Forty years on stage: Lucie shows that the story is not over yet
Lucie – a band that has been shaping the Czech music scene for four decades. Hits that everyone knows, concerts that are not easily forgotten, and energy that does not subside even after forty years. This year, however, Lucie is opening a new chapter with singer Viktor Dyk. To mark the fortieth anniversary, the band set off on a grand birthday tour LUCIE 40 LET to show fans that their music continues to live on and inspire.
How does Lucie manage to stay at the top even after so many years? Why did Viktor Dyk become the new voice and what did he bring to the band? And how is the preparation of the eagerly awaited new album R.A.D.O.S.T. going?
A look back at history and a look into the future were offered to us exclusively by the members – keyboardist and composer Michal Dvořák, guitarist and singer Robert Kodym, bassist Petr (Břetislav) Chovanec, known as P.B.CH. and new singer Viktor Dyk.
What was the main reason that Viktor Dyk became the new singer of Lucie? What do you think sets him apart from other candidates you had, and when were you sure that he was the one you wanted to continue in the band with?
Michal Dvořák: Viktor was the clear choice for us. He has a voice that can handle both melodic ballads and rock songs, and he adds his own personality to them. He understands Lucie, but still maintained his style.
Robert Kodym: We have worked with Viktor before, so we knew that there was fire in him. And that was needed. Lucie is a band with a heart and Viktor has his heart in the right place.
P.B.CH.: He came to us at a time when we needed a new spark. And he brought it.
Lucie and David Koller were icons of the Czech music scene. How does the beginning of a new chapter without him make you feel?
Robert Kodym: David is a piece of Lucie's history, and that will never change. But time moves on. We didn't want to stand still, we wanted to continue.
Michal Dvořák: Each of us carries a piece of the past, but we also have the desire to create new things. This chapter is simply the next stage, not the negation of the previous one.
How did the band's dynamics change with the new singer? Did Viktor bring new energy or inspiration to the band, which is also reflected in their work?
P.B.CH.: It's different - but in a good way. Viktor is a team player, he brought new energy and humor.
The warm-up tour for Lucie's 40th anniversary took place in London. In September of this year, the band played two concerts there, the first date of which was sold out. What was the significance of playing in London for you?
Michal Dvořák: London is a symbol. The history of music was written there, and we brought the Czech one there. Moreover - the Czech audience abroad is incredible.
Viktor Dyk: Playing in London with Lucie was a dream come true for me. The energy was unreal.
The band is celebrating 40 years on stage. How do you feel about reaching this significant milestone, and did you expect Lucie to live to see such an anniversary?
Robert Kodym: Honestly? If someone in their eighties had told us that we would make it this far, we would probably have laughed. But it keeps going.
P.B.CH.: Forty years is a long time. I am grateful that it still entertains us, and the fans.
How did you approach the selection of songs for the anniversary tour? Will the setlist also include lesser-known songs from the band's history?
Michal Dvořák: We tried to put it together as a cross-section of history. Of course, the classics will be played, but we also gave space to things that haven't been played for a long time.
On the Lucie 40 Years tour, you are presenting a spectacular show, including hydraulic elements, a turntable, levitating musicians and special effects including lasers and video projections. Such a demanding show must be adrenaline for you too, right?
Michal Dvořák: Adrenaline it definitely is. We have prepared a truly exceptional show for the birthday concerts. Given the special dramaturgy and uniqueness of our anniversary, we have a unique scenography, including moving hydraulic elements, levitating musicians and a large turntable. Special effects, such as robotic hands, moving video projections and innovative light design. We want to celebrate birthdays with our fans the way we all like it – in grand style. Historically, we have been trying to push the visual level, aesthetic appearance and performance of concerts ever higher. The celebrations also have a special dimension, thanks to guests who are extremely close to the history of the band. Michal Penk, Tomáš Waschinger and Petr Franc, members of the original Lucie line-up, will return to the stage to commemorate its beginnings together with the band. Other birthday guests will be Petr Janda, Michal Pavlíček, Michael Kocáb, Lenny and the young talented singer of the Karlín Musical Theatre Ines Ben Ahmed, who will recall the musical Lucie, greater than a small amount of love from 2013.
