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Richard Müller (born 6 September 1961) is a Slovak singer, songwriter, photographer, and occasional actor. He is one of the most successful singers in both Czechia and Slovakia, where he has sold more than one million records. At the beginning of his musical career, he was a member of Pavel Daněk's band Burčiak and later formed his own group, Banket, with whom he recorded three studio albums. He launched a solo career in the early 1990s and has issued sixteen studio albums as well as several compilations and live recordings. Müller collaborated with pianist
Jaroslav Filip Jaroslav Filip (22 June 1949, Hontianske Moravce – 11 July 2000, Bratislava), known as Jaro Filip, was a Slovak musician, composer, humorist, dramaturge, actor, columnist, and early promoter of the internet in Slovakia. His work includes nume ...
until the latter's death in 2000.


Career


Banket: 1984–91

Müller started his career as a music journalist. In the beginning of the 1980s, while studying drama and screenwriting at the
Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava The Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava (, abbr. VŠMU) is a university founded on June 9, 1949. The university consists of three faculties: *''Theatre Faculty'' (Acting, Directing, Dramaturgy, Stage and Costume Design, Puppetry, Theatre Th ...
, he started writing for the daily paper and the only specialized periodical at the time, ''Popular'', and later for ''Gramorevue''. His first song, "Radio", was recorded with Pavel Daněk's band Burčiak. The track found success on the charts, and this encouraged Müller to start his own band, called Banket, which also included Andrej Šeban. Their debut album, ''Bioelektrovízia'' (1986), included the song "Po schodoch", written by
Vašo Patejdl Vašo Patejdl (born Václav Patejdl; 10 October 1954 – 19 August 2023) was a Slovak musician and composer. He was best known for being a co-founder and long-term member of the pop-rock band Elán (band), Elán. He wrote songs for other musicia ...
. Banket released two more albums, ''Druhá doba?!'' (1988) and ''Vpred?'' (1990), before splitting up in 1991.


Theatre work

In 1988, Müller, together with Šeban, composed music for the play ''Kúpeľňový hráč'', and in 1991, the duo released ''Baal'', a soundtrack album to Bertolt Brecht's play of the same name.


Collaboration with Jaroslav Filip: 1994–2000

Müller subsequently launched a solo career. He initially found success singing in Czech, including such songs as "Štěstí je krásná věc" and "Rozeznávám", but eventually switched to his native language. He released his debut album, ''Neuč vtáka lietať'', in 1992, and followed it in 1994 with ''33'', his first collaboration with pianist and longtime friend
Jaroslav Filip Jaroslav Filip (22 June 1949, Hontianske Moravce – 11 July 2000, Bratislava), known as Jaro Filip, was a Slovak musician, composer, humorist, dramaturge, actor, columnist, and early promoter of the internet in Slovakia. His work includes nume ...
. The two went on to record ''LSD'' in 1996, ''Nočná optika'' in 1998, ''Koniec sveta'' in 1999, and ''...a hosté'' in 2000, which was released a few months before Filip's death. Filip is credited on Müller's album '' '01'', in memoriam, as a co-writer on several songs. The album's final track, "Planý poplach duše", is dedicated to his memory. The record also includes contributions from Ivan Tásler and
Iva Bittová Iva Bittová (born 22 July 1958) is a Czech avant-garde violinist, singer, and composer. She began her career as an actor in the mid-1970s, appearing in several Czech feature films, but switched to playing violin and singing in the early 1980s ...
.


PPF, ''...a hosté'': 1995–2000

In 1995, Müller again worked with Šeban as well as with Oskar Rózsa and Emil Frátrik, on a series of improvisations they called PPF. They recorded one album together, titled ''Po piči front'', and released it the next year in limited format. Rózsa produced Müller's 2000 album, ''...a hosté'', which included Šeban on guitar, Filip on piano, as well numerous musical guests from Czechia and Slovakia, such as Ivan Tásler,
Michal Horáček Michal Horáček (born 23 July 1952) is a Czech Republic, Czech entrepreneur, lyricist, poet, writer, journalist and music producer. From 2007 until 2010, he was the chairman of the Czech Academy of Popular Music. He founded Czech betting compan ...
,
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 ...
, Robert Kodym,
Anna K Anna K may refer to: * Anna K (designer) (born 1995), Ukrainian fashion designer *Anna K (singer) (born 1965), Czech singer *Anna K. or Anna Kjellberg, bassist for Drain STH and Revolting Cocks Revolting Cocks, also known as RevCo, are an Ame ...
,
Hana Hegerová Hana Hegerová (20 October 1931 – 23 March 2021) was a Slovak singer and actress. Often referred to as the Queen of Czechoslovak chanson, she gained popularity primarily as a singer of chansons. Outside of Czechoslovakia, Hegerová attained r ...
, Petr Hapka, and Iva Bittová.


