IRA (Polish heavy metal band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = IRA

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Genre = rock, hard rock, pop-rock
Years_active = 1987-1996
2002-present
Label = Proint Pionki, Kontakt, TOP Music, Akar, TOP Music, Zic-Zac, BMG Poland, Ql Music
Associated_acts = Landrynki dla dziewczynki, Azyl P, TSA Evolution, Skawalker, Kramer, Seba, PtakY, Vino
URL = http://www.ira.art.pl
Current_members = Artur Gadowski - lead vocals
Marcin Bracichowicz - guitar
Piotr Konca - guitar
Piotr Sujka - Bass
Wojciech Owczarek - drums and percussion
Past_members = Grzegorz Wawrzeńczyk (1987-1988)
Dariusz Grudzień (1987-1989)
Tomasz Bracichowicz (1988-1989)
Jarosław Zarychta (1989-1991)
Paweł Matracki (1990-1991)
Piotr Łukaszewski (1991-1996)
Jakub Płucisz (1987-1996)
Zbigniew Suski (2001-2003
Sebastian Piekarek (2003-2005)
Maciej Gładysz (2003-2005)
Notable_instruments = Fender Stratocaster
PRS Custom 24
Gibson Les Paul Custom
Gibson Firebird
Yamaha APX
PRS Custom 24 10 TOP 2001
Fender Jazz Bass
Fender Precision Bass
Mesa Boogie Amplifiers & Cabinets
Ernie Ball Strings
Zildjian Cymbals
Gładek Drumsticks
TC Electronic Effects
DW Collector's Series Maple Drums

"IRA" - Polish heavy metal band formed in 1987 in Radom by Jakub Płucisz (guitar), Wojciech Owczarek (drums), Artur Gadowski (vocal, guitar), Dariusz Grudzień (bass) and Grzegorz Wawrzeńczuk (keyboards), during the fall of communism in Poland. They gained a wide popularity in Poland in the early nineties, mainly after releasing the "Mój Dom" album, with the hit title song, which was still during their garage and semi-professional days. They also gained some local popularity amongst the Polish-speaking citizens in the United States, where they lived and worked for few months. After signing a professional contract back in Poland, they released a few albums which didn't prove to be commercially successful (except for the "Mój Dom" follow-up, which was "IRA 1993"), and the band disbanded afterwards. Artur Gadowski started a solo career which stylistically spanned heavy-metal to pop music. He opened for Brian May before his show in Warsaw in September 1998. Artur's solo efforts weren't very successful either, and what success he did gain was largely based on the then legendary status of IRA.A few years later the band reunited, and exists up to now. Once again, they have not attained much popularity, but are well-known amongst heavy metal fans in Poland (though they play mainly pop-oriented hard rock), and their concerts are selling rather well.

Ethymology

The name "IRA" comes from a Latin word "IRA", meaning "anger" (this was the band founders' intention), however most people think they used an acronym for Irish Republican Army.

Current Line-up

*Artur Gadowski – vocals (1987-2007)
*Piotr Sujka – bass (1989-2007)
*Wojtek Owczarek – drums (1987-2007)
*Marcin Bracichowicz – guitar (2004-2007)
*Piotr Konca – guitar (2005-2007)

Other Musicians

*Kuba Płucisz – guitar (1987-1996)
*Darek Grudzień – bass (1987-1989)
*Grzegorz Wawrzeńczuk – keyboards (1987-1988)
*Tomek Bracichowicz – keyboards (1988-2004)
*Piotr Łukaszewski – guitar (1991-1996)
*Jarek Zarychta – keyboards (1989-1991)
*Paweł Matrack – guitar (1990-1991)
*Zbigniew Suski – guitar (2002-2004)
*Sebastian Piekarek – guitar (2004)
*Maciek Gładysz – guitar (2004)

Discography

* "IRA" (1989, Gadowski, Płucisz, Owczarek, Grudzień, Bracichowicz)
* "Mój dom" (1991, Gadowski, Płucisz, Łukaszewski, Sujka, Owczarek)
* "1993" (1993, Gadowski, Płucisz, Łukaszewski, Sujka, Owczarek. Gościnnie w utworze "Wiara" na fortepianie T. Bracichowicz)
* "Live" (1993)
* "Znamię" (1994, Gadowski, Płucisz, Łukaszewski, Sujka, Owczarek. Gościnnie w utworze "Wojna" D. Sadoś, G. Zamorski)
* "Ogrody" (1995, Gadowski, Płucisz, Łukaszewski, Sujka, Owczarek. Gościnnie S. Piwowar oraz Lech "Groszek" Grochala – obaj na instrumentach perkusyjnych)
* "Tu i teraz" (2002, Gadowski, Owczarek, Sujka, Suski)
* "Ogień" (2004, Gadowski, Owczarek, Sujka, Piekarek, Gładysz, Bracichowicz)
* "Live 15-lecie" (2004)
* "Londyn 08:15" (2007)

Artur Gadowski solo

* "Artur Gadowski" (1998)
* "G.A.D." (2000)

Links

*http://www.ira.art.pl/ - Official website