After totally obscure beginnings in the underground of their native town, the wave of liberation threw BIX in front of the tens-of-thousands strong crowds at the first huge Freedom meetings and concerts. The restless energy and efficient spirit of BIX songs perfectly corresponded to the "wind of changes" and the band instantly became one of the country's favourites. BIX has been at the top of Lithuanian pop charts ever since, as well.

The next few years were spent in constant touring. BIX participated in number significant festivals in Western end Eastern Europe and played a lot of clubs. Their trips took them to Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden and twice United States. The band was invited to the famous rock gatherings - Berlin Independence Days and New Music Seminar in New York. Everywhere they played, their music met enthusiastic audience reaction and excellent reviews. BIX even managed to build up a kind of cult following in some countries, which is not an easy task for a foreign band.

BIX had their hard times too. In 1991 a part of the band had a terrible car-crash. The first manager was killed and few members badly injured. It took a long time to recover and start playing again. At that time the overall situation in the old USSR improved to the level where you could make your own records. BIX went into the studio and soon the first album Akli Kariai (Blind Soldiers) was released. It began an extensive discography that not many bands can be proud of. Along with their own albums, BIX songs are included on countless Lithuanian and international compilations.

La Bomba from 1992 was a collection of songs they played in the earliest days but never had a chance to record before. It was the repertoire that made BIX a cult band. Despite the low technical quality of the recordings and the cassette-only format, La Bomba still is one of the most popular BIX albums.

The internationally-orientated debut CD - Doozgle - released in 1993, brought partly new, partly older reworked repertoire in Lithuanian, English and the never-before-heard Doozgle tongue. The album was distributed in France where BIX supported it with a massive promotional tour.

Widely criticised at home for the ignorance of the Lithuanian fans, BIX decided to pay more attention to the native market. The most important event of 1994 was an unplugged-type concert Tikras Garsas at one of the local TV stations. The soundtrack of this unique performance featuring the string section was released on cassette, and three songs on a compilation CD with the same title. One of the most important works of BIX is the album called simply 7. This digit reflecting the age and the number of members in the band at the time of recording shows up more than once in the lyrics and, citing the authors, is 'nice'. The album was released in different editions on MC and CD. The locally-orientated cassette contains one side of Lithuanian lyrics and few bonus tracks, while the CD is English, except one Doozgle-song. 7 shows darker, heavier BIX with less horns and ska influence than ever before. But even with more conventional arrangements and guitars-bass-drums sound, it's the same old BIX, full of surprises, extravagance and humour.

Unsatisfied with rather mediocre sells of 7 and the impossibility of getting any Western bookings, the band decided to make some significant changes. They separated from their long-time manager, fired both horn players, got Stimorol sponsorship and signed a new record deal with so-called local major Bomba Records. Under new contract BIX released their earliest home recorded album Ziurkiu Miestas (Rats City) on cassette.

The last record to date - Wor's - was recorded and mixed throughout the second half of 1996 and was finally released in the beginning of 1997 on CD and MC. It featured 10 new songs. Wor¹s marked the return to more simple and straight-ahead music while Lithuanian-only lyrics' content was reflected by the promotional campaign motto: Stop Thinking, Let¹s Go Partying. For the first time BIX album cover featured computer design instead of Samas' painting.

The nucleus of the group was formed by art and music students. They created the original image of the band and still design their albums and shows. During the last few years the members of the band have been involved in different BIX ventures and side projects. BIX made a couple of high quality national and international prize winning videos, participated in exhibitions, and started an eponymous club in Vilnius' old town. In 1997 Samas joined LNK TV music programme Tangomania as a comedy-jock. Shpokas is busy with his live electronics project Sava. The drummer Gintautas Gascevicius gives his services to the number of more and less known bands and won annual Bravo award as a best instrumentalist in 1996.

In fact, recording never was a strong side of BIX. They are a 'live' band. One should experience any of their numerous gigs to understand why BIX has generated such excitement and such controversial opinions over so many years. Despite massive support BIX gets lately from its record company and sponsors, they seem to fail in finding their audience. The majority of their older fans are non-interested in any music at all today while the rest probably can't accept their new populist/stimorolic image. The band seems to be trying to reach a younger audience, but younger fans are looking for coeval artists capable to reflect the thoughts of their own generation. So BIX are left stuck in the fans' age-gap and one can only sympathise with those truly gifted and extraordinary musicians.
[Atgal į pradžią]

Pradėję nuo savo miesto salių, vėliau užkariavę visos Lietuvos sales ir stadionus bei aikštes, o taip pat užėmę ir laisvų radijo stočių eterį, BIX'ai įsiveržė į atrodytų perpildytą Vakarų rinką: gausūs koncertai Vokietijoje, Prancūzijoje, Italijoje, Lenkijoje, Čekijoje, Slovakijoje, Beneliukso, Skandinavijos šalyse, JAV. Visur, kur bekoncertuotų, BIX'ai susilaukia entuziastingo publikos priėmimo ir puikių atsiliepimų. Tai grupė, kuri, atrodo, gimusi scenoje. Viename Vokietijos klubų vyrukai grojo su tuomet dar neišgarsėjusia NIRVANA.

