Aria group interview. Interview with Aria's new vocalist
- Hello! I want to start with traditional question, have you ever been to Israel and what impressions did you have, if any? And if not, what are your expectations?
Vitaly Dubinin:- The Aria group has been here exactly eight times since 1999. We come fairly regularly. The impressions are the most pleasant. It seems to us that we have visited many places. That is, in the capital, in Haifa, of course, in Jerusalem, there were many times at the Dead Sea. Everything is great.
Maxim Udalov:- Only the best impressions. I love Israel very much. I just love this country.
Mikhail Zhitnyakov: - I join! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to visit many places yet. From the tourist side. But this is my second visit as part of the Aria group and I like everything.
Do any of you have Jewish roots?
Sergey Popov:- I think Maxim has one.
- This is true?
Maxim Udalov:- In fact, he is joking like that, because I am Maxim Lvovich, and my father is Lev Borisovich. But he was not seen. I mean, by mother, as it is correctly considered.
– I read what exactly for this concert you collected public opinion- the people themselves chose which songs to listen to at the concert. As a future viewer, I am very interested in how many songs did you manage to collect?
Vitaly Dubinin:- We conducted such a survey, and we got a kind of rating. We took the top twenty from it and tried to fit it all into the format of a concert that lasts two hours. Accordingly, it turned out 17-18 songs, and we will play them at the request of the listeners.
Is this your first time doing this, or has it happened before? Or just this program?
Vitaly Dubinin:- They just often tell us in Russia that we got a little bit tired by playing the same thing. These are the fans who go quite often or regularly to our concerts. Therefore, we decided: well, since you are tired of the songs that seem to us the most hit, then choose for yourself those songs that you would like to hear. Maybe we have not performed them for a long time, or maybe never at all. And so, accordingly, such a list turned out, and we follow it.
- This is interesting. Well, they say that musicians get tired of playing hits. Which of these songs that the audience has chosen, does each of you perform right now with pleasure, for fun?
Mikhail Zhitnyakov: - The song "The Hermit" opened for me personally. I have always liked her, as a matter of fact. But since it was my first attempt to sing, I, accordingly, got a lot of pleasure and I like to perform it especially, let's say, along with other songs. But if something is singled out, then yes, for me it is the song "The Hermit".
Vitaly Dubinin:- I would like to add that, in principle, by conducting such a survey, we hoped that there would still be songs that would turn out to be a surprise for us.
- Not "sweet"?
Vitaly Dubinin:- Yes, but since there are a lot of people, when a sufficient number of people have voted, all this is completely leveled and again one and the same program is obtained. Maybe in a slightly different order (some song has a higher rating, some less), but, as a result, it turns out exactly like this. Plus or minus all the songs are familiar anyway.
- What song do you like?
Vladimir Kholstinin:- It's hard for me to say. Probably most of all like "Give the heat."
Sergey Popov: Because the latter and you can go to the buffet (everyone laughs).
- Today is Valentine's Day. Which song from your repertoire would you nominate as the most romantic song of the day?
Vitaly Dubinin:- Need to think. (To Mikhail) Did you distribute valentines today?
Mikhail Zhitnyakov:- No, I didn't.
Vitaly Dubinin:– We don't have many songs about love, but probably Rose Street.
Mikhail Zhitnyakov:- One way or another, the theme of love is touched upon there and the phrase from the chorus “I love and hate you” - of course, it doesn’t matter, there is more love there than hatred. Therefore, let this song be closest to the topic.
- You, in principle, have songs about the expectation of love or, on the contrary, about parting, breakups. Do you still believe in happy love?
Vladimir Kholstinin:- Certainly. What's the point of living then?
Sergey Popov:- Why not? From such beautiful girl It's very strange to hear such a question. Of course yes!
- It is perfectly. And tell me, please, a modern fan of the Aria group, of the current years, what is he like?
Sergey Popov:– He is a collective image, consisting of three generations. That is, from and to: and grandfathers come, and parents, and their children.
Mikhail Zhitnyakov: from different social social groups I would even say so.
Sergey Popov:- Surprisingly, 12-15 year old teenagers come and they sing almost all the songs at the concert, and for us it is very pleasant.
– Even the most Soviet ones?
Mikhail Zhitnyakov:- Including.
- Is there any Russian group that could be called the successors of your creative direction?
Vitaly Dubinin:- "Kipelov", probably (laugh).
“Maybe there is someone younger?
Sergey Popov:- Usually journalists do this, and we just play the guitars and sing songs.
- You have such a group of participants in the Santa Barbara group. Tell me, do you communicate in life or only at work?
Vitaly Dubinin:- With former members? It happens, yes. Right now - Sergey Mavrin, let's not go far.
Is this a business or a friendly meeting?
Vitaly Dubinin: Well, it's probably both. We were very pleasantly surprised that we would be able to see Sergey here and play with him on stage. So with former members we cross paths mainly, of course, at concerts, since we ourselves are on tour most of the time. And to coincide so that: “Hi, I’ll come to visit today,” this, of course, does not happen. But it happens.
- And a few questions that I collected from the guys on my blog: what would they ask the Aria group. One of them sounds like this: “Tell me, who is Zhanna from Rose Street?”
Vitaly Dubinin:- Maybe our Jeanne can be a stewardess. Collective image. I do not know what to say.
- That is, you yourself do not know what kind of woman is in your song?
Mikhail Zhitnyakov:“I don’t know, maybe it’s some kind of hidden desire. Why is it (the song) popular? It's not just that, right?
- No wonder. Another question: “Do you like that period of Margarita Pushkina’s work, when she wrote songs in the style a little mystical?
Vitaly Dubinin:- Yes, sure. Like. Then there was “romanticism, snack” (laughs). That is, she had more free time, she had enthusiasm. And the matter was arguing, so to speak, everything happened by itself. Now everything is a little different. Already, everyone is older, and a little tired, and busy with their own affairs. In particular, Pushkina is busy with her own project, she even has several of them. Nevertheless, we continue to work and this is one of our authors today, but still our favorite.
- Which of the performers, maybe already very ancient groups or, conversely, young ones, would you like to perform with? Is there such a desire? deep Purple, for example?
Sergey Popov: We have a prepared answer. No, there is no desire.
Vitaly Dubinin:- Basically, we deep purple already crossed paths at one concert. We stood backstage and watched the performance, even took pictures with them. That is, these are somewhat different things: to perform in one concert or to chat. In general, we succeeded in both. Well, in order to be torn - like I have a dream to perform on the same stage with Metallica - there is no such thing.
Mikhail Zhitnyakov:- I, at one time, dreamed, dreamed, and my dream finally came true. I perform on the same stage with Aria!
- So you have already grown out of “creating an idol for yourself” and want to play with yourself?
Sergey Popov:- That's not the point. We are just aware that it only seems from the outside that we played one concert together and go around as friends, almost hugging. And in fact, we may not intersect at all with the group with which we perform in the same concert. They have their soundcheck, we have ours. They came, played and left. We arrived, played and left.
- Not to talk, not to say hello?
Sergey Popov:- Yes.
Vitaly Dubinin:- The coolest thing is to meet after the concert in a hotel in a bar.
Sergey Popov: Yes, informally.
