Ivan Král (12 May 1948 – 2 February 2020) was a Czech-born American

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

filmmaker Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a Film, motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screen ...

guitarist A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselve ...

record producer A record producer or music producer is a music creating project's overall supervisor whose responsibilities can involve a range of creative and technical leadership roles. Typically the job involves hands-on oversight of recording sessions; ensu ...

bassist A bassist (also known as a bass player or bass guitarist) is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass (upright bass, contrabass, wood bass), bass guitar (electric bass, acoustic bass), keyboard bass (synth bass) or a low br ...

, and singer-songwriter. He worked across genres including

pop music Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom.S. Frith, W. Straw, and J. Street, eds, ''iarchive:cambridgecompani00frit, The Cambridge Companion to Pop ...

punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

garage rock Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock music that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The style is ...

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

, country and film scores. His music has been recorded by such artists as U2,

Téléphone Téléphone () was a French rock band formed in 1976. Their first, self-titled album was released in 1977; by the end of the decade they were one of the biggest French rock bands in the world, opening shows for The Rolling Stones in Paris, Queb ...

Patti Smith Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter, author, and photographer. Her 1975 debut album '' Horses'' made her an influential member of the New York City-based punk rock movement. Smith has fu ...

Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter, actor and radio broadcaster. He was the vocalist and lyricist of proto-punk band the Stooges, who were formed in 1 ...

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...

Simple Minds Simple Minds are a Scottish Rock music, rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977, becoming best known internationally for their song "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (1985), which topped the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' Billboard Hot 100, Hot 100 ...

, and

John Waite John Charles Waite (born 4 July 1952) is an English rock singer and musician. As a solo artist, he has released ten studio albums and is best known for the 1984 hit single "Missing You (John Waite song), Missing You", which reached No. 1 on th ...

, among others, and he won three times at the

Anděl Awards The Anděl Awards () is a Czech music award ceremony organized by the Czech Academy of Popular Music. History It is a successor to the Annual Czechoslovak Music Award (Czech: ''Výroční československé hudební ceny'') established in 1991 ...

. He died of cancer in 2020, aged 71.

Biography

Early life

Born in

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...

(now

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

), Ivan Král moved to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

in 1966 as a refugee with his parents, who were

diplomats A diplomat (from ; romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state, intergovernmental, or nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one or more other states or international organizations. The main functions of diplomats a ...

. His father Karel Král, a reporter at the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

, brought worldwide attention to the pending

Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Pact (WP), formally the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance (TFCMA), was a Collective security#Collective defense, collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Polish People's Republic, Poland, between the Sovi ...

invasion of Czechoslovakia On 20–21 August 1968, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic was jointly invaded by four fellow Warsaw Pact countries: the Soviet Union, the Polish People's Republic, the People's Republic of Bulgaria, and the Hungarian People's Republic. The in ...

in 1968 and publicly denounced the action, subsequently deciding not to return. Král had

refugee status A refugee, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is a person "forced to flee their own country and seek safety in another country. They are unable to return to their own country because of feared persecution as ...

until 1981 when he obtained

U.S. citizenship Citizenship of the United States is a legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by the Constit ...

Early career and the Patti Smith Group

Kral's American music career began during the early 1970s glam rock scene in New York. His band, Luger, which also featured drummer Shayne Harris, performed at venues including

Max's Kansas City Max's Kansas City was a nightclub and restaurant at 213 Park Avenue South in New York City, which became a gathering spot for musicians, poets, artists, and politicians in the 1960s and 1970s. It was opened by Mickey Ruskin (1933–1983) in Dece ...

, and opened for

Kiss A kiss is the touching or pressing of one's lips against another person, animal or object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely; depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sex ...

at the early shows at the Hotel Diplomat in 1973. After their breakup in 1973, he joined

Shaun Cassidy Shaun Paul Cassidy (born September 27, 1958) is an American singer, actor, writer and producer. He has created and/or produced a number of television series including ''American Gothic (1995 TV series), American Gothic'', ''Roar (1997 TV series ...

's backing group, then Blondie, then

, then

. Between 1975 and 1979, Kral was co-writer, guitarist, and bassist of the

Patti Smith Group Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter, author, and photographer. Her 1975 debut album '' Horses'' made her an influential member of the New York City-based punk rock movement. Smith has fu ...

on her first four albums, including debut, ''

Horses The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 milli ...

'' (1975), named one of the All-Time 100 Greatest Albums by ''

Time magazine ''Time'' (stylized in all caps as ''TIME'') is an American news magazine based in New York City. It was published weekly for nearly a century. Starting in March 2020, it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York Cit ...

'' in 2006. The album is in the

National Recording Registry The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservation ...

at the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

, for recordings considered "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." His work also appears on other Smith albums, including ''

Radio Ethiopia ''Radio Ethiopia'' is the second studio album by American musician Patti Smith, and her first album credited to Patti Smith Group. The album was released in October 1976 through Arista Records. Background ''Radio Ethiopia'' was the follow-up rec ...

