My RUSSIAN 100 Presentation: I need Your Help Russians!

[thegurgi]

For My Class, "Introduction to Russian Culture and Language" i have to do a presentation. I've decided to do Russian Music. And other than Tatu and a few other bands i know of, and from watching and listening to your Radio, i have the good gist of things. But i'm having trouble with the history of this music.
I've compiled some questions for it. My presentation has to be 10 minutes, and 4 minutes of it will be me showing the Nas Ne Dogonyat Video...

1. Who are the Biggest Acts in Russia?
Tatu, of course, but who else?

2. What the major outlets for these acts, like TV Stations, Radio Stations, Magazines, TV Shows?
TV: MTV Russia, MUZ-TV
Radio: Russkii Radio, Radio Dynamit
Magazines: Neon, Vsio Zvezdy

3. What are the major styles of Russian Music?
From what i've heard, it seems like Poppy Techno and for the Rock, it seems very acoustic.

4. Who have been influential in forming the current Russian Music?
So who are You're Elvis? Your Beatles? Your Madonna? Who is infamously famous and your current musical legends?

5. What are the Major Record Labels? How much do [non-pirated] CDs cost? Where do you go to buy them?

6. What are classical and current great Songs that i should try and play for the class? Are there classic songs that most Russians Love?
I want to play a clip of Strannie Tantsy by Technologia and Ya Soshla s Uma by Tatu. Are Technologia an important Russian group?



Well that's all, i'll mention the great Bootlegging industry and where they can find Russian Music in the US. And As i said before, i'm going to play in full, the video for Nas Ne Dogonyat.

[la aurora]

Oh, Greg. I'll try to help ya... this presentation sounds fun. Pity I'll miss it. Would be really interesting to see :D

Questions 1, 3:

Russia as well as baltic countries were always the rock-loving country. But with MTV many things changed. Now crappy pop bands are popular as well. All russian rock can be divided into "old rock" and "new wave". Old camp is: ЧАЙФ, Аквариум, Naautilus Pompilius, Агата Кристи, Машина Времени, Воскресение, Ария and so on. New wave began with Мумий Тролль. This band was sooo huge some years ago and still has one of the biggest fanbases here although it's frontman Илья Лагутенко doesn't try to be constanly on the radio, TV... he began producing and found 2 great bands that became also very popular: Zемфира and Сегодня Ночью. Loads of new names broke through in last few years... Ночьные Снайперы, Звери, Butch... many... "Наше Радио" (one that plays russian rock only is very huge, although not as huge as it was 2 years ago for example).

Pop... Yeah, most of our pop is a bit techno. We have few bands and artists that do typical european pop. All pop can also be divided into "old pop camp" and MTV-generation. First I couldn't hate more. These are artists my parents were listening to when they were young. some of these artists appeared a bit later but it doesn't really matter. They all do crap. Their faces became tiresome 10 years ago already. But they rule russian show-business. There's no holiday-concert without them performing. That's why I don't watch such things. Fillip Kirkorov, Alla Pugachova, Valeriy Leontyev, Layma Vaykule, Iosif Kobzon... ok, I'm feeling sick already.
New pop... well, nowdays new acts appear and dissapear every second. But let me see what we have...
Russian first and all-time boysband (although it's a bit different from western ones) is Ivanushki International. Name says it all. 3 guys, almost voiceless but with lots of drive. Ivan-the-fool russian folk-hero is alive. These guys are around for 10 years already but still make some young girls cry from exitement. Seconds boysband that exists long enough to be mentioned is Otpetiye Moshenninki. Also 3 guys but with the image of hooligans this time. They were popular 5 years ago and their latests singles are still chat-toppers.
Our all-time girlsband is Blestyaschiye. They also exist for many years already but every their song is on the radio and MTV. Songs are stupid but catchy and girls are hot... that's enough to be popular. Same things made another girlsband mega-popular. VIA GRA. Name also says a lot. All I can say that although girls can't sing any well but at least they have sense of humor and self-irony. Besides after this band became what it is now loads of straight girls started to doubt their own sexuality... I'm not even talking about men. When men are asked "what do ya thing about VG?" the only comment they have is "Ah...".
Diskoteka Avariya - guess, U've heard what they are already. 3 guys (the rap-guy died not so long ago) just fooling around. They are funny and russians love them.
These are bands that are constant. I mean they were on TV some years ago and still popular. Well, who else... oh, yeah. Never thought I'll say something like this about 19-year girl but she's also around for long. Alsou. Her 2nd place in 2000 is still the best result of Russia on Eurovision. She was 16 then. And she already had some successful videos then. This year she got best female singer on MUZ-TV awards.