- Okay, then who would you meet "at the bar"?
Vitaly Dubinin:– Well, at least we met with Nazareth and had a very good time.
Mikhail Zhitnyakov:- The U.D.O. - has happened many times.
Vitaly Dubinin:- We had a tour with the Rage group - we lived in the same bus for several weeks.
Sergey Popov:– We went to a concert in Germany with the guitarist Rammstein. So it happened sometimes.
- Well, the last question, my traditional blog. Still, Israel is such a country where people come and start new life, - what would you advise a person who is at a crossroads, at a crossroads, maybe even depressed, and starting life from scratch?
Maxim Udalov: So he has already made up his mind?
– Yes, he already got into this situation. How should he be? Do not give up or “get together, rag!” ...
Sergey Popov:: - At least, he should be praised that he has already done a great job.
Mikhail Udalov:“Make sure he thought well before he did it.
Or should I have thought first?
Maxim Udalov:- Yes, if we talk about intentions, then the wish will be this: think carefully, think it all over, collect as much information as possible.
Mikhail Zhitnyakov:- The goal should be clear, precise and the road to it should be absolutely predictable. This, perhaps, can greatly alleviate the situation.
Sergey Popov:- Something that does not happen in life (laughs). We must believe in ourselves, in our strengths and move forward.
Vitaly Dubinin:- Do not lose heart, no matter what, especially in the first moments, which is always not very easy. Once you've taken a step, then take another.
We are sitting with Vitaly Dubinin and Mikhail Zhitnyakov in the lobby of the Moskva Hotel in the city of Simferopol, which is located near the ruins of the ancient Scythian Naples, the capital of the late Scythian state, which is very symbolic, given the theme of the title track of Aria's new album. After a sold-out concert the day before, the guys look surprisingly fresh and cheerful, willingly answering interview questions. During the hour of our communication, we managed to discuss so many things that I risk missing something by starting to list all the topics covered here. So get comfortable and read for yourself. The conversation will be long.Let's start right away with the new album Through All Times. Describe the process of working on the album, the creative atmosphere in which it was born. In general, the process of composing and recording was familiar to you, or were there some characteristics in your approach to writing and recording?
Vitaly Dubinin: We worked as usual - in the same way we record all albums, and maybe the atmosphere was even a little warmer, because Mikhail was already a full member of the team, and we did all the songs together at rehearsals. Mikhail even sang “fish”, so everything was very nice, everything was not tense, and somehow it turned out almost by itself, without any rush or something like that ...
Mikhail Zhitnyakov: For me, it was the first experience of participating in the composition of the album, so, let's say, there were some sensations of what was happening for the first time. I also want to note the warm atmosphere. What I liked was that we didn't sit in the studio specifically to come up with songs, all the songs were written in the process. That is, we were on tour, moving from one city to another, and, one way or another, one of us had achievements, and we showed these achievements to each other. I really liked the fact that together we made a decision to work on a song, or not to do it, and then we would come and work on the development that was approved. This scheme was first comprehended by me, and I liked it very much.
Each album, as a rule, has its own backstory, some facts that were left behind the scenes. Is there something similar with the latest album - any features that will be of interest to your fans, and maybe future biographers?
Vitaly Dubinin: It's hard to say...
Or was everything running as normal?
Vitaly Dubinin: Yes, everything was somehow… I understand what you are talking about, but here everything was quite even, one might even say ordinary, there were no stories or conflicts among us. Somehow everything went well...
Well, maybe some remarkable coincidences ...
Vitaly Dubinin: I don't even know, Misha probably knows better. (laughs)
Mikhail Zhitnyakov: Well, as I said, for me, let's say, the very style of working on this album was quite new, so it's very vivid impression in and of itself, and probably not comparable to anything else. In any case, I will probably remember this album as the first full-fledged album for me, which I went through from the very beginning - from the stage of composition to its completion. And it was also on this album that I made my composing debut.
Vitaly Dubinin: You know, we always wanted to play together. That is, we usually take turns recording drums first, then bass, then guitars and everything else, and here, finally, for the first time, Maxim and I played together - we immediately recorded bass and drums without any click. Yes, we have a couple of clicky songs on the album because there are keyboards. And since we don't have a keyboard player, we had to prescribe with a click. And so, basically, we just played. They looked at each other and played. And even the guitarists did not help us, because the songs had already been all learned and rehearsed. And, it seems to me, on the album such a drive turned out precisely thanks to a live performance, not attracted to either a click or anything else.
In the title song, "Through All the Times," there are these words:
“We have been called both darkness and damnation.
Fear quickened the pace of the alien soldiers.
They knew - we are strong and fearless.
Here and now, and always."
“We stand with a strong shield, as before.
The West strikes in the chest, the East wounds in the back.
Only the names have been changed by time.
We are the same wild stream."
You have always tried to distance yourself from politics, but in the context of the current tense situation, these words sound as relevant as possible and are like an allegorical description of what is happening. Did you initially put a similar meaning into the text, or did it accidentally turn out to be in tune with current events?
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Mikhail Zhitnyakov: There is more history here than politics, let's put it this way...
Vitaly Dubinin: Yes, but since the song was written when all these events were already taking place, it turned out implicitly that it became consonant today. But, in general, there was no such super task, namely to take and write a song on the topic of the day. I think it's a lucky coincidence.
Considering Vladimir Kholstinin's health problems at the time of the preparation of "Through All Times", there is only one song of his authorship on the album. In general, how did Vladimir react to the finished material, created mainly without his participation? There was no such thing on his part that: “oh, here and here it was necessary to do it differently, well, to hell with it - there is no time to redo something”?
Vitaly Dubinin: Well, you should have asked him this (smiles). But I cannot say that he distanced himself and did not take part in the recording and arrangement of the songs. It just so happened that he was not able to devote time to the composition, that is, to come up with some songs. And what we brought and made arrangements together - he was there in full, and we took into account the wishes of everyone. Because if someone does not like the song, then nothing good will come of it, so we tried to make everyone like it. In this sense, I think if Vladimir were sitting here, he would repeat my words. I don't think he has the feeling that he doesn't like something and would have done it differently.
So to speak, new album confidently holds the brand of the group. I must say that you are very consistent and consistent in terms of sound, which remains recognizable throughout your career. On the one side, this feature can be regarded positively - the group has its own style, corporate identity, and it is predictable in a good way for its fans. On the other hand, have you ever wanted to experiment for its own sake? The desire to radically change the sound, as it was with the same Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Helloween, Slay
er, and your colleagues on the Russian stage in the person of the Black Obelisk and the Master?
Vitaly Dubinin: Speaking of changing style...
No, not the style, but the sound...
Vitaly Dubinin: It seems to us that we are changing the sound ... At least on every album we try to do this, and after mixing it turns out that we sound exactly the same. I think this happens because everyone has their own not even principles, but their own stereotypes of how their instrument should sound. Again, I can say about Kholstinin that he is such an indefatigable experimenter, that is, he constantly experiments with sound, uses some new gadgets. But when we start recording, he puts on the same Shure 57 - a microphone that is already 40 years old, and, accordingly, the signal is picked up all the time by this microphone. He absolutely does not like other microphones! This seems to be a tradition, but at the same time, some, maybe not even that inertia, but ... Well, I like it exactly the way it sounds! Again, our drummer... I won't talk about myself, because I have the same guitar. (laughs) So, the drums are also tuned by a person the way he hears it.
