Features

The Yuri Report #1
by Yuri Burnosov & J Mundok

Yuri Burnosov is a Russian musician and journalist I met on the internet. I have had the pleasure of regularly corresponding with Yuri via e-mail and learned many interesting things about the Russian underground. I will be publishing "The Yuri Report" on a regular basis in The Kettle Black. For now I give you...Yuri.

KB: First off, tell me about yourself, how old you are and where do you work?

Yuri: I'm 28 years old. Now I work the press-secretary of the chapter of administration of the area (there is as the governor of state in USA ). Idon't joke, it's so! In Russia is possible to see stranger things today. But my constant trade is a journalist. I write the articles for the local editions about a politic affairs and culture. I also write about music for some zines in different countries. I do music since 1986, when in Russia has occurred punk rock. Now I play absolutly other music, but it was glory years!

KB: What city do you live in and where is that located?

Yuri: I live in Bryansk. If you [have a chance], take a map and search this large industrial city on Russia's West, near a border with Byelorussia and Ukraine. It is possible to say, it is Russian province. In soviet years we had here many factories, which worked on army. Now these factories are cost. But the life proceeds, and it is necessary to think that to do further...

KB: What is your favorite kind of music?

Yuri: Hmm... It's a different music... Punk rock (but not bands of the GreenDay type)! In a greater degree this old punk rock like Exploited or Subway Sect. Also I like Oi!. I am no a fashist (no-no!), but I think, Skrewdriver was a great group. It's aggressive, rigid and very emotional music with bright texts. More modern: I think, it dark type of trip-hop, hardcore (some), industrial, noise and different experimental alternative projects. I don't like heavy metal and hard rock, especially German. This is a dead music. I think,art rock there is a dead music too. But I listen the King Crimson now too,because to me appeals Robert Fripp as guitar player and melody maker.

KB: What are your favorite bands?

Yuri: Throbbing Gristle, Big Black, Cows, Sonic Youth, Swans, Deus, Across The Border. Some songs from Radiohead, Blur. Tricky's last album. And Marilyn Manson!!! And Korn!!! I hate Oasis.

KB: What is your band The 101 Dalmations like?

Yuri: The 101 Dalmations formed in Summer, 1997, after my band D.B.ICE (Dead Barby Ice) was broken in two: 7Teen and The 101 Dalmations. Now I don't have a constant stuff, but we play on different shows and working for our CD. Ithink, this CD can release in autumn. D.B.ICE was a hardcore band and play in 1991-97. We havefour albums and many video. Except my band, I work with as session guitarist with some local bands: Toxic Slime, B.R.O.M.N., The Dumbs.

KB: Do you guys play live often?

Yuri: No, I don't have a free time.

KB: Are there a lot of clubs to play at where you live? In other cities?

Yuri: We played in Moscow, Oryol, Smolensk, Karachev. But my favourite gigs is from a noncommercial cycle "Grand Freak Show ".I am one of organizers of this cycle. It started in 1996 in Bryansk. We had already 7 gigs. In the autumn we shall have eighth... At first it wasa small measure for local bands and several visitors from near cities. But already third gig was great! We have invited the visitors from Moscow -superpopular Russian HC-stars Epilepsy Bout, I.F.K. And The Console. Now wework with foreign bands. In the autumn to us come bands from Slovenija, Sweden and Germany. In Russia is not popular large tours and distant trips. Bad roads, absence of money, crime... Therefore we are compelled to refuse it basically.

KB: What type of music dominates the independent music scene in Russia?

Yuri: Different in different cities. As well as before, in Moscow, St.Petersburg and provinces is popular "russian rock ". It is a freaky hybrid of Russian songs and influences western rock. Punk rock and hardcore is popular basically in Moscow and Sibirian cities. Best Russian punk band Grazhdanskaya Oborona is very strange. Their leader Egor Letov was in psychiatric hospital, when communists were at authority. He sing songs against Soviet Power. Now he is one of main Russianbolsheviks! He speaks: " Yeltsin is bloody motherfucker! Stalin, Lenin -cool!" He always against any authority. But his music and especially the texts are very original. It is " Russian national punk". In Moscow there are much bands who plays techno, ambient, jungle and different strange music. I think, best of them - MD C. Pavlov, Knife For Frau Muller, F.R.U.I.T.S., Species Of Fishes, Deadooshki. Deadooshki now make cover for Depeche Mode tribute. It is a lot of very interesting bands of Ocular Records label. There are many heavy metal and other heavy bands: doom, grind, death, trash... Thousands, many thousands!!! But it's not interesting for me. Interesting thing: a lot of bands singing in English. But frequently it is not idle simple English. It is special freaky text ( "ryba" on Russian slang ). It to use many bands, who not think about the texts. The vote works as a tool. I make so in some songs too.

KB: Is there a scene for DiY experimental music?

Yuri: Yes! But it only started. I think, Russia need in good contact with different D.I.Y. labels and companies from USA and Europe. And all can be good!

Big time thanks to Yuri for taking the time and effort to teach us about Russia.