How is the work on the new R.A.D.O.S.T. album going? How do you think it differs from the band's previous work?
The title R.A.D.O.S.T. says it all. It will be a diverse album that summarizes all of Lucie's positions, just as our fans like it. The first two singles MARIE and KRÁSA A ZÁZRAK and TAJEMSTVÍ prove it. MARIE was at the top of the radio charts for 6 months. Several things are exceptional, mainly that the songs are being created at a time when we are already forty years behind us, but we do not want to record nostalgia, but new "hits" for the present. In the arrangements, we rely more on the fact that we have strong players in the band - guitars, keyboards, vocals - and we can afford a greater variety of genres. We are starting to release songs to fans continuously, not in a package – the first swallows – we are testing the mentioned singles live on the big stage.
What currently inspires you the most when creating new music?
Robert Kodym: I often return to visual things – films, paintings, landscapes. And then to silence. Songs are born from silence.
Viktor Dyk: I am inspired by the band's energy itself. When we come to the studio and it starts to sparkle, that is the moment when a new song is created. And of course the fans – without them, that inspiration would have nowhere to go.
What was the audience's reaction to the new singles Marie and Krása a zárazr a tasemí during the live performance?
P.B.CH.: People are getting it. When "Marie" starts, they sing with us right from the first verse.
Viktor Dyk: It's great to see that new music lives alongside the old hits. That's the biggest confirmation for me.
What musical path does the band intend to take in the coming years? Do you plan to stick more to classic hits, or are you considering softening or hardening?
Robert Kodym: Lucie has always made music from the heart. We're just doing Lucie.
Michal Dvořák: We want to stay current, but true to ourselves.
Lucie is an icon of the Czech music scene today. Are you considering visiting smaller cities as part of your concerts?
P.B.CH.: This year we have a big indoor tour, we certainly won't be against it in the future. Lucie is for everyone - not just for big stages.
Which moments in Lucie's history do you consider the most important - whether positive or negative?
Robert Kodym: Each period had its own meaning - the euphoria of the nineties, the comeback, now a new stage. Everything is happening as it should.
Michal Dvořák: Probably the fact that we never completely broke up. That's our little miracle.
What do you consider the biggest challenge that Lucie faces today - and in what direction do you want to lead it to remain relevant and interesting to the audience?
Michal Dvořák: The biggest challenge is not to lose authenticity. Today, everything is fast, transient - and we try to make music that has a soul. The audience will recognize that.
Robert Kodym: Staying true. Lucie was never about trends, but about emotions. When you manage to move people or make them laugh, you are always relevant.
Which concert or moment from Lucie's history remains the most memorable to you and why?
Michal Dvořák: Probably the concert at Strahov. Thousands of people, huge euphoria, and that's when we realized how powerful the band is.
What do you personally still enjoy most about playing with the band after 40 years?
Robert Kodym: Freedom. You can be whoever you want on stage.
P.B.CH.: And the chemistry between us. That's the engine that drives us forward.
Finally - would you like to say something to the fans on the occasion of the celebration of 40 years of the band Lucie?
Michal Dvořák: Thank you for being with us. Without you, Lucie would have no meaning.
Viktor Dyk: This is a celebration of all of you who listened to Lucie, lived with her and are returning.
Robert Kodym: Let there be joy - R.A.D.O.S.T. – wherever Lucie goes
As our interview showed, Lucie is undoubtedly a band that, even after forty years, still writes its own rules. For them, celebrating this anniversary is not just a nostalgic memory, but above all, the entrance to a new era – an era in which the biggest challenge will be to maintain authenticity, continue to create music with the heart and stay true to themselves.
The LUCIE 40 YEARS birthday tour promises a spectacular show, an unforgettable atmosphere and the return of legendary guests who created the band's story. And as the members revealed, in addition to large halls, they also remain open to smaller stages where their journey began.
Finally, we would like to thank the band Lucie for taking the time and willingly answering our questions. If you want to experience this musical legend live, don't miss the concert on November 29 in Brno – an evening full of iconic hits, new songs and an unforgettable show awaits you.