Big Cyc ("Cyc" is Polish for "Tit") is a Polish rock band formed in March 1988.
The band is well known in Poland for their controversial behaviour. The cover of their first album, Z partyjnym pozdrowieniem (Polish for With a Party Greeting), was an image of Vladimir Lenin with a Mohawk hairstyle. The title of their second album, Nie wierzcie elektrykom (Don't Trust Electricians) refers to the Polish president Lech Waà ÂÃÂsa, an electrician by profession. Their fourth album cover, Wojna plemników (War of Spermatozoons) featured a nun drying condoms on a clothes line. In May 1999, the band leader Krzysztof Skiba was charged with indecent exposure and fined the equivalent of US$308 for mooning the Polish prime minister Jerzy Buzek during a festival in February 1999.
The members of Big Cyc met at the University of à Âódà º. JÃÂdrzejak played guitar in a student reggae band called Rokosz (laureate of the Golden Ten during the Jarocin Festival), Skiba performed in student theatre Pstràg and in many school cabarets, also co-creating street happenings named âÂÂThe Orange AlternativeâÂÂ. In 1988 Rokosz broke up, and JÃÂdrzejak wanted to create a new rock band. In this new group such artists as Jarosà Âaw Lis (drums), Roman Lechowicz (guitar) and Robert Rejewski (vocal) performed. After some time, Rejewski was replaced by Skiba, who introduced a significant creative potential. JÃÂdrzejak, Lis, Skiba, and Lechowicz became the four of Big Cyc. The members of the band took pseudonyms: Dà ¼ej Dà ¼ej (Polish for JJ, JÃÂdrzejak), Dà ¼ery (Polish for Jerry, Lis), and PiÃÂkny Roman (Polish for Pretty Roman, Lechowicz). Skiba remained with his own name.
In March 1988 the student club and hostel number 2 Balbina housed the first show of Big Cyc, during a cultural event Uroczysta akademia na czeà Âà75-lecia wynalezienia damskiego biustonosza (A solemn ceremony to celebrate the 75th anniversary of invention of women's brassiere). The nationwide media were invited (among others): Teleexpress, Polish Radio Channel 3), and the cabaret performance was introduced by Piotr Trzaskalski, then a student.
Big Cyc made many successful songs, and in 1990 in a new political environment - after Solidarity's victory and the fall of communism in Poland - they published their first album, With the PartyâÂÂs salutations. 12 hits in lambada-hardcore style. The album contained hilarious poetics mocking the atmosphere of the late PRL (Polish People's Republic) - which the title and the cover â LeninâÂÂs portrait with punk-like mohawk â bear witness to. The record introduced such well-known compositions as: "Piosenka góralska", "Berlin Zachodni" (reminiscences from first performances in Western society) and "Ballada o smutnym skinie". It became a hit in Poland, and in short time Big Cyc became well known in the country. Soon after, the band played part in the film named The Chemical Weapon, devoted to life and creative activity of the group, accomplished by independent creators team Garage-Film.
The following records never caused such sensation as the debut. The authors precisely stigmatized Polish reality, but the music background was weaker and less innovative. The second one, Nie wierzcie elektrykom (âÂÂDon't Believe ElectriciansâÂÂ) (1991) carried a prophecy of Lech Waà ÂÃÂsaâÂÂs failed presidency, the third Mià Âoà ÂÃÂ, muzyka, mordobicie (âÂÂLove, music, brawlâÂÂ) (1992), brought an ironic critic of the musical environment â the Jarocin Festival. The Fourth record, Wojna plemników (âÂÂWar of spermatozoonsâÂÂ) (1993) was condemned by members of the Catholic party ZChN (National-Christian Union) for moral boldness and provoking cover. Nie zapomnisz nigdy âÂÂYou'll never forgetâ from 1994 was a collection of the greatest hits and some new songs, among which âÂÂItâÂÂs for you my brotherâ can be stated as a bands ideological hymn. Subsequent one, Golonka, flaki i inne przysmaki (âÂÂPig Knuckles, Intestines and Other DelicaciesâÂÂ) (1995) became a sneer of the pseudo-grunge wave and TV-commercial culture (âÂÂHairdresser dramaâÂÂ).
Successive songs and albums of Big Cyc took a sarcastic look on the reality of Polish politics and people. Often in ironic manner, the songs expose issues like problems of Polish youth, economic disproportions, drug addiction, or silliness of TV commercials. In 1996, Big Cyc published their seventh album, called Z gitaràwà Âród zwierzàt (With guitar among animals), which contains the most famous song in history of the band, Makumba, the stereotypical story of an African student in Poland. In that period the musicians ridiculed but also bitterly commented their world. They didnâÂÂt fail to notice new social phenomena: growing disproportions in wealth, clericalism, corruption, formation of gangs and mafia in Poland, and contrasted it with freedom and neutrality of the young people. Another vocalist, Jarosà Âaw Janiszewski from âÂÂBieliznaâÂÂ, appeared in this record, and soon he created a parallel band, named âÂÂCzarno-CzarniâÂÂ, with the members of Big Cyc.
Celebrating the 9th anniversary in 1997 the band introduced subsequent record, with quite shocking title: Pierwsza komunia, drugie à Âniadanie, trzecia Rzeczpospolita (âÂÂFirst Communion, second breakfast, third RzeczpospolitaâÂÂ), was chosen by the public present. Wszyscy à ÂwiÃÂci (âÂÂAll saintsâÂÂ) (1998), based on texts of a dead poet Wiesà Âaw Dymny, proved to be an interesting experiment. Two subsequent records: à Âwiat wedà Âug Kiepskich (âÂÂWorld according to KiepscyâÂÂ) (2000) and Zmieà  z nami pà Âeà(âÂÂChange your sex with usâÂÂ) (2001) were less popular. Nevertheless the texts of do not lose their inner sharpness and validity, they ridiculed pop-folk fashion or the dres dressing tendency. à Âwiat wedà Âug Kiepskich, was named after a Polish sitcom of the same name. Recently the politics have returned as the major subject of their satiresâÂÂthe âÂÂgolden braidâ concerning Renata Beger, the member of the Sejm (Polish parliament), the âÂÂMohair beretsâ a satire on Polish government elected in 2005 and a commentary on vocal older generation in Poland, viewed by many younger people as old-fashioned, or criticizing the president of BelarusâÂÂAlexander Lukashenko. With the release of Czarne Sà Âoà Âce Narodu in 2016 came the song "Antoni Wzywa do Broni" ("Antoni Calls to Arms"), a song about Antoni Macierewicz, Poland's Minister of National Defence, and Smolensk. It sparked heated arguments across the internet.
The band has never forgotten about its happening origin. Several times it managed to present, in an unconventional way, the absurd and disabilities of public life. The musicians had chained themselves to radiators in publishing house âÂÂPolish RecordsâÂÂ, protesting against unwillingness to pay artistâÂÂs royalty, they have eaten tax forms (along with politician Janusz Korwin-Mikke) fighting with too high taxes, and they protested under the Minister of CultureâÂÂs cabinet unmasking partiality of the financial politics.
Some time ago a new member joined, Piotr Sztajdel Gadak, as keyboard player. Jan Borysewicz, Marek Piekarczyk, Paweà  "Konjo" Konnak, Wiesà Âawa Warszawska and Viganna Papina also have had a chance to perform with Big Cyc.