Jozef Ráž

{{Infobox musical artist

| background = person

| name = Jožo Ráž

| image = Jozo Raz 2016-01 Kristalove kridlo 2015 b crop.jpg

| image_size = 230

| landscape =

| alt = Jožo Ráž wearing a suit, standing in front of a microphone onstage, holding a trophy

| caption = Ráž in 2015

| birth_name = Jozef Ráž

| alias =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|10|24|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bratislava, Czechoslovakia

| origin =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| genre = {{hlist|Rock|pop}}

| occupation = Musician

| instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|bass}}

| years_active = 1969–present

| label = {{hlist|Opus|BMG Ariola}}

| current_member_of = Elán

| past_member_of =

| website = {{url|elan.cz}}

}}

Jozef "Jožo" Ráž (born 24 October 1954) is a Slovak singer–songwriter and bassist from Bratislava known mainly for his work with the group Elán.{{cite web|title=Životopis: Jožo Ráž|trans-title=Biography: Jožo Ráž|url=https://hnporadna.hnonline.sk/civilizacia/163774-zivotopis-jozo-raz|website=hnonline.sk |date=24 March 2006 |access-date=20 March 2021 |language=sk|archive-date=11 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411141707/https://hnporadna.hnonline.sk/civilizacia/163774-zivotopis-jozo-raz |url-status=dead }}

Career

Jožo Ráž founded the pop-rock band Elán in 1968 together with his school classmates Vašo Patejdl, Juraj Farkaš, and Zdeno Baláž.{{Cite web|title=Jožo Ráž: Máme 23 platín, no nemáme prachy|trans-title=Jožo Ráž: We Have 23 Platinum Records, but We Don't Have Money|url=https://kultura.pravda.sk/hudba/clanok/36169-jozo-raz-mame-23-platin-no-nemame-prachy/|website=Pravda|date=25 February 2008|access-date=20 March 2021|language=sk}} He is also an occasional actor: in 1989, he played himself in the fictionalized film about the band Elán, titled Rabaka.{{cite web|title=Rabaka |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0237632/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0 |website=IMDB|access-date=20 March 2021}}

Personal life

Ráž graduated from the Faculty of Arts, Comenius University in Bratislava. While riding his motorcycle in Bratislava's city center in 1999, he was hit by a car, causing him a serious head injury as well as a broken nose, wrist, and right leg.{{Cite web|first=Zuzana|last=Habšudová|title=Rejuvenated Legend Elán Continues Sold-Out Comeback Tour|url=https://spectator.sme.sk/c/20009473/rejuvenated-legend-elan-continues-sold-out-comeback-tour.html|website=The Slovak Spectator|date=15 October 2001|access-date=20 March 2021}}

Ráž has expressed controversial views in the past, such as in 2012, when he stated "I am not a racist, but I am afraid of the Chinese—there are many of them".{{Cite web|first=Michal|last=Trško|title=Zbrojný preukaz Joža Ráža preveria|trans-title=Joža Ráž's Weapons License Will Be Checked|url=https://domov.sme.sk/c/6493434/zbrojny-preukaz-joza-raza-preveria.html|website=Sme|date=10 August 2012|access-date=20 March 2021|language=sk}} He has also voiced his support for authoritative leaders such as Gustáv Husák, Vladimír Mečiar, Robert Fico, Fidel Castro, and Vladimir Putin.{{Cite web|first=Karol|last=Sudor|title=Jožo Ráž: Gustáv Husák bol svetový politik|url=https://kultura.sme.sk/c/3178092/jozo-raz-gustav-husak-bol-svetovy-politik.html|trans-title=Jožo Ráž: Gustáv Husák Was a World Politician|website=Sme|publisher=Petit Press|date=6 March 2007 |access-date=20 March 2021|language=sk}}{{Cite news|first=Dušan|last=Mikušovič|title=Jožo Ráž: Fico je jediný profík v politike, ale bude to mať ťažké|trans-title=Jožo Ráž: Fico Is the Only Pro in Politics, but He Will Have a Tough Time|url=https://dennikn.sk/438377/jozo-fico-jediny-profik-politike-mat-tazke/|website=Denník N|date=20 April 2016 |access-date=20 March 2021|language=sk}}

Ráž's son, also named Jozef, was nominated for the position of Slovak Minister of the Interior in March 2018 for the Direction – Social Democracy party, but President Andrej Kiska refused his appointment.{{Cite web|title=Kto je nádejný nový minister vnútra Jozef Ráž ml.? Syn rockera, ktorý vlastní hotel aj reštauráciu|trans-title=Who Is the Promising New Minister of the Interior Jozef Ráž Jr.? The Son of a Rocker Who Owns a Hotel and a Restaurant|url=https://www.cas.sk/clanok/671154/kto-je-nadejny-novy-minister-vnutra-jozef-raz-ml-syn-rockera-ktory-vlastni-hotel-aj-restauraciu/|website=Nový čas|date=19 March 2018|access-date=20 March 2021|language=sk}}{{Cite web|first=Adam|last=Hajek|title=Směr-SD ustoupil Kiskovi, syna Joža Ráže z nové vlády vyškrtl|trans-title=Smer-SD Gave Way to Kiska, He Removed the Son of Jožo Ráž from the New Government|url=https://www.idnes.cz/zpravy/zahranicni/peter-pellegrini-andrej-kiska-slovensko-jan-kuciak-robert-fico-jozo-raz-mladsi.A180320_161204_zahranicni_aha|website=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra|date=20 March 2018|access-date=20 March 2021|language=cs}}