Quick Confession - Bára Basiková: My Children Want to Remain Incognito

After five years you are releasing a new album, "Tears". Why did you name it like that?

Firstly it is the name of one of the songs and secondly I think that tears express the character of this album. It is a sad music, serious, and food for thoughts. But it is not sad in negative meaning of the word. It is simply sorrow, just like any other feeling. Each of us is sad sometime and we mustn´t take it as a negative phenomenon. Sadness is part of our life and it may make us to stop; think and analyse some thoughts or situations. This album is very much inspired by the Depeche Mode band. And they actually also make sad music.

Who else participated in the new album?

Richard Ulrych and Luděk Fiala. And it is super. We all agreed exactly on the style, in which I wanted to make the album. We have become extremely connected.

How long did it take to make the album?

We met because of the first songs sometime two years ago. We had been doing something for a bit, then we didn´t see each other for half a year. Nothing was pressing us. In short, we told each other that when it happens it happens. And then we somehow had the repertoire ready, so we recorded it in just a few weeks. We made the cover, the photos. It was quick after that.

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So how do you cope with sadness, when you get to some difficult stage of your life?

First you need to distinguish between sadness and tragedy. Sadness is not some serious phenomenon. It is not depression nor any desperate sentiment or despair at all. Sadness is simply a state of mind when you are disappointed with something. Or it you miss someone. Something has gone wrong or something nice ended. I think it is a kind of melancholy. And if something like that happens to me, I reach for a book, because I like reading very much. Or I watch some nice Czech film because I love them.

When did you last time arrive at a situation that made you stop. When was it the last time you had to "organise" your life?

Well, such situations happened a few times. When there is a lot of work or a lot on my mind, so that it is important to make some order in it. I like it when things go on somehow systematically.

So you are a planner?

I make plans, but that does not mean that I must have literally everything just so. Many things are left to take a free course. A lot of things around me happen spontaneously. However, a couple of years ago, it´s been about 15 years, I was really overworked and frustrated by Czech showbiz and everything impeded me and caused problems. The result was that I was losing my enthusiasm for work. So it was then what I told myself to take a break for a bit. I stayed at home for about two years just taking care of my children. I had to distance myself from everything. I needed to sort out my thoughts and relax. And I must say that it was very helpful; it gave me new strength for further work.

How do you look at Czech showbiz nowadays?

It is even worse than then.

But you look at it from greater perspective?

Certainly so. Sometimes it´s funny, sometimes tragic. The problem is that now almost everything is showbiz. It reaches into unbelievable spheres. Today everything is turned into reality show. What is it for when some unknown family voluntarily installs cameras into their apartment or a house, letting the whole nation watch everything?

Why do you think that the people agree to it?

I haven´t got a clue. I don´t know why anyone does it, or on the other hand I don´t know why anyone watches it. It´s simply incomprehensible to me. But there must be interest in it since it gets produced. Yet I don´t understand. Just recently I saw on television a young lady who transformed herself into a Barbie doll. Did you happen to see it, too?

I did. It seems that you feel offended...

Like let yourself be transformed like that, horribly remodel yourself to look like Barbie. It is beyond me. And she makes appearances wherever she can. We were watching it with my nine-year-old son.

What did he have to say to that?

That it is disgusting. And she really has F-size cups and wasp waist. Artificial eyes, artificial lenses, artificial eyelashes, hair to the ground and I could go on. The world simply went crazy.

Perhaps it is the greed of today´s society?

It is possible. People want all the time something new, something more attractive. They want more unusual things, they want to enjoy the show, adrenaline, tragedies, unfortunately also violence and the like. It is certainly some sort of greed.

Your son called live Barbie disgusting. Does that mean that your children do not seek out these "absurdities"?

I think that they are somehow normal. They live normally, have their friends. They go to pubs, play escape games. That seems to me to be quite good, it´s fun. They read a lot, they enjoy travelling. They are interested in all sorts of things.

So you certainly are one of those happier mums. Only a few children nowadays have such interests.

