Bureau of Lost Culture Songs of War and Peace - with Boris Grebenshikov
Oct 16, 2023
Boris Grebenshikov, legendary Russian rock musician and leader of Aquarium, now based in London. He discusses his Soviet-era underground roots, censorship, and the Leningrad rock scene. He talks about becoming labeled a “foreign agent” and assembling the Heal The Sky compilation to help Ukrainian children, featuring many international stars.
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Music As Moral Solidarity For Ukraine
- Boris Grebenshikov sees the album Heal the Sky as a moral statement of solidarity with Ukrainians suffering from war.
- He gathered musicians they listened to for 50 years so Ukrainians would hear that the world and Russian artists still care and remember them.
From Gypsy Guitar To Russian Rock Songs
- Grebenshikov learned guitar from his grandmother's gypsy style then switched to six-string to replicate Beatles and rock chords.
- He switched to writing songs in Russian after realising emotional reach requires the audience to understand lyrics.
Apartment Gigs As A Soviet Invention
- Aquarium performed in friends' apartments because they lacked official papers, amps, and drums, creating intimate listening events.
- Apartment gigs became a distinct Soviet invention: music, two-hour listening, then drinking and questions with the band.
