (active from 2004) – drums – a.k.a. Panter
- Martin Hrubý (active from 2004 till 2011) – guitar, backing vocals – a.k.a. Máca
- Petr Beran (founding member, active with a 10-year break) – sound engineer – a.k.a. Pedyk
- David Vlach (founding member, active) – technician – a.k.a. Kropička
- Aleš Janečka (active till 1993) – manager – a.k.a. Ještěrka
- Luboš Gorgan (active from 1993) – manager – a.k.a. Goro
METALGATE
- Tereza Erbenová, MetalGate production
- Slávka Brtnická, MetalGate production
- Ondřej Šmejkal, MetalGate dramaturgy
- Miloslav Šmejkal, MetalGate management
- Vladimír Joza, MetalGate photographer
The story was conceived and written by Dan, Goro and Míla Šmejkal, visuals by Ywo Hejcman (for which he has our very special thanks).
The series comes out once a week, with new issue every Friday, and it shall be published till this year’s festival begins. Every issue is published first on our Facebook page, and then week later, the same issue appears here with a narrative accompanying it. The full story (though memory sometimes plays tricks on us) thus can be found only on this website.
Enjoy!
Tortharry & MetalGate
