Vratislav Brabenec facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vratislav Brabenec
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At a concert in Kadaň.
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| Background information | |
| Born | April 28, 1943 Prague |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, poet |
| Instruments | Saxophone, clarinet |
| Years active | 1972–present |
| Associated acts | The Plastic People of the Universe |
Vratislav Brabenec is a Czech musician and writer. He was born in Prague on April 28, 1943. He is also a member of a famous music group called The Plastic People of the Universe.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Vratislav Brabenec grew up in Prague. His father worked for the postal service. He went to the Agricultural Secondary School in Mělník. There he studied gardening. After school, he worked as a gardener for several years.
From 1964 to 1969, he studied theology in Prague. However, he did not finish his studies. In 1969, he worked in Great Britain. When he came back home, he continued working for gardening companies.
Challenges and Return Home
In 1976, Vratislav Brabenec was arrested. He was held in prison for eight months. This happened because of his political views. After his release, he signed Charta 77. This was a brave statement for human rights.
In 1982, he was forced to leave his home country. This was part of a government action. He moved to Canada in 1983. He lived there until 1997. During his time in Canada, he met other Czech people who had also moved there.
After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, he often visited his homeland. He returned to the Czech Republic for good in 1997. Since then, he has focused on his music. He also works as a garden designer.
Music Career
Vratislav Brabenec plays several instruments. These include the alto saxophone, bass clarinet, and clarinet. He also sings. He is a long-time member of The Plastic People of the Universe (PPU).
In the 1970s, PPU faced many problems. Their concerts were banned by the government. This persecution helped lead to the creation of Charta 77. Brabenec wrote many of the group's song lyrics. His lyrics often explored deep ideas. Some were about philosophy or religion.
After returning to the Czech Republic in 1997, he rejoined PPU. He also plays in another band called Sen noci svatojánské.
Literary Career
Vratislav Brabenec started publishing poems in 1968. His first poems appeared in a religious magazine. He also published his work in secret editions. These were called samizdat. His first solo samizdat book was Svědkové (Witnesses) in 1978.
Another book, Sebedudy, was prepared in 1982. However, it was not published until 1992. His poems are closely connected to music. In the 1990s, his work appeared in many Czech magazines. These included Revolver Revue and Host.
Brabenec has also appeared in several movies. These films are usually about PPU or feature the band. Examples include Milan Hlavsa, Plastic People of the Universe from 2001. Another film is ...a bude hůř from 2007.
Works
Books
- Sebedudy (1992)
- Vůl Hvězda Ranní (1998)
- Karlín přístav (1999; second [bilingual] edition 2021)
- Vážený pane K. (2001)
- Všude je střed světa (2005)
- Sebedudy a jiné texty z let 1966-1987 (2010)
- Evangelium podle Brabence (2010)
- Denver (2010)
- Pajasan (2016)
- Podoby (2016)
- Nevyžádaný příspěvek (2016)
- Tanec duchů (2017)
- Trdliště (2018)
- Garden Is Open (2018)
- Payday (2019)
- Legendy a čáry (2019)
- Eden: Třída sboru národní bezpečnosti (2020)
- Posvícení (2020)
- Podzim (2020)
- Život v Ječný (2021)
- Na ouvrati (2022)
- Vlk a plch: rozporky & rozprávky aj. (2022)
- Cestou na Bořeň (2023)
Music Albums
- Konec léta (1995)
- Začni u stromu (2006)
- Kanadské vytí (2007)
- Létání je snadné (2013)
- Šaman bez kmene, bez rodu, bez prérie (2018)
- Růže na kmínku (2021)
- Nejsem na to zvyklá (2023)
Film Appearances
- …a bude hůř (2007)
- Gorila (2011)
- Kovář z Podlesí (2013)
- Odborný dohled nad východem Slunce (2014)
- Odborný dohled nad výkladem snu (2018)
- Cena za štěstí (2019)
- Ztraceni v ráji (2020)
- Tichý společník (2021)