To change radically, you probably need some outside producer who would start recording, or rather, even start work from the moment we arrange the song. So that he just sits at least and listens. And when we go to the studio, it's already there to rebuild with him. Then, probably, it would be possible to change something so that it would be really recognizable. But there is what is...
By the way, on “Evil Generator” we have a slightly different sound from all the other “Aryan” albums, precisely because there, at least, a producer was invited. There was such a person - Zhenya Trushin, now deceased, unfortunately ... He worked as a sound engineer at SNC. Here he tuned the drums for us. Literally. Not just turning the knobs, but he himself pulled the head and did everything else - he sat for two days and tuned the drums. We also tried devices for bass guitar - one, another, a third ... As a result, the sound on that album changed. Although Zhenya did not take much part in mixing. But precisely because he started work from the recording process, the sound changed there. And now we basically do and record everything ourselves, so everything is quite traditional.
Recently released new clip for the song "Toch
like no return." I must say that it turned out not quite "metal", and in some places it even smacks of variety. Are you satisfied with the end result?
Vitaly Dubinin: I don't know about satisfied or dissatisfied. It's probably different for everyone. It seems to me that something could be corrected, changed, but since it does not depend on us, we understood that all these endless changes could delay the release of the clip for an indefinite amount of time. And it is not clear which option will turn out as a result - better or worse, therefore, there is what is.
Mikhail Zhitnyakov: The most important thing to say is that we are all not ashamed of what happened in the end. That is, you can really poke around in the nuances as much as you like, and so on. Many notice a certain minimalism, perhaps in the implementation of some ideas, that the video turned out, perhaps not as plot-driven as many would like. But it is precisely in terms of quality, in terms of level and, to some extent, in terms of content, what happened ... There is a feeling that we are not really ashamed of the result. And this, perhaps, can be noted in the first place.
Why was this song chosen?
Vitaly Dubinin: Firstly, because of the format of the sound - five minutes, just what you need. If you shoot a video for some long thing, then it will turn out to be too long. And secondly, probably because it is the most democratic, and in Aria it is quite traditional that clips are always shot for slow songs. I do not know why it is so. We started with “Everything that was”, and if you count, we have a lot more clips for slow songs than for fast ones. I don't know… (laughs) What is there to hide, such songs can attract additional listeners, not just metalheads. And there is at least some chance that the video for such a song can not only be rotated, but at least shown somewhere.
Undoubtedly, by the second album released with his participation, Mikhail Zhitnyakov had already completely joined the group. Moreover, it was on this album that his author's debut took place with the composition "Point of No Return". But here's the question. There is such a problem, which can be conditionally called the “problem of the next vocalist”, when a new frontman comes to the group and the public starts to blame him in every possible way. But when, after a couple of albums, he nevertheless leaves the line-up, and the next frontman joins the group, this new vocalist is immediately betrayed by obstruction and anger.
about the same people who themselves, a few years ago, threw dirt at him, begin to demand the return of his predecessor. How does this situation apply to Aria?
Vitaly Dubinin: When Kipelov left, it was this situation that was 200% applicable to us! That is, Berkut was not accepted in any form, yes. And then, when he left, they suddenly started not even… By the way, I was surprised how they accepted Mikhail, given our experience of replacing Kipelov-Berkut. And the replacement of Berkut-Zhitnyakov went so smoothly ... I think Misha will confirm that there were no complaints from the fans.
Yes, it’s your “capital” that you don’t like something all the time)
Vitaly Dubinin: No, no…
In general, many of our “fans” suffer from pronounced snobbery.
Vitaly Dubinin: No, no, no, there was nothing like that at the concerts. Misha was received perfectly, simply gorgeous! I didn't even expect. And, of course, in the comments, if you read it now, they are already starting to say that “well, after all, he sang this song better ...” There is not even such a problem, but the “rule of the first performance”. The one who first performed the song will forever remain the standard. Everyone will be guided by this performance. Let someone sing even better than in the original, but they will still say: “well, this is the original, this is better”, and therefore they will always compare.
Last year you celebrated the anniversary of the release of the album “Playing with Fire”…
Vitaly Dubinin: And we celebrate anniversaries all the time!
Yes! Before that, you also undertook a themed tour to celebrate the release of Asphalt Hero. Can we expect next year an anniversary program dedicated to the album "Blood for Blood"?
Vitaly Dubinin: You can.
Mikhail Zhitnyakov: You can expect (laughs).
Vitaly Dubinin: In theory, yes. Usually we make a circle around Russia, in all cities, for a year. We release albums less often, and the program needs to be changed. We have a lot of songs and the band has a big history. That is, “let’s just pick up songs from the lantern” - we thought that such an approach would be wrong, and since we can now celebrate some anniversaries every year, why not, we thought, name the program, for example, “Game with Fire" in honor of the 25th anniversary of the album? And not just play a program dedicated to this album, but collect all the songs
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Mikhail Zhitnyakov: No less blood! (laughs)
Vitaly Dubinin: So, it's quite possible - yes, we will name the program like that next year and will focus on the songs of this album. Or maybe not, the devil knows... The problem here is that releasing new albums every year is not something that is difficult, and maybe not right. At least for the time being.
Mikhail Zhitnyakov: Tours held under the banner of this or that album is, again, another opportunity to somehow get into the focus of interest of our public from the point of view of fans of specific albums. Because, as Vitaly said, our discography is quite large, the band has a long history, and the maximum that is possible is to play two songs from one album. And people often mark for themselves some albums completely, from beginning to end. So this is their favorite album. And this is just the same story, probably, when you can take the whole album under such, let's say, sauce and decorate it with other no less good songs. Therefore, "Blood for Blood", in particular for me, too, is one of my favorite albums. I think that there are a lot of people like me among the fans of the group.
Despite the fact that you yourself position yourself as Russian group, there is also a stable demand for Aria's work abroad. For example, your album Playing with Fire was released quite recently in Chile. Unexpected, I must admit! Tell us more about this edition.
Vitaly Dubinin: This is also unexpected for us. I understand that this is not some big label, but something, probably, like a rock club. Maybe just people who are somehow familiar with our work. They decided to release on CD, let's say 1,000 copies of this album. We were asked to translate texts into English. That is, not even in rhyme, not poetically, but what is sung about there. Which, in principle, could be done in Google Translate. Well, we made such a thing, sent it to them, and now they released it. What will happen next, I don't know...
Mikhail Zhitnyakov: The interest itself, of course, is very pleasant. The fact that the group is not only known overseas, but also re-released - there is, of course, a certain moment of recognition in this.
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Vitaly Dubinin: The organization is not much different. We played in approximately the same halls, clubs, as in Russia, if we play in a club. Although in Russia, to a greater extent, we play mainly in concert halls. There were traditional clubs, probably seats for an average of 1,000 people. The audience there comes to the concert to enjoy, in my opinion, regardless of what sounds from the stage. Therefore, we were received very well, and I personally did not expect this. It was especially good in Sweden. It was some kind of local outdoor metal festival (it was the MUSCELROCK 2013 festival - author). There was a small autograph session before the performance. They brought so many rare things of ours ...
