Grigory Leps
Encyclopedia
Grigory Victorovich Lepsveridze , commonly known as Grigory Leps, is a Russia
n singer-songwriter created a unique style mixing between rock music
, pop music
, and in his early career shanson
. Known for his low strength voice with long-range vocals.
, Russian SFSR in ethnically Georgian family. He finished music school in the class of Percussion instrument
. After the army he started to play and sing in a few rock
bands, and worked as a singer in restaurants.
He suffered from alcoholism and drug addiction, and to get far from that life he went to Moscow
. There he started singing in restaurants, until he received a record deal, and in 1995 he released the album May God Keep You (Khrani vas bog). The song "Natali" became a huge hit, but he didn't know that because he was hospitalized for drugs and alcoholism. The doctors told him that one more drop of any of the drugs could kill him completely.
In 1997 he released his second album, A Whole Life (Tselaya zhizn), which to had few hits including "Chizhik", "Gololed", "A whole life".
In 2000 he released the album Thank You People, with the major hits "Shelest" and "Nu i chto". At that album was seen the change in Leps's style, with him completely leaving the Shanson
and moving to rock music
. That year he met Anya, a dancer in the Laima Vaikule
ballet who became his wife. At the same time he lost his voice, and went through an operation.
In 2002 he released the album On Strings of Rain (Na strunakh dozhdya), with a major hit "Rumka vodki na stole".
In 2004 he released a cover album of songs written by Vladimir Vysotsky
in rock
versions, Parus. The song "Parus" had a video clip and the album took top places at the selling charts. The second part of the album, Vtoroy was released in 2007 with its presentation concert being held in the Kremlin
hall.
In 2005 he released a compilation album called Izbranoye... 10 let.
In 2006 he released two albums, both reaching high success. Labirint, with the hits Labirint and Vyuga, and the album V tsentre zemli, with the hit Zamerzayet Solntse. The premier concert for the V tsentre zemli album took place in the Luzhniki Stadium
.
In 2007 he released two compilations. I'm Alive (Ya zhivoy, vidioclips), and All My Life - a Road (Vsya moya zhizn - doroga, best songs).
In 2009, about the presentation of the album, "Waterfall ". It includes brand new songs old hits.
In February 2011 took a trio of concerts devoted to the new album "Pince-nez" After a year Leps moved to a different style of music.
, pop music
, and used to also have shanson
in it.
balett, with who they had two daughters, Eva (b. 2002), Nicole (b. 2007) and a son Ivan (b. 2010). He also has a daughter from his previous marriage, Inga, who established an art advisory in London in 2010: www.lepsart.com.
DVDs
Collections
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n singer-songwriter created a unique style mixing between rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, and in his early career shanson
Shanson
Russian chanson is a neologism for a musical genre covering a range of Russian songs based on the themes of the urban underclass and the criminal underworld. This song style, originally called blatnaya pesnya , has been popular in Eastern Europe ever since its first appearance in the beginning of...
. Known for his low strength voice with long-range vocals.
Biography
Grigory Leps was born Grigory Lepsveridze in the city of SochiSochi
Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
, Russian SFSR in ethnically Georgian family. He finished music school in the class of Percussion instrument
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
. After the army he started to play and sing in a few rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
bands, and worked as a singer in restaurants.
He suffered from alcoholism and drug addiction, and to get far from that life he went 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...
. There he started singing in restaurants, until he received a record deal, and in 1995 he released the album May God Keep You (Khrani vas bog). The song "Natali" became a huge hit, but he didn't know that because he was hospitalized for drugs and alcoholism. The doctors told him that one more drop of any of the drugs could kill him completely.
In 1997 he released his second album, A Whole Life (Tselaya zhizn), which to had few hits including "Chizhik", "Gololed", "A whole life".
In 2000 he released the album Thank You People, with the major hits "Shelest" and "Nu i chto". At that album was seen the change in Leps's style, with him completely leaving the Shanson
Shanson
Russian chanson is a neologism for a musical genre covering a range of Russian songs based on the themes of the urban underclass and the criminal underworld. This song style, originally called blatnaya pesnya , has been popular in Eastern Europe ever since its first appearance in the beginning of...
and moving to rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
. That year he met Anya, a dancer in the Laima Vaikule
Laima Vaikule
Laima Vaikule is a popular Latvian actress, singer, director and choreographer, best known in Europe and in the former USSR for such popular hits as "Vernisazh" and "Charley," among other songs....
ballet who became his wife. At the same time he lost his voice, and went through an operation.
