Why decades later we still listen to these songs - the success story and phenomenon of the band Centre

"Centre" by Vasily Shumov - one of those extraordinary rock bands whose songs are still worth listening to today. And they are already decades old! Although every listener has a different view on the creativity of this Moscow band: dilettantes who came out of the underground or representatives of a particularly bright and peculiar of art?

Over the years, the band has "jumped" from new wave to indie rock, from genre to genre, simply put. It was both a trio and practically a one-man project. "The Centre was clearly not a "proper" rock band, but it was successfully released "Melody." and even recorded soundtracks to Soviet films! So what kind of phenomenon is this?

What the '80s period brought, or how the dazzling decade played out

The period of the '80s could be called dazzling for the Centre, which was originally called "777" (apparently a reference to the famous "intoxicating" three axes). The founder, leader and the only permanent member is Vasily Shumovso his name and the name of the band have long been synonymous.

But let's go back to the 80s: throughout the whole decade the band moved forward like a locomotive! Acquaintances with prominent people in rock circles (with Alexander Lipnitsky and Artemy Troitsky, who became the main propagandist of Centre's creativity), concerts (in the USSR, Europe and even the USA) and participation in festivals, work on music for films and cartoons, television....

And, of course, the recording own albums! And "The Centre" released at least a dozen of them during this period! To remember each of them is too long and, partly, pointless, so a little about two of the most revered....

The audience was particularly well received "Favourite Songs" 1985. By the way: around this time the sound quality noticeably improves (the early works, in the humble opinion of many fans, can be listened to with pain in the ears due to the lack of quality equipment). In this album, the members of the Centre turned to more complex music, which was reflected in the covers to the Soviet pop of the 60's and 70's. There's "The Last Electric Train" and "Black Cat" - and it's all in rock'n'roll / hard rock style!

Another notable work came out at the sunset of the decade, and was titled "Made in Paris.". It was indeed recorded in the "city of love", with Parisian session musicians. But in essence - the fans of the Centre did not make any discovery for themselves with this album, because the record is a fresh look at the previously released compositions. But it sounds, of course, high-quality and fresh.

"Hello, L.A.!"

Alas, as the '90s progressed, the band began to change line-ups, and eventually "The Centre" pretty much became the by Vasily Shumov's project. The leader went to Los Angeles and continued to create, but many fans to this day can not understand this creativity. Sound, style - a lot of things have changed, and became somehow "alien". Nevertheless, there are those who, on the contrary, are imbued with these records.

You could say that part of the "Centre" was an American guitarist "Fast" by Freddy Rapillo.with whom Shumov created far from his homeland and even performed concerts in Russia! During this period, Shumov began to actively release his own solo works, one of which shows an association with the homegrown queen of rock 'n' roll Zhanna Aguzarova! And it's Nineteen Ninety's.

Phenomenon

The creativity of "Centre" is not for everyone, because it is not just music - it is true art in a melodic shell! There are good rhythms, attractive lyrics, infectious delivery and a special irony Shumov. All this is too extraordinary for a wide range of people, but Vasily Gerardovich himself has repeatedly stated:

"The Centre has never been aimed at the general public, at commercialism. And the fans are very different from that - it's the individuals who don't listen to everything that's popular".

The band is really decent in its own way. Like the leader himself. Someone will say: "another amateurs of the turn of the 80s - 90s". But it seems to us that amateurs just don't stay afloat for so long. And here - after tens of years - from time to time there appears a desire to take and re-listen to "Hello to You" or "Eh, Andriusha". And that's about something, yes says…