Mikhail Zhitnyakov: I have never blamed so many of our Russian city did not see!
Vitaly Dubinin: Yes, and moreover, they were not Russians. If before that there were our compatriots at the concert in Finland - both former, and just visitors, and Finns, then here there were only Swedes. And when they brought all this and said that they knew about us for a long time and for a long time ... Some kind of group performed there, I don’t know its name, so they say: “You are big stars here!”. For me it was all! Ridiculously simple. But they say: "You are known." Either these people are so into the metal, everyone knows about it, or we really underestimate ourselves. As for the rest, in terms of approach… In Bulgaria we played at a big festival. By and large, it is no different from the same "Invasion". The only thing, perhaps, is that everything is more punctual, that is, there is more order both behind the scenes and on stage.
Well, as far as I can tell from my own experience, European metal fests are METAL fests first and foremost and are permeated with a condom metal atmosphere, they are more cohesive. That is, the organizers do not dilute the acting line-up with some muddy pseudo-rock bands. The emphasis is on metal.
Vitaly Dubinin: As for Sweden and Finland, yes, of course, that's it. And, let's say, in Bulgaria we played, there it was more somehow ...
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Vitaly Dubinin: Yes, there were some incomprehensible groups. But you're right. We are supporters, of course, of performing at real, true-metal festivals. If we talk about our Aria-Fest, then everyone suggests - “take this group, that group ...”, well, suppose even Alice. But why? We really want to make a metal festival.
Yah! Groups like Alice in relation to Aria are simply alien matter!
Vitaly Dubinin: Absolutely, yes.
In general, it annoys me when Aria is attributed to Russian rock, this is a completely different topic.…
Vitaly Dubinin: We are also talking about this. We do not tense up, but we say that yes, we have nothing to do with Russian rock.
I think now you will learn something new about yourself. In fact, your work is appreciated even in such a harsh genre as black metal. People like Fenriz of Darkthrone, the late Jon Nodveidt of Dissection have been very positive about your work. Well, for example, the vocalist of the American thrash band Hirax Caton de Pena now and then flaunts in your photos in your symbols. ...
Vitaly Dubinin: Well, very nice, very unexpected! As for de Pena, yes, at first I saw him in our T-shirt, then in a vest with our logo, and he is now friends on Facebook. It's very nice, of course, that it is. But I think it’s still not worth deceiving yourself too much, since such people are probably real music lovers who are specifically looking for something like that. You can also find in Thailand, for sure, some rock bands.
Well, they've arrived!
Vitaly Dubinin: I don't know... In any case, it seems to me that these are real music lovers who are looking for something unusual. Or maybe not…
Why am I asking all these questions - don't you think that you, to some extent, underestimated the demand for your music abroad? After all, even 20 years ago, your performances in the same Germany were perceived with a bang. Perhaps at one time you still should have made trips outside your country more often, including foreign performances in the band's strategy?
Vitaly Dubinin: Probably... probably. But why did we underestimate? We are just soberly looking at the fact that without real promotion, without releasing an album in the west,
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Yes, at least some kind of distribution agreement to conclude ...
Vitaly Dubinin: We tried to do it. All interest in words only. There was interest when Cruise went abroad, SHAH in the late 80s. Then it was still in the wake of perestroika. Rock from Russia! Gorky Park is the same… Then, in the 90s, nobody needed it, so, of course, we missed this opportunity. Somehow it didn't work out. In any case, we did not specifically refuse any proposals. As it is...
Gradually, Aria-Fest is gaining momentum and we can say that from a purely local phenomenon the festival becomes international action. In general, if you remember who originally came up with such an idea, and what was the path to its implementation?
Vitaliy Dubinin: We ourselves came up with such an idea. We have been going to different festivals for a long time, and, as you rightly said, we are tired of this hodgepodge. That is, there may be an Aria, and then some kind of folk rock, Russian rock, and generally it is not known what kind of pop music. We have a huge country, and there is not a single real themed metal festival. In Moscow, or somewhere else - there is nothing. And so we decided that no one but us, as they say, and began to develop this idea.
Mikhail Zhitnyakov: Vitaliy was a little modest about who came up with the idea. The idea, and in general the generator of ideas in this respect in the group, is often just him. It's just that we collectively always discuss all this and make the decision really already together. But often such a creative person, and not only musically, but also organizationally, we have Vitaly together with Yulia. (Yulia Belikova - group manager - author)
Vitaly Dubinin: All right, all right... In general, anyway, I think this is our brainchild. Of course, we have found a partner. We have been tinkering with this idea for a long time and have proposed it to some organizers in Moscow. Everyone said: “Aria-Fest? Well, since this is Aria-Fest, it means the festival of the former “Aryan” groups.” We say - "well, let's call it differently, let's unite it somehow." Aria-Fest, in general, good name because Aria is
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In general, the question is very relevant. Why do you think that for all the years in Russia not a single normal festival has appeared? The country is big. Separately taken groups come with concerts every week. To Moscow, at least. Why didn't anyone come up with such an idea, why didn't they want to organize a full-fledged metal festival?
Vitaly Dubinin: I don't know why. In fact, this is, of course, a paradox. When real stars come with concerts, it proves that we have an interest in music. But for some reason there are no such enthusiasts among the real organizers. Or maybe people only see how to make money. Those who organize these festivals, at least we have this attitude - to earn, not to promote.
Despite all the merit of the group within the framework of Russian scene, sometimes you still get the feeling that you are still in the underground to some extent, you feel your isolation from the main near-musical media sources in Russia. Everyone breathily applauds various BI-2s, Zemfira, Night Snipers and other slag, calling it “rock”, but every time, by tacit agreement, they somehow ignore Aria. Don't you think this is extremely unfair? Your comments…
Vitaly Dubinin: Ah, I don't know about unfair... Yes, we have such an attitude towards us, in particular, let's take such a wonderful radio station as Nashe Radio. They promote Russian rock there, so to speak. As for Aria, they are ready to see us at the festival, because they know that a lot of people will come to Aria, but they are not at all ready to put us in the rotation. That is, they say:
- Let's cooperate.
- Let's.
- Will you perform at the festival?
- Let's perform. Will you put our song on rotation?
- No, we won't.
- Why?
Here it begins - and not the format, in general, there are a lot of excuses. And people just don't like this music, I think.
Somehow it turns out that in the group throughout history there are conflict situations, and sometimes the musicians part not on the most friendly note. But, nevertheless, every few years you manage to get together again for some reason and give a joint concert with one or another former participants, as if there were no mutual reproaches. How do you do it? I doubt that all of you keep close contact and go drinking beer together. For example, you have a concert planned in November in honor of the band's 30th anniversary. Kipelov has already been declared there, and Granovsky, and Terentyev with Manyakin ...
Vitaly Dubinin: Yes, some people leave the team, there are grievances, but then the grievances pass and what remains is what we did together. And there are people who have heard our records, but maybe never saw us together. In general, we do all these reunions for the sake of people, for the sake of being able to hear us. My son is now 16. When Hero of Asphalt was 20 years old, we performed with Kipelov. Accordingly, 8 years ago. And he says: "I have never been to the concert of Aria with Kipelov." That's for such a younger generation, and for people in general - for new and old fans, we are going to. How to do it? We have absolutely nothing to share now, so remember, so to speak, the past and again play together nothing but positive emotions does not call.
