Tomek Lipiński is a highly regarded Polish rock lyricist, composer, singer and guitarist. He is the founder of Tilt (1979), one of the first punk bands in Poland, and co-founder of Brygada Kryzys (1981), an influential new-wave band there. The songs by Tilt and Brygada Kryzys were regarded as anthems of the Polish opposition movement in the 1980s. For his artistic criticism of the regime and participation in various movements and protests, he was frequently arrested and hassled by the authorities. Tomek’s song contributions to and appearances in numerous popular Polish films have landed him hit songs like ‘Nie pytaj mnie’ and ‘Jakby nie stało się nic’, maintaining his stature in popular Polish culture through the years. In 2021 he was awarded a Fryderyk (like a Polish Grammy) for lifetime achievement. I met Tomek in 1996 at the Student’s Club in Gdańsk where he was performing. We became friends, crossing paths in Sopot frequently, hanging out at the nightclub Spatif, and later in Warsaw where I played piano on a project of his. Tomek provided a spoken word piece that would be included on ‘Far Enough Away’ on my eponymous album in 2007. Tomek and I met in Warsaw in August, 2022 and discussed a number of possible collaborations. I will be joining his production team early 2023 in Warsaw.
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