Aquarium (group)
Encyclopedia
Aquarium or Akvarium is a Russian rock
group, formed in Leningrad
in 1972 by Boris Grebenshchikov
, then a student of Applied Mathematics at Leningrad State University, and Anatoly (George) Gunitsky
, then a playwright and absurdist poet.
was strictly regulated in the Soviet Union, and only a few artists managed to be approved and signed by the government record label Melodiya
. Aquarium's usual concert venues were private apartments and they faced many years of fierce competition to land a spot on the label. These "apartment concerts" (квартирники) were a unique Soviet phenomenon, created by underground musicians. They were usually acoustic, as noise could cause the neighbors to call the Militsiya
. The limited space fostered an atmosphere of intimacy between the group and its audience, who listened with bated breath, perhaps with someone recording the concert on a simple tape recorder
. This was similar to the concepts of the Russian bards
. However, Aquarium were admittedly much more influenced by Western rock music, particularly by The Beatles
, Bob Dylan
, David Bowie
, T.Rex, progressive rock
acts Jethro Tull
, King Crimson
and Roxy Music
and also by new wave
and reggae
artists. Thus their compositions were considerably more complex and their lyrics covered a broader range of topics, showcasing Grebenshchikov's notable erudition in Celt
ic and India
n cultures, among other things.
In 1979-80, the band members, in addition to Grebenshchikov, included Andrei Romanov (flute, piano), Vsevolod Gakel (cello), Michail Fainstein-Vasiliev (drums) and Alexander Alexandrov (bassoon). (source: http://www.aquarium-web.com/en/history/index.htm)
Until 1987 Aquarium recorded all of their albums in live concerts and in a self-assembled underground studio - several members had engineering education - disguised as a "Young Technicians Club". A notable exception was the album Radio Africa
(1983), which was secretly recorded using a government-owned mobile studio, after bribing a technician. Despite those hard conditions, the recording quality was rather high and Aquarium's albums between 1980 and 1987 are considered by most fans as their best.
The advent of Glasnost
in the second half of the 1980s brought many underground Russian rock musicians to public recognition and Aquarium became one of the most popular acts. They were allowed to play in large concert halls, appeared on state-owned television and recorded soundtracks for several films, most notably Assa
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094683/. In 1987 they recorded their first album for the state-owned Melodiya
record label. With official backing and legalized distribution the album was a huge hit in the USSR, selling well over a million copies within a few months. This was, however, the last album recorded by this Aquarium line-up and the band broke-up shortly afterward. Grebenshchikov subsequently released two albums in English and toured with several different backing bands. In 1991 after the break-up of the Soviet Union he released music under the name "the BG-Band", "The Russian Album", a collection of melancholic folk songs influenced by his travels all over Russia and demonstrating a return to his Russian roots. Grebenschikov kept touring and shortly afterwards returned to calling his band "Aquarium", although most of the musicians were different. This band continued to release more albums and touring extensively all over the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and also appearing in front of Russian-speaking immigrant communities in Germany
, Israel
and the United States
. In 2007 Aquarium for the first time has given a concert at the Royal Albert Hall
in London
. In 2008 "Aquarium International" (with participation of more than 20 musicians all over the world) project was created.
The release of the 2008 album "Loshad' Belaya" (White Horse) utilised the same concept as Radiohead
's "In Rainbows
" did in 2007. It was offered for free download in mp3 format. Each person who downloads it may decide about the sum of money to donate for this download, starting at 0.
Although often criticized for departure from their original style and constant line-up changes, which make the later incarnations of Aquarium essentially a Grebenshchikov solo project, the group still enjoys considerable success in Russia—their old and new songs get a lot of airplay, their albums sell well, and they tour constantly. Aquarium today consists of Boris Grebenshchikov, Boris Rubekin (keyboards), Andrey Surotdinov (violin), Igor Timofeyev (guitars, saxophones and flutes), Alexander Titov (bass), Oleg "Shar" Shavkunov (percussion) and Albert Potapkin (drums).
Live albums:
Songs performed by Aquarium Incognito:
Albums recorded independently by BG:
Grebenshchikov's solo albums in English:
Albums (pre-historical) from the 1970s:
Compilation
Russian rock
Russian rock refers to rock music made in Russia or in the Russian language. Rock and roll became known in the Soviet Union in the 1960s and quickly broke free from its western roots. According to many music critics, its "golden age" years were the 1980s , when the Soviet underground rock bands...
group, formed in Leningrad
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
in 1972 by Boris Grebenshchikov
Boris Grebenshchikov
Boris Borisovich Grebenshchikov also known as Boris Purushottama Grebenshikov, is one of the most prominent members of the generation which is widely considered the "founding fathers" of Russian rock music...
