The handsome guy from Rock Islands went into the beer business. Solo projects of Vladimir Zakharov That is, at the moment “Rock Islands” is...

Later, keyboardist Alexander Abrosimov joined the group. About 10 were recorded, which were distributed by Rossiya and A&S Records studios. In 1990, two videos were shot in Moscow for the songs “Only the Sun..” and “Don’t Look for Me.”

In 1993, Oleg Razin joined the group and took on the role of director and keyboard player.

In 1994, with the support of the Nizhny Novgorod trading company "NEGOCIANT", the album "Solar Wind" was recorded at the "NNSP" studio and in the same year the first CD with the same name was released.

In 1995, the group "ROCK-ISLANDS" was invited to cooperation by the well-known record company "SOYUZ", which in the same year released an MC and CD with the Album "OURS", containing arrangements of Russian Folk songs already known to the country ("Oh, frost-frost ", "Raven", "Stitches", "Cherry", etc.) Initially, this Album was not planned as a commercial project, just for fun; they recorded several songs for a friend’s wedding so that they could dance to them themselves. But this tape spread quite quickly, and people began to demand a continuation. This is how several more compositions were born.

In 1995 - 1996, at the Tone-studio "SOYUZ", with the direct participation of the studio director - Yaznur Garipov, the Album "Soar to the Sky.." was recorded, and the director Evgeny Serdyukovsky shot a video for the song from this Album "Don't Say Anything" ". However, the album "Soar to the Sky.." was released only on February 4, 1997.

In the spring of 1998, the Album “On the Other Side” was released, which was recorded and mixed at the author’s studio in November 1997. At the same time (by the same Evgeny Serdyukovsky) two music videos were shot on the island of Cyprus for songs from this Album: “Lilac” and “You Love Very Much”.

In 1999, the Group, having said goodbye to “Syuz”, and having entered into a contract with the company “ORT-Records”, transferred four songs to the “Soyuz” studio under the Agreement for placement on music. collections, but since the transferred CDR contained four more songs (being finalized), Soyuz, without hesitation, releases the project “New and Best”, which includes songs from already released Albums, four new songs , legally transferred by us under the Agreement, and four more that we did not have the right to use.

In 1999, "ORT-Records", having prepared a new Album for release, happily covered itself with a "copper basin", without ever finishing the job.

And finally, on March 25, 2000, I signed a contract for the release of the Album “Spring Rain” with the famous Moscow company “ARS-Records”.

And his successor fled to the church choir

And his successor fled to the church choir

In 1997, the Nizhny Novgorod group “Rock Islands” thundered throughout Russia by releasing the video “Don’t Say Anything.” After which the musicians were neither seen nor heard for a long time. And only recently “Rock Islands” released a new hit - “Let me love you”, which is now being played with might and main on Radio “Chanson”. Having met the permanent leader and lead singer of the group, Vladimir Zakharov, at one of the corporate events, we did not fail to ask him about his current life.

Vladimir, where is your handsome keyboard player - the hero-lover of the “Don’t Say Anything” video? I don’t see a guitarist in a cool rocker hat either. Where did the guys from the “golden lineup” of the group run away?

Keyboardist Oleg Razin is the one who made eyes at the saleswoman, and then kidnapped her - he left back in 2002. We are not in contact with him now. He's probably offended by me. Why be offended? Oleg has recently done little in the group, but he received more money than others. But when I offered him to work under the same conditions as all the boys, he refused. They say that now he is somehow connected with the brewery in Nizhny.

In Oleg's place, I took my very distant relative Igor Zakharov. But he didn’t last long either. Now he sings in the church choir.

Show business veteran was not allowed to work until retirement

- And that guitarist in the big rocker hat?

Sasha Kutyanov once announced that he was already old and tired of playing. Now he is the head of the computer bureau at PAZ. Our only permanent drummer is Anatoly Ivanovich Gorbunov.

- Why do you call him by his first and patronymic names?

He is older than all of us, he is 51 years old. Ivanovich lives in the Nizhny Novgorod region and comes to Moscow only if we have a concert. He won back and goes back. Until recently, he worked as a physical education teacher at a local school, but he was laid off. There’s no point in letting a person work until retirement, especially for a veteran of the domestic show business!

- That is, at the moment “Rock Islands” is...

I, Ivanovich, guitarist from Orel Philip Shiyanovsky and our director and keyboard player Egor Vorobyov. - Why is there such a turnover?

