Dzsaj Lekopo

Beatrice was originally formed in 1969 as a female rock band (the first such in Hungary) covering popular songs like "House of the Rising Sun" from The Animals. The lineup changed several times until the mid-1970s when the constant lineup became: Mónika Csuka (vocals, guitar); Katalin Nagy (keyboards); Kriszta Hamar (bass guitar) and Mária Csuka (drums). No record of any form was made by this formation.

In 1976 singer Feró Nagy, the husband of Mónika Csuka joined the band. In 1977 Katalin Nagy and Kriszta Hamar left Beatrice. Feró invited guitarist Sándor Bencsik and bassist András Temesvári. With this lineup the band scored mostly disco songs which were highly popular at the time. Their biggest hit was the song "Gyere, kislány, gyere" ("Come, girl, come") which popularized disco and won a radio song contest in the same year. In 1978 Beatrice disbanded, leaving Feró alone.

Feró created a whole new band in 1979 with the same name, but with nothing else remiscent for the previous lineup and style. Beatrice played punk rock music, being the first band in Hungary. Their music were cheap and aggressive. It was against the Socialist system and became highly popular, mostly among the working class young people. It was a unique Hungarian version of punk using folk elements. Feró was the absolute frontman, usually making comical and/or aggressive monologues or performances on stage calling himself "A Nemzet Csótánya" ("Roach of the Nation"). He became a "phenomenon" along with the band.

The original line-up were: Feró Nagy (singer, frontman and songwriter); László Lugossy (guitar); Lajos Miklóska (bass guitar); and Tibor Donászy (drums). With this lineup Beatrice released several successful singles like "Nagyvárosi farkas" ("Big City Wolf"), "Beatrice Blues" and "Jerikó" ("Jericho"). Although (just like other punk bands around the world) they were mostly a concert-band. Their first album was banned by the government and was released only in 1993.

As the influence of Beatrice the Hungarian version of punks appeared calling themselves "csövesek" ("hoboes") wearing a black leather jacket with ragged jeans and a traditional Hungarian red-white polka dotted head scarf. The government was - of course - very upset and against Beatrice's activity. They created hoaxes like Feró chopping down and eating the heads of living birds (à la Ozzy Osbourne) and doing other Pagan rituals on stage. The result was that more and more young people became curious about their concerts.