Fans Plazza

Rock-n-roll man from Meshchera

30.08.2011 19:37

Rock-n-roll man from Meshchera

Meshsra is a heartland of Russia. It is situated not far from Moscow but the perception of life of the local people is very different. Russian musician and songwriter from Meshchera Sergei Loukovkin (Сергей Луковкин) has told us his story.

Rock-n-roll man from Meshchera

(Interview with Russian songwriter Sergei Loukovkin)

This musician concerts mainly outside of his home town though he lives in Egorievsk. His melodies drive. His lyrics captivate. His songs are known all over Russia. Meanwhile our country fellowman Sergei Loukovkin (a.k.a. Look) walks on the quiet streets of his home town Egorievsk and does not want to change it nor for Moscow nor St-Petersburg. Today we are sitting and talking in the kitchen of his Egorievsk apartment.

Sergei, you belong to Russian rock. What is the main difference between Russian and Western rock music?

First Russian rock-groups were coping Western groups, influenced by Afro-American rhythms but very soon our rock-music worked out its own poetical language, which surely has been a separate cultural phenomenon. That was time when Russian rock-music and Russian rock-like pop-music split apart.

Russian rock puts an emphasis on its poetry. The lyrics have always been a primary part of it. The rest: costumes, visual effects, even music was secondary. Russian rock-poetry has been an energetic, freedom-loving, and honest thing. It is based upon very many Russian cultural realities. By the way, the Russian bard number one Vladimir Vysotsky was a typical Russian rock-poet, even though he neither plaid nor composed rock music.

As to the pop-music, employing Western musical traditions, it started its own way. In the Soviet Union that sort of music was performed by the so-called «Vocal-Instrumental Ensembles», which had nothing to do with real rock culture. The best of these groups, such as for «Zemlyane» (The People of the Earth) had considerably mastered their skills to perfectly imitate Western rock. But if you take a close look at their shallow, conflict-free and artificially idealized lyrics you easily notice the considerable difference from the real rock-poetry. Their lyrics did to relate to the realities of Russian life. Those «Essembles» were even recognizable by their names, like «Siniya ptitsa» (The Blue Bird), «Vesyolye Rebyata» (The Merry Lads)», or «Leisya Pesnya» (Flow, Song!). The real Russian rock groups could not be called like this.

Why the Soviet authorities did not like them?

The spectators felt the honesty of their lyrics. The young Russians were looking at it trying to find the answers for their very topical questions. These musicians were not on radio neither on TV, but their popularity was sticking. They could attract huge crowds, and they were hard to predict or manipulate. These people were not easy to control.

Surprisingly most of them were not professional musicals by profession. Andrei Makarevich was an architect, Boris Grebenshchikov – mathematician, Mike Naumenko – chemist. Perhaps Russian professional musicals were more reluctant to become disagreeable to the regime, because they were afraid to risk their musical careers and lose the only daily bread available. Ironically, they were paid in accordance with the pathetic state rate that made up around 8 rubles per a concert.

Does Russian rock use the Russian musical traditions?

There are some groups and artists that underline their affiliation to such traditions. Most of them may be defined as a specific part of rock culture called Russian folk-rock. The typical example of this music is played by «Raznotravie» (The Motley Grass) group. Some of these groups, in spite of their «Russianness», are heavily influenced by the Western rock. For example the group «Kalinov Most» (The Bridge of Kalin) is audibly influenced by «The Doors». Even the most prominent Russian rock musician Boris Grebenshchikov in his famous «Russian Album» album here and there resembles Bob Dilan.

In 1970-s and 80-s the very special phenomenon of Russian and Soviet popular musical culture had been the Belorussian group «Pesnyary». They were perfectly legal professionals, but they still managed to play quality folk-rock. Maybe it happened because of their exceptional musical taste and very careful selection of their lyrics.

Some of Russian rock musicians try to employ the tradition of Russian city romance of the 19^th century. Specifically, Mike Naumenko did it. I am fond of it myself.

Why Russian rock musicians do not employ Russian classic poetry?

You are right. It does not happen often. Though, I can think of some attempts. There were some attempts to write rock music for the poetry of Mandeleshtam and Goumilev. Some verses by Sergei Esenin, a classic Russian poet of the beginning of the 20^th century, also have become rock-compositions. His line: «I'm drinking ethanol with gangsters, and I read my verses to whores» isn’t it a perfect sample of true Russian rock-poetry?

Could you write music for the verses of Bunin or Pasternak?

I don’t think so. Their poetry requires the other sort of music. I am afraid my music is too simple. It takes to be Shostakovich or Prokofiev to do this.

How Russian rock music relates to Russian bards’ songs?

The connection is clear. A man takes a guitar, starts to write songs. One day he or she feels that she\he needs the amplifiers and big audience.

When this day comes?

It depends on the person. Some bards never feel like this. It does not depend on their talent or quality of their songs. It is just a call from inside. I know one talented Russian bard Maxim Glotov, he suddenly stopped singing at all, even to the acoustic guitar.

How many songs did you write?

About three hundred. I can not give you their precise number because I did not count them.

