DNES, June 1st, 2009

Czechs mourn "bad boy" of pop

Published on 1 June 2009 at 17:41
DNES, June 1st, 2009

His soft virile voice had been “driving women of all ages mad” since the 60’s. Singer Waldemar Matuška death May 30th in Florida at the age of 76 has dominated the headlines in the Czech press. Mladá Fronta DNES gives over four pages to the “bad boy” of national pop, explaining his “unique position in the history of pop music, for ever.”

The “bearded bohemian in jeans” who began his career in Prague theatre Semafor, became popular in the relative freedom of the 1960’s. He continued to sing during the so-called “normalisation” period after the crushed Prague spring of 68, before leaving the country in 1986 for the United States. “Even though his songs were no longer played after this, every Czech knew them by heart,” recalls DNES.

Tags

Was this article useful? If so we are delighted!

It is freely available because we believe that the right to free and independent information is essential for democracy. But this right is not guaranteed forever, and independence comes at a cost. We need your support in order to continue publishing independent, multilingual news for all Europeans.

Discover our subscription offers and their exclusive benefits and become a member of our community now!

Are you a news organisation, a business, an association or a foundation? Check out our bespoke editorial and translation services.

Support independent European journalism

European democracy needs independent media. Join our community!

On the same topic