, then a student of Applied Mathematics at Leningrad State University, and Anatoly (George) Gunitsky
Anatoly Gunitsky
Anatoly Avgustovich Gunitsky also known as George and Stariy Rocker is a Russian writer, journalist and poet, one of the founders of Aquarium rock group....
, then a playwright and absurdist poet.
History
In the 1970s and early 1980s, rock and rollRock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
was strictly regulated in the Soviet Union, and only a few artists managed to be approved and signed by the government record label Melodiya
Melodiya
Melodiya is a Russian record label. It was the state-owned major record company/label of the Soviet Union.-History:It was established in 1964 as the "All-Union Gramophone Record Firm of the USSR Ministry of Culture Melodiya"...
. Aquarium's usual concert venues were private apartments and they faced many years of fierce competition to land a spot on the label. These "apartment concerts" (квартирники) were a unique Soviet phenomenon, created by underground musicians. They were usually acoustic, as noise could cause the neighbors to call the Militsiya
Militsiya
Militsiya or militia is used as an official name of the civilian police in several former communist states, despite its original military connotation...
. The limited space fostered an atmosphere of intimacy between the group and its audience, who listened with bated breath, perhaps with someone recording the concert on a simple tape recorder
Tape recorder
An audio tape recorder, tape deck, reel-to-reel tape deck, cassette deck or tape machine is an audio storage device that records and plays back sounds, including articulated voices, usually using magnetic tape, either wound on a reel or in a cassette, for storage...
. This was similar to the concepts of the Russian bards
Bard (Soviet Union)
The term bard came to be used in the Soviet Union in the early 1960s, and continues to be used in Russia today, to refer to singer-songwriters who wrote songs outside the Soviet establishment, similarly to beatnik folk singers of the United States...
. However, Aquarium were admittedly much more influenced by Western rock music, particularly by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, T.Rex, progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
acts Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
, King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
and Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
and also by new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
and reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
artists. Thus their compositions were considerably more complex and their lyrics covered a broader range of topics, showcasing Grebenshchikov's notable erudition in Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n cultures, among other things.
In 1979-80, the band members, in addition to Grebenshchikov, included Andrei Romanov (flute, piano), Vsevolod Gakel (cello), Michail Fainstein-Vasiliev (drums) and Alexander Alexandrov (bassoon). (source: http://www.aquarium-web.com/en/history/index.htm)
Until 1987 Aquarium recorded all of their albums in live concerts and in a self-assembled underground studio - several members had engineering education - disguised as a "Young Technicians Club". A notable exception was the album Radio Africa
Radio Africa
Radio Africa is an album by the Russian rock band Aquarium.The album's style presents an eclectic mix of influences: 60's Rock 'n Roll, hard rock, art rock, jazz, honky tonk and others....
(1983), which was secretly recorded using a government-owned mobile studio, after bribing a technician. Despite those hard conditions, the recording quality was rather high and Aquarium's albums between 1980 and 1987 are considered by most fans as their best.
The advent of Glasnost
Glasnost
Glasnost was the policy of maximal publicity, openness, and transparency in the activities of all government institutions in the Soviet Union, together with freedom of information, introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev in the second half of the 1980s...
in the second half of the 1980s brought many underground Russian rock musicians to public recognition and Aquarium became one of the most popular acts. They were allowed to play in large concert halls, appeared on state-owned television and recorded soundtracks for several films, most notably Assa
Assa (film)
Assa is a Soviet film directed by Sergei Solovyov and released in 1987. It became a cult film, mostly thanks to the fact that it was one of the films that brought Russian rock music from the underground into the mainstream.-Plot:...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094683/. In 1987 they recorded their first album for the state-owned Melodiya
Melodiya
Melodiya is a Russian record label. It was the state-owned major record company/label of the Soviet Union.-History:It was established in 1964 as the "All-Union Gramophone Record Firm of the USSR Ministry of Culture Melodiya"...
record label. With official backing and legalized distribution the album was a huge hit in the USSR, selling well over a million copies within a few months. This was, however, the last album recorded by this Aquarium line-up and the band broke-up shortly afterward. Grebenshchikov subsequently released two albums in English and toured with several different backing bands. In 1991 after the break-up of the Soviet Union he released music under the name "the BG-Band", "The Russian Album", a collection of melancholic folk songs influenced by his travels all over Russia and demonstrating a return to his Russian roots. Grebenschikov kept touring and shortly afterwards returned to calling his band "Aquarium", although most of the musicians were different. This band continued to release more albums and touring extensively all over the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and also appearing in front of Russian-speaking immigrant communities in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 2007 Aquarium for the first time has given a concert at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 2008 "Aquarium International" (with participation of more than 20 musicians all over the world) project was created.