In 2002 he released the album On Strings of Rain (Na strunakh dozhdya), with a major hit "Rumka vodki na stole".
In 2004 he released a cover album of songs written by Vladimir Vysotsky
Vladimir Vysotsky
Vladimir Semyonovich Vysotsky was a Soviet singer, songwriter, poet, and actor whose career had an immense and enduring effect on Russian culture. He became widely known for his unique singing style and for his lyrics, which featured social and political commentary in often humorous street...
in rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
versions, Parus. The song "Parus" had a video clip and the album took top places at the selling charts. The second part of the album, Vtoroy was released in 2007 with its presentation concert being held in the Kremlin
Kremlin
A kremlin , same root as in kremen is a major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the best-known one, the Moscow Kremlin, or metonymically to the government that is based there...
hall.
In 2005 he released a compilation album called Izbranoye... 10 let.
In 2006 he released two albums, both reaching high success. Labirint, with the hits Labirint and Vyuga, and the album V tsentre zemli, with the hit Zamerzayet Solntse. The premier concert for the V tsentre zemli album took place in the Luzhniki Stadium
Luzhniki Stadium
The Grand Sports Arena of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex in Moscow, or briefly Luzhniki Stadium , is the biggest sports stadium in Russia. Its total seating capacity is 78,360 seats, all covered. The stadium is a part of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex, previously called the Central Lenin Stadium...
.
In 2007 he released two compilations. I'm Alive (Ya zhivoy, vidioclips), and All My Life - a Road (Vsya moya zhizn - doroga, best songs).
In 2009, about the presentation of the album, "Waterfall ". It includes brand new songs old hits.
In February 2011 took a trio of concerts devoted to the new album "Pince-nez" After a year Leps moved to a different style of music.
Musical style
Leps is known for his wide vocal range. He has a low growling voice. His style mixed rock musicRock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, and used to also have shanson
Shanson
Russian chanson is a neologism for a musical genre covering a range of Russian songs based on the themes of the urban underclass and the criminal underworld. This song style, originally called blatnaya pesnya , has been popular in Eastern Europe ever since its first appearance in the beginning of...
in it.
Family
He met his second wife Anna in 2000, she was a dancer at the Laima VaikuleLaima Vaikule
Laima Vaikule is a popular Latvian actress, singer, director and choreographer, best known in Europe and in the former USSR for such popular hits as "Vernisazh" and "Charley," among other songs....
balett, with who they had two daughters, Eva (b. 2002), Nicole (b. 2007) and a son Ivan (b. 2010). He also has a daughter from his previous marriage, Inga, who established an art advisory in London in 2010: www.lepsart.com.
Trivia
- Leps, a Russian Orthodox, always chose an apartment so a church would be seen through the window, or at least a road, because it "always leads to a church".
- He collects old books.
- He collects IconIconAn icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
s, and for one of them he once gave his car. Among his collection he has an icon that belonged to the Romanovs, as well as another icon from the 15th century. - Gregory Leps collects sunglasses.
Discography
Albums- 1995 — Натали (Natalie)
- 1997 — Целая жизнь (Lifetime)
- 2000 — Спасибо, люди... (Thank you, people ...)
- 2002 — На струнах дождя... (On the strings of rain ...)
- 2004 — Парус (Sail)
- 2006 — Лабиринт (Maze/Labyrinth)
- 2006 — В центре Земли (In the center of the Earth)
- 2007 — Второй (Second)
- 2009 — Водопад (Waterfall)
- 2011 — Пенсне (Pince-nez)
- 2011 — Берега чистого братства (Bank of pure brotherhood) together with singer Alexander Rosenbaum
DVDs
- 2005 — Парус Live (Sail Live) Concert at the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow March 13, 2004
- 2007 — В центре Земли Live (In the center of the Earth Live) Concert in SC "Olympic" November 16, 2006
- 2007 — Я — живой! (I - live) Collection of video clips
- 2010 — Что может человек (What can a man) Sat ornik videos
- 2010 — Водопад Live (Waterfall Live) Presentation album, "Waterfall", SC "Olympic" November 20, 2009, Full version concert
- 2011 — Научись летать Live (Learn to fly) Presentation album, "Pince-nez", Crocus City Hall, 7 mat, Full version concert
Collections
- 2005 — Избранное... 10 лет (Favorites... 10 years)
- 2007 — Вся жизнь моя — дорога... (All my life - the road ...)
- 2010 — Берега. Избранное (Shore. Favorites)