Olympic '64

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Olympic ’64 was a Romanian rock band that played from 1964 to 1971. It grew out of a group called Pioneers, formed in 1961 in Bucharest by high school students. Early members included Dorin Liviu Zaharia (vocals), Piki Inglessis (guitar), Lukis Viratsonis (guitar), Mihai Teodorescu (piano), Antheos (bass) and Titel Tățulescu (drums). Cornel Guriță also helped as a vocalist and guitarist in the early years, but Zaharia later became the main singer.

The band’s name was changed to Olympic ’64 in 1964, a suggestion by producer Valeriu Lazarov to match the Tokyo Summer Olympics opening era. They performed in the summers at the Perla restaurant in Mamaia and in the winters at Mon Jardin in Bucharest. Drummer Costin Petrescu eventually replaced Titel Tățulescu, and bassist Dinu Rădescu took over from Antheos.

Olympic ’64 earned recognition at the Club A Festival in 1969, winning Best Award for performance concept and Romanian style for their rock opera Decameronul focului alb. In 1971, at Club A’s second edition, they performed another rock opera, Karma Kaliyuga, with lyrics drawn from Dante, Rabindranath Tagore, Sergei Yesenin, Mihai Eminescu, Erik Axel Karlfeldt, Ion Mircea and Zaharia.

Discography includes the single Cântic de haiduc/Ziua bradului de noapte on Electrecord. A notable member associated with the group is Dorin Liviu Zaharia.