Neoton Família
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Neoton Família (also known in some countries as Newton Family) was one of the most successful Hungarian pop-bands, spanning several decades, with changes in members and line-up. Most active from 1977 to 1989, they released albums and singles and toured in 25 foreign countries, including Germany, France, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Canada, Cuba, Japan, India, South Korea, also producing many of the most known hit songs in the country. From 1979 to 1989 the band sold over 6 millions records in Hungary and about 1.5 millions records in other countries and takes on this indicator second place behind the famous band Omega.
Band history
The band was founded in 1965 by László Pásztor and Lajos Galácz, studying economics in Budapest, in order to enter the school's annual Santa Claus music contest. Out of the two bands entering, Neoton, named after their Czechoslovakian-made guitar, finished second. Three years passed until their first major success, winning the country-wide Who Knows What? talent show in 1968 with the song Nekem eddig Bach volt a mindenem. The same year marked the release of their first hit song Kell hogy várj. In 1971 they released their first album, Bolond város, featuring Balazs Ferenc, future keyboarder of the band Taurus, Lajos Som, future gitarist of the band Piramis, and Ferenc Debreceni, future drummer of the band Omega. While sales did not go well, it helped them to arrange a tour in Africa. After arriving home, some members quit, and the fate of Neoton became uncertain.
From 1973 to 77 they cooperated with girl band Kócbabák (Shaggy Dolls), who first appeared at 1972's Who Knows What?. After a joint album Menedékház (1976, Forest Hut) they drew the attention of the head of the Hungarian Record Company Pepita Erdős Péter, who dreamed of achieving international fame. The two groups were united, with a renewed style and name, becoming Neoton Família. In 1977 they released an album titled Csak a zene (Only the music) and toured socialist countries. The main Hungarian musical review Pop-Meccs called this album the album of the year in Hungary.
1979 proved to be a turning point for Neoton Família, as they got the chance to accompany the Hungarian entrants on the Midem festival in Cannes, and could also play a few tracks of their own - gaining the interest of some foreign music industry officials. They released the album Napraforgó, which finally secured their fame, later producing an English version Sunflower. It was released in 13 countries and became a hit in Japan, Denmark and the Philippines. Their single "Santa Maria" was #1 in Hungary, #8 in Spain and #9 in Japan and the second single "Lord of the mountain" was #11 in Spain. Next year "Neoton Familia" released the single "Don Quijote" which became their biggest hit: #1 in Hungary, TOP5 in Japan, Spain, Brazil and Philippines and TOP40 in Denmark and Germany. Their new album "Marathon" was the bestseller in Hungary and was released in 9 states including Germany, Spain, Denmark, Brazil, Japan and the Philippines. The song "Marathon" which was written for the Moscow Olympiade'80 became their most recognizable composition. In spring 1980 "Neoton Família" also released the soundtrack to the Canadian movie "Yesterday", including the famous song "Smile again" (lead-vocal Csepregi Eva).
In those years the band had big fame also in the USSR, Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia and other socialist countries. In 1981 the group released the album "A família" which was their best work. In Germany it was released by Jupiter Record under the name "Dandelion". The album was bestseller in Hungary again and the single "Kétszázhúsz felett" (Racing) was their best song and became hit in same states. These years proved to be busy, including a Japanese tour of 42 cities autumn 1981. Next album "Szerencsejáték" (1982, Roulette) was also very successful. For the song "Monte Carlo" the group was called "Hungarian ABBA". That year the single "Atra" was released in France, Brazil and Japan, it was the soundtrack to the Canadian-French movie "La Guerre du feu" (1982). In 1983 "Neoton Familia" won the Grand Prix on Yamaha Music Festival in Tokyo with the song "Times Goes By". Their single "Sandokan" (1983) set a national record sales for singles. Also in 1983 the band made a big tour in Latin America.
For 6 years onward, the band released an album in each year, with more and more composers working on the team, a condition that not only provided great songs, but conflicts,too. In 1986 the band got Most Outstanding Performance Award on 8th International Seoul Song Festival (organizer - Munhwa Broadcasting Corp.) with the song "Love is magic". And in 1988 Csepregi Eva (the lead-vocalist of "Neoton Familia") and Leslie Mándoki (ex-soloist of the German disco-band Dschinghis Khan) performed the song "Korea" at the opening of the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.
In 1990 Erdős Péter died and this led to the dissolution of the band. The members of the group challenged the right to the name "Neoton" in court and continued their musical careers as Új Neoton (1990-1991), headed by László Pásztor, and Éva-Neoton (1990-1993), headed by Csepregi Éva. The keyboarder of "Neoton Familia" György Jakab was diagnosed with a terminal illness (cancer), passing away in 1996. His dream, a last concert was produced without him, but to his memory, in 1998 by all of the ex-members of the group. Answering the pressure of the fans, another concert was held seven years later, in 2005, following several more in the oncoming years under the name Neoton Família Sztárjai.
Members
| Contributing to Neoton during 1965–1977 |
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| Contributing to Neoton Família during 1977-1990 |
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| Contributing to Új Neoton during 1990-1991 |
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| Contributing to Éva-Neoton during 1991-1992 |
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| Contributing to Neoton Família Sztárjai from 2005 |
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Albums
- Bolond város (1971)
- Menedékház (1976)
- Csak a zene (1977)
- Neoton Disco (in English, 1978)
- Napraforgó (1979)
- Sunflower (English version of Napraforgó, 1980)
- Marathon (1980)
- Listen To Me (English version of Marathon, 1981)
- A familia (1981)
- Dandelion (English version of A familia, 1981)
- Greatest Hits (in English, released in Japan, 1981)
- Szerencsejáték (1982)
- Gamble (English version of Szerencsejáték, 1982)
- Jumping Tour (released in Japan, 1982)
- Neoton Família VII. (1983)
- Jumpy Dance (English version of Neoton Família VII, 1983)
- Aerobic (radio pot-pourri in English, 1983)
- Karnevál (1984)
- Adam & Eve (English version of Karnevál, 1984)
- Magánügyek (1985)
- Monotony (English version of Magánügyek, 1985)
- Minek ez a cirkusz? (1986)
- I Love You (English version of Minek ez a cirkusz?, 1986)
- More - Greatest Hits 20 (in English, released in Japan, 1987)
- Lehet egy kutyaval tobb? (a children's album, 1987)
- Védőháló nélkül (1987)
- Attrakcio (compilation of hits 1985–87 years, 1988)
- Vonalra várva (1988)
- Santa Maria és a többiek (compilation of old hits 1976–84 years, 1988)
- Abrakadabra (1989)
- The Best of Neoton Family (1989)
- Búcsú (live, in memory of Dyord Yakab, 1996)
- The Best of Neoton Familia (Russian compilation, 1996)
- Búcsúzni csak szépen (live, 1998)
See also
External links
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