Ivan Král, founding member of the Patti Smith Group, has passed away aged 71. Král also worked with Iggy Pop, John Cale, Blondie and released a dozen solo albums.
Král played bass, guitar and performed backing vocals on Smith’s seminal album Horses. He stayed with the group until its dissolution in 1979. A total of four albums materialised during this period, which are generally regarded as Smith’s finest.
Horses was a major critical success, pointing towards an exciting future for rock music. Smith and her band are often credited with liberating rock music from its old guard, and the subsequent punk movement followed their lead.
Listen: Patti Smith – Gloria In Excelsis Deo
Smith approached rock music from a poet’s perspective, which lent a unique multi-dimensionality to Horses. However, the band were eager for a commercial breakthrough on their second album. Král is seen as the major driver behind this shift and he co-wrote half the tracks on 1976’s Radio Ethiopia.
But Smith and co.’s commercial breakthrough wouldn’t come until 1978, courtesy of the single ‘Because the Night’. The following year, the Smith/Král collaboration ‘Dancing Barefoot’ also enjoyed commercial radio play. It has since been covered by the likes of Pearl Jam and U2.
Listen: U2 – Dancing Barefoot
The Patti Smith Group was put on hold in 1979 and Král started working with Iggy Pop. He played guitar on Pop’s Soldier album in 1980 and co-wrote the entirety of the following year’s Party. Neither was a particular success, however, and Král moved onto to a series of projects with John Cale, Téléphone and the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s Noel Redding.
Král commenced a solo career in 1992 and reconnected with Smith on his 1995 album Nostalgia. For its opening track, Smith recites her poem ‘Perfect Moon’ over a piano arrangement written and performed by John Cale.
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Listen: Patti Smith, John Cale & Ivan Král – Perfect Moon
Král moved back to his native Czech Republic in 1993 and devoted himself to the development of the Czech rock scene. He worked with artists such as Lucie, Garage, Ivan Hlas, David Koller and Alice in this capacity.