IN last years an approach to recording music has become widespread, when musicians do not even meet in the studio, but simply exchange files over the Internet.
Vitaly Dubinin: That is, not about us.
Not about you. To me, this approach has a "mechanical" feel to it and lacks the energy of the live rehearsals and jam sessions we talked about, where new ideas come directly from the ENTIRE band playing, thanks to a certain chemistry between the musicians. Then the music sounds more natural and direct. What do you say to that?
Vitaly Dubinin: I absolutely agree with this. Now everyone can record anything on a computer - open the program and record good-sounding drums, overdub bass and everything else. But the group is good in the first place because individuals play in the group. And when a person passes it through himself, even if maybe even a part that was not invented by him, makes some changes, then the sound of the group is obtained. Why, how
So what do you think of the current state of the metal scene? Don't you think that, on the one hand, the scene has become more open, but on the other hand, it has become less "clear"? Quantity has long prevailed over quality, and many musicians resemble skilled "artisans".
Vitaly Dubinin: This is just a continuation of the previous question. Now you can thanks to modern technologies, thanks to plug-ins and all these digital gadgets, to make a super-sound, but you will not make super-arrangements, something fresh. If your songs are bad, then nothing can replace this - neither the sound, nor something else. Therefore, now, of course, there is a lot of passing slag, and for some reason there is no bright stars that were before. Probably, everything is leveled thanks to this flow.
Mikhail Zhitnyakov: Plus, the Internet gives both positive and negative points. As you rightly said, in this mass it is more and more difficult to find some kind of healthy grain or some attractive musical moments, because now everyone can record and post it in high quality, but on the Internet it is lost in the general stream.
Vitaly Dubinin: Maybe, indeed, there is such a mass of music now, much more than it was before. Maybe something else is missing from this.
Yes and before music there were many. There were simply no such opportunities, and as a result, the most talented ones turned out to be on the surface. Well, okay, this topic can be developed for a very long time. I have a last question for you. How do you feel 30 years after you started creative career? Do you just keep playing music out of creative habit - just because you have been doing it for three decades, or are you still striving to conquer new heights and count on the realization of even more ambitious ideas?
Vitaly Dubinin: Well, first of all, we like it. That is, we can say that this is a habit, but on the other hand,
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Mikhail Zhitnyakov: I don’t know how correct it would be if I now recall the words of Volodya (Kholstinin - author), who returned after a rather complicated operation. When he entered the rehearsal space, we all greeted him, started asking questions, and he said a very wonderful thing. He said that when he lay down on a hospital bed, then at some point, when, as they say, his whole life flew before his eyes, he most of all regretted that if something did not grow together, he would not be able to approach his guitar cabinet and hear that magical guitar sound. And this speaks for itself.
We express our gratitude to Natalia Stupnikova and Yulia Belikova for arranging the interview.
The release of a new album by the Aria group is always an event in Russian heavy music, even for that part of the public that takes this album with hostility. Their 13th full-length album Curse of the Seas did not escape the fate of being scolded, which, however, did not prevent it from taking first place in the Russian iTunes charts, and the group itself from announcing a large-scale tour in support of the album, the culmination of which will be a concert in a large-scale metropolitan Palace of Sports "Megasport" The release, of course, is not simple, large-scale and unusual, so in order to more or less understand the 11 new songs, it will take a lot of listening. To help listeners and journalists get their bearings, the musicians presented "Curse of the Seas" at a press conference in news agency ITAR-TASS, where, together with five musicians, Margarita Pushkina took part, who composed half of the texts for the album. We present to you the most interesting moments from the group's almost hour-long press interaction.
Can you please tell us how the new album turned out? What songs are included in it? Was it hard to work on it?
Mikhail Zhitnyakov: The album "Curse of the Seas", the 13th in a row, includes 11 tracks with a total sound of more than 75 minutes. This is its feature - it is a record for the duration of the sound.
How long have you been working on the album?
Mikhail Zhitnyakov: In general, work on a new album begins as soon as the previous one comes out. Immediately, some ideas begin to materialize. And the active phase took place during this year.
The Aria group, on the one hand, is conservative in a good way, works with trusted people, and this justifies itself in terms of lyrics and not only, but on the other hand, it also introduces new people. Question to Vladimir Kholstinin - what kind of person is Vladislav Tarasov, with whom you wrote the composition "Smoke without fire"? Isn't this the same person who, in collaboration with Kirill Nemolyaev, wrote the book "Hysteria of the USSR"? How did the collaboration with him come about? What new did he bring to the ideology of Aria?
Vladimir Kholstinin: I met Vlad quite recently, about six months ago, just while working on the album. The fact is that my usual co-author Igor Lobanov had a lot of work with his group, and he did not have time, it was hard, so Vladislav Tarasov suddenly appeared. It was great to work with him, very interesting. He is a patient person, endured all my nit-picking and corrections, and then it suddenly turned out that he works as a proofreader, that is, he is a person with absolute literacy. Imagine how pleasant it was to correspond with him - he never makes any mistakes, which is now a rarity! It is probably impossible to say that he brought something new, because we already have such an established history that it is very problematic and maybe even dangerous to deviate from it. But he, it seems to me, did not drop the bar, and I hope that this is not his latest work with us. And yes, this is the same person who wrote "Hysteria of the USSR".
The next question for Margarita Anatolyevna, which follows directly from the previous one: how did you perceive this text from a professional point of view and from the point of view of a person involved in Aria for more than one year? Do you have some kind of jealousy, rivalry with other lyricists? You had some picks with Alexander Yelin, if I'm not mistaken ...
Margarita Pushkina: I am a very calm person, and I am very calm about the appearance of new people. I know my level, and I don't think I've fallen below my level on this album. Judging by the reaction of people and the reaction of the musicians, they liked what I did. Of course, I would like to do more, but, as they say, we do not choose our lives. This time it didn't work. I have known Vladislav Tarasov for a very long time, even before he wrote “Hysteria…” He wrote a very long article for my rock almanac “Zabriskie Rider”, the article was devoted to the work of Stephen King, illustrations were made by his wife. Excellent article! Later, since I know Kirill Nemolyaev, we also talked with Vladislav. Well, a man appeared, wrote. To be honest, I had one fear after "Hysteria" and the rock opera "Mausoleum", where he seems to have written the entire text - that such jokes would appear in the spirit of Nemolyaev, and this somewhat goes against the ideology of Aria. ( laughing). But everything worked out, under the strict control of Vladimir Petrovich everything was possible. I do not feel any jealousy towards other authors, because I understand the situation, I understand that due to various life circumstances I will not be able to write as many texts as I have written before. Therefore, Vladimir Petrovich works with Lobanov, I have excellent relations with Lobanov, we exchange opinions, we exchange letters. Sasha Elin - great fellow, helped out this time. I do not agree with his concept, expressed in several songs - "The Age of Lucifer", "From Dusk Till Dawn", but this is my own business. I would have written differently, but, probably, when Sasha looks at my texts, he also thinks: “I would write differently,” this is purely subjective. So we have absolutely no enmity, jealousy or desire to hit someone on the head with an ax. We, the authors, are normal people, adequate.