Now many new acts appeared. Most of them came from Star Factory, so U can guess their quality. One more thing I need to say, in russian pop-industry U don't need talent to become popular. Having rich dad or lover is enough. That's why most of our pop is such a crap.

Rap and R&B aren't major music styles here. 5-6 years ago Bad B. Alliance tried to break through. Their arsists had some successful videos but now russian rap is almost dead (imported rap is still popular). Funny it is, the most succesful rap artist of Russia is Decl. He was 15 or so when his daddy (music producer) helped him to make some videos and for some years Russia had hip-hop :gigi: Now Kasta is quite popular but it's the only russian band that makes rap and is successful now. Dolphin made one of the most successful rap albums in russian history, but I can't call what he does 'rap'. It's alternative, electronic... on some of his albums he even doesn't rap at all... So, I don't know if this counts. R&B... I'm not sure if it ever existed in Russia. VIA Slivki (http://www.geocities.com/nrg2002ru/slivki.html) (one more girlsband) tried to work in this style. Although I'd say it's pop-R&B. Their latest video with Otpetiye Moshenninki just came out, so we'll see if it has any chances in charts. Personally I like R&B but I didn't buy any of their albums... I like videos tho :D That dark-haired girl Dasha is one of the most attractive ladies I've ever saw. And the best part that she doesn't even try to sing :gigi: I like when ppl who can't sing don't try to pretend they can. There's one guy also - Dima Bilan. He just signed his contract with GALA-records recently. He is popular and what he does... year, it reminds R&B more then anything else in Russia. Still very far from american R&B of course.

Now some bands that are really on the top now:
Gluk'OZA (Russian Gorillaz... Virtual character, all videos look like fragments from video-game. The difference is that there's a cute and very young girl behind. I'm not even sure if she finished school already. But she's the author of music and lyrics. Can sound a bit strange but not that bad),
Diskoteka Avariya, VIA GRA, Smash!!, Alsou, TATU (not the MOST popular band now... unfortunately)... well, these are artists that easily reach N1 position in charts with every new video. There are some other but I can't remember now, sry.

Question 2:
TV: yeah, these 2 chanells are the only music channels here. Other show videos from time to time... but usually only crappy ones. Ones some tv-nan just got paid for showing.
RADIO: Russkoye Radio, Dinamit-fm (first plays russian pop, second - all kind of remixes. it's a dance radio), Hit-fm, Nashe radio (russian rock), Maximum (they play quality pop and rock), Energiya (dance again)... there are so many in Moscow only!
MAGS: well, the only mag I buy from time to time is OM (it's a quality mag about night-life, music, movies...), GALA writes about music, Rovestnik, crappy mags like Cool, Bravo, Bashnya... many again...

Question 4:
Well, our Madoona is Alla Pugachova :gigi: Although I don't like what she does now (she's still in the stream), she deserves some respect. She made a great caree, she was revolutionary and forbidden in Soviet times and she has lots of influence now. Our Rock Monsters... well, I mentioned them above. Check my Zemfira thread, I wrote about our cult band KINO there. And I'll be useful anyway, as Zemfira herself is the hugest event in russian music of last years.

Sry, I'm too tired to write more now. May be I'll do later. Wish U luck :rose:

[goku]

I'll see what I can do... sunny poison did a great job summarzing most of it.

1. Who are the Biggest Acts in Russia?
Here are some more popular groups:
Земфира
Алсу
Руки Вверх
Пугачева...
PLAY
Руки вверх
Сборник


2. What the major outlets for these acts?
You got the TV Stations down, and sunnypoison covered the big radio stations. I live in Moscow, so I'll give you the ones I know here:
Russkoye Radio
Silver Rain 100.1 FM
Echo Moskvy 73.82 FM, 1206 AM
Radio 101 101.2 FM)
Hit FM
Maximum
Dinamit-fm
Radio Rakurs
Radio "Stantsiya" 106.8 FM
Mayak
There are more but as you can see it's getting rather long.
For magazines, I don't read any about music. OM is popular.

