Alexander Bashlachev
Encyclopedia
Alexander Nickolaevich Bashlachev was a Russian poet, musician, guitarist, and singer-songwriter.
, Soviet Union
, the son of Nikolai Bashlachev and Nellie Bashlacheva.
In 1977, Bashlachev graduated from Cherepovets High School in Cherepovets, and worked as a painter at the Cherepovets Metallurgical Plant with his father. In 1978, he resigned from the plant to enroll at the Ural State University
in Sverdlovsk Oblast
as a journalism major. Bashlachev graduated in 1983.
In May 1984, Bashlachev attended the Leningrad Rock Festival in Leningrad
. There, he bought an acoustic guitar
which he had taught himself to play. In September, he played some of his songs at his friend Leonid Parfyonov
's apartment in Leningrad. Over the years, he would play several flat concerts. It is worth noting that rock music was under extreme censorship
in Russia during the 1970s and the 1980s. To get around this, musicians played for small audiences at their homes or at the homes of their friends. These gatherings were called "kvartirniks". In October, Bashlachev met music journalist Artem Troitsky, who invited Bashlachev to Moscow
to write and compose music. In December 1984, Bashlachev settled in Leningrad.
In March 1985, Bashlachev along with Yuri Shevchuk
played at the Leningrad Rock Festival. The two performed before an audience of six hundred concertgoers at the Leningrad Veterinary Institute in Leningrad. A recording of this concert was released under the title of "Kochegarka". It was there that Bashlachev played at the Leningrad Rock Club and also played at the Kamchatka boiler. In June 1987, Bashlachev also played at the Leningrad Rock Festival for the second and final time.
, rarely writing new songs and tending to avoid performing old ones. His last song, entitled "Cherry", was written in August 1987. Also, he had become more isolated as his depression and alcoholism grew more severe.
On February 17, 1988, Bashlachev died after falling from the window
of the ninth floor of his apartment on Kuznetsova Avenue in Leningrad. The most likely cause of his death was suicide, however there is uncertainty in that claim. He was buried at the Kovalevskoye Cemetery in Leningrad.
Bashlachev's son, Yegor, was born to his girlfriend a few months after his death.
Early life
Bashlachev was born in CherepovetsCherepovets
Cherepovets is the largest city in Vologda Oblast, Russia, located on the bank of the Rybinsk Reservoir of the Sheksna River, a tributary of the Volga River. Population: 311,869 ; It is served by Cherepovets Airport.-Location:...
, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, the son of Nikolai Bashlachev and Nellie Bashlacheva.
In 1977, Bashlachev graduated from Cherepovets High School in Cherepovets, and worked as a painter at the Cherepovets Metallurgical Plant with his father. In 1978, he resigned from the plant to enroll at the Ural State University
Ural State University
The Ural State University is located in the city of Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russian Federation. Founded in 1920, it was an exclusive educational establishment made of several institutes which later became independent universities and schools.In 1936 the university was named after one of...
in Sverdlovsk Oblast
Sverdlovsk Oblast
Sverdlovsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia located in the Urals Federal District. Its administrative center is the city of Yekaterinburg formerly known as Sverdlovsk. Population: -Geography:...
as a journalism major. Bashlachev graduated in 1983.
Career
In early 1983, Bashlachev wrote a song entitled "Griboyedov Waltz", which would be the first song he had written. Throughout the 1980s, Bashlachev wrote and composed music. After he graduated at the Ural State University, Bashlachev left Sverdlovsk Oblast and returned to Cherepovets, where he worked for a year with the newspaper The Communist. There, he wrote articles about the power plant, and, later, about cafés.In May 1984, Bashlachev attended the Leningrad Rock Festival in Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
. There, he bought an acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
which he had taught himself to play. In September, he played some of his songs at his friend Leonid Parfyonov
Leonid Parfyonov
Leonid Gennadievich Parfyonov is a Russian news anchor, journalist and an author of some popular TV shows. From December 3, 2004 until December 20, 2007 he was an Editor-in-Chief of the Russian edition of Newsweek....
's apartment in Leningrad. Over the years, he would play several flat concerts. It is worth noting that rock music was under extreme censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
in Russia during the 1970s and the 1980s. To get around this, musicians played for small audiences at their homes or at the homes of their friends. These gatherings were called "kvartirniks". In October, Bashlachev met music journalist Artem Troitsky, who invited Bashlachev to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
to write and compose music. In December 1984, Bashlachev settled in Leningrad.
