Actions

Alisa

From Unearthing The Music

Members of Alisa signing autographs. Left to right: Romanov, Kinchev, Samoylov, Levin. Photo by: Музыкальный Мир

Alisa (Russian: Алиса[1]) is a Russian hard rock band, who are credited as one of the most influential bands in the Russian rock movement.

Biography

Alisa was formed in April 1983 by bassist Svyatoslav Zadery after his previous band, Хрустальный Шар (Crystal Ball) split. The band's name originated from Zadery's nickname. Zadery invited several musicians to the new band, including Pavel Kondratenko, Andrei Shatalin and Mikhail Nefyodov. This first incarnation of Alisa had one of its first larger performances at the II festival of the Leningrad Rock club.

The band's lineup was finally completed in 1984, when new vocalist Kostya Kinchev (real name Konstantin Panfilov, who had heard the band during their performance at the Leningrad rock festival) and guitarist Petr Samoylov joined. Their debut album Energia was recorded between 1985 and 1986 at Andrei Tropillo's studio, released by state publishing monopoly Melodiya in 1988 and sold more than a million copies. In 1985 they also stared in the Cross the Line (Переступить черту) television movie and Kinchev played a supporting role in the 1987 film Hacker.

The relationship between the band's two leaders, Konstantin and Zadery, began to sour, and in 1986 Svyatoslav departed from the band. This occurred just one hour before Alisa was to perform at a concert, with the band having to ask Kino bassist Igor Tihomirov to replace him for one concert. Later Zadery created his own band Nateh! (Russian: НАТЕ! - "Take that!"). Zadery died on 6 May 2011 due to complications from a stroke at the age of 50.[2]

Alisa performing at Kavarna Rock Fest 2013 in Bulgaria. Photo by Wikipedia user MrPanyGoff

The growing popularity of the band created a fan community called the Army of Alisa, known for their rough behaviour at concerts. It led to animosity between the band and Soviet officials. In 1987, the newspaper Smena accused Alisa's leader Kinchev of Nazi propaganda and worshiping Hitler. Kinchev filed a suit for libel and moral loss compensation. After the year-long court process the magazine published the refutation. Alisa's next album was titled Article 206 part 2, a chapter ("Hooliganism") of the USSR Procedural Code, alluding to this process. It was recorded in 1989, but would not be released until 1994 due to the tapes going missing.

There were more changes in 1988, when guitarist Igor "Chuma" Chumychkin joined the band. This change was followed by the heavier sound of next two albums, Shabash and For those Who Fell From the Moon. Alisa toured through Europe and Israel together with fellow Russian heavy metal band Aria. In 1989 the band, as part of the Red Wave tour, would play several dates in the United States. The album Black Mark, released in 1994, was dedicated to the memory of Chuma, who committed suicide by jumping from a window.

In the new millennium, with albums such as Seychas Pozdnee Chem Ty Dumaesh (It is Later Than You Think, 2003) and Izgoy (Exile, 2005), the sound of Alisa was changed to a heavier one, including elements of nu, industrial and Heavy Metal. Music critics credited Clawfinger as Kinchev's greatest new music influence. This gave Alisa a new fan base among Russian hard rock fans, and three songs from Izgoy continually reached the top of the NASHE radio chart. Follow-up "Stat Severa" and "Puls Hranitelia Dverey Labyrintha" were less alternative-oriented and made a blend of older and newer styles. Alisa shot a video for the Wolfhound fantasy movie, though the song itself was cut from the soundtrack.

According to public polls, Alisa enjoys high popularity in Russia and around, ranking among top ten most popular russian rock bands,[3] and ranked 1st in Komsomolskaya Pravda readers poll.[4]

Lyrical themes

Kinchev was baptized in 1992 after a series of concerts in Jerusalem, and since then Christianity has been the main influence on his direction and his lyrics. Although early Alisa lyrics were typical for Russian rock - social protest and rock 'n' roll hype - since the late 1990s their main theme has been ideas of Christianity, as well as Russian patriotism and nationalism.

Konstantin is in good relations with the priests of the Russian Orthodox Church, especially Andrey Kuraev. The band has participated in many religion-supporting festivals, such as Musicians for the Christ Savior Cathedral.

Kinchev's fairly conservative religious-patriotic shift was viewed unfavourably by some old fans that liked Alisa for their original "rock" message.