(*) Your last album “Through All Times” was mixed by Finn Hiili Hiilesmaa, and the new disc was mixed by American Roy Z. What is the reason for choosing Roy? Are you satisfied with what he did with the sound?
Vitaly Dubinin: It was my idea. Last year, Maxim and I collaborated with the Norwegian band Tomorrow’s Outlook, recorded two songs with them, and Roy Z was the producer of this album. And the Norwegians themselves suggested: “Don’t you want him to mix the album for you?” I brought this idea to the rest, and we agreed that it would be nice to try. Roy Z is a world-class metal figure, we certainly knew his work as a producer and as a guitarist with Bruce Dickinson and Halford - this was the reason for the choice. What happened? Probably, each of us has our own comments or, on the contrary, moments that seem to us the most striking, regarding the mixing of this album. I think it turned out interesting and very unusual for us.
The title track of the album "Curse of the Seas" became the longest in the history of the group - more than 12 minutes. Do you have any plans to record an even longer ballad?
Vitaly Dubinin: It happened so by accident. I don't think any of us set ourselves the goal of writing a song longer than we've been before. It just so happened that the song has such timing. We have no plans to record something even longer, but there are no big difficulties to make a long song. It's much harder to make a short song.
Vitaly, your son wrote in his blog that he took a small part in the song "Curse of the Seas", and that some of his ideas were reflected on the album. Do you plan to cooperate with Alexander in the future? Or maybe he will play with the band?
Vitaly Dubinin(laughs): His participation was like this - usually I myself write "fish" in pseudo- English language, and he has grown up and knows the language quite well. I explained to him what should be in which verse and which part of it, and let him read the story Flying Dutchman. He embodied all this in varying degrees of readiness - it seems to me that it turned out quite smoothly, and I sang it for the "fish". Then I asked him to play a little solo - again, for a demo. I made a demo on my computer at home, and I myself am not a great master, or rather, I don’t know how to play solo at all, but he wrote something like that, and I inserted it. That was his participation. Do I plan to engage him in the future? Quite possible.
What are the musicians guided by when choosing which songs will be included in the upcoming release? Does it come to disputes, voting, drawing lots? Do people close to the group participate in the selection?
Vitaly Dubinin: We don't have a lot of songs to throw away or argue over whether a particular song will be on the album. Of course, there is internal censorship, but I remember that all the songs that one or another participant brought to this album, we recorded. We can argue about the order of the songs, but about the songs themselves - if everyone likes the song, then we take it. Because if someone is not interested in something, and he does something under duress, then nothing good will come of it.
(*) And how does the band select the artist who will design the album? This time you also have a new one - Ed Unitsky.
Vitaly Dubinin: This time we were advised by the artist Margarita Anatolyevna Pushkina, with whom he collaborated on her previous release. In my opinion, he did very well in terms of art work, personally I am very pleased, the rest, I think, too. And then Margarita will tell you where she found him.
Margarita Pushkina: I found him on Facebook when I was looking for a serious person for the design of the rock opera Occitania. I dug and dug, and suddenly - the portfolio of Eduard Yunitskiy, the city of Mogilev, Belarus. Basically, he designs prog-rock, works a lot with branded bands. Just at that time, Valery Aleksandrovich Kipelov's album "Stars and Crosses" was being prepared, and I tried to involve Yunitskiy in its design, but the management of the Kipelov group told me that he had too much funny pictures, and they don't fit the concept of the album. To my objections that artists listen to customers, someone needs funny pictures, someone needs sad ones, people did not react. Then Occitania came out, absolutely beautiful, and Misha Zhitnyakov remembered it when the conversation turned on who to entrust the design of the album to. Although there were certain concerns whether he could or not, because the person had never worked with such difficult teams - at least, difficult ones for Yunitskiy. Further contacts Vitaly supported them, and I don’t know if they were cut or not cut, but Eduard himself is very pleased. He sent me this wonderful cover, I'll put it in a frame, because, in my opinion, the design is beautiful. Yunitskiy defeated himself and outlined some a new style in the design of Aria's albums.
Do you believe in the magic of numbers? 13th studio album anyway...
Margarita Pushkina: The most common opinion is that the number 13 is ah-ah-ah, some bad number, and so on. It's a tradition to think so. In fact, whether I tell you the secret or not, the number 13 is a wonderful number, the number of illogical people. This means that this number loves those who are engaged in creativity, who are capable of the most unpredictable actions, who do not fit into generally accepted norms and standards. That is, the number 13 refers to creative people, which we all are, and here the numerology is very right: the 13th album is somewhat different in terms of musical concept, there are a lot of interesting finds, small experiments, everyone gave their best in their own way. And the number of this album is very consistent with this - this is the number of illogical creative people who "go to their goal, guided by an all-encompassing love," as the researchers write. various numbers. Well, 'bout all-encompassing love I would doubt it, but the fact that 13 is the number of illogical creative people seems to me to be completely consistent.
Sergey Popov: Maybe for some it's an unlucky number, but for us it's a lucky number because we think the album was a success. Anyway, we like it.
We all remember Aria's albums such as Asphalt Hero (1987) or Blood for Blood (1991), and now we can say with confidence that these albums and their lyrics have stood the test of time. Today, the texts of other artists are heard - rap artists, punk artists. Doesn't it turn out that hard Rock lost the property of a prophet today?
Margarita Pushkina: If I start, it will be for an hour or two. I want to say that no one has ever put themselves in the position of a prophet. We wrote what we felt, and now we write - at least I think so - what we would like to say. I cannot agree that on the last album we are somehow toothless or cute and are engaged in fairy tales. There are several texts that fit well into today's situation. I am often asked a question, for example, recently I was asked by a wonderful sinologist-professor from Novosibirsk, who, despite his status and age, loves Aria very much and listens to her all the time: were you not afraid to put a song like “Kill the Dragon” on this album? There is this fear in society. Then they tell us: “Oh, socialism, this “Black Square”, why is it needed? Tell us stories! And then the fans say: “We don’t need fairy tales! Let us…” And then: “Aren’t you afraid?” I don’t know about musicians, but personally I follow rap closely, but I don’t listen to them, I read them, because it’s impossible to listen to. If you listen, then the Americans, because they have it much more organically; let's say I like Body Count - an old, but very powerful comrade, black. A lot of dubstep bands with interesting lyrics - but they have it. I personally like the message of 25/17, a wonderful group, Lately I like the texts - namely the texts - of Oksimiron. At first, as they say now, he did not enter me, but now I read it with pleasure. I don’t know about Face and Pharaoh, although they also make noise.
Vitaly Dubinin: Do you like Purulent?
Margarita Pushkina: Purulent - no, I don't like the CPSU. It seems to me that if we speak, then we speak, and if we are silent, then we are silent, we tell fairy tales, but it’s incompetent to blame the Aria group for not touching on any social topics and putting everything into the hands of rappers. Now I want to conduct such an experiment, I am preparing something with my Margenta project. It will be a heavy alternative, heavy guitars and recitatives on social topics. I'm interested in throwing this project to our public who are used to tan-taga-dan and stuff - how will they react to it? There are only social, only evil rap lyrics with a good presentation. So let's check what one says and what others think, and then they say.