'' (1976), ''

Easter Easter, also called Pascha ( Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in t ...

'' (1978) and ''

Wave In physics, mathematics, engineering, and related fields, a wave is a propagating dynamic disturbance (change from List of types of equilibrium, equilibrium) of one or more quantities. ''Periodic waves'' oscillate repeatedly about an equilibrium ...

'' (1979). Some of Kral's songs written during this period include " Ask the Angels", " Pissing in a River", " 25th Floor", "Revenge", " Citizen Ship", "Birdland", " Ain't It Strange", " Pumping (My Heart)" and Smith's "

Dancing Barefoot "Dancing Barefoot" is a rock song written by Patti Smith and Ivan Král, and released as a second single from the Patti Smith Group's 1979 album ''Wave''. According to the album sleeve, the song was dedicated to women such as Amedeo Modigliani's ...

", which ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' included in its

500 Greatest Albums of All Time 5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. Humans, and many other animals, have 5 digits on their limbs. Mathematics 5 is a Fermat pri ...

and has been recorded by artists including U2,

and

Pearl Jam Pearl Jam is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. One of the key bands in the grunge, grunge movement of the early 1990s, Pearl Jam has outsold and outlasted many of its contemporaries from the early 1990s, ...

Filmmaking work

Kral wanted a visual diary of his days in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in case he was ever deported back home to Czechoslovakia where rock music was forbidden, so he bought a Super 8 camera from a pawn shop. He began filming at

Murray the K Murray Kaufman (February 14, 1922 – February 21, 1982), professionally known as Murray the K, was a New York City rock and roll impresario and disc jockey of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. During the early days of Beatlemania, he frequently referre ...

shows in 1967, with clips of the first show in America by

The Who The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...

Cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this proces ...

and

Mitch Ryder William Sherille Levise Jr. (born February 26, 1945), known professionally as Mitch Ryder, is an American rock singer who has recorded more than 25 albums over more than four decades. Career Ryder was born on February 26, 1945, in Hamtramck, ...

then eventually got a

16mm film 16 mm film is a historically popular and economical Film gauge, gauge of Photographic film, film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about inch); other common film gauges include 8 mm film, 8 mm and 35mm movie film, 35 mm. It ...

camera, on which he filmed other concerts including early

Queen Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...

. Some of the clips appear in his 1975 DIY compilation movie, ''Night Lunch''. They are known as some of the earliest footage of the bands. Kral also filmed his bandmates and friends at rehearsals at the

Hotel Chelsea The Hotel Chelsea (also known as the Chelsea Hotel and the Chelsea) is a hotel at 222 West 23rd Street in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Built between 1883 and 1884, the hotel was designed by Philip Hubert in a styl ...

, The Bottom Line, and

CBGB CBGB was a New York City music club opened in 1973 by Hilly Kristal in the East Village, Manhattan, East Village in Manhattan, New York City. The club was previously a biker bar and before that was a dive bar. The letters ''CBGB'' were for ''Cou ...

. He compiled the footage into a 1976 film titled ''

The Blank Generation ''The Blank Generation'' (1976) is the earliest of the released low-budget DIY punk rock films from the No Wave scene in New York City in the mid-1970s. Inspired by Jean-Luc Godard, it was filmed by No wave cinema filmmaker Amos Poe and Patti ...

'', which features the

Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band formed in the New York City neighborhood Forest Hills, Queens in 1974. Known for helping establish the punk movement in the United States and elsewhere, the Ramones are often recognized as one of th ...

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1975.Talking Heads

, Blondie,

New York Dolls New York Dolls were an American rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1971. Along with the Velvet Underground, the MC5, and the Stooges, they were one of the first bands of the early punk rock scenes. Although the band never achieved ...

Television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

, and drag queen

Jayne County Jayne County (born Wayne Rogers) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, record producer, and visual artist whose career has spanned six decades. Under the name Wayne County (inspired by Wayne County, Michigan), she was the vocalist of infl ...

, before they had record deals.

No Wave No wave was an avant-garde music genre and visual art scene that emerged in the late 1970s in Downtown New York City. The term was a pun based on the rejection of commercial new wave music. Reacting against punk rock's recycling of rock and r ...

filmmaker

Amos Poe Amos Poe is an American New York City-based director and screenwriter, described by ''The New York Times'' as a "pioneering indie filmmaker". Career Amos Poe is one of the first punk filmmakers and his film '' The Blank Generation'' (1976)� ...

helped Kral edit the film by adding music from each band's cassettes and cutting irrelevant scenes. ''The Blank Generation'' D-I-Y clip compilation is often referred to as the original visual document of the birth of

. There are no effects, production, posing, scripts or budget, and it is the source film for many music documentaries. In 1978 Kral made the ambient soundtrack for

's No Wave film '' The Foreigner''.

