Ivan Král, Patti Smith Group Member, Dead at 71

Ivan Král—the composer, guitarist, and Patti Smith Group member—has died, as Reuters reports. He was 71 years old.

Král briefly played with Blondie in the mid-’70s before beginning his long tenure with Patti Smith Group. The composer, producer, and guitarist co-wrote many songs with Smith, most notably “Dancing Barefoot,” from the 1979 album Wave. Král also performed on and wrote for Smith’s debut album Horses (1975), Radio Ethiopia (1976), Easter (1978), and Exodus (1994).

In addition to his work with Smith, Král wrote songs performed by Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Eastern Bloc, and others. In 1976, Král released a documentary of the local New York punk scene titled The Blank Generation. The film—directed by Král—features footage of Blondie, Richard Hell and the Voidoids, Talking Heads, Ramones, Wayne County, and more.

Král released a string of solo albums over 26 years starting with 1992’s Native through 2018’s Colors.