I'm something of a despot. And I demand discipline. It is important for me that no one is late, drinks or smokes in front of me. And if I once said that there is no need to put the cord under my feet, then perhaps you can remember this? I’ll be stumbling about him at the concert!

- You always sing live. And do you want to tear your throat?

But I don’t fall under the soundtrack! I don’t envy people who sing to “plywood” at all. It's hard work. What a shame if you open your mouth at the wrong time, or the recording suddenly turns off! No, it’s easier to sing live.

Oil workers denied a hangover to Chris Kelmi

Word for word, and Zakharov began to reminisce about the golden days.

Once in Arkhangelsk we performed together with the singer Karolina. But the organizers abandoned us and didn’t even feed us. The boys from the Carolina team ran for cranberries with cognac and chocolate. And they drank just a little bit. And he came on stage - drunk! The concert went like a dream. And then the newspapers wrote that Caroline got drunk, fell on stage and was late for the plane. And she only took one sip!

In general, in the North they won’t let you go alive until they give you something to drink. They are hardened, but what about us? In Nefteyugansk, Chris Kelmi and I were once heavily “pumped up.” The next morning we wake up with a hangover, and they don’t give us a drink! We went to download our license. “What’s the matter?” And the oil workers told us: “You almost ruined the concert yesterday, there won’t be any vodka for you.” But excuse me, it's your fault, guys! They got us drunk!

- In general, you didn’t go on stage without “warming up”?

Then they allowed themselves something. But for ten years now I’ve been trying not to drink at all before a concert, except maybe 50 grams of vodka to warm up my muscles.

For the first time my head started spinning in 1991, when we started recording albums and filming videos - “Only the Sun” and “Don’t Look for Me.” We were already regularly traveling to Moscow, and it seemed that we were one step away from success... But we were quickly shoved face-first into the mud. In 1993, Rock Islands didn’t have a single concert at all! And when in 1996 we released the video “Don’t Say Anything” and real success came to us, I didn’t care anymore. I remember standing in front of the mirror and meditating: “I am a star, I am a star,” but I didn’t feel any “stardom.”

He made his childhood friend a chanson star

- For many, “Rock Islands” is, first of all, “Don’t say anything.” Tell us how the video was filmed.

It was in Krylatskoye, in a new supermarket. The director brought his girlfriend and said: she will be the main character. We also rented a dachshund somewhere. By the way, we had real pistols and machine guns. And their master constantly stood over our souls, watching how we handled weapons. And when one of us tried to pull the trigger, he said: “First you need to cock it, otherwise you’ll ruin the firing pin.”

But the funniest thing was when, according to the script, Oleg Razin had to make eyes at a girl saleswoman. At that moment she was not on the set, and Oleg simply had to make faces in front of the camera.

There was such a chanson project “Kotui History”. And we couldn’t find a performer for the main role – the street child Anya Vorobei. We looked at two hundred singers and everything was not right! And then my wife advised me: bring Marinka Vorobyova. This is our mutual friend from school years, we studied together in “cultural education”, and then she taught at a music school. And what do you think? She was immediately approved. Because she didn’t pretend to be Uspenskaya or Katya Ogonyok, like everyone else. Now Marina Vorobyova is widely known as the performer of the chanson Anya Vorobey.

"Octavian Augustus"

• Vladimir Zakharov (bass);
• Oleg Gorbunov (guitar, vocals);
• Yuri Khapilov (drums);
• Arkady Kozhevnikov (keyboards).

At that time, Oleg Gorbunov was the soloist in the group, but since he sang weakly, they found a replacement for him in the person of Alexander Kutyanov. Later Vladimir Zakharov became the vocalist.

VIA "Sirin"

“Islands” sounds romantic and mysterious. At that stagnant time, the guys and I, spending our lives in the city of Vorsma, were cut off from the entire musical movement that was taking place in the country, as if on an island. There were three of us - that means “Islands”. - Vladimir Zakharov

• Vladimir Zakharov (keyboards, vocals);
• Alexander Kutyanov (guitar);
• Anatoly Gorbunov (drums).

Story

After the festival (1986-1990)

After the collapse of VIA "Sirin" the group " Rock Island a" began to play instead of him at dances at the Red October club and at weddings. We continued to record and experiment in different styles. As a consequence of the emerging fashion for “hard” music, the metal album “The Bell in My Heart” was recorded. There was no bass guitar - Vladimir Zakharov played the bass on keyboards. At the dances, the corresponding songs were performed, which the participants often learned right before the performance. A live dance album was also recorded, which has not survived to this day.

