Petr Muk

{{Short description|Czech musician (1965–2010)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| background = person

| name = Petr Muk

| image = Petr Muk 2009.JPG

| alt =

| caption = Muk performing in 2009

| alias =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1965|02|04|df=y}}

| birth_place = Český Krumlov, Czechoslovakia

| death_date = {{death date and age|2010|05|24|1965|02|04|df=y}}

| death_place = Prague, Czech Republic

| origin =

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

| genre = {{hlist|Pop|new wave|synth-pop}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|musician|songwriter|composer}}

| years_active = 1985–2010

| label = EMI

| past_member_of = {{hlist|Oceán|Shalom}}

| website = {{URL|petrmuk.cz}}

}}

Petr Muk (4 February 1965 – 24 May 2010) was a Czech pop musician, composer, and performer, famous in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Muk began playing music at the age of fifteen, performing with various underground punk bands including Dural and Gas, together with classmate and later bandmate Petr Kučera.{{cite web|title=Petr Muk a Petr Štěpán – dva punkeři na jiných lodích a přeci stejných |url=http://www.jesen.cz/clanek50.html |website=jesen.cz |accessdate=14 November 2019 |language=cs |trans-title=Petr Muk and Petr Štěpán – two punkers on different ships, and yet the same}} From 1985 until 1993, he led the Czech synth-pop group Oceán, after which he founded the synth-pop group Shalom (1992–1996). Both these ensembles were heavily influenced by the English synth-pop duo Erasure, a band whose UK tour Oceán had supported between 1989 and 1990. In 2004, Muk released a tribute EP to his idols.

Since 1997, when he released his first solo album, Muk performed as a solo artist, often in musicals and operas such as Rusalka, Joan of Arc (cs), Karel Svoboda's Golem (cs), and Janek Ledecký's Galileo. On his solo records he also covered songs by artists including Olympic, Václav Neckář, and Karel Černoch.

In 2010, Muk was found dead by his wife in their home in Prague.{{cite web|title=Nečekaně zemřel zpěvák Petr Muk, hlas Oceánu a Shalomu |url=http://kultura.idnes.cz/necekane-zemrel-zpevak-petr-muk-hlas-oceanu-a-shalomu-p0a-/hudba.asp?c=A100524_113220_hudba_ob |website=Mladá fronta DNES |date=24 May 2010 |accessdate=26 May 2010 |language=cs |trans-title=Singer Petr Muk, the voice of Ocean and Shalom, dies unexpectedly}}{{cite web|title=Zemřel zpěvák Petr Muk |url=https://www.novinky.cz/kultura/clanek/zemrel-zpevak-petr-muk-40243847 |website= |date=24 May 2010 |accessdate=14 November 2019 |language=cs |trans-title=Singer Petr Muk has died}}

The official cause of death was asphyxia from vomit inhalation, and an autopsy and blood work revealed he had medical drugs and alcohol in his blood. Muk had bipolar disorder.{{cite web|title=Choroba, kterou trpěl zpěvák Muk, často končí sebevraždou |url=http://ona.idnes.cz/choroba-kterou-trpel-zpevak-muk-casto-konci-sebevrazdou-pkr-/vztahy-sex.aspx?c=A100524_214941_psychologie_pet |website=Mladá fronta DNES |date=24 May 2010 |accessdate=14 November 2019 |language=cs |trans-title=Illness suffered by Peter Muk often ends in suicide}}