After the Patti Smith Group

In 1979, after Patti Smith's last show in

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

, Italy, Iggy Pop invited Kral to

Rockfield Studios Rockfield Studios is a residential recording studio located in the Wye Valley just outside the village of Rockfield, Monmouthshire, Wales. It was founded in 1963 by brothers Kingsley and Charles Ward. Recording studios Rockfield is a two-stu ...

in Wales to work on his album ''

Soldier A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a Conscription, conscripted or volunteer Enlisted rank, enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, a warrant officer, or an Officer (armed forces), officer. Etymology The wo ...

'', produced by

Pat Moran Patrick Joseph Moran (February 7, 1876 – March 7, 1924) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He was a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1901 to 1914. The year after his retirement, he became a manager, and he led two ...

. After the ''Soldier'' tour, Kral became Iggy's co-writer and guitarist for all the original songs on his 1981 album, ''

Party A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a Hospitality, host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will oft ...

''. Kral hoped to build a career as a film composer by heading to Los Angeles to compose music for the

Barry Levinson Barry Lee Levinson (born April 6, 1942) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Levinson won the Academy Award for Best Director for '' Rain Man'' (1988). His other best-known works are ''Diner'' (1982), '' The Natural'' (1984 ...

film ''

Diner A diner is a type of restaurant found across the United States and Canada, as well as parts of Western Europe and Australia. Diners offer a wide range of cuisine, mostly American cuisine, a casual atmosphere, and, characteristically, a comb ...

'' (1982), but eventually returned to New York. He wrote and recorded the film scores for three films by underground filmmaker Amos Poe, titled, ''Unmade Beds'', ''The Foreigner'' and ''Subway Riders'' in his apartment on his mini Moog synthesizer, piano and guitar. In the 1980s, Kral was involved in a number of short-term projects. He recorded and toured with

, former singer with

The Babys The Babys are a British Rock music, rock group best known for their songs "Isn't It Time (The Babys song), Isn't It Time" and "Every Time I Think of You". Both songs were composed by Jack Conrad and Raymond Louis Kennedy, Ray Kennedy, and ea ...

, and co-wrote songs for his album ''

Ignition Ignition may refer to: Science and technology * Firelighting, the human act of creating a fire for warmth, cooking and other uses * Combustion, an exothermic chemical reaction between a fuel and an oxidant * Fusion ignition, the point at which a ...

'' and '' Mask of Smiles.'' Kral wrote songs for many other artists, including

Mick Ronson Michael Ronson (26 May 1946 – 29 April 1993) was an English musician, songwriter, arranger, and producer. He achieved critical and commercial success working with David Bowie as the guitarist of the Spiders from Mars. He was a session musici ...

(formerly with

and The Spiders from Mars), and was involved in rehearsals with British guitarist

Chris Spedding Christopher John Spedding (born Peter Robinson, 17 June 1944) is an English guitarist and record producer. In a career spanning more than 50 years, Spedding is best known for his studio session work. By the early 1970s, he had become one of th ...

and Welsh avant-garde composer, recording artist

John Cale John Davies Cale (born 9 March 1942) is a Welsh musician, composer, and record producer who was a founding member of the American rock band the Velvet Underground. Over his six-decade career, Cale has worked in various styles across rock, dr ...

, formerly of the

Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground were an American rock band formed in New York City in 1964. Its classic lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Lou Reed, Welsh multi-instrumentalist John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison, and percussionist Moe Tuc ...

, to create a new band, but it never materialized. Kral subsequently formed his own band, Eastern Bloc, with a record deal and video with Passport Records, though the project ended when the label folded in the mid-1980s. Kral also ran a studio in New York from 1982 to 1993, named PAWS, where

Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English musician. He is known as the lead singer and one of the founder members of The Rolling Stones. Jagger has co-written most of the band's songs with lead guitarist Keith Richards; Jagge ...

The B-52's The B-52s, originally presented as the B-52's (with an errant apostrophe; used until 2008), are an American band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, k ...

, and reggae artists like

Kiddus I Kiddus I (born Frank Louis Dowding Jr, December 1944)Katz, David (2000) "People Funny Boy - The Genius of Lee 'Scratch' Perry", Payback Press, is a reggae singer and musician, best known for his appearance in the film '' Rockers''. Biography Do ...

rehearsed. Kral wrote the music for “Rest in Peace” for the memorial song of Czech President Vaclav Havel and Cindy Hudson wrote the lyrics in 2011. Kral wrote the music for “Wasn’t It Great” tribute song to CBGB owner

Hilly Kristal Hillel Kristal (September 23, 1931August 28, 2007) was an American club owner, manager and musician who was the owner of the New York City club CBGB, which opened in 1973 and closed in 2006 over a rent dispute. Early years Kristal was born in ...

and Cindy Hudson wrote the lyrics in 2007.

