The hour between a dog and a wolf is when it is not night yet and it is not even morning. It is said to be the time between three and four in the morning. Do you have any experience with it?
Yes. I wake up regularly and go to the toilet. Of course, when the album title came about, I knew the connection. Then I read about them, so I’m familiar with them.
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The poetry collection of the same name was written by Jan Skácel in the 1960s. Do you know her?
I don’t know, unfortunately I haven’t gotten to her yet. But I think Peter Uličný, the author of the lyrics, knows about her.
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After a long time, you are the author of most of the music on the record. What led you to this?
I’ve been looking forward to that moment for a long time. I was attracted by the idea of composing my own songs again after many years. It was a clear decision, I did not expect to entrust the authorship to anyone else.
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Of course, I would be most happy if I wrote the lyrics myself. However, this has not happened since the album Monogamous Relationship, which was released in 2004.
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When did the songs originate?
In fact, I benefited greatly from the coronavirus pandemic. I devoted myself to books, my son, music and my own work. I created very quickly and intensely. It’s a great feeling to have your own songs again. At first I was afraid that they would not be good, but thanks to Peter Graus, who arranged the record, they are very good in the end.
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The album is very varied in terms of musical mood. Does this correspond to the life you live now?
Actually yes. But I don’t think it’s anything special. We’re all up once and down. That’s what the board looks like. Of course, I also relied on texts by Peter Uličný. Of course, when they didn’t look like humor to me, they got a nostalgic musical dress.
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Lyrics came before music?
Of course, I’ve been doing this my whole life. I can’t imagine it any other way. But I remember that the song Night Optics was created by writing the lyrics of the verse, then I set it to music, then I wrote a chorus and I also set it to music right away. But I never had music first, for which I would then look for the lyrics.
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Does Peter Uličný reflect your life, your opinions and feelings in his texts?
I have no impression that he intentionally wrote on the so-called body. But it often happens that I tell him the slogan or the title of the song, and he cuts off and writes the whole lyrics on the subject.
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The song Anomália for the album was written by Laco Rychtarik. Who is it?
All I know is that he’s a generation, maybe two younger than me. I also know that he has experienced similar conditions in my life as I have, and I also know that we have never met before.
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Do different authors send you their musical ideas?
Something comes to me here and there, but I admit that I don’t usually agree with those songs.
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Richard Müller on the new record
Photo: Mayo Hirc-Marian Uhrin
The guest of the album is Ashley Slater from the British band Freak Power. How did your collaboration come about?
The producer of my album Peter Graus knows him. One day he wrote me an SMS asking what I would say if Slater played the trombone on my album. I thought it might be a very nice refreshment, and Peter negotiated the rest. If I’m not mistaken, Slater filmed his part free of charge. Everything took place over the Internet, he recorded at home.
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When will you play the new songs live for the audience?
I admit that until recently I was convinced that this year’s Christmas concerts will be. Now I’m less and less determined to believe it. So if it goes well, it will happen next year. Or when the time is better.
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In the summer you performed a series of open-air concerts in Slovakia. How were they?
They were very positive. Above all, it was felt that the people who came to them had not experienced something as positive as a concert for a long time. They were spontaneous, helpful, cheerful, optimistic, sang with us, danced. It was like regular concerts, just a little more expressive.
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Richard, you revealed some time ago that you suffer from manic-depressive psychosis. How are you doing healthily at this time?
I have to knock, I think it’s good. On the other hand, I honestly admit that I experience worse moments.
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