Otrazhenie (band)
Encyclopedia
Otrazhenie was a Belarus
ian heavy metal
band from the city of Mozyr,the first professional independent(not state sponsored) Belarus
ian rock band whose music and lyrics inspired and instigated birth and development of Belorussian rock music.
They were the first Belorussian
hard rock band, and a first Belorussian band to perform and record outside Soviet Union
boundaries. They were also the first Belorussian band that assembled an amplification system, capable of servicing stadiums and large arenas, thus enabling uncensored performances of government unrecognized bands and singers.
to perform in the dancing hall in Phov. First lineup also included drummer Michael Usov and keyboardist Anatoly Martinovich. Soon after, 16 year old, but already famous for winning national competition of the young talent, a Belorussian version of American Idol
, vocalist Vladimir Kolesnikov joins the band. After two successful seasons Klimenko has been conscripted to the Soviet Army, and the band continues with a new keyboardist Sergey Kudryavtsev and guitarist Michael Brusovanik, later known as a leader of Accent
. A new program was based on covers of western hard rock bands, such as Rainbow
, AC/DC, Kiss
and Queen
and overwhelmingly approved by the fans,who packed concert hall night after night. In 1981 Otrazhenie participates in annual Mozir Pop-Music Festival, and ,although, not awarded Grand Prix, wins audience symphaties. Brusovanik and Kolesnikov are awarded prizes for the best performances.
In 1985 Otrazhenie released its first album. However, the release was postponed because of lack of recording studios in the region. The cassette version of the album was circulated and popular among fans. Finally, in 1986 State TV produced a documentary in which the band's songs were followed by discussions of journalists and state officers. Along with an official recognition, the band was handed an ideology crisis, as one of the journalists revealed a bracelet, worn by Kolesnikov around his arm as a symbol of capitalist decadence.
The same year the band participated and is was awarded a prize in The Novopolotsk Youth Music Festival. After the Festival the band received broad media recognition and coverage. The first official album was recorded and produced by The State TV, and as an 'official' album, admitted to be played by radio stations and TV programs.
In 1987 the band participated and acclaimed in rock-festivals in Zielona Góra
, Poland
and Strakonice
, Czech Republic
.
Participation in festivals and in studio projects required increasing absence from 'main' job in a wedding salon, and in 1998 Otrazhenie decided to become a 'full-time' professional entity. Performing experience and a popularity were the factors in the decision. A vast majority of popular music bands in the USSR were employed by regional Philarmonies, which provided logistical and technical support, renting amplification equipment, and paying the artists fixed salary. After failed negotiations with several philarmonies Otrazhenie decided against outsourcing, and assembles first in the region sound system by combination of leasing and acquiring, using own finances. After some time the band assembled full -fledged back office. As a result, the second all-Belorussian rock-festival in Novopolotsk used band's system for most of the performances, with Otrazhenie participating as a featured guest.
At the end of 1988 Otrazhenie released its second album In the Hall of the Mountain King in Moscow
. Logistical difficulties of the recording convinced the band to begin building its own recording studio, which was completed in 1990 to become one of the first independently own studios in Belarus
.
In 1992 Otrazhenie toured Belarus with Aria
- leading Russian heavy metal
band.
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
ian heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band from the city of Mozyr,the first professional independent(not state sponsored) Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
ian rock band whose music and lyrics inspired and instigated birth and development of Belorussian rock music.
They were the first Belorussian
Belarusians
Belarusians ; are an East Slavic ethnic group who populate the majority of the Republic of Belarus. Introduced to the world as a new state in the early 1990s, the Republic of Belarus brought with it the notion of a re-emerging Belarusian ethnicity, drawn upon the lines of the Old Belarusian...
hard rock band, and a first Belorussian band to perform and record outside 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....
boundaries. They were also the first Belorussian band that assembled an amplification system, capable of servicing stadiums and large arenas, thus enabling uncensored performances of government unrecognized bands and singers.
