Romislokus is a Russian prog-rock band. Below we have an interview with some questions from M station and some questions from Mark Deren of Radio Heemskerk, Netherlands. There's also a short piece on the music scene in Russia. INTERVIEW part one ... These musicians from Romislokus took part in interview: Yuri Smolnikov (lyrics, vocals, guitar), Mikhail Voronov (solo guitar), Evgeniy Gorelov (keyboards) and Dmitriy Shelemetev (drums). How do you use computers with your music? Besides digital recording in ProTools LE, we use it to make some arrangments and to provide original structures of our songs. We've got special member of Romislokus - Maksim Karavaev. He makes a lot of different computers sound effects and programmed loops using different syntesing by computer noises and effects. What sort of setup do you have? OS, apps? Windows ME, Digi001 sound card with Pro Tools LE. Drums sound module Roland V-Drums, KORG Triton Pro X, effects processors, mixers etc. What is the derivation of your band's name? ROMISLOKUS - this word doesn't exist in any language, as far as we know. We've got a special song in Russian for this word. It is better to understand it listening. So we're going to release Romislokus-song in our future work. do you have any Real audio or Windows Media streams of your tracks? at www.romislokus.com/eng/music.html we've got full mp3s of some songs from our 2 albums. The files are rather big (160K compressing). Very soon we're going to upload some files of 96K. Is there a big prog rock scene in Russia? What are the other main genres? see below... The Russian musical scene By Yuri Smolnikov 1. Studying Music Modern musical art is not included in the educational programs of musical schools, schools of arts, or conservatories of Russia. The tutoring is conducted especially for the purposes of the reproduction of structures of symphonic and variety orchestras, and academic folklore. The outflow of graduates to rock-n-roll is extremely insignificant. The teachers don't have a liking for rock - music and nobody has done anything to change that. It is a natural outcome in our country, where untill a 1985, at an official level the concept "rock-n-roll" was forbidden. With this background in 1981 in Zaporozhye (Ukraine) I have organized the first experimental rock - laboratory specializing in preparing the rock - musician. I have developed my own educational program. Then in a 1991 in Tomsk (Western Siberia) and in 1995 in Kirov, I have organized two rock - laboratories, where more than one hundred musicians have passed preparation in general. The program was improved. The philosophical system lying at its base was formed step by step. These educational programs of preparating a rock - musician are probably unique in this country. Now I live in Moscow. I work as the methodist in Moscow Urban Palace of Children's Creativity: I try to distribute the experience to establishments of higher education. Undoubtedly, the talented person is capable of becoming a good musician without special formation. And there are a lot of examples. Many rock - musicians haven't got a music education, but they have great technique. They are capable qualitatively to execute famous hits. To tell the truth, their own creativity is known only within the limits of their native cities, but that is another speech. 2. Making a living from Music In the most cases your own creativity brings an insignificant income . Each independent rock - musician is compelled to have day time work... otherwise he won't survive economically. On the other side are the musicians in groups which have signed contracts with the major record companies. It is a little group, no more than twenty. The main income they receive is from concerts in Moscow and some other cities. Their music on CD issues in large numbers. They are advertised on commercial radio stations and on TV. But the fact is that they are known only in Russia. The problem is that the music of these groups is relatively behind the times. It is a mirror reflection of western rock - music with lag from "steam locomotive" a minimum of ten years. The use of standard cliches, blind imitation and copying allow them to achieve fast success from the teenage audience. The major companies also are interested in it: the tastes of the unsophisticated audience are easy to manipulate. When the people begin to think, it makes it much more difficult for them. There are remarkable authors in russian electro-acoustic music: Edward Artemiev, Edison Denisov, Artemiy Artemiev, Artem Vasiliev, Vladimir Nikolayev and others. Their music is issued by "Electroshock Records" of Artimiy Artemiev www.electroshock.ru . As far as I know, this is the unique company in Russia, where experts tend to make music of a world-class level. The remaining labels do not see further than their own noses. 3. The Russian Scene There are a lot of independent festivals in Russia. They arise spontaneously, and are not regulated by anyone. They integrate casual combinations of groups. These festivals are similar to rehearsals, which pass with the presence of listeners. Nevertheless, the festivals of independent groups are very interesting. Sometimes they are full of surprises, and it is unique chance for new groups to exhibit themselves, to check on the forces. But for commercial success it is unsufficient. It is possible to become the best group in the city, to create a unique musical world, and to remain in shadow of mediocrities who play on radio and TV: there is no prophet in the fatherland. There are some major rock - festivals where only commercial groups can play. It is "singing money". The independent groups, naturally, are not present. At the beginning of the 90s in Russia the pop-scene roughly developed. It expressed itself in quantity , but not in the quality of the music. In this hum noise rock, music was ill and had died: the best rock - musicians had left their life . The remaining musicians are interested in only one thing: commercial success. Now the New wave begins, but it is difficult to determine the direction of its way. The influence of the commercial scene is