New York City recordings: 2003–06

Müller's next three albums, ''Monogamný vzťah'' (2003), ''44'' (2005), and ''V.V.'' (2006), were recorded in New York City, with various American musicians. In 2005, he toured Czechia and Slovakia with the backing of drummer
Omar Hakim Omar Hakim (born February 12, 1959) is an American drummer, producer, arranger and composer. His session work covers jazz, jazz fusion, and pop music. He has worked with Weather Report, David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Chic, Sting, Madonna, Dire S ...
, bassists Anthony Jackson and
Will Lee William Lee (born William Lubovsky; August 6, 1908 – December 7, 1982) was an American actor who appeared in numerous television and film roles, but was best known for playing Mr. Hooper, the original store proprietor of the eponymous Hoope ...
, guitarists
Hiram Bullock Hiram Law Bullock (September 11, 1955 – July 25, 2008) was an American guitarist known mainly for playing in jazz funk and jazz fusion, but he also worked as a session musician in a variety of genres. Biography Bullock was born in Osaka, Ja ...
and Mike Caffrey, and keyboardist
Clifford Carter Clifford Carter (born August 10, 1952) is an American keyboardist, musical director, composer and arranger. Carter is known for his performances with such artists as James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Rosanne Cash, Michael Franks (mus ...
. A selection of live recordings from this tour was subsequently released as ''44: Koncert'' in 2007.


Return to Slovakia: 2007–present

After his return to Slovakia in 2007, Müller continued recording and performing. In 2010, he published the album ''Už'' (2010) and followed it a year later with ''Ešte''. In 2013 and 2014, he recorded two albums with the Slovak a cappella vocal group Fragile, for which they won a Crystal Wing Award in 2013. In 2015, he collaborated with Michal Horáček and
Michal Pavlíček Michal Pavlíček (born 14 February 1956) is a Czech guitarist, musical composer, singer, lyricist, and producer. He is considered to be an accomplished guitarist and holds numerous awards. Career Pavlíček, a FAMU graduate, broke onto the mu ...
, recording the album ''Socialní síť'', which the duo had penned. In 2016, he released ''55'', in 2020, ''Hodina medzi psom a vlkom'', and his latest album, ''Čierna Labuť Biela Vrana'', came out in 2022.


Other activities

Müller has moderated various radio and television shows as well as appearing in a few productions as an actor, including the long-running ''
Panelák Panelák is a colloquial term in Czech language, Czech and Slovak language, Slovak for a Large panel system-building, large panel system panel building constructed of pre-fabricated, pre-stressed concrete, such as those extant in the former Soc ...
'', the 1998 film ''
Rivers of Babylon "Rivers of Babylon" is a Rastafari movement, Rastafari song written and recorded by Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of the Jamaican reggae group the Melodians in 1970. The lyrics are adapted from the texts of Psalms Psalm 19, 19 and Psalm 137, ...
'', and 2015's ''Burácení''. He has also published two photography books: ''Amerika, Americký denník'' (1996) and ''Enter'' (2010).


Personal life

Müller is the son of actor Vladislav Müller and actress Eliška Müller. He married TV announcer Soňa Müllerová in 1986, and the couple has a son and a daughter. They divorced in 2001. His current partner is Vanda Wolfová, with whom he has a son. Müller has consumed illegal drugs since the 1990s. In a March 2000 television interview, he admitted to using marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. For this appearance, he was later charged by Slovak police with the crime of promoting drug use. His performance with the group IMT Smile the same month also led to controversy, as at one point in the show, Müller performed naked and demanded
meth Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational or performance-enhancing drug and less commonly as a second-line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity ...
. The singer also has bipolar disorder and has attempted suicide on several occasions.