The release of the 2008 album "Loshad' Belaya" (White Horse) utilised the same concept as Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
's "In Rainbows
In Rainbows
In Rainbows is the seventh studio album by the English rock band Radiohead. It was first released on 10 October 2007 as a digital download self-released, that customers could order for whatever price they saw fit, followed by a standard CD release in most countries during the last week of 2007. The...
" did in 2007. It was offered for free download in mp3 format. Each person who downloads it may decide about the sum of money to donate for this download, starting at 0.
Although often criticized for departure from their original style and constant line-up changes, which make the later incarnations of Aquarium essentially a Grebenshchikov solo project, the group still enjoys considerable success in Russia—their old and new songs get a lot of airplay, their albums sell well, and they tour constantly. Aquarium today consists of Boris Grebenshchikov, Boris Rubekin (keyboards), Andrey Surotdinov (violin), Igor Timofeyev (guitars, saxophones and flutes), Alexander Titov (bass), Oleg "Shar" Shavkunov (percussion) and Albert Potapkin (drums).
Discography
Studio albums:- Sinii Albom (The Blue Album)Sinii AlbomThe Blue Album is a first "historic" album by the Russian rock band Aquarium. Recorded during winter of 1980-1981, the “Blue Album” is typical for Aquarium as its sound goes from soft to sweeping. The lyrics are intense and emotional and the performance is most sincere. The album gives you the...
, 1981 - Treugolnik (Triangle), 1981
- Elektrichestvo (Electricity): History of Aquarium, Vol. 2, 1981
- Akustika (Acoustics): History of Aquarium, Vol. 1, 1982
- Tabu (Taboo), 1982
- Radio AfricaRadio AfricaRadio Africa is an album by the Russian rock band Aquarium.The album's style presents an eclectic mix of influences: 60's Rock 'n Roll, hard rock, art rock, jazz, honky tonk and others....
, 1983 - Ikhtiologia (Ichthyology), 1984
- Den’ Serebra (The Day of Silver), 1984
- Deti Dekabrya (The Children of December), 1985
- Desyat’ Strel (Ten Arrows), 1986
- Ravnodenstvie (Equinox), 1987
- Archive: History of Aquarium, Vol. 3, 1991
- Russkii Albom (Russian Album), 1991 (under the name BG-Band)
- Lyubimie Pesni Ramzesa IV (Favorite Songs of Rameses the IV), 1993
- Library of Babylon: History of Aquarium, Vol. 4, 1993
- Kostroma Mon Amour, 1994
- Peski Peterburga (Sands of Petersburg), 1994
- Navigator, 1995
- Snezhnii Lev (Snow Lion), 1996
- Hyperborea, 1997
- Kunstcamera, 1998
- Lilit (Lilith), 1997 (under the name BG and The Band - several members of The BandThe BandThe Band was an acclaimed and influential roots rock group. The original group consisted of Rick Danko , Garth Hudson , Richard Manuel , and Robbie Robertson , and Levon Helm...
