Yesterday a new album appeared in the mail, this time from St Petersburg outfit Billy's Band. One of the phrases they often use to promote themselves is "Funeral Dixieland with an Eternally Happy Ending"; that slogan shows well the extremes embodied by the ensemble, both in theme and style. ...
Aleksandr Skliar's career has been anything but normal; he remains of the great characters of Russian rock music, an enduring presence from the late Soviet generation. An accurate sketch of his work should start before he even took the stage as a profesional. For the first half of the 1980...
With a name like "Karamazov Twins," this is an ensemble that will always be defined by negatives. Their work and appearance have nothing to do with Dostoevskii's novel, nor are they connected to the well-established Ukrainian classic rock band of the same name.
And they most certain...
Oleg Lifanovskii comes from very far away. He comes from Nakhodka, on Russia's Pacific coast. Closed for many years to any foreigners, it was a vital port for the Soviet navy.
Living in Nakhodka would seem like exile to many people, and - suitably enough - Lifanovskii is an interesting pr...
First impressions? The cover: pasted into the background is Cologne Cathedral. The reason for this strange choice (and enthusiastic use of glue) is that Laskina lived in Germany for seven years after winning a music competition in Krasnodar, judged by the mighty Iosif Kobzon. Whilst in the land...