It is a tragedy. But I have to say that everything starts in the family. It is certainly the upbringing and then it is up to the people; how they want to live. What do they want to do or what interests them. But certainly the initial influence is in the family, through the parents. What they see around them. How does the family actually live, how does it work, how does it exist. The children then of course accept it, being influenced by it. And the way in which the parents bring them up of course leaves an impression. They can then in their life try anything, look for things and let themselves be influenced by all kinds of things, but the core given to them by their parents, that should be firm, absolutely unshakeable.

You mentioned a few interests of your children. Does any one of them have such ties to music as you do?

Well, one daughter sings quite well, but she absolutely doesn´t want to devote herself to it. Sometimes she sings at some party somewhere, but that´s the end of it.

Would you like it if she spent more time on it?

I leave it to be. If she did something in which she would be successful, but wouldn´t enjoy it, there would be no point. When I was younger I thought that she would sing and of course I would be glad for her. But if she isn´t interested, there is no point to force her into it. She is in a completely different profession which fits her and gives her great satisfaction.

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Did they listen to your new album? Did they tell you what they think about it?

They didn´t say yet. Just last week I sent it to them by mail, saying that I want to hear their opinion. And we call each other on a daily basis and still nothing. They don´t have the time for it. Mother can wait (laughter). But I don´t have any problem with that. It´s never been like that at home that they would have to kneel on frozen peas, listening to my songs as a punishment. That really wasn´t that case, I have really spared them all these things. I even have a feeling that they are not even aware of all the things I did in my life. What I sang where. They know that I am a singer, but they certainly do not analyse my professional steps.

Are you planning some concert with your album?

Perhaps in the autumn. Now in the context of the album, in connection with my profession, I let myself be talked into having Facebook and also web pages. Up to now I didn´t have any of it and I survived. However the times ask for it. So the web pages will open up any time now and you will find everything there. Nevertheless, I managed without until now. You only need to be backed up by a good team of people.

As a singer you are well known to the public. Did it sometimes have an impact on your children?

I unfortunately made the mistake that when they were little I made public appearances with them or went to photo shoots. It was terribly unfair to them, because they had no say in it. And the moment when the girls started school they began to mind it. They did not want to go to any social events or get publicity. Simply no premieres, concerts or photo shooting. So I simply respected it and I did not take them anywhere. When the photographers press the camera lenses in front of their face, they turn round, rejecting any "cooperation".

Theo is in second class of the elementary school, isn´t he? I assume that you or your husband have been to the class meetings. How did it go?

Our son has a fantastic class teacher. She is absolutely amazing. I think that she is an absolutely unique teacher. I have something to compare it with. I myself went to school. My daughters have been to several schools. So I have the experience and I must say that this is a teacher in real sense of the word. She is young, so she is full of vigour and energy, but not inexperienced and, above all, she has a huge gift for working with children. She is patient but at the same time strict and consistent. Theo loves her. When he comes to the classroom he runs to embrace her.

So the period when school duties are more worries than pleasure hasn´t come yet?

It is still okay. Second class is second class. Still a fairytale!

Did he for example come home with a note of doing something naughty?

No. Nothing of the sort.

And what were you like when you went to school?

I always attracted problems. I disturbed the lessons. I was forever doing something else under the desk. Then I falsified my parents´ signature. Then I falsified a grade. I got a ´fail´ and I crossed it out and rewrote it as ´excellent´. And I told my father that the teacher made a mistake. I was incredibly cheeky. The result was that I even got a worse grade from ´behaviour´.

And had there been a period when you calmed down or was it like that during the entire studies?

At primary school I was quite a rebel. Secondary school was all right after that. I went to girls' economic school, today it is business academy and the girls actually selected me to represent the class (laughter).

So there was some responsibility already ...

Well, it was more like fun. So as a Chairwoman I had great power, I planned various activities for the class. So we forever went somewhere else instead of the lessons. I tried to do things in such a way for us all to enjoy it.

You mentioned that your daughters have several schools. Would you tell us what they studied?

They really don´t want me to talk about them. They finished some schools. Meanwhile they have work. One works in a hotel and the other as a magazine editor. This is the only thing I can tell you (laughter).

Thank you