Jaromír Nohavica

Jaromír Nohavica, also known under its nickname Jarek Nohavica, (1953-) is a Czech songwriter, lyricist, and poet.

He was born in in Ostrava and has played guitar since he was 13. He began studies at the VŠB Technical University of Ostrava but eventually left school. He tried various jobs and eventually ended up working as an freelance lyricist. He gained fame with his first song for Marie Rottrová, You Smell of Rain, My Love. He lives in Cesky Tesin with his wife and two children.

In 1982 he started performing in public, a sound decision in that a number of his songs gained wide popularity. His first album, Darmodej (Aimless), released in 1988 was an immediate sell-out. An aura of myth arose around Nohavica which survived even the crisis period of his treatment for alcoholism. His subsequent release of the lovely, slightly pessimistic Mikymauzoleum (Mickey Mousoleum), an album of mainly melancholy songs.

In 1996 Nohavica released Divne stoleti (Strange Century). He and his producer employed new instruments and voices for the new songs on the album, and it became a huge success. Two years later the Jaromir Nohavica Group came out with Koncert (Concert), a record featuring Nohavica playing with a band, and this fact recognizably changed his music. The album contains mainly older material, but the new treatment gave it a new appeal. His last studio album from 2000, Moje smutne srdce (My Sad Heart), contains mostly sad songs about love.

Nohavica also starred in the movie Rok Dabla (Year of the Devil), which was awarded the main price at the 37th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2002 and several other international film festivals.

Discography

1985 Cesty (Roads) (EP, Panton)

1988 Písně pro V. V. (Songs for V. V.) (2EP, Panton)

1988 Darmoděj (Aimless) (Panton)

1989 Osmá barva duhy (The Eighth Color of the Rainbow) (Panton 1989, Monitor 1994)

1990 V tom roce pitomém (In That Stupid Year) (Panton)

1993 Mikymauzoleum (Mickey Mousoleum) (Monitor)

1994 Tři čuníci (Three Piglets) (Monitor )

1995 Darmoděj a další (Aimless and others) (Monitor)

1996 Divné století (Strange Century) (Monitor-EMI)

1998 Koncert (Concert) (Monitor-EMI )

2000 Moje smutné srdce (My Sad Heart) (BMG Ariola)

2003 Babylon (Babylon) (Sony Music / Bonton)

External links

• http://www.nohavica.cz/ (Czech only)
• Discography with texts
• Short biography and discography
• An Interview with Petr Zelenka
• Pictures from a private concert in 2003