In March 1985, Bashlachev along with Yuri Shevchuk
Yuri Shevchuk
Yuri Yulianovich Shevchuk , born 16 May 1957, is a Soviet and Russian singer/songwriter who leads the rock band DDT, which he founded with Vladimir Sigachev in 1980. Shevchuk was born in Yagodnoye in Magadan Oblast and raised in Ufa, Bashkir ASSR, though he now resides in St. Petersburg, Russia....
played at the Leningrad Rock Festival. The two performed before an audience of six hundred concertgoers at the Leningrad Veterinary Institute in Leningrad. A recording of this concert was released under the title of "Kochegarka". It was there that Bashlachev played at the Leningrad Rock Club and also played at the Kamchatka boiler. In June 1987, Bashlachev also played at the Leningrad Rock Festival for the second and final time.
Death
Shortly before his death, Bashlachev had difficulties with writer's blockWriter's block
Writer's block is a condition, primarily associated with writing as a profession, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work. The condition varies widely in intensity. It can be trivial, a temporary difficulty in dealing with the task at hand. At the other extreme, some "blocked"...
, rarely writing new songs and tending to avoid performing old ones. His last song, entitled "Cherry", was written in August 1987. Also, he had become more isolated as his depression and alcoholism grew more severe.
On February 17, 1988, Bashlachev died after falling from the window
Defenestration
Defenestration is the act of throwing someone or something out of a window.The term "defenestration" was coined around the time of an incident in Prague Castle in the year 1618. The word comes from the Latin de- and fenestra...
of the ninth floor of his apartment on Kuznetsova Avenue in Leningrad. The most likely cause of his death was suicide, however there is uncertainty in that claim. He was buried at the Kovalevskoye Cemetery in Leningrad.
Bashlachev's son, Yegor, was born to his girlfriend a few months after his death.
Discography
- Time Bells (1989) - recorded in January 1986 during the second of two single-day sessions at the apartment of the administrator at the Moscow rock laboratory, Alexander Ageev. Bashlachev sang 24 songs.
- Everything Will Be Fine (1990) - recorded in January 1986 during the first of two sessions. Bashlachev sang 24 songs.
- Third Capital (1990) - recorded on May 30, 1985 in Leningrad in the home studio of Alexei Cherry.
- Taganka (1992) - recorded by Andrei Zachesova on January 22, 1986 in Taganka.
- Eternal Post (1994) - recorded in May 1986 in the studio of Alexander Lipnitskaya.
- Famously (1994) - recorded on January 20, 1986 in the home studio of Alexander Ageev (Moscow).
- VII (1994) — recorded by Oleg Loaf at a concert at the home of Egor Egorov in Moscow on January 14, 1988, and at a home concert at the home of Marina Timasheff in Moscow on January 29, 1988. Entry is also known as "Last Concert".
- II (1996) — Recorded at the home of Marina Terganovoy and Alexander Nesmelova in Moscow on April 14, 1985.
- IV (1996) — Recorded by Oleg Zamovskim at her home in Vladimir in June 1986, Tatiana Nilova and Yuri Morozov in the studio of Radio House in Leningrad for the documentary, Peter Soldatenkova's studio in June 1987 and Igor Vasiliev's home in Alexander Agayev of Moscow on January 20, 1986.
- Kochegarka (1997) - recorded on March 18, 1985.
- Moscow (1998) - recorded by Artemy Troitsky in Moscow on October 20, 1984 at the apartment of Sergei Ryzhenko.
- I (1998) - recorded at Alisova Viktor and Igor Vasiliev's home studio in Moscow on September 17 to 19, 1984, at a home concert at Cherepovets in the summer of 1984 and by Sergey Firsov at his home in Leningrad in September 1985.
- IV (1998) — recorded by Oleg at a concert at the home of Egor Egorov in Moscow on October 4, 1985.
- V (1998) — recorded by Igor Vasilyev at the house of Alexander Ageev in Moscow January 20, 1986, and by Mark Kopelev at a concert in Novosibirsk of Leningrad in December 1985 and July 1986.
- Chernobyl Loners at the Edge of the World (1999) - recording made by Sergei Firsov August 15, 1986 on household equipment. Personnel: Alexander Bashlachev - vocals, lead guitar; Andrew Shatalin - bass guitar; Pavel Kondratenko - piano, and Sviatoslav Zadere - percussion.
- VI (2002) — 1, 2, 7 - recorded by Oleg at a concert in Moscow in October 1986. 3-6 - recorded by Boris Pereverzev at a home concert at Artemy Troitsky's appartment in Moscow on January 15, 1986. 8—11 — recorded by Oleg at the home of Egor Egorov in Moscow on January 14, 1988. 12, 13 — recorded by Kirill Kuvyrdinym at his home in Moscow on July 5, 1987. 14 — recorded at the Mitkov exhibition in Leningrad in July 1987; harmonica - Boris Grebenshchikov. 15-20 - recorded by Sergei Firsov at his home in Leningrad on August 22, 1986.
External links
- Alexander Bashlachev
- Alexander Bashlachev (Some of his poems in English translation)