How the story of Sergey Kuryokhin, the legendary avant-garde artist of our country, began and how it ended
Sergey Kuryokhin - vibrant national The Avant-gardeKuryokhin was a talented musician and an extraordinary personality. He left a bright trace in the history of our music and became a legend for many - alas, in 1996 Kuryokhin died of heart sarcoma. But even today people remember this amazing man, because his colorful performances on stage in the 80's - 90's is difficult to erase from the memory.
One cannot say that Kuryokhin's work was for everyone. However, it did enjoy a popularity that was staggering and bordering on with scandalousness. And even the West was interested in his genius! He also remains a domestic mystification legendwho, in the early '90s, came on television and declared to the entire country that Lenin was actually a mushroom!
First beginnings, or solid professional experience
Sergei started playing the piano at the age of 4. He was born in Murmansk, but he managed to reveal his musical talent after moving to Leningrad. Here he worked a lot, in particular - he performed with the jazz ensemble of Anatoly Vapirov. But his collaborations with other - now iconic St. Petersburg musicians - are especially noteworthy.
Kuryokhin contributed much to the early albums "The Aquarium.: it is generally believed that he became almost a key figure in the famous "Taboo."! This album was recorded under great strain, which was largely provoked by Sergey's presence and his particular views on sound. The story goes that Grebenshchikov got so morally tired that he simply retired to the balcony. There, by the way, he wrote his famous composition "Rock and roll is dead." - However, that's another story.
In addition, Kuryokhin has played with such bands as "Alice" and "Kino."and also with Yegor Letov and other underground icons of his era.
The Birth of Pop Mechanics
Officially History "Pop Mechanics." began in 1984, but in fact - daring experiments with styles and genres began in Kuryokhin's life at the end of the 70s. The project, which is essentially a concert line-upThe jazz was the result of Sergei's oversaturation with jazz and the realization that it was insanely boring to play in one genre.
In the '80s Pop Mechanics made some noise, that's what they say! The band was unlike anything the public had seen before: the most diverse musicians - from rockers to jazz musicians, and the show itself was accompanied by cosmically high theatricality! There could be circus performers, fashion shows, and even a cow! No creative boundaries at all.
For Kuryokhin, "Pop Mechanics" became an outlet - At last he could create without being confined, experimenting and popularizing his madness, or rather vision of art.
"Art has to be fresh, otherwise what good is it?"
The band, like its founder, was very interesting to Western critics. It is worth noting that Sergey not only performed abroad, but also recorded an album "Popular Science.". He was also the first owner of the Sequential Circuits Prophet 2000 synthesizer in our country.
Master of hoaxes
Even in his lifetime Kuryokhin was nicknamed a master of hoaxes! Everything after the musician's remarkable appearance on the program "The Fifth Wheel" in 1991: then, to a huge audience, Sergey said the craziest thing people ever expected to hear - "Lenin was actually a mushroom"! We will not explain the whole logical chain by which Kuryokhin eventually came to this conclusion. But we will add that this is not the only such statement of the avant-garde artist.
Politics and the occult
Kuryokhin was also a great admirer of occult doctrines Aleister CrowleyThat to a certain extent makes him similar to the icons of British heavy rock (such as Black Sabbath or Led Zeppelin). But this is not the most amazing thing in Sergey's biography!
At the end of his days, the avant-garde artist abruptly and suddenly became an advocate of NBP (National Bolshevik Party). This unexpected interest made many comrades turn away from the musician... But he did not seem to care. In general, Kuryokhin was different complicated nature and a stream of crazy ideas. He was bright and yet quiet, provocative, but an intellectual... A person in his own right, and definitely deserving of respect for his contributions.
