Aleksandr F. Skliar / Александр Ф. Скляр

Recent events in Moscow have led some to question the "rebellious" nature of Russian rock music - and whether it even exists any more. If not, what are the new values that might replace it?

Yesterday a three-track EP appeared from the ramshackle St Petersburg outfit known as Samoe Bol'shoe Prostoe Chislo (The Biggest Prime Number, aka СПБ4,  aka Sbp4orchestra, etc...). Released under the name of "Zhivi khorosho!" (Live Well!), the EP's title would perhaps lead listeners to antici...

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...