In 1968-69 a band was formed at the Professional Fire Brigade of the Lenin Steelworks (HiL), next to GOP, in the so-called WO department - a purely pick-up outfit playing for extra money. It was founded by Jan Nowak - a driver and mechanic. Because the two fathers, Nowak and Czapkiewicz, knew each other - they worked together in the fire brigade - Antoni Czapkiewicz was recommended to play the accordion in the band, as he had just finished music school.

      The trumpet was played by Lucek Nogieć - later a bugler on the tower of St Mary's Church - and the drums by Tadziu Jastrząb. As the rehearsals were held at the Fire Brigade, the commander entered the band in a contest of works-department bands at the ZDK house of culture on the Górali estate, as a folk band called "Krakusy", with a soloist - Antoni Czapkiewicz - trumpet. Then came, among other things, the yearly contests, and later New Year's Eve balls in the small hall of the ZDK on Majakowskiego Street.

      After Kraków folk costumes were bought for the band, it began to perform more widely. Later, once a new line-up was formed with Olek Nowak and Janek Nowak, there began a run of playing that lasted over 30 years. In the 1990s the "Krakusy" ensemble was led by Roma Krzemień, and we accompanied it as session players at its performances, including those abroad.  More about "Krakusy" .. 


      The band RYTM "Rhythm" was based at the HiL club "VIOLINKA" at os. Młodości 1, and was active in the years 1982-1991. It was an entertainment band, playing above all for the steelworks' departmental dances, occasional balls, New Year's Eve parties, weddings and dance evenings. In 1991 it also played in the hall of the Song and Dance Ensemble on the Górali estate in Nowa Huta, where dance evenings were held three times a week.

 Line-up:

bass guitar - Jan Nowak (jr) (Playing Family, Boba Jazz Band) session Janusz Piskorz, session Jerzy Szwejkowski (Ryszardy)
lead guitar - Tomczyk Marek (Pod Budą) session Marian Plutecki
drums - Aleksander Nowak (Demarczyk, Boba Jazz Band) session Jacek Wać, Eugeniusz Górski (Ryszardy), Jacek Berlin
keyboards - Marek Walczak (1 year), Antoni Czapkiewicz
vocals - Andrzej Olkuski(My Od Krakowa, Fantom, Popioły), Marek Piątkowski + sax. (Couth Cantry)

 Line-up, 1991-1999

keyboards - Antoni Czapkiewicz
bass guitar, vocals - Wacław Rynczak
sax, vocals - Marek Piątkowski
drums - Eugeniusz Górski