Patti Smith Band member Ivan Kral has died at the age of 71.
Ivan was born in Prague in 1948. His father moved the family to New York in 1968 just before the Soviet Union shut the Czechoslovakian border. His father was a translator for the United Nations.
Kral was at one time the guitarist for Shaun Cassidy and had a brief time as a member of Blondie. In 1975 he hooked up with Patti Smith and recorded on her albums from ‘Horses’ to ‘Wave’.
Ivan co-wrote the Patti Smith songs ‘Birdland’ on Horses, ‘Ask The Angels’, ‘Ain’t It Strange’, ‘Pissing In A River’ and ‘Pumping (My Heart) on ‘Radio Ethiopia’, ‘Space Monkey’ and ‘25th Floor’ on ‘Easter’, ‘Dancing Barefoot’, ‘Revenge’ and ‘Citizen Ship’ on ‘Wave’.
His songs have also been recorded by David Bowie, Iggy Pop, U2, Pearl Jam and Simple Minds. He was a member of Iggy’s band after Patti Smith.
Bowie recorded Ivan and Iggy Pop’s ‘Bang Bang’.
Ivan Kral composed the score for the Barry Levinson film ‘Diner’.
Ivan is rock royalty in Czechoslovakia. He composed the music for the memorial of President Havel and performed it after the funeral at St. Vitas Cathedral.
Ivan’s last solo album was ‘Always’ in 2014.
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