Filip Topol

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Filip Topol (born June 12, 1965 in Prague) is a Czech songwriter, singer and pianist. He is a member of Topol family and grandson of Karel Schulz. He is best known as the leader of the Czech rock band Psí Vojáci. He has been a member of the band since its beginnings in 1979, but he has also pursued a solo career. He has a deep raspy voice, growling and howling outbursts, and intensity on stage, which give him an unusual kind of charisma. Topol was trained playing the piano from a young age and introduced to the Soviet intellectual and artistic resistance while still being a child. He made his public debut at age 12, at the first performance of the Plastic People of the Universe's Passion Play - in front of Václav Havel. It was the start of his musical career, but he is also a writer. His song Žiletky (Razor-blades) inspired a movie of the same name.

[edit] Novels

• Mně 13 (Thirteen to Me, written at age 13, published 2004)
• Karla Klenotníka cesta na Korsiku (Journey of Karel Klenotník to Corsica, 1999)
• Zápisky milencovy (Lover's notes, 2001)

[edit] Lyrics example

Krasobruslař Figure skater
Pořád vidím krasobruslaře I still see the figure skater
jak tetuje do ledu znaky how he tattoos signs into the ice
tajný vzkazy nebo klikiháky secret messages or scribbles
ach jak by chtěl ah, how he would like
aby tomu někdo rozuměl somebody to understand it

Občas se mu povede Sometimes he manages
zachytit moře v spánku to catch the sleeping sea
a nebo zlomený ptáky na nebi or broken birds in the sky
ale on by chtěl but he would like
aby si s ním někdo vyprávěl somebody to talk with him

Ta silueta na ledu That silhouette on the ice
bruslí jako o život is skating for its life
a led pomalu a bez soucitu taje and the ice is melting slowly and without pity
až jednou provždy pohřbí and finally it will bury
ty jeho srdceryvný jinotaje his heart-breaking allegories

Filip Topol 1999