Discography

Studio albums

Original title Transliterated Title Translation Year of release
Энергия Energiya Energy 1988
Блок Ада Blok Ada Block of Hell / Blockade 1989
Шестой Лесничий Shestoy Lesnichy Sixth Ranger 1989
Для Тех, Кто Свалился с Луны Dlya Tekh, Kto Svalilsya s Luny For Those Who Fell from the Moon 1993
Чёрная Метка Chyornaya Metka Black Mark 1994
Статья 206 часть 2 Statya 206 chast 2 Article 206 part 2 1994
Jazz Jazz Jazz 1996
Кривозеркалье Krivozerkalye Through the Crooked Glass 1997*
Дурень Duren' Stupid 1998
Солнцеворот Solntsevorot Solstice 2000
Танцевать Tantsevat' To Dance 2001
Сейчас Позднее, Чем Ты Думаешь Seychas Pozdnee, Chem Ty Dumayesh It Is Later Than You Think 2003
Изгой Izgoy Exile 2005
Стать Севера Stat Severa Grace of the North 2007
Пульс Хранителя Дверей Лабиринта Puls Khranitelya Dverey Labirinta The Pulse of Labyrinth's Doors Keeper 2008
Ъ Ъ (Tverdii Znak) Ъ ( The Hard Sign - Russian Letter) 2010
20.12 (Двадцать Двенадцать) 20.12 (Dvadtsat Dvenadtsat) 20.12 (Twenty Twelve) 2011
Саботаж Sabotazh Sabotage 2012
Цирк Tsirk Circus 2014
Эксцесс Ekstsess Excess 2016
Посолонь Posolon 2019
  • Recorded with Svetoslav Zaderii on vocals, before Kinchev joined

Live albums

Original title Translation Year and venue Year of release
Шабаш Sabbath 1990, Moscow, Luzhniki Stadium 1991
На Шаболовке At Shabolovka Shabolovka 1995
Акустика часть 1 Acoustics vol.1 1988, Perm 1995
Акустика часть 2 Acoustics vol.2 1985, Leningrad 1997
Пляс Сибири на берегах Невы Dance of Siberia on Neva Shores 1997, St-Petersburg, Jubileiny 1998
Акустика часть 3 Acoustics vol.3 1988, Pskov 2000
Акустика часть 4 Acoustics vol.4 1986, Novosibirsk 2002
Мы Вместе XX лет We Are Together XX years 2003, St-Petersburg, Jubileiny 2005
Звезда по имени рок Star Called Rock 2005, Moscow, Luzhniki Stadium 2007

Compilation albums

Original title Translation Year of release
Red Wave Red Wave: 4 Underground Bands from the USSR 1986
Легенды Русского Рока Legends of Russian Rock 1997
Энциклопедия Русского Рока Encyclopedia of Russian Rock 2000
13 2003

Band members

Current line up

  • Konstantin Kinchev - vocals (1985–present)
  • Evgeny Lyovin - guitar (1998–present), ex - N.E.P.
  • Pavel Zelitskiy - guitar (2018–present)
  • Petr Samoylov - bass (1984–present)
  • Andrey Vdovichenko - drums (2003–present), ex - N.E.P.
  • Dmitri Parfyonov - keyboards (2000–present)

Former members

  • Svetoslav "Alisa" Zadery - bass, vocals (1983–1985)
  • Andrey Shatalin - guitar (1983–2003)
  • Mikhail Nefedov - drums (1983–2003)
  • Pavel "Pol Khan" Kondratenko - keyboards (1983–1988)
  • Alexander Zhuravlev - saxophone (1987–1988)
  • Igor "Chuma" Chumychkin - guitar (1988–1993)
  • Andrey Korolev - keyboards (1989–1993)
  • Alexander Ponomarev - guitar (1996–1998)
  • Boris Borisov - vocals, saxophone (1983)
  • Lyudmila "Teri" Kolot - vocals (1986)
  • Igor Romanov - guitar (2003-2018)

References

  1. Russian analogue to the female name Alice
  2. Святослав Задерий. Биографическая справка (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 7 May 2011.
  3. "Ромир: Цифры и факты". Archived from the original on 2010-03-03. Retrieved 2009-11-13.
  4. Группы, которые изменили наш мир — Комсомольская правда

External links

Text adapted from Wikipedia

Retrieved from "http://database.unearthingthemusic.eu/index.php?title=Alisa&oldid=2300"