too great. Interview part two ... Mark:Hi Romislokus! Romislokus: Hi, Mark! Mark: We're going to speak English because you can understand it better than Dutch. Romislokus: O.K. Mark: We've just been today in the recording studio in Moscow and I recorded your music on minidisk. It was very, very impressive, very nice music! Romislokus: Thank you. Mark: And I want to thank you for hosting me here in Moscow and showing me such a very good time. The food is just delicious here. Moscow is really beautiful city. And yesterday was 9, May - Victory Day and we saw fireworks and it was great to see the Parade. I want to congratulate you with your Victory. Romislokus: Thank you very much. Mark: I've got your CD in the mail and I listened to it and just loved that new sound of Russia! It is something new for the whole world. Romislokus: We try to bring classic rock into the new background. We like progressive rock and art rock, a lot of bands...our idea is to blend organic and inorganic influences. We mix cello, violin with computer' effects and in the middle of it are guitars and synthesizers. Mark: It is unique music. And what are your songs about? Yuri. About today, about future, future of this world maybe. We dream about the things we have in our music. Mark: I know it, because it is amazing to me to be here interviewing you, guys! We all agree that music is our common ground. We're eating dinner here. Yuri is also the cook. And he cooks really good food. Then he plays on guitar for us after dinner. That is very beautiful. He can play also a lot of the classic rock songs. What are some of your favorite bands? Romislokus: We like Genesis, Pink Floyd, The Beatles etc. We try to continue the best from the music that was before us. Mark: You tried to market your music, but actually you send it like a gift to the world. Mikhail: Yes, we've send for free about 150 CDs to different parts of the world. We have some difficulties to distribute CDs from Russia. We can't accept credit cards payments because of some economical barriers in Russia. Mark: It is the same in many other countries too. When somebody sends you a check from another country for your CD it costs more for the banking transfer. Have you got a lot of response for your CD? Evgeniy: Yes, it is available to read on our web-site www.romislokus.com Mikhail: A lot of reviews from all over the world... Evgeniy: ... From independent experts of music. Mark: So, when you use computers in your music ... most people are using it to make dance music and house music but you are actually creating melodic sounds. Mikhail: We try to make melodic atmosphere with computer. Mark: Today we've actually heard the drums and everything in music. Your drummer is really quite good. He a drums teacher, right? Dmitriy: Hello! Mark: Hello, Dmitriy! Mikhail: He is a really good on drums. He is a big fan of music. Mark: Your favorite drummer is Bill Bruford, right? Dmitriy: Bill Bruford, John Bonham,Stewart Copeland from the Police. Mark: Evgeniy, you are really good keyboardist, not only playing Romislokus' music but you can also play classical music, Beatles and everything else, right? Evgeniy: Our music is different. So, my parties are also different, as you heard. Mark: And Mikhail, you guitar style is really nice. It is incredible. How did you develop that? Mikhail: I try to be honest in music, to play something new, sometimes something melodic, beautiful. My guitar isn't to be destroying factor for the atmosphere of Romislokus. Mark: Besides the music what do you all do? Romislokus: Yuri is hydrology engineer. Dmitriy is a manager of big trade firm. Irina, specializing in playing cello, studies classical music in high musical school. Evgeniy is an accountant. He has to work every day in his office with his papers. Mikhail is student of Moscow State University - biggest in Russia. He studies economic law. Mark: It is incredible. You guys work so hard. And you still have time to make such great music... It is fantastic, really. So, what is the philosophy of your music? Yuri: The world can be changed due to what musicians do. And if musician makes good melodic music the world becomes more beautiful. Smart music is smart world. Most of the people in usual life don't scream, don't shout, don't cry, usually. In modern music most of the singers in most cases make a lot of negative emotions, forcing their screams, cries. I want to sing in the way I speak in life: at home, on the streets, at my work. A bit to scream, a bit to cry. Actually I never cry. Evgeniy: We like your country - Holland. The country of flowers. Holland exports flowers all over the world. It means there we can find peaceful people. It is much better to produce flowers than to produce military machines. Yuri: We like the works of Dutch painters of XV century. Hieronymus Bosch's painting is on the cover of our CD "Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn". Also my other favorite painter is Pieter Bruegel. Mark: We had so many interesting conversations in the last few days. And we had such a great time. We were laughing a lot. It was real. You guys are so funny! Evgeniy: We hope it is so. Feel free in Russia! Mark: Feel free in Russia! That's right, I do! It really touches my heart, for sure! ROMISLOKUS was interviewed for popular Dutch Radio Program on Radio Heemskerk, Netherlands. Presenter Mark Deren traveled to Moscow to meet the band, and to record their music live for the one hour radio broadcast. The second album of Romislokus "Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn" has been attracting attention from around the world for their unique style of prog rock. The band has got a lot of reviews all around the world. About 30 radio stations all over the world broadcast the music of Romislokus. For more information please contact: Mark from Holland (Radio Heemskerk, Netherlands, Phone/Fax ++31-251-246497, Email: mcd@wanadoo.nl, Web:http://www.angelfire.com/pa/progholland/) Romislokus (Moscow, Russia, Phone (095) 121-66-55, Email: music@romislokus.com, Web: http://www.romislokus.com)
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