Magyar Posta is launching a new series of thematic stamps entitled Hungarian Rock Classics. The first rock band to be presented is Omega. Fifty thousand copies of the black numbered perforated souvenir sheets and four thousand copies of the red numbered imperforated souvenir sheets designed by the graphic artist Attila André Elekes using Szilvia Pállay-Kovács’s illustrations were produced by ANY Security Printing Company.
Omega, the Kossuth- and Liszt Ferenc Prize-winning rock band, was formed in 1962. Over the years they have attracted a broad following both in Hungary and abroad. The works the band have created over their career have countless musical dimensions and their songs have become classics. Their best known numbers have proved to be evergreens and appeal to every generation.
Omega is an iconic band in Hungarian rock and pop music. The band have adapted to changing times and always exploited the possibilities of the latest technology. Throughout their time in the music business, they have been pioneers in many respects. They were the first to release LPs, and then CDs and DVDs of concerts, and they sold the most Hungarian records at home and abroad. They were the first to appear in the United Kingdom and to use fog machines, laser shows and projectors as visual effects to enhance performances. Their concerts have filled the People’s Stadium (Népstadion) several times. Their songs stand the test of time, and speak to young and old alike. While their music has followed changing trends over the course of the years, they have always placed great emphasis on musical quality.
The stamp and first day cover shows an illustration by Szilvia Pállay-Kovács of the song Pearls in Her Hair, one of Omega’s great hits adapted by many foreign musicians. The song was first performed at the Yamaha Festival in Tokyo 50 years ago, reaping great success. The postmark features the band’s logo.
