Ivan Kral obit

Ivan Kral death: Patti Smith and Iggy Pop collaborator dies, aged 71

Musician died of cancer at his home in Michigan

 He was not on the list.

 

Ivan Král, the Czech guitarist and producer who collaborated with some of the biggest punk artists of the day, has died aged 71.

David Gaydecka of the Metronome festival in Prague revealed the news that Kral had died on 2 February, Reuters reports.

“We worked together since 2016, but the grand finale, which we have prepared, never came,” he said.

Král’s wife confirmed his death in a statement that was shared on Twitter, revealing he had died of cancer at his home in Michigan. It was also announced that his album, Smile, will be released on 28 February.

Král co-wrote a number of songs with Patti Smith, including “Dancing Barefoot”, from the 1979 album Wave. He also wrote and performed for her 1975 debut, Horses; Radio Ethiopia (1976); Easter (1978) and Exodus (1994).

Král ​played briefly with Blondie in the mid-Seventies and also wrote songs that were performed by Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Eastern Bloc and others. He released a documentary in 1976 about the New York Punk scene, using footage of Blondie, Richard Hell, Talking Heads, Ramones and more, titled The Blank Generation.

The Czech-born American composer, filmmaker, guitarist, record producer, bassist, and singer-songwriter. He worked across genres including pop music, punk rock, garage rock, rock, jazz, soul, country and film scores. His music has been recorded by such artists as U2, Téléphone, Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Simple Minds, and John Waite, among others. The Czech three-time Andel Awards winner died of cancer in 2020, aged 71.

Born in Prague, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic), Ivan Kral moved to the United States in 1966 as a refugee with his parents, who were diplomats. His father Dr. Karel Kral, a reporter at the United Nations, brought worldwide attention to the pending Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 and publicly denounced the action, subsequently deciding not to return. Kral had refugee status until 1981 when he obtained U.S. citizenship.

Kral wanted a visual diary of his days in New York City 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 shows in 1967, with clips of the first show in America by The Who, Cream and Mitch Ryder then eventually got a 16mm camera, on which he filmed other concerts including early Queen, David Bowie, Patti Smith. 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, Hotel Chelsea apartments, The Bottom Line, and CBGB. He compiled the footage into a 1976 film titled The Blank Generation, which features the Ramones, Talking Heads, Blondie, New York Dolls, Television, and drag queen Jayne County, before they had record deals. No Wave filmmaker Amos Poe 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 New York punk. There are no effects, production, posing, scripts or budget, and it is the source film for many music documentaries.

 

Filmography

As director

Night Lunch – glam and rock band compilation (1975)

The Blank Generation (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: 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 Amos Poe

The Foreigner (1978), director Amos Poe

Subway Riders (1981), director Amos Poe

Diner (1982), director Barry Levinson

Modré z Nebe (1997), director Eva Borušovičová

Pelíšky (1999), director Jan Hřebejk

Cabriolet (2001), director Marcel Bystroň

 

Soundtracks[85]

Shining Girls, 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, episode Because the Night - TV 2013 (writer: "Ask the Angels")

Endless Bummer - 2009 (writer: "Bang Bang")

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

GAL - 2006 (writer: "Bang Bang")

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

New Waterford Girl - 1999  (writer: "Ask the Angels")

Whatever - 1998 (writer: "Dancing Barefoot")

Millennium, episode Anamnesis - TV 1998 (writer: "Dancing Barefoot")

All Over Me - 1997 (writer: "Pissing in the River")

Barb Wire - 1996 (writer: "Dancing Barefoot")

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

Threesome - 1994 (writer: "Dancing Barefoot")

Rock & Rule - 1983 (writer: "Pain & Suffering")

A Night at Halsted's - 1982 (writer: "Pumping (My Heart)")

Times Square - 1980 (writer: "Pissing in the River")

Ohne Maulkorb, episode 20 Stunden mit Patti Smith - TV documentary 1978 (writer: "25th Floor", "Pumping (My Heart)")