Robert Brylewski - Izrael

Izrael

After dissolution of Brygada Kryzys, Brylewski shortly played in a band called Anarchia. In early spring of 1983, together with Paweł "Kelner" Rozwadowski, they founded reggae band Izrael. The name was invented by Brylewski in March 1983. As he said in his biography, he had used to listen to ska music, such bands, as The Specials, The Beat, or Madness. He also liked The Clash, and as he says, in reggae he found independent culture, which was not created by the government or by the market. He began to wear dreadlocks, but he never used to call himself a rastaman. At that time (1983 - 1985), Brylewski used to read the Bible, the Koran and the Bhagavad Gita, he was also impressed by Pope John Paul II.

Izrael was founded in March 1983, and in May of that year, its first LP was recorded in a studio at Wawrzyszew, district of Warsaw. Brylewski wrote songs for it together with Rozwadowski, at Kelner's apartment located in a Communist high rise at Sadyba. The LP was not published until 1985, and soon after recording it, Izrael toured Poland, together with Misty in Roots (summer 1983). During one of band's concerts, which took place in Kraków, Brylewski met his future wife Vivian Quarcoo, a Polish-African singer in a jazz band. She began to sing with Izrael, and after some time, moved in with Robert. Their first daughter Sara was born in 1986, second daughter Ewa, in 1990. In 1984 - 1986, Izrael toured Poland, playing at various festivals, including FAMA at Świnoujście, Jarocin Festival, and Brodnica Music Camping. On of Izrael's concerts, which took place on May 9, 1986, at Opole, was broken down by the ZOMO. In 1985, Brylewski began to cooperate with Dariusz Malejonek, who had his own reggae band, Kultura. In the course of the time, the two bands merged, keeping the name Izrael. Together with band mates, Brylewski did not drink too much alcohol, smoking marijuana instead.