Return to Czech Republic

Ivan Kral and David Bowie by Marek Smejkal

In 1989, the

Berlin Wall The Berlin Wall (, ) was a guarded concrete Separation barrier, barrier that encircled West Berlin from 1961 to 1989, separating it from East Berlin and the East Germany, German Democratic Republic (GDR; East Germany). Construction of the B ...

fell A fell (from Old Norse ''fell'', ''fjall'', "mountain"Falk and Torp (2006:161).) is a high and barren landscape feature, such as a mountain or Moorland, moor-covered hill. The term is most often employed in Fennoscandia, Iceland, the Isle of M ...

and the

Velvet Revolution The Velvet Revolution () or Gentle Revolution () was a non-violent transition of power in what was then Czechoslovakia, occurring from 17 November to 28 November 1989. Popular demonstrations against the one-party government of the Communist Pa ...

brought

Communism Communism () is a political sociology, sociopolitical, political philosophy, philosophical, and economic ideology, economic ideology within the history of socialism, socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a ...

to an end in Czechoslovakia. Král returned to

in 1993, and began working with other rock artists to develop the new Czech rock scene, using his experiences in the

West West is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some Romance langu ...

to develop Czech talent and working as a songwriter, producer and musician. Patti Smith, while still living in Detroit, recorded her poem "Perfect Moon" at 54 Sound studio for Král's 1995 album ''

Nostalgia Nostalgia is a sentimentality for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations. The word ''nostalgia'' is a neoclassical compound derived from Greek language, Greek, consisting of (''nóstos''), a Homeric word me ...

''.

wrote and recorded the piano for the song. Ivan Kral by Toko Shiiki

Král worked from his home studio in

Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...

. His 2014 CD, ''

Always Always may refer to: Film and television * ''Always'', a 1985 film directed by Henry Jaglom * ''Always'' (1989 film), a 1989 romantic comedy-drama directed by Steven Spielberg * ''Always'' (2011 film), a 2011 South Korean film, also known as ''O ...

'', was recorded at Funky D Studios, Detroit; 2018 album, ''

Colors Color (or colour in Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is the visual perception based on the electromagnetic spectrum. Though color is not an inherent property of matter, color perception is related to an object's light absorpt ...

'', was recorded at Pearl Sound Studios in Michigan; his 2020 album ''

Smile A smile is a facial expression formed primarily by flexing the muscles at the sides of the mouth. Some smiles include a contraction of the muscles at the corner of the eyes, an action known as a Duchenne smile. Among humans, a smile expresses d ...

'' was recorded at the Bunnyhutch. In 2021 post-humous album, ''Undiscovered,'' was released.

Warner Music Czech Republic Warner Music Czech Republic (formerly EMI Czech Republic and Parlophone Czech Republic) is a record label based in the Czech Republic. The company was founded under the name Monitor in 1990. EMI purchased the label in 1994 and maintained it und ...

also released a box set of three CDs, '' Ivan Kral – Later Years'', in 2020. His previous ten albums were released on

Universal Music Group Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as Universal Music Group or Universal Music) is a Netherlands, Dutch–United States, American multinational Music industry, music corporation under Law of the Netherlands, ...

and Polygram and were recorded in the Czech Republic or in

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

. As a producer, Král worked with

the Vipers The Vipers were an Irish new wave group of the late 1970s. A live act fronted by Paul Boyle and guitarist George Sweeney, they toured with Thin Lizzy, The Clash and The Jam. The group was formed as part of a growing punk scene in Dublin the ...

and the

Band of Outsiders Band or BAND may refer to: Places *Bánd, a village in Hungary * Band, Iran, a village in Urmia County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran * Band, Mureș, a commune in Romania * Band-e Majid Khan, a village in Bukan County, West Azerbaijan Province, ...

, as well as Czech bands such as

Lucie Lucie is the French and Czech form of the female name Lucia. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Lucie Ahl (born 1974), British tennis player * Lucie Arnaz (born 1951), American actress * Lucie Aubrac (1912–2007), member of ...

(on their studio album '' Černý kočky mokrý žáby'') and

David Koller David Koller (born 27 September 1960) is a Czech musician and record producer. Career Music Koller started his career in the early 1980s as the drummer of Jasná Páka and has also played in various other bands, including Žentour, Pusa, an ...

, Ivan Hlas,

Jiří Suchý Jiří Suchý (born 1 October 1931) is a Czechs, Czech comedian, poet, lyricist, prolific songwriter and occasional film-maker and prose writer. Plenty of his songs have become extremely popular within several successive generations. Currently he ...

Aneta Langerová Aneta Langerová (born 26 November 1986) is a Czech people, Czech pop singer. Born in Benešov, Czech Republic and grew up in Říčany, she first rose to fame at age 17 as the first winner of ''SuperStar Search Czechia, Česko hledá SuperStar' ...

