Ivan Král facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ivan Kral
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Kral in 1974
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| Born | 12 May 1948 Prague, Czechoslovakia |
| Died | 2 February 2020 (aged 71) Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1966–2020 |
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Ivan Kral (born May 12, 1948 – died February 2, 2020) was a talented musician from the Czech Republic who also became an American citizen. He was a composer, filmmaker, guitarist, and singer. Ivan Kral was also known for producing music for other artists.
He worked in many different music styles, including pop, rock, jazz, and punk. Many famous artists recorded his songs, such as U2, Patti Smith, and Iggy Pop. Ivan Kral won several important music awards in the Czech Republic called the Anděl Awards. He passed away in 2020 at the age of 71.
Contents
About Ivan Kral
His Early Life
Ivan Kral was born in Prague, which was then part of Czechoslovakia. In 1966, he moved to the United States with his parents. They were diplomats, which means they worked for their country in another country.
His father, Dr. Karel Kral, worked for the United Nations. He spoke out against an event called the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. Because of this, his family decided not to go back home. Ivan Kral was a refugee until 1981, when he became a citizen of the U.S.
Starting His Music Career
Ivan Kral began his music journey in New York City in the early 1970s. This was during the "glam rock" era, a time when musicians wore flashy clothes and makeup. His band, Luger, played at popular places like Max's Kansas City. They even opened shows for the famous band Kiss in 1973.
After Luger broke up, he played with other bands like Blondie. From 1975 to 1979, Ivan Kral was a key member of the Patti Smith Group. He played guitar and bass, and helped write songs for their first four albums.
One of these albums was Horses (1975). Time magazine called it one of the "All-Time 100 Greatest Albums." It's also kept in the Library of Congress because it's considered very important. Ivan Kral helped write famous songs like "Ask the Angels" and "Dancing Barefoot." Many artists, including U2 and Simple Minds, have covered "Dancing Barefoot."
Making Films
Ivan Kral wanted to record his life in New York City. He bought a camera to film everything, just in case he was ever sent back to Czechoslovakia. In his home country, rock music was not allowed.
He started filming concerts in 1967. He captured early performances by bands like The Who and Cream. Later, he filmed Queen, David Bowie, and Patti Smith. Some of these clips are in his 1975 movie, Night Lunch. These are some of the earliest videos of these famous bands.
He also filmed his bandmates and friends. He put these videos together into a 1976 film called The Blank Generation. This movie shows early punk bands like the Ramones, Talking Heads, and Blondie before they became famous. The Blank Generation is seen as an important film that shows how New York punk music began.
After Patti Smith Group
In 1979, Ivan Kral started working with Iggy Pop. He helped write and play guitar for Iggy Pop's albums Soldier (1980) and Party (1981).
Ivan Kral also wrote music for movies. He created the scores for films like Unmade Beds and The Foreigner. In the 1980s, he worked with singer John Waite and wrote songs for his albums. He also had his own band called Eastern Bloc.
From 1982 to 1993, Ivan Kral ran a music studio in New York called PAWS. Famous musicians like Mick Jagger and The B-52's rehearsed there. Ivan Kral also wrote music for special tribute songs. He wrote "Rest in Peace" for Czech President Vaclav Havel and "Wasn’t It Great" for CBGB club owner Hilly Kristal. His wife, Cindy Hudson, wrote the words for these songs.
Back in the Czech Republic
In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, and Communism ended in Czechoslovakia. Ivan Kral moved back to Prague in 1993. He wanted to help new rock bands in the Czech Republic. He used his experience from the West to help develop Czech music talent. He worked as a songwriter, producer, and musician.
Patti Smith recorded a poem for Ivan Kral's 1995 album Nostalgia. John Cale played piano on that song. Ivan Kral continued to make his own music. His albums Always (2014) and Colors (2018) were recorded in Michigan. His last album, Smile, came out in 2020. After he passed away, an album called Undiscovered was released in 2021.
As a producer, Ivan Kral helped many Czech bands. He worked with Lucie, David Koller, and Aneta Langerová. He also released many solo albums.
Ivan Kral was a fan of the Czech photographer František Drtikol. The video for his song "Winner Takes All" was inspired by Drtikol's art. Ivan Kral also wrote music for the memorial of President Václav Havel. He performed it live for the whole Czech Republic after Havel's funeral.
Awards and Recognition
Ivan Kral won several awards from the Czech Academy of Popular Music:
- 1994 – Best Producer for the album Černý Kočky Mokrý Žáby by the band Lucie.
- 1995 – Best Producer for his solo album Nostalgia.
- 1998 – Best Producer for the album Walk Choc Ice by the band Walk Choc Ice.
He was also nominated for a Czech Lion film music award in 2001 for the movie Cabriolet.
Film Work
Ivan Kral was involved in many films, both as a director and by having his music featured.
As a Director
- Night Lunch (1975) – A collection of clips from glam and rock bands.
- The Blank Generation (1976) – A film about the early New York punk scene.
- Iggy and the Stooges: Live at Academy of Music New York City (2011)
Film Appearances
Ivan Kral appeared in several films and TV shows:
- Rockpalast: Patti Smith Group (1979) – He played bass and sang backup.
- Dancing Barefoot (1995)
- Cabriolet (2001)
- Pátrání po Ester (2005) – A documentary.
Film Music Scores
Ivan Kral composed music specifically for these films:
- Unmade Beds (1976)
- The Foreigner (1978)
- Subway Riders (1981)
- Diner (1982)
- Pelíšky (1999)
- Cabriolet (2001)
Songs in Soundtracks
Many of Ivan Kral's songs have been used in movies and TV shows:
- "Dancing Barefoot" was in Mindhunter (2019) and The Basketball Diaries (1995).
- "Ask the Angels" was in The Deuce (2018) and The Vampire Diaries (2013).
- "Bang Bang" was in Endless Bummer (2009) and GAL (2006).
Music Albums
Ivan Kral released many albums throughout his career, both as a solo artist and with other musicians.
Solo Albums
- Native (1992)
- Nostalgia (1995)
- Looking Back (1996)
- Alias (1997)
- ... "dancing barefoot" (1999)
- Best of Ivan Kral (2001)
- Photoalbum (2001)
- Bang Bang! (2005)
- Always (2014)
- Colors (2018)
- Smile (2020)
- Ivan Kral - Later Years box set (2020)
With Patti Smith
- Horses (1975)
- Radio Ethiopia (1976)
- Easter (1978)
- Wave (1979)
With Iggy Pop
- Soldier (1980)
- Party (1981)
With John Waite
- Ignition (1982)
- No Brakes (1984)
- Mask of Smiles (1985)
Other Collaborations
- With Téléphone: Dure Limite (1982)
- With Eastern Bloc: Wall to Wall (1987)
- With Lucie: Černý kočky mokrý žáby (1994)
- With Miro Žbirka: Meky (1997)
- With Mňága a Žďorp: Ryzí zlato (1995)
Famous Song Covers
Ivan Kral wrote the music for the Patti Smith song "Dancing Barefoot." Patti Smith wrote the lyrics. This song has been covered by many artists, including:
- U2 (two versions)
- Pearl Jam
- Simple Minds
- Todd Rundgren
Kral also wrote the music for the song "Bang Bang," with Iggy Pop writing the lyrics.
Books About Ivan Kral
- VEDRAL, Honza, 2019. Neuvěřitelný Ivan Král. This book tells the amazing story of Ivan Kral's life.
See also
In Spanish: Ivan Král para niños
