Real riotous few. The death of the leader of “Civil defense” Egor Letov summed up a kind of line in the latest Russian rock history. This world has left the last of the real rebels and it is unlikely that there will be new ones.
In the early 90s and already in our century, there were probably two different Letovs: the first sat on sham barricades together with other political rebels, and the second played an ordinary, albeit very high-quality rock concert. In the first case, the concert itself did not take place - instead, there was a riot police raid with all the special effects (tear gas, shouting at megaphones, mass beating of punks and those who happened to be with them). In the era of our barracks capitalism, Egor and his brethren looked much more tolerant: the sound is very decent, the artists are very sober, the public had money for tickets and beer, and there was not the slightest desire to chop with the system.
Another act of reconciliation was the Civil Defense album Why Dreams. Egor Letov himself did not hide the fact that the record was inspired by unhealthy “trips”, but this does not change the obvious fact: “Why Dreams” is the most musical and surprisingly spiritual album of the group, always promoting rebellion and destruction. However, against the background of the new policy of other rock authorities, Letov’s activities were still a fierce underground.
Let’s leave alone those who have become popular in the last five to seven years. These guys from the very beginning of their career have to work as managers. Or more correctly, the clerks. Ether, tour and many, many corporate events. This is the only way to make money on some Russian version of glamorous rock and roll life.
Old people do not seem to be interested in glamour, however, the search for profit makes them do very ridiculous body movements. For example, Boris Grebenshchikov. Shameful flirting with power deprived him of a pedestal that elevates the great rock guru over mere mortals. He has become like everyone else, and he also talks pro-Kremlin nonsense on TV. The lyrics of Grebenshchikov’s songs are like a liner from “American”, and the liner is very clumsy. We have a different country, and all these "imitations" are like the curvature of a poor Hindu who stole a hat from a sahib and walks around in it in front of his fellow tribesmen. But the whole thing is that the poor native cannot (due to general illiteracy) understand that his people have their own great! That is why he is a savage who wrote himself there! Yes, your BG is Papua, you can throw a banana at me, gentlemen of the fans, "aquarium".
Makarevich has maintained an impressive enthusiasm and selflessly works on many musical projects. But even his most successful lines are devalued if you remember his work in telecooling. And forgetting this TV cooking is simply impossible. As the drunken man shouted at the concert: "Andrey, prepare pilaf." Kinchev managed not to stoop down to the “customers”, but his religious sermons are not even comical. They're very sad. What remains is Shevchuk, who rises above our wild music economy. Although the raids on Kirkorov and his like look like the fingering of a big drunken uncle in front of children in a sandbox.
Since Letov stopped making political statements, he has not ceased to be a revolutionary. In our time, it seems to require little, but at the same time, not everyone will decide on this. You have to be someone who doesn’t betray what you believe. Terrible banalism, but it seems true. Why does belief in one’s own ideals regularly kill talent? Or is it the way in which these ideals are tried? Yanka Diaghileva, Alexander Bashlachev, Mike Naumenko, Viktor Tsoi, Egor Letov... Do people who strive for ideals have a chance to live a long happy life? Probably a less ordinary one.