The Matadors
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Defunct | 1968 (initially) |
| Fate | Reunited intermittently 1991–2008 |
| Headquarters | Prague , Czechoslovakia |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
The Matadors were a beat ensemble originating from Prague, Czechoslovakia, active initially from 1965 until 1968, with intermittent reunions spanning 1991 to 2008. The principal members included Otto Bezloja on bass, Radim Hladík as lead guitarist, Jan "Farmer" Obermayer on organ, Miroslav "Tony Black" Schwarz behind the drums, Karel Kahovec handling vocals and rhythm guitar, and Vladimír Mišík providing vocals and blues harp. In 1966, both Kahovec and Mišík departed, replaced by former Flamengo frontman Viktor Sodoma. The group issued a single studio album titled The Matadors in 1968 shortly before their initial breakup.
Career
The band was established in early 1965 under the name Fontána, formed through the merging of two ensembles: Pra-Be ("Praha - Berlín"), which consisted of students from Czechoslovakia and Germany, and Komety. From Pra-Be came bassist Otto Bezloja and organist Jan Obermayer; guitarist Radim Hladík and vocalist Vladimír Mišík originated from Komety.
Initially managed by ex-drummer Wilfried Jelinek—who was later succeeded by Miroslav "Tony Black" Schwarz—the group secured a promotional partnership with Demusa, an East German manufacturer of sound equipment. They adopted the name The Matadors to endorse the Matador electronic organ they utilized. Up until April 1966, their performances were confined to East Germany, where their repertoire mainly consisted of covers from British beat bands such as the Who, the Kinks, and the Small Faces.
Upon returning to Czechoslovakia in the spring of 1966, they expanded their lineup by adding vocalist and guitarist Karel Kahovec. Later that year, Mišík departed for military duty; Kahovec moved on to Flamengo while The Matadors welcomed new vocalist Viktor Sodoma.
The most acclaimed formation of the band dissolved in mid-1968 following the release of their debut album. When invited to serve as the house band for a German production of the musical Hair, Hladík, Obermayer, and Sodoma declined and exited the group. Their places were filled by former Komety vocalist Miloš "Reddy" Vokurka, keyboardist Jiří Matoušek, and guitarists Petr Netopil alongside Michail Vračko. Together with Bezloja and Schwarz, this ensemble relocated to Munich and transitioned into the progressive rock outfit Emergency during the early 1970s.
Following this period, Radim Hladík established Blue Effect (later known as Modrý Efekt or M Efekt) together with original Matadors singer Vladimír Mišík. Jan Obermayer joined forces with Petr Novák's band George and Beatovens, while Viktor Sodoma embarked on a solo pop career, including notable collaborations with Shut Up (which evolved into the František Ringo Čech Group) between 1971 and 1973.
The Matadors regrouped in 1991 and performed sporadically until 2008. Otto Bezloja passed away in 2001; Radim Hladík died in 2016.
Band members
- Wilfried Jelinek – drums
- Otto Bezloja – bass guitar
- Radim Hladík – lead guitar
- Jan "Farmer" Obermayer – organ
- Vladimír Mišík – vocals, rhythm guitar, blues harp
- Miroslav "Tony Black" Schwarz – drums
- Karel Kahovec – vocals, rhythm guitar
- Viktor Sodoma – vocals
- Miloš Vokurka – vocals
- Jiří Matoušek – keyboards
- Petr Netopil – guitar
- Michail Vračko – guitar
Discography
- The Matadors (EP, 1966)
- The Matadors (EP, 1967)
- The Matadors (LP, 1968)
- Matadors Live 1966 (Live album, released in 2008)
- Classic (Compilation album, 2010)