After gaining popularity in Romania during the so-called British invasion in the mid-60s, Phoenix were banned from performing and recording in 1970 when, on his last concert as a group member before emigrating to the United States, vocalist Florin "Moni" Bordeianu made derogatory remarks about Nicolae Ceaușescu's regime and its approach to western music. The group would become even more well known amongst Romanians in 1977 when they illegally fled to West Germany, exposing themselves to risks such as being arrested by Ceaușescu's Securitate. They have been estimated to have sold over 2 million albums in Romania.