In 1997, Fredrik Janáček joined –123 min; a musical addition that was critical for the future development of the band. This bassist of Swedish origin honed his skills by playing in the Scandinavian group Isildurs Bane (which released several self-produced albums) and two Czech bands - Sluneční orchestr (The Sun Orchestra - three CDs for BMG, Warner Music & Faust Records, respectively) and Sluníčko (The Little Sun – one CD for BMG). In Fredrik, Zdeněk Bína found a musical soul mate and fellow songwriter, and he quickly became a cornerstone of –123 min.’s distinctive sound. Together, they now form the creative nucleus of the band.
In 1999, they released their debut album Shooba Dooba (recorded with drummer Václav Zima), an album which took the Czech music critics and culture by storm. The album received several of the nation’s top musical prizes: the Newcomer of the Year award in the two most prestigious Czech musical magazines – Rock & Pop and Rock Report – and the 1999 Czech Grammy from the Akademie popularní hudby (Popular Music Academy, APH) for Best New Artist.
This achievement was all the more remarkable in that they achieved this by breaking into the mainstream and garnering major critical and commercial interest without any affiliation or support from a major label, a point that reflects the independent and self-reliant spirit of -123 min. Since then, “the Minutes” (as they are known informally) have hardly been able to keep up with the increasing demand for their music and live shows; performances which are always notable for their unrestrained improvisation and charismatic energy which demands your attention and draws you in.
In May 2000, Emil Valach, then playing with Bára Basiková and Liquid Harmony (Sony Music), joined –123 min. as the new drummer. With this line-up, the band returned to the studio to record Try, an album with a wider musical scope than the previous. The album was released in March 2001. The group then signed with the distinguished independent label Indies Records, which issued their third album Home? in 2002, a record that further explored the edges of –123 min.’s ever-expanding boundaries of musical influences and interests.
Although the band has achieved widespread critical and commercial success, their music remains off the radar of contemporary Czech radio due to the reluctance of local programmers to play and promote any local bands who sing in languages other than Czech; a point, however, that should only underscore the creative and popular potential of the group. Despite utilizing English lyrics and a non-traditional sound, they continue to build and draw large interest within and across diverse alternative and grassroots musical networks that span the globe. These people recognize that the music of –123 min. has never been calculated. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why –123 min. were again nominated for the Czech Anděl Award (Angel; formerly known as the Czech Grammy) in 2002, in the prestigious category of Best Rock Album of the Year, for their album Home?.
On New Years Eve 2002, Emil Valach left the band to pursue his individual interests in computerized music. Since January 2003, Martin Vajgl (previously of the band Vltava – five albums on EMI and Sony Music), has been the drummer of –123 min., and it is with this stellar line-up that the band toured clubs and festivals throughout Europe and North America during 2003.
In May 2004, the band went on an extraordinary tour throughout the Czech Republic and Poland as -123 min. XL, i.e. augmenting their sound with keyboards, brass and percussion and an enhanced stage setting. The tour was partly perpetuated in a recording that resulted in the band’s longed-for first live record XL Live, which was released in September 2004.
In 2005, they have signed with Humbug, a sub-label of Universal Music, and named their 5th album Mom. For this album –123 min. were nominated for the Czech Grammy (Anděl) in the "Best Sound" category.
2007 Autumn - Unplugged Tour: Minutes are playing new and older songs in acoustic suit.
In April 2008 Martin Vajgl leaves the band and is replaced by Miloš Dvořáček.
-123 min. announced their split in December 2009, only weeks after the release of their last studio album Dream.
2016: After seven long years the band comes back to scene - on June 11th 2016, under new name minus123minut they played their gig at festival [festival]Votvírák[/festival] in Milovice (CZ). In autumn 2016 there will be: COMEBACK TOUR 2016 - more than 20 gigs in CZ and SK.
The renewed band members are:
Zdeněk Bína - vocals, guitars, texts, music
Fredrik Janáček - bass guitar, contrabass, texts
Daniel Šoltis - drums
She Won't Care
-123 min. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Prepared to face the final dawn
'Cause nothing to her matters
She'll never climb that ladder
She says she's free and that she loves
The love itself and all it loves
She won't care and I try to get her
She says "Today has no face,
or maybe a million.
So stop trying to win that race
just paint the world in your color
Seize this day - not tommorow
The world turns black and we'll be gone"
She won't care what happens to her
She won't care no happiness to spare
- she used it all
She won't care some say: it is no fair
She won't care they're not aware
They'll burn the same...
And I wish I could be with her free as the wind...
The lyrics of "-123 min.'s" song "She Won't Care" are introspective, philosophical and thought-provoking. The song is about a person who is unique and free-spirited, represented by the image of a faun, someone who is ready to accept whatever the future holds. Nothing in the world holds any importance for her, and she is not interested in climbing up the ladder of success or fame. Rather, she has a belief in love and all that it represents, and that is enough for her.
The singer advises the listener to seize the day and enjoy what life has to offer fully. According to her, there's no point in getting obsessed with the idea of winning or proving oneself to others. Instead, we should focus on our individuality and paint the world in our own colors. The lyrics suggest that the world is transient and that life is short, so we should live our lives to the fullest.
The title of the song, "She Won't Care," can be interpreted in a couple of ways. At one level, the faun protagonist is free and does not care what happens to her, as long as she can remain free-spirited. On another level, the song can be taken as a commentary on societal norms and what society considers "important." The singer won't care about what other people think of her because she knows that living one's life fully and individually is what matters more in the end.
Line by Line Meaning
She's so special being a faun
She is unique and distinct like a faun.
Prepared to face the final dawn
Mentally prepared to face the end of life.
'Cause nothing to her matters
She does not care about anything around her.
She'll never climb that ladder
She does not want to succeed or progress in life.
She says she's free and that she loves
She claims to be free and loves the feeling of love.
The love itself and all it loves
She loves love and everything that it involves.
She won't care what happens to her
She is indifferent to her own fate.
She won't care and I try to get her
The artist is trying to make her care, but she remains detached.
She says "Today has no face, or maybe a million.
She believes that each day is interchangeable or has infinite possibilities.
So stop trying to win that race
Stop competing and trying to be the best.
just paint the world in your color
Express yourself and leave your mark on the world.
Seize this day - not tomorrow
Make the most of today and don't wait for tomorrow.
The world turns black and we'll be gone"
Life is finite and will eventually end.
She won't care no happiness to spare - she used it all
She has already experienced all the happiness she needs in life and is content.
She won't care some say: it is no fair
Some might deem it unfair that she does not care.
She won't care they're not aware
She is not bothered about the opinions of those who do not understand her.
They'll burn the same...
Just like her, they will all experience the same mortality.
And I wish I could be with her free as the wind...
The singer yearns to be as carefree as she is.
Contributed by Allison G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.