Who were your teachers in rock music or the musicians you consider to be teachers even though you did know them personally?

Mike Naumenko from Zoopark group, Tom Waits. I constantly listen to their music. Once I was called a continuer of Naumenko. I was flattered, it was a high mark.

Does the life in a small provincial town with its inevitable isolation from the vibrant cultural environment of big cities prevent you from your creative work?

Not at all. Living here even helps me. I like Egorievsk, I feel god here. It gives me a feel of distance. On this distance I can better see big and important things. Some of these things are not easily seen when you are inside. I think I am lucky I happened to live Egorievsk. Moscow is close, I do nor feel any isolation. At the same time everything is very different here. We are Meshchera. People always were fleeing to our marshy lowlands if they did not want to participate in wars and conflicts. Distancing from the capital is a part of their philosophy. I finally realized it in the time of 1993 events (the armed conflict between president Yeltsin and Russian parliament). That October night I was washing CNN. I had a sure feeling that the civil war was starting. That time I was working as a bus driver. The next day I had to do my first trip to the local village of Vantino at 4 a.m. So at 4 o’clock I was there. A group of very busy villagers with sacks got stuffed into the bus. I started to overhear their conversations. Suddenly I realized that they were saying nothing about that shooting in Moscow. They were going to steal carrots from the local state farm fields. Soon I might write a book about my life in Egorievsk. I will call it «The Encyclopedia of Alcoholism in a Provincial Town».

So, Moscow and St Petersburg do not attract you…

St Petersburg is a good place to visit for 2-3 days, to see its great museums. Moscow is even better. This city has a lot to offer. When I travel far away I have to tell people that I am from Moscow, just because they have not heard about Egorievsk. Most of them start cursing Moscow. I try to defend it. I don’t think it deserves such negative attitude. But after all, I prefer to live in my home town. Many years ago the famous Russian poet Sergei Esenin left his home village of Konstantnovo for Moscow and his poetry became different. I think I will stay here.

Photo by Helen Biryukova http://vkontakte.ru/photos.php?act=show&id=7853242_176490861&uid=24243678

Do you have any real surprises in the time of your concerts?

Any concerting musician has such surprises. Some surprises could be predicted, expectably coming from tipsy spectators. We don’t worry about them much because the majority of sane people always balance them and we basically know what to expect and how to react. But some surprises are difficult to predict.

Once we were performing at a corporate party and one girl threw at me a wine glass. I had not known this girl, never had seen her before. It was a pure reaction to my song. I understood it and asked the administration to hush this conflict up. After all she missed. I even considered it to be a compliment to my lyrics that could drive people like that. She complimented me as a poet. Later I learnt that the girl had been fired. I am sorry about her.

Have you been facing any plagiarism?

Personally I do not have many problems with this. I believe some of my lines or fragments of melodies might be copied, but this is inevitable.

Before the Internet, there were a number of misunderstandings when some songs were attributed to wrong authors. Now this problem could be solved. As to the pop music, I believe that such problem exists. Most of the pop songs practically exploit fragments of old tunes.

Most of your concerts are outside of Egorievsk. Why?

I concert as a participant of «Koroli Koukhni» (The Kings of Kitchen) group. I run this project together with в my Moscow friends Alexei Paltsev and Julia Nevolina. We tour, perform; make our living, issue new albums. This is my job.

In Egorievsk my friend Alexei Karpov and I bring about another project, a non-commercial one. It is called «Associations», the theater of songs. Some time ago I study at another «Theater of songs» called «Perekryostok» (The Crossroad) directed by Victor Louferov, an outstanding Russian guitar player and songwriter. Louferov united a group of talented youth and gave them a chance to professionally perform.

A also want to implement in Egorievsk the theatrical ideas of another talented Russian musician Alexei Didourov.

Why do your call it theater? What is the main idea of this project of yours?

We want a better contact with our audience. Normal concerts do not provide us with sufficient feedback. Of course the spectators shout, write notes, but it is not exactly what we are looking for. Sometimes we want to perform in front of a small, of 40-50 people, but a well prepared audience. We want them to dispute, to discuss our songs, even come to the stage.

Does it come in?

Not yet. But we regularly get together and work on it. Every Sunday, at 4 p.m. in Egorievsk, at The Community Cultural Center named after Konin. We invite all creative people, who may get interested in this project, to join us.

Who do you think are the most prominent modern Russian singing songwriters?

First I would like to list Alexander O’Shannon, a Russian musician and poet of Irish descent, and Mikhail Shcherbakov. Both these authors set very high standards of poetry. Then… Mark Freidkin, Julia Nevolina… Sergei Krotov from Chelyabinsk is a terrific author; I would highly recommend you to listen to his songs. I have mentioned Alexei Didourov and Pavel Louferov yet. Unfortunately both these musicians have passed away recently.

Where can one listen to your songs live, or buy records?

Our group has an official site www.koku.ru There you can find info about our concerts and download some songs. CDs are sold in our concerts and in some Russian outlets, for example in the famous Moscow Gorboushka market. If I sing in Egorievsk I inform my audience on my personal page of Russian social network «V Kontakte»

Беседу вёл Алексей Марков