Awards and achievements

Müller has received nine
Aurel Awards The Aurel Awards were Slovak music accolades presented by ''Slovenská národná skupina Medzinárodnej federácie fonografického priemyslu'' (SNS IFPI) to recognize outstanding achievements in the industry for the preceding year in the regio ...
, one Artmedia Award, and three Gold
Slávik Awards Slávik () was a Slovak music poll and award established by the company Forza—which organizes the Miss Slovakia beauty pageant—in 1998, as a successor to Czechoslovakia's Zlatý slavík, which ran from 1962 until 1991. The annual event was ...
(as well as three Silver and five Bronze). Four of his solo albums are included in
the 100 Greatest Slovak Albums of All Time The 100 Greatest Slovak Albums of All Time is a list of the best album releases issued by Slovak recording artists. As the first such list presented in Slovakia, it was published by ''Nový čas'' daily on 22 September 2007. The list is entirely ...
, as are two Banket records.Top 25 česko-slovenských alb dekády (15–6)
/ref> In 2013, he won a Crystal Wing Award together with the group Fragile.


Discography


with Banket

* ''Bioelektrovízia'' (1986) * ''Up the Stairs'' (English version of ''Bioelektrovízia'', 1986) * ''Druhá doba?!'' (1988) * ''Vpred?'' (1990) * ''Banket '84–'91'' (compilation, 1991) * ''Gold'' (compilation, 2005)


Solo

Studio albums * ''Neuč vtáka lietať'' (1992) * ''33'' (1994) * ''LSD'' (1996) * ''Nočná optika'' (1998) * ''Koniec sveta'' (1999) * ''...a hosté'' (2000) * '' '01'' (2001) * ''Monogamný vzťah'' (2004) * ''44'' (2005) * ''V.V. '' (2006) * ''Už'' (2010) * ''Ešte'' (2011) * ''Socialní síť'' (2015) * ''55'' (2016) * ''Hodina medzi psom a vlkom'' (2020) * ''Čierna Labuť Biela Vrana'' (2022) EPs * ''Slávnosť úprimných slov'' (1987) with
Marika Gombitová Marika Gombitová (; born 12 September 1956) is a Slovak singer-songwriter and musician. Once a member of Modus (band), Modus, Gombitová started to gain early acclaim as a former female vocalist of the group. Nevertheless, she gradually develop ...
,
Vašo Patejdl Vašo Patejdl (born Václav Patejdl; 10 October 1954 – 19 August 2023) was a Slovak musician and composer. He was best known for being a co-founder and long-term member of the pop-rock band Elán (band), Elán. He wrote songs for other musicia ...
, and
Ján Lehotský Ján, also credited as Janko Lehotský (born 16 April 1947) is a Slovak composer and former leader of the Modus band. Lehotský began his performing career when he was four years old, when he performed in a marionette theater. He was a freela ...
Compilations * ''Retro'' (2002) * ''Čo bolo, bolo'' (2006) * ''Všetko'' (2011) * ''Výberovka'' (2017) Live albums * ''Müllénium: Live'' (1999) * ''44: Koncert'' (2007) * ''Koncert'' (2018)


Other recordings

* ''Baal'' with Andrej Šeban (1991) * ''Po piči front'' with PPF (1996) * ''Müller spieva Lasicu, Lasica spieva Müllera, Müller a Lasica spievajú Filipa'' with
Milan Lasica Milan Lasica (; 3 February 1940 – 18 July 2021) was a popular Slovak comedian, actor, singer, writer, lyricist and satirist. Active from 1961 to his death, he was known from his double act with Július Satinský and their collaboration with ...
(2008) * ''Hlasy'' with Fragile (2013) * ''Hlasy 2'' with Fragile (2014) * ''Hlasy Live'' with Fragile (2014)


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Muller, Richard Slovak pop singers Slovak rock singers Slovak singer-songwriters 1961 births Living people 21st-century Slovak male singers People with bipolar disorder People from Hlohovec 20th-century Slovak male singers Czechoslovak male singers