About rock, about the West and East

Oley Elate & Alexander Liapin Muztorg
Oley Elate & Alexander Liapin Muztorg

About rock, about the West and East

Alexander Lyapin, virtuoso guitarist «Aquarium» and «DDT» active participant «Pop Mechanics» Sergei Kuryokhin, ten years spent in America. He came back and worked on the project «Rock Mechanics». On the sidelines of a meeting in the cozy shop of musical instruments he arrived at the new Harley-Davidson, sparkling crimson joy, and with a new friend Oley Elate.
— What is the «Rock Mechanics»?
Alexander Lyapin. The project was conceived back in America now is working on an album. The text part of the English lyric. I believe that the perpetrators must be native speakers. Amy Peters penned the lyrics and sang the part of the women’s parties. About love, about girls, about a young man, about the birds …
— In general, the eternal.
A.L.  And the album is almost an eternity, for five years already … I do not know who can be trusted to work on fine note installation. I myself still do not know how to do so professionally, how to play professionally, so was looking for a partner, a good man, the spiritual, and the fate brought me together with Oley Elate. On the day of my fiftieth I was playing a concert and did not accept gifts, and gave, as it happens. And I was amazed with what professionalism as clearly and quickly, Oley made me sound check. And I asked him to work on my album.

— As a musician-programmer?
Oley Elate. I graduated from the conservatory in vocal. A computer started, when they exchanged the apartment …
— «Rock mechanics» had something to do with the «Pop-mechanics»?
A.L. Yes, our project stems directly from the «Pop-Mechanics» Sergei Kuryokhin. He and I were friends, were creative partners. Then Sergei passed away, and I went to America, settled in Silicon Valley, and there all wanted to connect the unconnected — new computer technologies developing at a breakneck pace, and live performance. Thus was born the idea of ​​»Rock Mechanics». This is an expensive high-tech project.
— That is, the mechanics are not mechanics, but simply a mixture of many elements?

A.L. Mechanics — this laptop is powerful, sound recording equipment which has been taken to the stage, plus video, live improvisation. All this together is a living mechanism where real people work. The computer we have a partner, I do not think a dead piece of iron. He sometimes I something tells, gives a new voice, from which I grow new arrangement. I myself can not think of this. I have accumulated a certain system of stereotypes. School Mussorgsky, two music education, classical violin and jazz guitar — through this basis it is difficult something living emerge. Here Oley ideas are much fresher than mine.
— America in terms of new ideas you something because surely he gave?
A.L. First of all, a palette of knowledge, experience — spiritual and technical. It was my dream, a long time ago seemed like a pipe, and she suddenly realized. I have traveled all over America by car — from California to Washington.
— Why not on a motorcycle?

A.L. This will be my next trip. Motorcycles I was interested in the eighties. This is also a mechanic that you somewhere bears. But in general I enjoy riding. I even was such a profession.
— Wild mustangs rounds?
A.L. No, I’m not to the point of a professional. I have lived and worked on a farm, was the manager of the economy, in which seven horses. He was engaged with them, heal them, clean up after them. My favorite was a horse Tamikula I cured her legs. A very touching story. The owner came and said: «Sit down a minute on Tamikulu!» I sat down and went, and he laughs, «You know, before she admit to yourself only women, men dumped!» And I realized that she was grateful to me for I was busy for three months and cured with it.
— And how there was a luxury motorcycle?
A.L. Yes, with heaven fell recently. I dreamed and dreamed, and then went to rest in the Pskov other Sasha Bush, famous biker, the Internet met with him. I visited with him, and when he returned to St. Petersburg, went into the biker club, referring to the movement of rolling-anarchy, «rolling anarchy». So I roll out this monster. I had hoped for something more modest, and I say, «You’re an adult, solid!» I sat on the Harley Davidson and realized it was mine. Hands on the ground, feet on the ground. For two months we have with them inseparable.
— Participated in the anarchist runs?