In 1989-1990 " Rock Islands“managed to record several albums in different styles: “Shards of Blue Days” (disco), “Only the Sun” (disco), “Stolen Russia” (rock), “Diskotron” (dance), “Imbalance” (dance). In 1990, by spring, the albums were recorded: “I am your pain” - by Zakharov and Kutyanov, and “Time of Ghosts” - by all members of the group. The first track of the album, “Ghost Time” (“Intro”), is a short composition containing a humorous dialogue: “What is this, Barrymore? - "Rock Islands", sir! - What is this, Barrymore? - Pop, sir!

In the fall of 1990, an order for a full-length album was received. The album “Ours” was recorded in the city of Gorky. While recording at the studio, Zakharov met Oleg Razin, who was then singing and playing in the Gorky group “Weekend”. In winter, Vladimir Zakharov independently records the album “Contemplator”, and in a duet with Kutyanov - “Alien Poems”, the songs in which were performed based on poems from the magazine “Smena”.

Rise in popularity (1991-1994)

In the early spring of 1993, Vladimir Zakharov received a call from Oleg Razin, who was left idle due to the collapse of the Weekend group. Initially, Razin was going to pursue a solo career and was looking for a songwriter for himself. However, after some time, Razin finds for " Rock Islands» new sponsor, and becomes the director of the group. The sponsor suddenly disappears, but Razin finds new ones. With their help, the album “Solar Wind” was recorded and released in Nizhny Novgorod in 1994, essentially a collection of old songs in a new arrangement. Among other things, this album is notable for the fact that it is the first album of the group to have a cover. Nothing is known about the covers of previous albums; they were all magnetic albums, that is, they were released only on compact cassettes. One song from this album (“My Movement”) was recorded with Razin as the main vocal. The album turned out to be quite successful, because many listeners still remembered the “promoted” songs “Cloudy Morning” and “Only the Sun.” The album was released only on CD. On Nizhny Novgorod television they are starting to show the video for the song “Only the Sun” again. The popularity of the group in the Nizhny Novgorod region is growing rapidly. The group receives a cooperation offer from the recording company Soyuz-Records.

Great success (1995-2000)

The economic crisis of 1998 affected the group's activities. Soyuz began to experience financial difficulties, as a result of which the musicians were unable to reach an agreement with the company on the release and promotion of the new album. Since according to the contract " Rock Islands" were supposed to release another album on Soyuz, an agreement was reached under which the group provided the company with several songs for inclusion in the collections. “Soyuz”, instead, released the album “New and Best” without the knowledge of the group itself. No royalties for this album " Rock Islands" have not received. In 1999, Vladimir Zakharov prepared for release an album of remixes - Remixes. However, it was never released on disk at that time, and was released only in 2005 in the MP3 series “Maximum Pleasure”.

In 2000, the ARS-Records company released the album “Spring Rain”. The album was planned for release in the spring (as per the title), but was released only in July. Touring activities are in decline. In the fall, Vladimir Zakharov and his family move to Moscow. The remaining participants remain in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The group rarely gets together; each member is busy with his own business. Alexander Kutyanov works at the Pavlovsk bus plant, Anatoly Gorbunov is a physical education teacher at school No. 1 in the city of Vorsma.

The period of solo creativity of Vladimir Zakharov (2001-2005)

On June 21, 2002, the official website of the group “ Rock Islands" The operation of the site is important to the group. In addition to the fact that the site provides information about upcoming tours and all the group’s albums (mp3 and lyrics) are posted for free download, with the exception of commercially relevant ones (the three latest studio albums), it is also notable for the fact that on its forum with fans of its Vladimir Zakharov himself often communicates with creativity. Amateur poets also publish their poems on the forum. Some of these amateur poets became co-authors of songs released on the albums “Let Me Love You” and “Ice and Fire.” Songs not included in the albums are posted on the official website in a special section. The section is replenished both by Vladimir Zakharov (mostly new songs) and by fans of the group “with experience” (amateur recordings made at concerts).

