The Beatmen

The Beatmen were from Bratislava, which in 1965 was part of Czechoslovakia, but is now the capital of Slovakia. Original members were Marián Bednár (bass guitar), M. Bedrik, and P. Petro. Lead guitarist Stano Herko joined, but soon left to be replaced by Dežo Ursiny of the group Fontana, who sang and played harmonica as well as lead guitar.

In 1965 the Beatmen released two 45s almost simultaneously, becoming enormously popular in Czechoslovakia. Both records feature a Kinks-like r&b original on one side with a slower tempo song on the flip. All four songs are originals and sung in English, something bands in other East bloc countries probably couldn’t have gotten away with.

In 1966 they became the first one of the early East European beat groups to play in the West, with a concert in Munich, and even received a mention in Time magazine. After seeing them in Bratislava, Manfred Mann attempted to get the Beatmen on the bill of their upcoming UK shows, but the Beatmen were denied permission to tour.

The Beatmen emigrated to Western Germany, leaving Ursiny, who remained in Bratislava. With new guitarist Peter Eperješi, the band failed to find much success, and the Beatmen soon split up.

Ursiny formed the Soulmen in 1967, with Vlado Mally and Fedor Freso, releasing one excellent EP in ’68. Ursiny’s music went into a more jazzy and progressive direction after the Soulmen. He died from cancer on May 2, 1995, in Bratislava. After the Beatmen, bassist Marián Bednár joined the Braňo Hronec Orchestra for at least one single.

Thanks to Yag for the music and scans. Yag tells me that four tracks of the Beatmen from a radio performance also exist.

Beatmen 45 releases:

Supraphon 013842, 1965
Break It (D. Ursiny, P. Petro)
Let’s Make a Summer (D. Ursiny, P. Petro)

Supraphon 013843, 1965
Safely Arrived (M. Bedrik, P. Petro)
The Enchanted Lie (M. Bednar, M. Bedrik, P. Petro)

10 thoughts on “The Beatmen”

  1. Great music, but “the first East European beat group [to] play in the West” they weren’t. Poland’s legendary Niebiesko-Czarni played France as early as 1963, and that same year they even recorded an EP there (“Les Noir et Bleu – les idoles de Pologne”, Decca 460.811 M).

  2. other archived song 1965
    Walkin Home
    Hey,Mr.Jones.. Bratislava koncert Manfred Mann, song honour P.Jones
    Mam Ju Rad.. Slovak version Beatles She Love You
    Schodzka
    FOUR BEST SONG EP 1968
    Sample Of Happiness, Wake Up, I Wish I Were, Baby Do Not Cry
    Soulmen winers 1.Cechoslovakia beat fest Prague

  3. They were very talented musicians. I wonder what could have have happened if they had stayed together longer than they did. However, they also released one single after they had emigrated to Germany. The songs are Stand Up And Go and As You Love Me but I have never heard them. Does anyone know something about them?

  4. ich war seine ehefrau claudia bednar – kley und sohn philip daniel
    seine familie möchte ich gerne berichten
    tel 07571-682639
    bednar-kley claudia mit sohn philip

  5. Miroslav (Miro) Bedrik (1947) was a member of legendary Slovak big beat group The Beatmen (1964-1966). In 1967 he emigrated to Germane where he played for some times. In 1968 he returned to Bratislava for a while to visit his parents and then he traveled back to Germany. He played in group LARRYS SEVEN for a while. He was married with Susan Jane (1970-1977). Since then nobody knows anything about …him. He lost. Please help us find Miro Bedrik. If you have any information about him, about his whereabouts, teammates, people who knew him or could know, contact us via Facebook or at demonstracia@centrum.sk. Every little thing may be important. He is looking for by his former wife Susan too. She lives in England today. She would like to give him a few words. It also helps us if you spread this page to the most people. Thank you in advance.

  6. Thanks, Chris, for that extra background on Marián Bednár pre-Braňo Hronec Orchestra.

    Marián Bednár actually played bass, plus trombone, plus providing some of the vocals on the ‘Braňo Hronec Uvázda’ (‘Braňo Hronec Presents’) LP which is featured here at ‘Girls Of The Golden East’.

    What I find particularly enjoyable about the LP is the strange juxtaposition of the cover of a bit of 1970s Bubblegum, in the shape of ‘Pochod trpaslíkov’ (‘The Shining Path’), which is a cover of Middle Of The Road’s ‘Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum’ with the concluding track, ‘Spomienka na Glenna Millera’ (‘Memories Of Glenn Miller’) which is perhaps quite self-explanatory.

    I hope you find the LP suitably entertaining and this extra information on Marián Bednár useful!

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