Miroslav Žbirka Miroslav "Miro" Žbirka (21 October 1952 – 10 November 2021) was a Slovak pop and rock singer and songwriter, widely popular in 1980s Czechoslovakia. Born in Bratislava to a Slovak father and an English mother, he sang in Slovak, English, and ...

Alice Alice may refer to: * Alice (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname Literature * Alice (''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''), a character in books by Lewis Carroll * ''Alice'' series, children's and teen books by ...

, Debbi, Triny, and

Garage A garage is a covered structure built for the purpose of parking, storing, protecting, maintaining, and/or repairing vehicles. Specific applications include: *Garage (residential), a building or part of a building for storing one or more vehicl ...

. He also released many solo albums. He was a collector of the work of the

avant-garde In the arts and literature, the term ''avant-garde'' ( meaning or ) identifies an experimental genre or work of art, and the artist who created it, which usually is aesthetically innovative, whilst initially being ideologically unacceptable ...

Czech photographer

František Drtikol František Drtikol (3 March 1883 – 13 January 1961) was a Czech photographer known for his nudes and portraits. Life and work Drtikol was born in Příbram into a merchant family, the younger of three children, brother of sisters, Ema and ...

. The video for his song "Winner Takes All" was inspired by Drtikol's work with the female form. Král wrote music for the memorial of

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Václav Havel Václav Havel (; 5 October 193618 December 2011) was a Czech statesman, author, poet, playwright, and dissident. Havel served as the last List of presidents of Czechoslovakia, president of Czechoslovakia from 1989 until 1992, prior to the dissol ...

, and performed it for live broadcast across the

following Havel's funeral at the St. Vitus Cathedral. His wife, lyricist Cindy Hudson, wrote the lyrics.

Awards

Kral won a

Czech Academy of Popular Music Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus *Czech (surnam ...

award for: 1994 – Best Producer for album Černý Kočky Mokrý Žáby by band

1995 – Best Producer for solo Ivan Kral CD

1998 – Best Producer for album Walk Choc Ice by band Walk Choc Ice Kral was nominated for the

Czech Lion The Czech Lion Awards () are annual awards that recognize accomplishments in filmmaking and television. It is the highest award of achievement in film awarded in the Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historica ...

film score award in 2001 for the music in the film Cabriolet.

Filmography

As director

* ''Night Lunch'' – glam and rock band compilation (1975) * ''

'' (1976) * ''Iggy and the Stooges: Live at Academy of Music New York City'' (2011)

Appearances

* Live Stockholm, April 15, 1977 - on lead/rhythm guitar * ''

Rockpalast ''Rockpalast'' (''Rock Palace'') is a German music television show that broadcasts live on German television station Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR). ''Rockpalast'' started on 4 October 1974. Hundreds of rock, heavy metal and jazz bands have perf ...

: Patti Smith Group'' – on bass guitar and as backing vocalist (1979) * ''Dancing Barefoot'' (1995) * ''Mňága – Happy End'' (1996) * ''Cabriolet'' (2001) * ''Pátrání po Ester'' – Documentary (2005) * ''Letem světem s Kuřetem'' – TV Movie (2011) * ''Show Jana Krause – Episode dated 29 April 2011'' – TV Series (2011) * ''Show Jana Krause – Episode dated 5 October 2012'' – TV Series (2012) * ''VIP zprávy – Episode dated 16 April 2014'' – TV Series (2014) * '' GEN - Galerie elity národa'' (2018)

Film music

Scores

* ''Unmade Beds'' (1976), director

* ''The Foreigner'' (1978), director Amos Poe * ''

Subway Riders ''Subway Riders'' (also known as Os Viajantes da Noite) is a 1981 American No Wave mock-thriller film directed by Amos Poe. It stars Robbie Coltrane, Susan Tyrrell, Charlene Kaleina, Cookie Mueller, and John Lurie. Screen appearances are also made ...

'' (1981), director Amos Poe * ''

'' (1982), director

* ''Modré z Nebe'' (1997), director

Eva Borušovičová Eva Borušovičová (5 January 1970 – 2 June 2025) was a Slovak writer, film director and screenwriter. She was also known as a writer under her own name as well as under the pseudonym Maxim E. Matkin. Early life and career Eva Borušovičo ...

* ''

Pelíšky ''Cosy Dens'' () is a 1999 Czech film directed by Jan Hřebejk. It is loosely based on the novel '' Hovno Hoří'' ("shit on fire") by Petr Šabach. Readers of ''Reflex'' magazine voted it as the best Czech film in 2011. ''Cosy Dens'' was scr ...

'' (1999), director

Jan Hřebejk Jan Hřebejk (; born 27 June 1967) is a Czech film director and actor. Life and career Born in Prague, Hřebejk graduated from high school in 1987 and continued his studies at the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague ...

