Aktual

The group were established by Milan Knížák in Mariánské Lázně in 1967. Initially, Knížák invited only amateur musicians to collaborate with him. As a result of the drummer Jan Mach joining the group, Aktual began composing songs with a beat-like character. Aktual experimented with an unusual range of instruments, adding sirens, drilling machines and even a motorcycle to their conventional ensemble. They also made use of existing tunes, which they rearranged, adding new lyrics. Knížák's lyricism was full of humour and irony, and often mocked the official jargon of the Communist Party. Thanks to its primitive structure, their music seemed to be a parody of beat music. At first, their lyrics were in Czech only: after Knížák's trip to USA at the end of the 1960s, they included some English songs. Expressive musical scores, presenting lyrics and music in an idiosyncratic visual setting and performed by the frontman, became an important part of the project. Although the group only played a few concerts and their recordings were released only in 2003, their influence on the Czechoslovak underground scene is indisputable. The Plastic People of the Universe began performing original songs in Czech after playing a joint gig with them, and the establishing of the first incarnation of DG 307 group (existing between 1973 and 1975) was directly inspired by Aktual, both in terms of the use of everyday objects as instruments, as well as the utmost simplification of the music.

Their song Atentát Na Kulturu (included in the Unearthing the Music compilation) was later performed by Plastic People of the Universe. For the authorities it became a symbol of renegade culture and it was used as the title of a tv broadcast in 1977 that condemned musicians and signatories of Charter 77 protest letter.