Interview: Łagodna Pianka

The Krakow Post recently talked with up-and-coming Polish band, Łagodna Pianka, fresh from their storming performance at this summer’s Coke Live Music Festival in Krakow.  The band was started by four friends who met in their hometown of Sędziszów Małopolski in 2009 and have been making music ever since. They have performed at big events before, but Coke Live is the most prominent so far, and is a giant leap on the road to making it big in Poland. Their first album is Smallest Hits (Najmniejsze Przeboje) and was released in April.

Krakow Post: Łagodna Pianka is a very unusual name. Can you tell us where it came from?

Piotr Jabłoński (lead vocalist, electric guitar): I can’t answer this question, it is too difficult.

KP: But the name has something to do with shaving foam, right?

Mariusz Maurycy (manager): No, actually it means ‘soft foam,’ which means different things to different people. It can be interpret in many different ways, which is the beauty of it.

KP: How did Lagodnia Pianka start out?

Arkadiusz Łyszczak (drums, percussion): We started in 2009 by practicing at a local cultural centre. We don’t practice there anymore because the place got flooded. We really hope it will be renovated soon and that we will be able to return.

Mariusz Maurycy: Most recently, the band has been practicing in a garage. Actually, it was right before the Coke Festival. Some bands start in a garage, some end up in a garage.

KP: Two of you are brothers, but how did the rest of you meet?

Marcin Dyło (keyboard): Supposedly I’m Piotr’s brother too. [laughs]

Arkadiusz: I met Piotr in high school. We sang together at our high school choir. We used to sing great songs.

Piotr: And I convinced him to buy his first set of drums.

Marcin: Guys, sing something!

Arkadiusz: [starts singing] No, I can’t sing like that anymore.

KP: Who writes your songs?

Piotr: All together…

Arkadiusz: But mostly Wodecki (a popular Polish singer in the 1980s and 1990’s). We are great fans of his work.

Marcin: But really we write our own music.

KP: How did you make it to Coke Live?

Andrzej Jabłoński (bass guitar): Thanks to our manager.

Mariusz: Lots of hard work and perseverance. We kept contacting them and they finally responded after we sent them the single Słoń (Elephant) and invited us to perform at the music festival.

KP: What has been the highlight of your career?

Marcin: I think last year’s DachOOFka 4 in Krakow.

KP: What are your favourite bands?

Andrzej: Pearl Jam.

Arkadiusz: Radiohead.

Piotr: Pearl Jam.

Marcin: I like the Weekend. [laughs]

KP: Who would you like to perform with?

Mariusz: To open for or to perform with?

KP: Either.

Mariusz: Then with Zbigniew Wodecki, we would like to perform with him.

Arkadiusz: And with Ryszard Rynkowski. We even have a plan about that, but let’s see what happens.

Andrzej: I would love to perform with Pearl Jam. That would be really something.

KP: What do you do in your free time?

Piotr: I study mining and geology at college.

Marcin: I work on the computer.

Andrzej: I ride my bike.

KP: What would be the ideal line up for Coke Live Music Festival 2015?

Marcin: Łagodna Pianka at the main stage. As well as Tres B. – we like them very much.

Piotr: And Weekend [laughs].

Mariusz: Coldplay [everyone agrees].

KP: Thank you. It was a pleasure speaking with you and good luck!

Łagodna Pianka: Thank you!

Find out more about Łagodna Pianka on their website.

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