Early years (1978–1982)
Otrazhenie was found in 1978 by Vasiliy Kondratyuk and Vladimir Klimenko in Mozyr, BelarusBelarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
to perform in the dancing hall in Phov. First lineup also included drummer Michael Usov and keyboardist Anatoly Martinovich. Soon after, 16 year old, but already famous for winning national competition of the young talent, a Belorussian version of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
, vocalist Vladimir Kolesnikov joins the band. After two successful seasons Klimenko has been conscripted to the Soviet Army, and the band continues with a new keyboardist Sergey Kudryavtsev and guitarist Michael Brusovanik, later known as a leader of Accent
Accent (band)
Accent was a Belarusian heavy metal band from the city of Minsk. The band played an important role in the development of contemporary music in Belarus.-Early years :...
. A new program was based on covers of western hard rock bands, such as Rainbow
Rainbow (band)
Rainbow were an English rock band, controlled by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore from 1975 to 1984 and 1994 to 1997. It was originally established with American rock band Elf's members, though over the years Rainbow went through many line-up changes with no two studio albums featuring the same line-up...
, AC/DC, Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
and Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
and overwhelmingly approved by the fans,who packed concert hall night after night. In 1981 Otrazhenie participates in annual Mozir Pop-Music Festival, and ,although, not awarded Grand Prix, wins audience symphaties. Brusovanik and Kolesnikov are awarded prizes for the best performances.
Productive period (1983–1999)
In 1982 Klimenko, Koifman and Martinovich returned from the army service and reunited with the band, substituting Brusovanik and Kudryavtsev. At the same time a star-vocalist Leonid Kononov joined the band.In 1985 Otrazhenie released its first album. However, the release was postponed because of lack of recording studios in the region. The cassette version of the album was circulated and popular among fans. Finally, in 1986 State TV produced a documentary in which the band's songs were followed by discussions of journalists and state officers. Along with an official recognition, the band was handed an ideology crisis, as one of the journalists revealed a bracelet, worn by Kolesnikov around his arm as a symbol of capitalist decadence.
The same year the band participated and is was awarded a prize in The Novopolotsk Youth Music Festival. After the Festival the band received broad media recognition and coverage. The first official album was recorded and produced by The State TV, and as an 'official' album, admitted to be played by radio stations and TV programs.
In 1987 the band participated and acclaimed in rock-festivals in Zielona Góra
Zielona Góra
Zielona Góra is a city in Lubusz Voivodeship, in western Poland, with 117,557 inhabitants within the city limits and 294,000 inhabitants within the metropolitan area, including three neighbouring counties ....
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Strakonice
Strakonice
Strakonice is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. Estimated population: 24,000.-History:The settlement of this region took place in the second half of 12th century when a castle was built...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
.
Participation in festivals and in studio projects required increasing absence from 'main' job in a wedding salon, and in 1998 Otrazhenie decided to become a 'full-time' professional entity. Performing experience and a popularity were the factors in the decision. A vast majority of popular music bands in the USSR were employed by regional Philarmonies, which provided logistical and technical support, renting amplification equipment, and paying the artists fixed salary. After failed negotiations with several philarmonies Otrazhenie decided against outsourcing, and assembles first in the region sound system by combination of leasing and acquiring, using own finances. After some time the band assembled full -fledged back office. As a result, the second all-Belorussian rock-festival in Novopolotsk used band's system for most of the performances, with Otrazhenie participating as a featured guest.
At the end of 1988 Otrazhenie released its second album In the Hall of the Mountain King in 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...
. Logistical difficulties of the recording convinced the band to begin building its own recording studio, which was completed in 1990 to become one of the first independently own studios in Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
.
In 1992 Otrazhenie toured Belarus with Aria
Aria (band)
Aria is a Russian heavy metal band that was formed in 1985 in Moscow. Although it was not the first Soviet band to play Heavy music, Aria was the first to break through to mainstream media and commercial success. According to several public polls, Aria ranks among top 10 most popular Russian rock...
- leading Russian heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band.
Current state
For the last several years the band was not touring or recording, but occasionally participated in rock festivals as a guest. Otrazhenie's Mozyr studio is a center where many prominent and independent Belorussian, Ukrainian and Russian rock bands recorded their albums.Discography
- Мы там, где льют металл ("We're where Metal Melts) (1987г.)
- В пещере горного короля (In the Hall of the Mountain King) (1989г.)
- Good bye USSR (1993г.) England
- Держись, я с тобой! (Hold On, I'm with You) (2001г.) Austria