A.L. Very sensible advice I rolling-anarchists «Just never enter into any biker hangouts!» Man — this individuality, it is in itself.
— And how are you with the American habit — to drive along the shore of the ocean at night a smooth highway?
— Just the nail on the head hit! After the concerts who both pulled, and I threw the guitar, he jumped on a motorcycle — and the bay! Nicely there is a good energy in the Gulf. You’re not in a confined space inside the vehicle, and connected with the outside world, a sense of unity with the city there. Some realization of free start.
— Motorcycle — it’s still a few selfish, he’s designed for one, maximum of two people …
A.L. Well, you can now assemble a motorcycle …
— And selfish roller skating, there’s solitude.
O.E. And I love the videos. In general, a healthy ego — that’s fine.
— There is an opinion that of all people the most creative musicians of selfish and greedy. It’s true?
A.L. I do not think.
O.E. Where you’ve seen the rich musicians?
A.L. My bike is worth big money, and I could not buy it, if not in the credits got long … Money — it means they are easier ways of making music. Save money — you think of apartments currently buy? No, I spend on computers, guitars.
— The specificity of the St. Petersburg rock, his forte was a protest.
A.L. It’s all fiction. There was the St. Petersburg rock! It came up with the St. Petersburg group about their subculture some. Rock — it’s everywhere rock, at least in China, where at least. And it perfectly fits the English phonetics, although I do not rule out the suitability of phonetic Japanese, Chinese, we sometimes include in their composition. Russian is also useful, but not when he shouts against Brezhnev or someone else. We want to live in peace and harmony. Here many say that Grebenshchikov text incomprehensible. But the fact is that sometimes the words do not carry anything in the sense they just musical, just help develop his musical theme.
— You are now again settled in Russia?

A.L. Well, for a while — yes. It so happened that we Oleg embraced the whole world. It often happens in the East, I was in the West. And we concur in Russia. Areas we are divided.
— About West, we talked about let’s East.
O.E. East lay on me a great reservoir, and still is. I lived in India, in China, he studied arts and medicine, and still learning. He traveled a lot and studied religious trends, in Thailand, studied music, massage, to jewelry design company did on the computer. In October, I will put a musical and theatrical equipment in Indian schools for children from poor families — this is such a charity event.
— A vocal completely abandoned?
O.E. Since the beginning of the eighties I work in live performances, but mainly as a sound engineer. On the 50th anniversary of Grebenshchikov I was asked to write a song, and suddenly I had to sing, and everyone liked it so much … Then Grebenshchikov sang at a concert. So when I was singing.
— Who are you from here?
O.E. From the woods. He wandered for unprecedented Belarusian forests, photographing bugs all, a beautiful lake, plants. I like to wander around where nobody goes. Last summer, in Belarus, I found a wonderful lake is likely to radon. In Europe, this makes a lot of money, build expensive hospital and then — deserted place. I explored the underwater suit bottom of the lake, found a lovely break — live groupers nepuganye there, they came to me and began to treat me. Thank God, these places still exist.

— You are traveling with a tent?
O.E. Differently. Sometimes even without a tent, so I spend the night in the trees.
— Maybe the fire carve?
O.E. No, the fire did not dig. I like to take some items of civilization — a small computer with a microphone, for example. I write down the sounds of nature, and then do one drives … I went into the jungle, and lived there for months.
— In the jungle, elephants mad you did not attack, the snake did not bite? From the animals had to fight back?
O.E. Never. They do not bother me. Sometimes that man-eating tiger went close. And the elephants — it’s the best SUVs in the jungle. They can sleep, and they are on the road to the house themselves dovezut.
— In general, the life of rock musicians in the West and in the East is full of adventure. Tell us about the most dangerous case when you were really scared …
O.E. Fear I have ever had. The biggest fear — it will ever wake up and realize that I can not love you people.
A.L. And I woke up one morning and suddenly saw that my finger does not bend, the mediator falls out of his hands. It was the worst that I have experienced in my life. Any would — on the edge of the abyss I found myself in the car, the horse was flying upside down. But there was panic. In the morning I lay thinking what I would do if I can not play guitar. Then it turned out that this is an occupational disease of guitarists: twisted nerve of the hand is no longer valid. This massage treatment, and I rushed to the fool of a hundred dollars to do the operation. As a result, seven years ago, I broke up with bad habits, smoking, alcohol and engaged in martial arts. With family here too separated, a lot of things changed. I started a new life …