Sergey, is the “Era of Lucifer” not a song about the current situation in the country?
Sergey Popov: Initially, I just wanted a straight song that would, as they say, rock. For me, the main thing in it is the drive. Then Sasha Yelin already introduced his vision. If you want, call it social. In principle, this is a continuation of the theme of our song “Be yourself” with Sasha Yelin from the last album. Let everyone designate this Lucifer for himself. If you want - take it as a song about our country, if you want - more widely, because the era of consumption, the era double standards This is also the era of Lucifer.
Vitaly, I was pleasantly surprised by your participation in the project of the BI-2 group Cobain Jackets. I would like to know your opinion about this project in general and specifically about the song and video.
Vitaly Dubinin: I didn't see the clip. In general, my participation turned out to be quite spontaneous. We were in the city of Novosibirsk, played a concert with symphony orchestra, and BI-2 came to our concert. Shura came up to me and said, "Do you have a Rickenbacker?" “Yes, I have such a bass guitar.” “Could you help us, play a song - not in the BI-2 group, but for a side project?” I say, "I don't know if I can, I don't know what you're going to do." He says: “Everything is quite simple there, just a straight drawing ...” I don’t know how to refuse, so I said: “OK, I’ll play.” I came to the studio, played in just an hour, and that was the end of my participation. Then they suddenly told me: "We will shoot a video." I say: “And I have to act too?” “Well, you played there…” I couldn’t say that I didn’t sign up for it! Well, I played and played. And what happened…. I saw some kind of lyric video, I didn’t find myself there and didn’t understand anything in terms of the video sequence. As for the song itself, I didn't understand why they did a side project; In my opinion, this is a typical BI-2.
In 2019 there will be the 30th anniversary of the album "Playing with Fire". Is there anything big planned for this, as was the case with Hero of Asphalt? The album is also iconic.
Vladimir Kholstinin: In 2019, no, because this year is dedicated to the Curse of the Seas tour, we will not be able to do both at the same time, unfortunately.
(*) Aria's songs were heard several times in the TV contest “Voice. Children". What do you think about it? In your opinion, does "Calm" in children's performance have the right to exist?
Vitaly Dubinin: I know that many of my colleagues are negative about this. But I don't see anything wrong with children singing these songs. The text is not so terrible there, and it is not so inaccessible to children's understanding. Therefore, I believe that this all has a right to exist.
Margarita Pushkina: I am categorically against children singing about cannibalism. This is completely inconsistent with children's perception. In general, I think that this is a definite speculation. They sang well, Pelageya, in my opinion, had guys, but this is absolutely not a song for children's minds, even for accelerators.
Vitaly Dubinin: They sing music and evaluate their voice. Maybe they don't fully understand the text, but I repeat, I don't see anything wrong with that.
Now many fans are watching YouTube, and there is such a blogger Gribanovsky. Vitaly, I know that you have watched his blogs, which he makes based on your albums. Is there any truth in his stories? He spends five or six hours on each of your albums. There is even an opinion that he has something to do with your group.
Vitaly Dubinin: To be honest, I don't know that name. Everything that bloggers or fans say about us, trolls or haters - all this is reported to me by my sons. I’m already trying not to react to this in any way, so I don’t remember the names of those who write something about the Aria group. So I really can’t say what kind of person this is, sorry.
(*) In April next year you are announced among the participants of the German festival “Keep It True”. This is not a very big festival, but quite prestigious. How did you get there? And if you have any further plans to conquer Europe?
Vitaly Dubinin: All the festivals in which we took part abroad, we consider not as our stages of conquering Europe, but rather as tourism. We are aware that we will not be able to do any serious tours there until we make a release in the West, that is, we will not release a record in English for Western listeners. Since we do not have this, we consider all this, I repeat, more like tourism. How did we get there? Very simple, now Facebook is developed, they write to us on official page. The organizers of this festival wrote to us whether it is possible to invite a group, our management contacted them, exchanged riders, as it is now called. As soon as everyone was satisfied, there was an offer. Perhaps we will have some more festivals in Europe next year. In any case, we are conducting such negotiations, and I don’t know what happened there.
(*) In Russia, you had your own festival - "Aria-Fest". Unfortunately, it did not take place either this year or last year, but are similar events planned in the future?
Vitaly Dubinin: Yes, of course it is planned. Why was it not there last year or this year? It has to do with the album. Misha said that we started working hard this year - no, we started working on the album pretty hard last summer. Even then, we prepared six songs and recorded drums and bass for them, so it was hard to do everything at the same time, but we couldn’t trust someone, give them at the mercy - we still had to control some administrative, organizational issues. We just decided that we need to do one thing, and in the future we plan that at least for the 35th anniversary of the group there will be "Aria-Fest". In 2019 we plan to do a tour dedicated to the Curse of the Seas album, and in the autumn it is very possible that we will surprise you with something else ... or not surprise you.
Official website of the Aria group: http://www.aria.ru
We express our gratitude to Natalia Stupnikova (press officer of the Aria group) for accreditation to the press conference
Questions marked with (*) are asked by site representative
Material processing - Roman Patrashov
Photo - Natalia “Snakeheart” Patrashova
November 30, 2018
The Aria group, represented by Vitaly Dubinin and Mikhail Zhitnyakov, spoke in an interview with Chastnik about the new album Curse of the Seas, their attitude to censorship and what it was like to perform on the same stage with DeepPurple and Nazareth.
- Your new album is called "The Curse of the Seas" - this is the third album recorded with vocalist Mikhail Zhitnyakov. Surely, after the release of the previous ones, you had thoughts about what happened and what can be improved ... And what can you say about the new disc - have you fully realized what was planned?
Vitaliy: We usually don't have such problems to sit and analyze an already finished album. After all, we take our work seriously. When the record is made, it is made - there is no going back. All "unrealized" ideas go to the next disc.
Mikhail: We are absolutely not ashamed of the quality, level and content of what happened. And let the critics understand the nuances.
- Are there many ideas, songs left outside the scope of the album?
Vitaliy: Often in interviews with Western musicians you have to read, they say, we wrote eighty songs for the album, and selected ten of them ... It's not entirely clear to me. For example, we prepared eleven songs and realized all of them. Each of the Aria participants has their own ideas that have remained unrealized, but this is a completely different story.
- How, in what conditions do you come up with song ideas? Is it more often insight or the result of painstaking work?
Vitaly: In different ways. Sometimes, yes, you have to compose. For example - we were going to record a record, well, but what to make it from? You won’t sit and wait stupidly - oh, it dawned on me! You sit down and start composing... You play the guitar for an hour, then for a second - and suddenly some interesting riff is born - and I write it down on my phone right away so as not to forget. And that's it. Step by step, and a song is born ...
Music can be compared to sea element, and, if so, is your music a storm, a hurricane, a storm?
Michael: All together. And even more…
Vitaliy: I would compare it with a stormy river.
- Your new album turned out to be quite experimental, - some of the material is quite unusual for Aria - what is the reason for such an update?