* ''Cabriolet'' (2001), director Marcel Bystroň

Soundtracks

Source: * ''

Shining Girls ''Shining Girls'' is an American science fiction thriller television series based on the 2013 novel '' The Shining Girls'' by Lauren Beukes. The series stars Elisabeth Moss, Wagner Moura and Jamie Bell. It premiered on Apple TV+ on April 29, ...

'', episode ''Cutline'' - TV 2022 (writer: “Pissing in a River”) * '' Mindhunter'', episode ''#2.8'' - TV 2019 (writer: "Dancing Barefoot") * '' The Deuce'', episode ''There's an Art to This'' - TV 2018 (writer: "Ask the Angels") * ''Un violent désir de bonheur'' - 2018 (writer: "Birdland") * '' Don't Blink - Robert Frank'' - Documentary 2015 (writer: "Ask the Angels") * '' State of Affairs'', episode ''Bang, Bang'' - TV 2014 (writer: "Bang Bang") * ''Show Jana Krause'', episode dated 20 June 2014 - TV 2014 (music "Sen") * ''

The Vampire Diaries ''The Vampire Diaries'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural teen drama television series developed by Kevin Williamson (screenwriter), Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, based on the The Vampire Diaries (novel series), book series ...

'', episode ''Because the Night'' - TV 2013 (writer: "Ask the Angels") * '' Endless Bummer'' - 2009 (writer: "Bang Bang") * ''

Chuck Chuck () is a masculine given name or a nickname for Charles or Charlie. It may refer to: People Arts and entertainment * Chuck Alaimo, American saxophonist, leader of the Chuck Alaimo Quartet * Chuck Barris (1929–2017), American TV produce ...

'', episode ''Chuck Versus the Ex'' - 2008 (writer: "Pumpin' for Jill") * ''GAL'' - 2006 (writer: "Bang Bang") * ''

Crossing Jordan ''Crossing Jordan'' is an American crime drama television series created by Tim Kring, that aired on NBC from September 24, 2001, to May 16, 2007. It stars Jill Hennessy as Dr. Jordan Cavanaugh, a crime-solving forensic pathologist employed ...

'', episode ''Secrets & Lies: Part 1'' - TV 2002 (writer: "Dancing Barefoot") * ''

New Waterford Girl ''New Waterford Girl'' is a 1999 Canadian comedy-drama film directed by Allan Moyle, and written by Tricia Fish. It stars Liane Balaban as Agnes-Marie "Mooney" Pottie, a teenager in New Waterford, Nova Scotia, who dreams of life beyond her small- ...

'' - 1999 (writer: "Ask the Angels") * ''Whatever'' - 1998 (writer: "Dancing Barefoot") * ''

Millennium A millennium () is a period of one thousand years, one hundred decades, or ten centuries, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting ...

'', episode ''Anamnesis'' - TV 1998 (writer: "Dancing Barefoot") * '' All Over Me'' - 1997 (writer: "Pissing in the River") * ''

Barb Wire file:Barbed Wire Roll.jpg, Roll of modern agricultural barbed wire Barbed wire, also known as barb wire or bob wire (in the Southern United States, Southern and Southwestern United States), is a type of steel fencing wire constructed with sharp ...

'' - 1996 (writer: "Dancing Barefoot") * '' The Basketball Diaries'' - 1995 (writer: "Dancing Barefoot") * ''

Threesome In human sexuality, a threesome is "a sexual interaction between three people whereby at least one engages in physical sexual behaviour with both the other individuals". While the term ''threesome'' typically refers to sexual activity involvin ...

'' - 1994 (writer: "Dancing Barefoot") * ''

Rock & Rule ''Rock & Rule'' (known as ''Ring of Power'' outside North America) is a 1983 Canadian animated musical science fantasy film featuring the voices of Don Francks, Greg Salata, and Susan Roman. It was produced by Michael Hirsh and Patrick Loub ...

'' - 1983 (writer: "Pain & Suffering") * ''A Night at Halsted's'' - 1982 (writer: "Pumping (My Heart)") * ''

Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and Neighborhoods in New York City, neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway (Manhattan), ...

