Karel Fialka
Karel Francis Fialka (born 9 November 1946) is a British singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. He is best known for his 1987 single, "Hey Matthew".
Karel Fialka
- Name
- Karel Fialka
- Birth Name
- Karel Francis Fialka
- Born
- 9 November 1946
- Birthplace
- Calcutta, British India
- Occupation
- * Singer
- Nationality
- United Kingdom · India
- Fields
- new wave
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Karel Francis Fialka (born 9 November 1946) is a British singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. He is best known for his 1987 single, "Hey Matthew".
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Documentary evidence
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Authority files
wikidata · Q281244 · wikipedia · Karel Fialka
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Karel Fialka • Birth Name — Karel Francis Fialka • Born — 9 November 1946 • Birthplace — Calcutta, British India • Genre — * Synth-pop • new wave • pop rock • Occupation — * Singer • songwriter • musician • composer • record producer • Years Active — 1980–present • Instrument — * Keyboards • vocals • Label — * I.R.S. • Blueprint • Website — karelfialka.com
Early life
Early life
Karel Francis Fialka was born on 9 November 1946 in Calcutta, British India, to a Scottish mother and Czech father. His father, Karel Fialka Sr. (1916–1963), was a pilot of No. 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF, who met his future wife in Tain, Scotland, in 1944. They married in summer of 1945 and later moved to India because of Karel Sr.'s job for Baťa Company.
Career
Career
Fialka was launched in 1980 as "the street poet of the 1980s." Fialka's debut studio album Still Life was well received. The single "The Eyes Have It" received radio play. Fialka had a top 10 hit in 1987 on the UK singles chart with the single "Hey Matthew", (on I.R.S. Records). Fialka works mainly as a conceptual songwriter and record producer with occasional and infrequent live appearances. "The Things I Saw" was released on the Berlin based Studio!K7 label, as part of Booka Shade's DJ mix album DJ-Kicks: Booka Shade in October 2007. This came as a mashup with another track by Akiko Kiyama. Fialka released his third studio album Film Noir in March 2009. Featured guest artists included Tilda Swinton and Paul Roberts (Sniff 'n' the Tears). Bootleg recordings include the titles Morrison Cafe, a deconstruction of songs by the Doors, and To Live Outside the Law You Must Be Honest, where he has done the same to songs written by Bob Dylan.
Songwriting and production credits
Songwriting and production credits
Fialka has written songs recorded and/or remixed by other artists, as follows: • "Maybe Someday" – Cliff Richard – Dressed for the Occasion (1983) • "In the Silence of the Night" – Sniff 'n' the Tears – Underground (2001) • "Lip Service" – Sniff 'n' the Tears – Underground (2001) • "The Misidia Monarchy/The Things I Saw" – Booka Shade – DJ-Kicks: Booka Shade (2007) • "Thru the Gate... Every Step of the Way" – Martin Stephenson – Collective Force (2002) • "Today Is Yesterday" – Simeone – An Introduction to Simeone (2011)
Studio albums
Studio albums
• Still Life (1980) • Human Animal (1988) • Film Noir (2009)
Singles
Singles
• Year — Title — Chart positions • UK — SWI — GER — US Alt. • 1980 — "The Eyes Have It" — 52 — — — — — — • "File in Forget" — — — — — — — — • "Armband" — — — — — — — — • 1984 — "Eat, Drink, Dance, Relax" — — — — — — — — • 1987 — "Hey Matthew" — 9 — 13 — 15 — 29 • 1988 — "Eat, Drink, Dance, Relax" (remix) — — — — — — — — • "You Be the Judge" — — — — — — — — • "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Identity
Identity
Karel Fialka is recorded with the occupation singer-songwriter. Recorded with the occupation record producer. Classed in the genre new wave. Recorded as singer, songwriter, record producer, singer-songwriter and musician.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1946
Karel Fialka was born on 1 January 2000.
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Karel Fialka, revision 1375339930 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Karel Fialka”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q281244: Karel Fialka
General reference · Wikidata
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
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