3. What are the major styles of Russian Music?
Euro Pop, Rock (a range actually, from acoustic to heavy metal and industrial, though the latter is not as prevelant in the music industry), even rap. GO DetSL woohoo!! Haha he's my favorite, and is very successful. Other than him not many rappers have made it.

4. Who have been influential in forming the current Russian Music?
There were lots of bands that influenced rock, but main ones were Pojuschie Gitary (the singing guitars), Golubiye Gitary (Blue Guitars), Sinyaya Ptica (Blue Bird), Tcvety (Flowers). I don't know a lot about this subject, but these bands were the foundation of rock for Russia.

5. How much do [non-pirated] CDs cost? Where do you go to buy them?
You can buy them at local music stores, or online. They usually sell for about 8 american dollars, and can go up to 15 dollars.

I might answer the questions I missed later, but it will have to be tomorow, sorry.

Good luck on your presentation.

[thegurgi]

WOW! Thanks Sunny Poison and Goku!!!

I have another question then, why is the pop so overly techno? is there are reason for this... was it just influenced by the europop stuff?


Goes off wondering what to do with this treasure trove of info.

Is there a major record store chain in Russia?

[thegurgi]

I need a really good Russian Song... one that's really popular too.

Also, is there an Underground Russian Music scene. Is there Russian Punk? So many questions... haha

[thegurgi]

AAAAH!!
I present on TUESDAY the 11th!!! SOO SOON!

Ok, so i've devised my initial outline and i've decided to play 1 song from each genre. So that everyone can get an good idea of what Russian music sounds like in their respectives.

I need to know which songs are GOOD though. Sunny Poison, I'm PMing you... cause you look like you know... but here is the list.

1. Old Rock
2. New Wave Rock
3. Old Pop
4. MTV Generation Pop
5. Rap
6. Alternative?

I think i'll also play a Boy Band song and I'm going to Play Their Eurovision Entry too... hehehe, anyway to get Tatu into it.

I will also ask if you would consider "Ya Soshla s Uma" to be a breakthrough for the Russian Music Scene. Did something change when this song came out? It seems to me that it did.


HELP IS NEEDED... I've been working really hard at finding pictures and other materials... but i also have a Design 3-D project due on the 11th, that i'm really behind on. :: so much work, so little time ::

[Tom Violence]

I recommend you play 'SPID' by Zemfira. I may not Russian - nor have I been in the country all that long - but Zemfira is certainly very, very popular indeed.

I'd also recommend that, if you can get hold of it, you play the Mumy Troll video where a giant teddy bear is repeatedly molested by a pair of enormous gerkins in white socks. Just because you have the power. The song's not bad, either.

It's so easy to abuse authority. I made a boy eat a whole lemon in my class the other day.

[thegurgi]

Tom Violence, downloading

and i like your Lemon story, made me laugh...

I'm not sure about the Video or not, i'm going to make a VCD to bring but i'm going to have to make sure that DVD player in there plays them... if so, i'll try and get that vid. Sounds interesting. I think i'll be able to get that video, if i knew what the name of it was :: wink-a-dink ::

[thegurgi]

I have to have an Outline for my Presentation. This is what i have:

RUSSIAN MUSIC

1. Brief Overview
a. Importance of Music
b. Ways they Listen to Music
c. Influences
d. Lyrics
i. Example: Ничья - Ничья
2.Rock
a.Old Rock
i. Example: Чайф - Аргентина-Ямайка 5:0
b.New Wave Rock
i. Example: Zемфира - Спид
3. Pop
a. Old Pop
i. Example: Алла Пугачева - Миллион алых рос
b. MTV Generation
i. Example: Triplex - Бригада
4.Rap
a. Example: Децл - Кто?ты
5.Eurovision
a. Example: Тату – Не верь, не бойся
6.Music Videos
a.MTV and MUZ-TV
i.Example: ?
7. Conclusion


What do you think. 10 minutes?
And i'm still wondering if you have a Punk/Alternative Underground Music Scene going on in Russia

[thegurgi]

I have all my examples!! Look UP! Are they GOOD?!

Is there a song you think i should ABSOLUTELY play? or one you think i should play instead of one of the other? I've created 30 to 50 second clips of all the songs, and the total is about 4:41 for my 10 minute presentation... i'll probably go over. hehe