'' - 1980 (writer: "Pissing in the River") * '' Ohne Maulkorb'', episode ''20 Stunden mit Patti Smith'' - TV documentary 1978 (writer: "25th Floor", "Pumping (My Heart)")

Discography

Solo

* ''Native'' (1992) * ''

'' (1995) * ''Looking Back'' (1996) * ''Native: His Native Complete'' (1996) * ''Alias'' (1997) (with Ivan Hlas, David Koller and Karel Šůcha) * ''Modré z nebe (soundtrack)'' (1997) * ''Prohlédnutí / Clear Eyes'' (1998) * ''... "dancing barefoot"'' (1999) * ''Dancing Reboot ● Ivan Kral ● Remixed'' (1999) * ''Živě, dětským domovům'' (live) (1999) * ''Best of Ivan Kral'' (compilation) (2001) * ''Cabriolet (soundtrack)'' (2001) * '' Photoalbum'' (2002) * ''Erotická revue'' (2003) * ''Bang Bang!'' (2005) * ''

'' (2014) * ''

'' (2018) * ''

'' (2020) * ''Ivan Kral - Later Years'' box set (2020)

with Patti Smith

* ''

'' (1975) * ''

'' (1976) * '' Hey Joe / Radio Ethiopia'' – recorded live at

s, New York on 5 June 1977 (1977) * ''

'' (1978) * '' Set Free'' (1978) * ''

'' (1979) * ''

The Patti Smith Masters ''The Patti Smith Masters'' is the box set by American rock singer-songwriter Patti Smith, released June 18, 1996, on Arista Records. The box set contains 20-bit Digital data, digitally Remaster, remastered CD versions of Smith's first five albu ...

'' – Patti Smith compilation (1996) * ''

Land Land, also known as dry land, ground, or earth, is the solid terrestrial surface of Earth not submerged by the ocean or another body of water. It makes up 29.2% of Earth's surface and includes all continents and islands. Earth's land sur ...

'' – Patti Smith compilation (2002) * '' Horses / Horses Live'' (2005) * '' iTunes Originals – Patti Smith'' (2008) * '' Outside Society'' – Patti Smith Greatest Hits (2011) * ''The Arista Years 1975 box set'' (2011)

with Iggy Pop

* ''

'' (1980) * ''

'' (1981)

with John Waite

* ''

'' (1982) * '' No Brakes'' (1984) * '' Mask of Smiles'' (1985)

with
Téléphone Téléphone () was a French rock band formed in 1976. Their first, self-titled album was released in 1977; by the end of the decade they were one of the biggest French rock bands in the world, opening shows for The Rolling Stones in Paris, Queb ...

* ''

Dure Limite ''Dure Limite'' () is the fourth studio album by France, French rock band Téléphone, released in 1982 on Virgin Records. The French edition of ''Rolling Stone'' magazine named this album the 3rd greatest French rock album (out of 100).Magazine ' ...

'' " Ce Soir est ce Soir" (1982) his name being wrongly spelt Yvan Kral on some album credits

with John Cale

* '' Even Cowgirls Get the Blues'' (1987)

with Eastern Bloc

* ''Wall to Wall' (1987)

with Sky Cries Mary

* '' Exit at the Axis'' (1991)

with
Noel Redding Noel David Redding (25 December 1945 – 11 May 2003) was an English rock musician, best known as the bass player for the Jimi Hendrix Experience and guitarist/singer for Fat Mattress. Following his departure from the Experience in 1969 a ...
and Friends

* ''Live from Bunkr - Prague'' (1996)

with Triny Vocal Trio

* ''Gypsy Streams'' (2001)

with
Lucie Lucie is the French and Czech form of the female name Lucia. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Lucie Ahl (born 1974), British tennis player * Lucie Arnaz (born 1951), American actress * Lucie Aubrac (1912–2007), member of ...

* '' Černý kočky mokrý žáby'' (1994), producer, co-writer, recording musician * '' Pohyby'' (1996), co-producer, recording musician * ''Lucie v opeře'' (2003), co-writer of song "''Sen''" for opera version * ''Vše nejlepší ,88 -

* ''Teď a tady'' (2015), co-writer

with Miroslav Žbirka">Miro Žbirka Miro or Miró may refer to: Companies * Miro (collaboration platform), a collaborative online whiteboard tool * Miro Company, a French game manufacturer * Miro Technologies, a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) software supplier from Califor ...

Biography

Early life

Early career and the Patti Smith Group

Filmmaking work

After the Patti Smith Group

Return to Czech Republic

Awards

Filmography

As director

Appearances

Film music

Scores

Soundtracks

Discography

Solo

with Patti Smith

with Iggy Pop

with John Waite

with
Téléphone Téléphone () was a French rock band formed in 1976. Their first, self-titled album was released in 1977; by the end of the decade they were one of the biggest French rock bands in the world, opening shows for The Rolling Stones in Paris, Queb ...

with John Cale

with Eastern Bloc

with Sky Cries Mary

with
Noel Redding Noel David Redding (25 December 1945 – 11 May 2003) was an English rock musician, best known as the bass player for the Jimi Hendrix Experience and guitarist/singer for Fat Mattress. Following his departure from the Experience in 1969 a ...
and Friends

with Triny Vocal Trio

with
Lucie Lucie is the French and Czech form of the female name Lucia. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Lucie Ahl (born 1974), British tennis player * Lucie Arnaz (born 1951), American actress * Lucie Aubrac (1912–2007), member of ...

