Boris Grebenshchikov is a whole era in the world of Soviet and Russian music, a monolith at the base of two of its directions at once - pop and rock. His pseudonym "BG" and the group "Aquarium" are known not only in the Russian Federation and the former Soviet Union, but also far beyond their borders.
Boris Borisovich Grebenshchikov is one of the few Russian vocalists and musicians who can boast of phenomenal popularity, and not only among fans of a particular genre. He is equally loved by those who listen to "pop", and those who are closer to "rock".
Biography of Boris Borisovich Grebenshchikov
The future phenomenon of Soviet and Russian music was born in an intelligent Leningrad family in the fall of 1953. Boris’s mom was a lawyer in the city model house, dad was an engineer, and then director of the plant at the Baltic Shipping Company.
Parents insisted on getting a mathematical education - they sent the boy to a specialized school, after her graduation they insisted on entering a university in applied mathematics. But the children's passion for music overpowered, Boris began work on creating his own rock band in parallel with his studies at the university.
In this endeavor, Boris was supported by Anatoly Gunitsky, a childhood friend. The first legendary rock group in the USSR, Aquarium, was born in the assembly hall of the university with their light hand and permission of the leadership.
Career and work of Boris Grebenshchikov
The group released its first album, The Aquarium Temptation, by samizdat, that is, almost illegally, but it came to the attention of music critics. Fortunately, the critics had nothing to do with the Communist Party, which considered rock to be something akin to the Orthodox faith. The album was rated quite highly, the group replenished with new faces and voices, and it was decided to storm new heights - the musicians went to the Tallinn Pop Music Festival in 1976 without an invitation. Insolence was successful - the group received the prize "For the most interesting performance."
But the festival in Tbilisi in 1980 ended for Scandal for Grebenshchikov - the group was accused of all mortal sins, which the USSR even did not accept to talk about. The take-off almost ended in a fall, but BG came out of this situation with dignity. The leader of "Aquarium" lost his official job at one of the research institutes, but didn’t part with the music - he performed at the "apartments", in a narrow circle of rock lovers, which ultimately led him to worldwide fame and millions of fans.
