Kabát

Kabát
Eurovision Song Contest 2007
Background information
Origin	Teplice, Czechoslovakia
Genres	Hard rock, Thrash metal
Years active	1983 – present
Labels	EMI
Website	www.kabat.cz
Members	Josef Vojtek Tomáš Krulich Milan Špalek Radek Hurčík Ota Váňa

Kabát is a hard rock band hailing from Teplice, Czech Republic. The members of the group are Josef Vojtek (lead vocals), Milan Špalek (bass guitar), Tomáš Krulich (guitar), Ota Váňa (guitar) and Radek Hurčík (drums). Kabát has enjoyed major popularity in its home country since 1983. The band represented the Czech Republic as the country's first entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki, Finland, in the semi-final on May 10, 2007, but failed to reach the final after receiving just 1 point.

Kabát ("The Coat") was formed in Teplice (a 50,000-citizen spa city situated 75 kilometres (47 mi) northwest of Prague) in 1983 by bass guitarist Milan Špalek and guitarist Tomáš Krulich. Drummer Radek "Hurvajs" Hurčík and singer Josef Vojtek joined the band later on. Guitarist Ota Váňa completed the line-up in 1990, which is still the same to date.

Kabát released their first album Má Jí Motorovou ("She Has It Engine Driven") in 1991. It was followed by ten more successful albums, the last being Banditi di Praga in 2010. Their 2002 album Suma Sumárum ("All Things Considered") sold 128 000 copies, and thus became the best selling Czech album ever. The single titled Malá dáma ("Little Lady") from Corrida was selected as the competition song for the national final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2007.

In the beginning, Kabát operated as a local trash metal band around its hometown Teplice(Later they turned into rock). The break through came in 1991 when the first album "Má ji motorovou" was released, followed by "Živě" (Live). On grounds of fan response, the band signed an exclusive contract with the Monitor/EMI ČR publishing. "Děvky Ty To Znaj" (Whores, they know it) was the first regular album produced under its belt. "Colorado", "Země Plná Trpaslíků" (A country full of dwarfs), "Čert Na Koze Jel" (A devil rode a goat), "MegaHu", "Go Satane Go", "Suma Sumárum" (best of) and "Dole V Dole" (Down in the mine) have succeeded.