Michael: We disagree with you. In the new album, everything is quite orthodox, characteristic and typical of "Aria". Further, I believe, we will move in the same direction. Life will show.
- The title track of the disc is called "Race for Glory" - was there a place and time for this in your life and biography?
Vitaliy: It depends what you mean by that. Yes, to some extent, any artist craves success, popularity, financial well-being... But I don't think it can be critically assessed as a "race for fame." In our group, all the members are quite sane people. Therefore, this is not a song about us. We are not chasing glory.
- At one time, social themes were quite strong in your songs. In our time, do you think a musician needs to express his attitude to what is happening around in songs, or are you more interested in immersion in “pure art”?
Vitaliy: Rock music has always been a fairly personal platform for revealing one's inner world. Probably, it was this disclosure of the inner world and our feelings that has always been our priority. As for social protests, we can state some fact, express our attitude - for example, in an interview, but give a guide to action in songs ... I'm not sure that this will be right. In my opinion, this is a thankless task - to teach.
- Well, for example - how do you assess the projects of the State Duma concerning censorship? Is there any certainty that your songs will pass this very censorship?
Mikhail: We believe that censorship should be started first. State Duma and then take on the rest.
Vitaliy: To be honest, I don't give a damn about censorship. And in Soviet years I didn't care, and even more so now. Didn't we listen in those days to songs that were forbidden to us by the official authorities in the USSR? Well, yes, maybe they were not released on records, banned performers were not allowed to earn money with their work, but Resurrection and DDT were really folk artists that everyone listened to. Manuscripts as spoken Bulgakov's hero, do not burn. Likewise, songs are impossible to ban. And now all this is generally comical - because all censorship in the current situation, alas, will come down to the fact that God forbid someone says something against the state. I believe that linguistic censorship may be partly justified, but certainly not ideological.
If you had a time machine, which era would you like to go to?
Mikhail: You don't know the era where beer was free? I would drive in such an era (laughs).
Vitaliy: It would be interesting, knowing the results of the matches, to drive back a little in this very time machine and put money on the winners. A sort of association with the film "Back to the Future".
- The work of "Aria" is a whirlwind escaping from the stadium concert venues, but at the same time comfortably coexisting in small rooms. What is more important for you - a spectacular show from a performance or conveying meanings to the listener?
Vitaliy: These are somewhat different things. Big hall- this is a great energy, and we perceive it as a holiday that should be every day. There is a special charm in small halls: when you see the audience, you feel the reaction to what you are doing directly, even though there are not many of them here, they love our music just the same and give us the same pleasure.
Mikhail: I would not oppose a spectacular show and meaning, ideally it should be combined. As for the hall, we don’t care which one we work in, the main thing is to make our own music, to enjoy it.
- The well-known American producer RoyZ was involved in mixing your new record - how did you work with him?
Vitaliy: — We like the way this person approaches the matter. Of course, we dreamed of collaborating with him and it was very easy and relaxed to work. Mutual understanding, it seems to me, was complete. We are not disappointed
- I read somewhere that you had the opportunity to perform on the same stage with DeepPurple and Nazareth? Is this true and what impression did they make on you? Let's just say - what, in your opinion, is their fundamental difference from Russian musicians?
Vitaliy: This is the absolute truth. They are very pleasant, friendly and easy to talk to people. Their main difference from most Russian musicians is that, being world-class stars, they do not show off. It disposes to them. I want to be the same.
One of the contenders for the place of the vocalist of "Aria", the voice of the group "BIOTOK" and "Draft Margarita" Sergey Lobanov gave exclusive interview portal of free music reviews 1ne-more.ru When did you realize that you cannot live without music and decided to connect your life with it? In fact, I have been connected with music for a very long time, because my whole family sings, but I seriously thought about becoming a musician in the 10th grade of school. It was then that I first came to audition for the group. Then he continued at the university in Moscow in his first year and then already wandered around different groups, I was looking for myself and a band that wants to grow professionally, create, and not play rock and metal with the pathos of kiss and the approach of PIVCHIK =) Which artists inspired and influenced their time? Oh well, the list could be long. It was Kipelov who first inspired me. And then inspired by Lefleur. Not by his voice, but by the fact that he was so young he became a vocalist very famous group, which means that everything is real in this life. Bruce Dickinson impressed me with his technique and behavior on stage, with his breather, but this is already technical side, I could name more than half of western metal, and there is someone to listen to from the domestic one, but these are no longer inspirers. From these people I took some chips, interesting moves, equipment, etc. What qualities, in your opinion, should a vocalist of the group “Aria” have? An endurance to watering from the garbage pail with the discontent of the true fans of the golden composition of Aria =) In all seriousness - the negative that Arthur felt is terrible. Of course, he took on a very heavy burden, at that moment any vocalist would become such an object for discontent and it's not about Arthur, but about the breakup of Aria. If the group ended up being called not Aria, but as Chimera was supposed to be, then the demand would be different. Who would you like to see in the place of the new frontman of “Aria”? Well, of course, yourself =) And if not yourself, then only Valery Kipelova. Despite everything, this line-up personally inspires me the most. This timbre of voice is unique and has been absorbed into our minds, into our souls for many years. There is no smoke without fire, and in the meantime, rumors that you will become the new frontman of Aria are growing, and most of the fans don’t seem to mind either, did anyone from the Aria group contact you? No comment, but you correctly noticed about the smoke. In your opinion, can Arthur Berkut create his own band, which, like the Kipelov band, will stand on a par with Aria and seriously compete with it on the domestic metal scene? I think not. After all, the Kipelov group initially played songs of the same Aria before their first album, and Kipelov left not alone, but with half of the group: Terentyev, Mavrin, Manyakin are strong and legendary musicians. Arthur leaves alone, and he cannot take the repertoire with him, except perhaps the song “Your Day” from the last album, which he wrote himself. In addition, the current Aria has conventionally half as many fans as the Aria from the time of Kipelov. This means that Arthur has about four fewer fans than Valery. Simple conditional arithmetic. This was clearly seen on the 20th anniversary of the album "Hero of Asphalt", when the audience chanted "Kipelov". Recently, in your interview for the “Aryan Family”, you evaluated the vocals of Valery Kipelov on the last album of his group, could you summarize the work of Arthur Berkut in the “Aria” group? In what was he inferior to Valery, and in what was he better? Did the group reach a fundamentally different level with him or did it stay the same? This is a very long topic. In short, Arthur is a very powerful vocalist, but each vocalist has a comfortable tessitura, and there are keys in which the vocalist is uncomfortable to sing. So Arthur is uncomfortable with the songs of "Aria". Whatever one may say, vocalists have different tessitura. But the new songs of the group he turned out pretty well. "The Light of Past Love" I really like. Summing up: with Arthur the band is tougher, but I think it has lost its former melody. Lowered the vocal bar, moved away from high notes and the head register, from the mixed. Just changed. Which of the two "Aryan" albums recorded with Artur Berkut did you like better and what is your favorite album of the "Aria" group? Most of all performed by Arthur is, of course, Baptism by Fire. Through the material. In general, I like the good old albums more, starting with "Hero of Asphalt" and up to "Evil Generator" inclusive, and in "Chimera" there are masterpiece compositions.
