David Koller
David Koller has had a very successful year. In March 2015, he released the album ČeskosLOVEnsko and in April this year, the album brought him three statuettes from the Angel Award issued by the Czech Academy of Popular Music: for the best singer, best album and band of quarter-century (Lucie). He is going to play new pieces and greatest hits too at Pohoda 2016.
20. May 2016
David Koller is the fundamental member of the Czechoslovak music scene. It is remarkable that as one of the most popular Czech artists, he is still socially active and uncompromisingly opposes totalitarianism in any form. He participated in the campaigns “S komunisty se nemluví” (You donʼt speak to communists) and “Nikagda nězabuděm” (I will never forget); most recently, he declared a boycott of the clubs and halls that organise concerts of the controversial Czech band Ortel, as the band endorses right-wing extremism. “If they want to earn on hatred, fear, and xenophobia, they are not going to earn on David Koller”, said his manager of this activity.
Koller was first active in the alternative band Jasná páka and then played in bands Žentour, Pražský výběr, and Blue Effect. In 1987 he co-founded Lucie, one of the most successful bands of Czechoslovakia. The band has won the Czech Golden Nightingale in the band category four times in a row since 1999. His latest album was produced in cooperation with the world-class producers Kipper Eldridge and Steve Lyon. Eldridge produced Gary Numen and Sting (including the album Brand New Day), while Lyon has worked with names such as Paul McCartney, Depeche Mode, The Cure, and Suzanne Vega. The lyrics for the album were written by David Koller and the Slovak poet Mirka Ábelová. Koller in several songs of his latest album criticises the tendency of the powerful to turn to the Communist past. “I would be happy if our government didnʼt draw us the east direction”, was his message during the ceremony of the Angel Award issued by the Czech Academy of Popular Music. David Koller played at Pohoda already in 2002 (Lucie), 2005 (Kollerband), and 2007 (David Koller). His concert this year will be made up of songs contained in the new album ČeskosLOVEnsko and the biggest hits of his solo career and his time in the band Lucie.