Nikolai Noskov
Encyclopedia
Nikolai Ivanovich Noskov is a Russian singer and former vocalist of the hard rock
band Gorky Park
.
. There Nikolai finished school and afterwards served his term for the army.
Curious to explore, Kolya tried to play bayan
, but as he was growing up, his attention shifted more and more firmly to singing; first in the school choir, then as a solo performer, winning one of his first awards at a local singing contest at the age of fourteen. The lead singer of the school band, he performed the hits of the Beatles
, Creedence Clearwater Revival
and other western rock bands, bending to the wave of rock’n’roll music, then surgent amid the Soviet youth. Posters depicting the members of Led Zeppelin
and Pink Floyd
came to relieve Shalyapin’s portrait hung over Nikolai’s bed. His English was then undeveloped, and Nikolai simply transcribed what he heard on the original recording, transcribed it in Cyrillic letters. But later on the circumstances of his life invited him to pay more attention to the language of rock’n’roll.
A self-learned instrumentalist, Noskov plays the guitar, the piano, and the drums at a general versatility level. He even played the trumpet while in the army. Noskov never got an official vocal education for a curious twist of fate, although he applied at the Gnesinykh state musical college. His knowledge of musical notation is also self-learned.
At one of the turning points in his life invited to Moscow by an entrepreneur for audition, Noskov participated in several Moscow-based musical bands, then routinely dubbed “VIA” (Vocal-Instrumental Ensemble), but none of those early engagements held him for long. Rovesniki (Peers) and Nadezhda (Hope) were soon left behind.
decided to create a real hard-rock band with Noskov as lead singer. Unfortunately, Moskva (Moscow) did not last long. After a few live performances and a recorded album called NLO (UFO) the band was subdued and crushed by the authorities and the press. The sound of the band proved too hard for the Soviet listeners of the time. Importantly though, Noskov had acquired his first experience of the real studio work, with meticulous Tukhmanov at the reins.
After some eight years of searching and trying and singing at Moscow restaurants and clubs, one of the most significant breakthroughs occurred in Nikolai Noskov’s life: Park Gorkogo, or, loosely rendered, “Gorky Park” was formed by Stas Namin
. The warming of relations with the West, and the era of mutual fraternizing allowed to create a Russian rock band that would sell in the USA. After a festival played together with Scorpions
as headliners, Gorky Park signed a contract with Polygram
records. With Bruce Fairbairn
as producer, Gorky Park started recording their eponymized debut album. The concept of the album was to win the hearts of the American audience with reverential bows to the Russian cultural roots while still playing hard rock/heavy metal. And it worked. Bang! written by Noskov and the album as a whole went on to win some high-ranking places on the radio and MTV, and in Denmark it even acquired gold status. Gorky Park – Noskov included – toured in the USA, were interviewed and otherwise enjoyed the limelight …
But financial difficulties, tensions inside the band, overstrained vocal cords, incessant sleepless nights, and pregnant wife at home soon added up to the aggregate outcome of Noskov leaving the band for Moscow home.
Deep lyrics, elaborately carved melodies, and sincere singing soon earned Nikolai Noskov a small devoted audience that kept aloof from mainstream pop-rock scene. One of his best-known hits is “Это здорово” (And That’s Kind of Cool):
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Gorky Park
Gorky Park (band)
Gorky Park or Парк Горького was a Soviet Glam Metal band, that gained mainstream popularity in USA during Perestroika. Gorky Park is famous for its kitsch use of western stereotypes of Russians, such as pseudo-traditional clothing, balalaika-like guitar design and Hammer and sickle as their logo...
.
Early years
Born on January 12, 1956, in Gzhatsk, now renamed Gagarin, Nikolai Noskov comes from a "simple working" family, to invoke an old Soviet cliché. His father Ivan worked at a meat-processing factory, and his mother Yekaterina tried herself in the capacities of milkmaid and construction site worker. Kolya’s boyhood gave him his first musical impressions that were mostly folk music, played on traditional Russian instruments or sung by his mother at times. At the age of eight Kolya and his family moved to a bigger city – 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:...
. There Nikolai finished school and afterwards served his term for the army.
Curious to explore, Kolya tried to play bayan
Bayan (accordion)
The bayan is a type of chromatic button accordion developed in Russia in the early 20th century and named after 11th-century bard Boyan.-Characteristics:The bayan differs from western chromatic button accordions in some details of construction:...
, but as he was growing up, his attention shifted more and more firmly to singing; first in the school choir, then as a solo performer, winning one of his first awards at a local singing contest at the age of fourteen. The lead singer of the school band, he performed the hits of 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...
, Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a number of successful singles drawn from various albums....
and other western rock bands, bending to the wave of rock’n’roll music, then surgent amid the Soviet youth. Posters depicting the members of Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
and Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
came to relieve Shalyapin’s portrait hung over Nikolai’s bed. His English was then undeveloped, and Nikolai simply transcribed what he heard on the original recording, transcribed it in Cyrillic letters. But later on the circumstances of his life invited him to pay more attention to the language of rock’n’roll.
A self-learned instrumentalist, Noskov plays the guitar, the piano, and the drums at a general versatility level. He even played the trumpet while in the army. Noskov never got an official vocal education for a curious twist of fate, although he applied at the Gnesinykh state musical college. His knowledge of musical notation is also self-learned.
At one of the turning points in his life invited to Moscow by an entrepreneur for audition, Noskov participated in several Moscow-based musical bands, then routinely dubbed “VIA” (Vocal-Instrumental Ensemble), but none of those early engagements held him for long. Rovesniki (Peers) and Nadezhda (Hope) were soon left behind.
Collaboration with Tukhmanov and work in Gorky Park
In 1980 Noskov met a composer then considered by many to be one of the most progressive in Soviet Union. David TukhmanovDavid Tukhmanov
David Fyodorovich Tukhmanov ; Soviet-Armenian music composer.Best known for a number of Soviet hits like Victory Day and the Last Electrichka.-See also:*Vesyolye Rebyata*Jaak Joala*Igor Talkov*Valeri Leontiev*Sofia Rotaru...
decided to create a real hard-rock band with Noskov as lead singer. Unfortunately, Moskva (Moscow) did not last long. After a few live performances and a recorded album called NLO (UFO) the band was subdued and crushed by the authorities and the press. The sound of the band proved too hard for the Soviet listeners of the time. Importantly though, Noskov had acquired his first experience of the real studio work, with meticulous Tukhmanov at the reins.
After some eight years of searching and trying and singing at Moscow restaurants and clubs, one of the most significant breakthroughs occurred in Nikolai Noskov’s life: Park Gorkogo, or, loosely rendered, “Gorky Park” was formed by Stas Namin
Stas Namin
Stas Namin is a Russian-Armenian musician, composer, and record producer; artist and photographer; theatre and film director and producer; entrepreneur, promoter, and businessman...
. The warming of relations with the West, and the era of mutual fraternizing allowed to create a Russian rock band that would sell in the USA. After a festival played together with Scorpions
Scorpions (band)
Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hannover, Germany, formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still...
as headliners, Gorky Park signed a contract with Polygram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
records. With Bruce Fairbairn
Bruce Fairbairn
Bruce Earl Fairbairn was a Canadian musician and international record producer from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was active as a producer from 1976 to 1999 and is considered one of the best of his era...
as producer, Gorky Park started recording their eponymized debut album. The concept of the album was to win the hearts of the American audience with reverential bows to the Russian cultural roots while still playing hard rock/heavy metal. And it worked. Bang! written by Noskov and the album as a whole went on to win some high-ranking places on the radio and MTV, and in Denmark it even acquired gold status. Gorky Park – Noskov included – toured in the USA, were interviewed and otherwise enjoyed the limelight …
But financial difficulties, tensions inside the band, overstrained vocal cords, incessant sleepless nights, and pregnant wife at home soon added up to the aggregate outcome of Noskov leaving the band for Moscow home.
Solo career
1994 saw Nikolai Noskov at a crossroads. Starting a solo career from level ground again was a deliberated decision. Noskov gradually underwent some major changes of inner vision. Throughout his solo career his hard rock likings slowly but steadily transformed into deeper music closer to ethnic ballad art rock; and though in his most recent albums we hear hard rhythms, they may be more precisely characterized as funk. English was dropped after the first solo album Mother Russia, and Noskov started singing in Russian for Russian audience with no "foreign bloke" pretences.Deep lyrics, elaborately carved melodies, and sincere singing soon earned Nikolai Noskov a small devoted audience that kept aloof from mainstream pop-rock scene. One of his best-known hits is “Это здорово” (And That’s Kind of Cool):
Discography
- НЛО (UFO, 1982)
- Gorky Park (1989)
- Mother Russia (1994)
- Я тебя люблю (I Love You, 1998)
- Стёкла и бетон (Glasses and Concrete, 2000)
- Дышу тишиной (Breathing the Silence, 2000)
- По пояс в небе (Waist-deep in the Sky, 2006)