with Miroslav Žbirka">Miro Žbirka Miro or Miró may refer to: Companies * Miro (collaboration platform), a collaborative online whiteboard tool * Miro Company, a French game manufacturer * Miro Technologies, a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) software supplier from Califor ...

with Lenka Filipová

with Janek Ledecký

with
Jiří Suchý Jiří Suchý (born 1 October 1931) is a Czechs, Czech comedian, poet, lyricist, prolific songwriter and occasional film-maker and prose writer. Plenty of his songs have become extremely popular within several successive generations. Currently he ...

with Alice

with Aneta Langerová

with Walk Choc Ice

with
Mňága a Žďorp Mňága a Žďorp is a Czech rock band from Valašské Meziříčí. A precursor of the group was formed in 1983 under the name Slepé střevo. The band's lineup has changed frequently over the years and currently consists of Petr Fiala on guita ...

with Garáž

with
Pusa ''Pusa'' is a genus of the earless seals, within the family Phocidae. The three species of this genus were split from the genus '' Phoca'', and some sources still give ''Phoca'' as an acceptable synonym for ''Pusa''. The three species in this ...

Covers

Books

References

External links

Biography

Early life

Early career and the Patti Smith Group

Filmmaking work

After the Patti Smith Group

Return to Czech Republic

Awards

Filmography

As director

Appearances

Film music

Scores

Soundtracks

Discography

Solo

with Patti Smith

with Iggy Pop

with John Waite

with Téléphone Téléphone () was a French rock band formed in 1976. Their first, self-titled album was released in 1977; by the end of the decade they were one of the biggest French rock bands in the world, opening shows for The Rolling Stones in Paris, Queb ...

with John Cale

with Eastern Bloc

with Sky Cries Mary

with Noel Redding Noel David Redding (25 December 1945 – 11 May 2003) was an English rock musician, best known as the bass player for the Jimi Hendrix Experience and guitarist/singer for Fat Mattress. Following his departure from the Experience in 1969 a ... and Friends

with Triny Vocal Trio

with Lucie Lucie is the French and Czech form of the female name Lucia. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Lucie Ahl (born 1974), British tennis player * Lucie Arnaz (born 1951), American actress * Lucie Aubrac (1912–2007), member of ...

with Miroslav Žbirka">Miro Žbirka Miro or Miró may refer to: Companies * Miro (collaboration platform), a collaborative online whiteboard tool * Miro Company, a French game manufacturer * Miro Technologies, a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) software supplier from Califor ...

with Lenka Filipová

with Janek Ledecký

with Jiří Suchý Jiří Suchý (born 1 October 1931) is a Czechs, Czech comedian, poet, lyricist, prolific songwriter and occasional film-maker and prose writer. Plenty of his songs have become extremely popular within several successive generations. Currently he ...

with Alice

with Aneta Langerová

with Walk Choc Ice

with Mňága a Žďorp Mňága a Žďorp is a Czech rock band from Valašské Meziříčí. A precursor of the group was formed in 1983 under the name Slepé střevo. The band's lineup has changed frequently over the years and currently consists of Petr Fiala on guita ...

with Garáž

with Pusa ''Pusa'' is a genus of the earless seals, within the family Phocidae. The three species of this genus were split from the genus '' Phoca'', and some sources still give ''Phoca'' as an acceptable synonym for ''Pusa''. The three species in this ...

Covers

Books

References

External links

with
Téléphone Téléphone () was a French rock band formed in 1976. Their first, self-titled album was released in 1977; by the end of the decade they were one of the biggest French rock bands in the world, opening shows for The Rolling Stones in Paris, Queb ...

with
Noel Redding Noel David Redding (25 December 1945 – 11 May 2003) was an English rock musician, best known as the bass player for the Jimi Hendrix Experience and guitarist/singer for Fat Mattress. Following his departure from the Experience in 1969 a ...
and Friends

with
Lucie Lucie is the French and Czech form of the female name Lucia. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Lucie Ahl (born 1974), British tennis player * Lucie Arnaz (born 1951), American actress * Lucie Aubrac (1912–2007), member of ...

with
Jiří Suchý Jiří Suchý (born 1 October 1931) is a Czechs, Czech comedian, poet, lyricist, prolific songwriter and occasional film-maker and prose writer. Plenty of his songs have become extremely popular within several successive generations. Currently he ...

with
Mňága a Žďorp Mňága a Žďorp is a Czech rock band from Valašské Meziříčí. A precursor of the group was formed in 1983 under the name Slepé střevo. The band's lineup has changed frequently over the years and currently consists of Petr Fiala on guita ...

with
Pusa ''Pusa'' is a genus of the earless seals, within the family Phocidae. The three species of this genus were split from the genus '' Phoca'', and some sources still give ''Phoca'' as an acceptable synonym for ''Pusa''. The three species in this ...