Auktyon
From Unearthing The Music
Auktyon (Russian: АукцЫон, pronounced [ɐʊktsɨˈon]) is a Russian alternative rock band from Saint Petersburg. Though they originally played post-punk and new wave, the group came to be influenced by European and Central Asian folk music, avant-garde jazz, the poetry of Russian futurist Velimir Khlebnikov, and aspects of Russian high culture and literature.[1]
Biography
The band was founded by Leonid Fyodorov and Oleg Garkusha at the Polytechnic Institute of Leningrad, evolving from a previous group Fyodorov had started in 1978 with Dmitry Zaichenko, Alexey Vikhrev, Mikhail Malov and Victor Bondarik called Phaeton.[1] Bondarik introduced Fyodorov to Garkusha in 1980, who began writing lyrics for the band and helping with its management and as a sound engineer. In 1983, after numerous personnel changes, Oleg Garkusha introduced the band to Aquarium, who advised them to join the newly formed Leningrad Rock Club. In preparation for their first "serious performance" at a Rock Club event, Fyodorov decided to change the band's name to Auktyon. By Fyodorov's own admission this performance wasn't very successful: "We played terribly (...), the sound sucked..." After the concert three members left the band, and it would be two years before they returned to the stage, trying out many new members during that period.
In 1985 the Auktyon lineup stabilized, with Bondarik on the bass, Dmitry Ozersky on keyboards, Igor Cheridnik on drums and Nikolai Fedorovich - alto saxophone. In May 1986, the group had a successful performance at the IV Leningrad Rock Festival.
Auktyon was particularly popular from 1987 through 1995, but became less active in the late 1990s when Fyodorov began to produce records for Leningrad.[1] The group continues to play together and to release new albums. They toured the United States in 2006[2] in support of their first US release, the album Pioneer. The group returned to the US in 2008 when they released the album Girls Sing.[3][4][5]
Band members
Current members
- Leonid Fedorov - vocals, guitar, percussion
- Oleg Garkusha - vocals, declamation
- Viktor Bondarik - bass (1986-Present)
- Dmitry Ozersky - keyboard, percussion, trumpet (1989-Present)
- Nikolay Rubanov - saxophones, bass-clarinet, jaleika (1986-Present)
- Boris Shaveinikov - drums, percussion (1988-Present)
- Mikhail Kolovsky - tuba, trombone (1995-Present)
- Vladimir Volkov - double bass, keyboards (2007-Present)
- Yuriy Parfenov - trumpet (2011-Present)
Former members
- Sergei Rogozhin - vocals (1983-1987)
- Igor Cheridnik - drums (1983-1989)
- Pavel Litvinov - percussion (1987-2005)
- Dmitry Matkovsky - guitar (1987-1995)
- Igor Skaldin - guitar (1986)
- Nikolai Fedorovich - saxophone (1983-1986)
- Eugene Dyatlov - vocals, violin (1989)
- Vladimir Veselkin - vocals, dance (1988-1992)
Discography
Studio Albums
| Title (Transliterated) | Title (Russian) | Title (English) | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vernis' v Sorrento | Вернись в Сорренто | Return to Sorrento | 1986 |
| D'Observer | Д'Обсервер | The Observer | 1986 |
| Kak ya stal predatelem | Как я стал предателем | How I Became a Traitor | 1989 |
| V Bagdade vse spokoyno | В Багдаде все спокойно | All Quiet in Baghdad | 1989 |
| Zhopa | Жопа | Asshole | 1990 |
| Bodun | Бодун | Hangover | 1991 |
| Ptitsa | Птица | Bird | 1993 |
| Auktsyon | Аукцыон | Auktyon | 1995 |
| Eto mama | Это мама | It's Mum | 2002 |
| Devushki poyut | Девушки поют | Girls Sing | 2007 |
| Yula | Юла | Top | 2011 |
| Na Solntse | На Солнце | In the Sun | 2016 |
References
- Beumers, Birgit (2005). Pop Culture Russia!. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 1-85109-459-8.
- Mitter, Siddhartha (24 March 2006). "By way of Russia, art-rock for art's sake." Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts. pg. D.1
- Vigil, Delfin (27 March 2008). "Auktyon. Eclectic band formed in the former Soviet Union and, 20 years later, strange, loud rock plays a key role in the group's musical stylings." San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco, California. pg. G.4
- Drozdowski, Ted (18 March 2008). "Auktyon - CD Reviews". The Phoenix. Archived from the original on 2012-10-14. Retrieved 2012-09-19.
- Horowitz, Steve (31 March 2008). "Auktyon: Girls Sing". PopMatters. Retrieved 2012-09-19.
- "Band History". www.auktyon.com. Retrieved 2017-05-15.
- "Muzyka". Auktyon (Official website [Russian]). Retrieved 2018-11-01.
External links
Text adapted from Wikipedia.