played on the album; released in the United States under the name Black Moon) - Psi, 1999
- Akvarium. Territoriya (Aquarium. Territory), 2000
- Sestra Haos (Sister Chaos), 2002
- Pesni Ribaka (Fisherman's Songs), 2003
- Zoom Zoom Zoom, 2005
- Bespechny Russkiy Brodyaga (Carefree Russian Tramp), 2006
- Loshad' Belaya (White Horse), 2008
- Pushkinskaya, 10, 2009
- Arkhangelsk, 2011
Live albums:
- Aroks & Shter, 1982
- Desyat Let (Ten Years), 1982
- Electroshock, 1982
- BG
- Pis'ma Kapitana Voronina (Letters of Captain Voronin), 1993
- Vizit v Moskvu (Visit to Moscow), 1993
- Akvarium na Taganke (Aquarium at Taganka), 1994
- Tsentr Tsiklona (Center of the Cyclone), 1995
- Sezon dlya Zmey (Snake Season), 1996
- Dvadtsat Let Spustya (Twenty Years Later), 1996
- Akvarium-25, Istoriya (Aquarium-25. History), 1997
- Molitva i Post (Prayer and Fasting), 1998
- The Royal Albert Hall, 2008
Songs performed by Aquarium Incognito:
- Anna Karenina Quartet, 1994
- Russian-Abyssinian Orchestra “Bardo”, 1997
- Terrarium. "Pyatiugolnii Grekh" (Terrarium. "Pentangular Sin"), 2000
Albums recorded independently by BG:
- Songs by Alexander Vertinskii, 1994
- Chubchik, 1996
- Refuge, 1998
- Songs by Bulat OkudzhavaBulat OkudzhavaBulat Shalvovich Okudzhava was a Soviet and Russian poet, writer, musician, novelist, and singer-songwriter. He was one of the founders of the Russian genre called "author song"...
, 1999 - Bardo, 2002
Grebenshchikov's solo albums in English:
- Radio Silence, 1989
- Radio London, 1990
Albums (pre-historical) from the 1970s:
- Iskushenie Svyatogo Akvariuma (Temptation of St.Aquarium), 1973
- Menuet Zemledeltsu (Farmer's Minuet), 1973
- Pritchi Grafa Diffuzora (Parables of Count Diffusor), 1974
- S Toy Storony Zerkalnogo Stekla (From The Other Side of Mirror Glass), 1976
- Vse Bratya-Sestry (All Brothers are Sisters), 1978
Compilation
- Red WaveRed Wave-Side 3 :All songs from the album Energy.# "Экспериментатор" – 4:31# "Мы вместе" – 2:43# "Доктор Буги" -Side 3 (Alisa):All songs from the album Energy.# "Экспериментатор" (Experimentor) – 4:31# "Мы вместе" (We're together) – 2:43# "Доктор Буги" -Side 3 (Alisa):All songs from the album Energy.#...
, 1986 http://russia-ic.com/culture_art/music/380/
Documentary films about "Akvarium" and Grebenshchikov
- Rok (Rock, 1987), dir. Alexei UchitelAlexei UchitelAleksei Efimovich Uchitel is a Russian film director. His 2010 film The Edge was selected as the Russian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards but it didn't make the final shortlist.-External links:**...
, USSR - The Long Way Home (1989), dir. Michael AptedMichael AptedMichael David Apted, CMG is an English director, producer, writer and actor. He is one of the most prolific British film directors of his generation but is best known for his work on the Up Series of documentaries and the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough.On 29 June 2003 he was elected...
, USA
Soundtracks by "Akvarium"
- Ivanov (1981), dir. A. Nekhoroshev, A. Ilkhovsky
- AssaAssa (film)Assa is a Soviet film directed by Sergei Solovyov and released in 1987. It became a cult film, mostly thanks to the fact that it was one of the films that brought Russian rock music from the underground into the mainstream.-Plot:...
(1987), dir. Sergei SolovyovSergei SolovyovSergei Alexandrovich Solovyov is a Russian director, producer, writer and actor. He was awarded by the Russian SFSR People's Artist title.-Biography:... - Zolotoy Son (Golden Dream, 1989), dir. Sergey Debizhev
- Chernaya roza - emblema pechali, krasnaya roza - emblema lyubvi (The Black rose..., 1989), dir. Sergei SolovyovSergei SolovyovSergei Alexandrovich Solovyov is a Russian director, producer, writer and actor. He was awarded by the Russian SFSR People's Artist title.-Biography:...
- Dva kapitana - 2 (Two captains - 2, 1992), dir. S. Debizhev
External links
- The official multilingual site of Akvarium (in Russian, English, French, German and Esperanto)
- Official Russian Akvarium web-site
- The Bodhisattvas of Babylon, an English-language fan site
- English translation of lyrics from The Golden Town (Gorod Zolotoj) featured in a soundtrack to ASSA.
- Akvarium on RussMus.Net: English translations of lyrics, full discography and more
- http://www.aquariumband.com/
- http://www.grebenshikovconcert.com/
- http://aquarium.kroogi.com/ you can download band's latest albums here, and pay as much as you see fit.
- http://www.myspace.com/aquariumru
- Boris Purushottama Grebenshikov, live in New York Recorded United Nations, August 29, 2007