Tais pačiais metais dalis grupės muzikantų pateko į avariją, kurios metu žuvo pirmasis grupės menedžeris Marius Brasiūnas. Įvykis sukrėtė muzikantus, atrodė, kad toliau dirbti nėra prasmės. 1991 m. pasirodė pirmasis BIX albumas "Akli kariai", skirtas žuvusiam draugui. Vinilų epocha buvo klestėjimo viršūnėje, taigi nieko nuostabaus, kad pirmasis darbas išėjo plokštelės pavidalu. Tikri roko gerbėjai ir būsimi "balių" išpažinėjai mintinai mokėjo dainų "Bijom", "Tarp Europos ir Honkongo", "Akli kariai" posmus.

1992-aisiais BIX'ai, iš naujo atgavę jėgas, išleido kultiniu tapusį albumą "La bomba" (MC). Grupės muzika vis dar buvo "einamas" produktas Vakaruose, tačiau kaip vėliau pastebės vienas "bixinis", eksportui reikėjo angliškų dainų, o jie dainavo lietuviškai arba "paukščių kalba".

Skubios anglifikacijos išraiška ir buvo trečiasis opusas -- albumas "Doozgle" (MC ir CD), kuriame buvo ir senų lietuviškų dainų, ir naujų -- angliškų. Nuomonės apie jį Tėvynėje buvo pakankamai kontraversiškos, o Prancūzija tuo metu leipo nuo ten populiaraus alternatyviojo roko. BIX'ų muzika buvo kaip tik iš tos operos. Grupė ilgam dingo minėtos šalies klubuose. Jų dainas "suko" tokią muziką grojančios radijo stotys. Lietuvos radijo didžėjai irgi nevengė naujosios programos. BIX'ai tapo mistine komanda, kuri tik keletą kartų per metus pasirodydavo tautinei publikai.

1994-aisiais grupė dalyvavo LNK "Tikro garso" koncerte. Jis ypatingas tuo, kad septyniukei talkino styginių kvartetas. Koncerto garso takelis pasirodė MC formatu, kelios dainos pateko į CD "Shekit geriausius".

1995-aisiais metais buvo išleistas ir jubiliejinis grupės albumas "7" (7 nariai, 7 metai), kuris konceptualiai skyrėsi nuo prieš tai buvusių. Tai buvo linksmų idėjų ir kieto stiliaus sintezė. Vieni šį albumą vertino kaip geriausią Lietuvos roko istorijoje, kitiems jis pasirodė grubus techniškai, iki galo neišbaigtas ir perdaug griežtas. Kasetė buvo skirta Lietuvos rinkai, o CD -- Vakarų. Unikalus atvejis -- pavadinimas tas pats, o albumai skirtingi.

1996-ųjų sausyje vykusių "Bravo" nominacijų veremonijoje už 1995-uosius metus BIX'ai BIXgavo apdovanijimus net trijose kategorijose -- geriausio albumo, geriausios roko grupės, geriausio instrumentalisto (S. Gibavičius). Prieš tai jie stebino Lietuvos piliečius savo neordinariais videoklipų sprendimais, originaliais interviu mass media priemonėse, BIX kavine-baru ir t.t.

Praėjusieji metai žymūs tuo, kad BIX'ai (9-aisiais gyvenimo metais) nusprendė atsisakyti savo pučiamųjų flango ir tęsti odisėją be "varinių priedų"; rinkoje pasirodė limituoto tiražo archyvinių įrašų kasetė "Rats City"; buvo pasirašytas metinis kontraktas su "Stimorol" ir kontraktas trims albumams su "Bomba records".

Naujasis opusas "Wor's" bus dar vienas akibrokštas grupės gerbėjams -- tai vėl kažkas naujo. Jį po savo vėliava žada priimti ir įtraukti į pasaulinius savo katalogus firma "Polygram".
[Atgal į pradžią]