In 2002, due to disagreements with Vladimir Zakharov, Oleg Razin left the group, and from that time on, active rotation of the lineup began. In 2003, Vladimir Zakharov invited his distant relative Igor Zakharov to the group as a keyboard player. This year the collection “The Best... 1987-2003” and a collection of songs from the audio series “Kotui History” and “Unforgiven” were released, and in 2004 the album “Joy of Times” (the second and last album of the group for the entire 2000s) was released ). In 2005, the Grand Collection collection was published. Also in 2004-2005, several MP3 collections were released. In 2005, the third “chanson” solo album of Vladimir Zakharov was released, the author of some of the songs on which, as on the two previous solo albums, was Vyacheslav Klimenkov.

Lineup rotation, “New Sound” series (2006-2009)

Present (since 2010)

In 2013, a new official video clip of the group was filmed and released, the first in 13 years. The video was filmed for the song “I am your secret” from the album “Spring Rain” - from the same album as the last official video before it - “Don’t look for my hints in the words”, released in 2000. Following this video, two more were shot - for the songs “Only the Sun” and “Bonfires”. In all videos, the songs are presented in a new arrangement. The clips are available on the band's official YouTube channel and are not intended for commercial rotation. In mid-August, the group’s new studio album, “Eternal System,” was released, the official presentation of which took place on October 22 in Nizhny Novgorod. The album includes songs written by Vladimir Zakharov back in the 1990s.

As of 2015, the group is actively touring. In addition to solo concerts, the group performs at public, private and charity events in Russia and neighboring countries. From time to time the group appears in retro television concerts and on radio, in particular on Radio Chanson.

In 2014, the next studio album “Grace” was released, which is a double album. Work is also underway on a collection of the best hits performed acoustically.

Members of the group

Current lineup

• Vladimir Zakharov - vocals; songwriter and arranger (since 1986)
• Timofey Pisarev - guitar (2006-2008; since 2012)
• Egor Vorobyov - keyboards; group director (since 2006)
• Anatoly Gorbunov - drums (1986-2010); percussion, keys (since 2010)
• Dmitry Krylov - drums (since 2010)

Former members

• Alexander Kutyanov - guitar (1986-2006)
• Alexander Abrosimov - keyboards (since 1988)
• Oleg Razin - keyboards; group director (1993-2002)
• Igor Zakharov - keyboards (2003-2006)
• Philip Shiyanovsky - guitar (2009-2012)

Discography

Magnetic albums

Albums

Collections

Series “New Sound”

Miscellaneous

Video clips

N.v.

Encyclopedic YouTube

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  The school group "August" was formed by classmates:

  • Vladimir Zakharov (bass);
  • Oleg Gorbunov (guitar, vocals);
  • Yuri Khapilov (drums);
  • Arkady Kozhevnikov (keyboards).

  To avoid analogies with the famous group "August", the name was changed to "Octavian Augustus". After Arkady Kozhevnikov left the group, Vladimir Zakharov began to master the keyboard, with his older sister helping him.

  In the fall of 1990, an order for a full-length album was received. The album “Ours” was recorded in the city of Gorky. While recording at the studio, Zakharov met Oleg Razin, who was then singing and playing in the Gorky group “Weekend”. In winter, Vladimir Zakharov independently records the album “The Contemplator”, and in a duet with Kutyanov - “Other People’s Poems”, the songs in which were performed based on poems from the magazine “ Change ».

  Rise in popularity (1991-1994)

  In 1991, “Rock Islands” released the album “I Will Always Be With You,” one song for which was recorded together with the group “Glass Wings” - a production project of Vladimir Zakharov. In the same year, the songs “Cloudy Morning” and “Only the Sun” were re-recorded in Moscow. Video clips were shot for the songs “Don’t look for me” and “Only the sun”. By the end of the year, the group left the Red October club and was left without a base for rehearsals. For the album “Return”, Vladimir Zakharov chose songs performed at dances in 1987-1988. In 1992, the album “Grief is not a problem” (popularly nicknamed “My Dream” for unknown reasons) was recorded, which was not liked by the then sponsors groups. Left without a sponsor, Vladimir Zakharov stops recording new songs for some time, devoting most of his time to his newborn daughter.

  In the early spring of 1993, Vladimir Zakharov received a call from Oleg Razin, who was left idle due to the collapse of the Weekend group. Initially, Razin was going to pursue a solo career and was looking for a songwriter for himself. However, after some time, Razin finds a new sponsor for Rock Islands and becomes the director of the group. The sponsor suddenly disappears, but Razin finds new ones. With their help, the album “Solar Wind” was recorded and released in Nizhny Novgorod in 1994, essentially collection old songs in new arrangements. Among other things, this album is notable for the fact that it is the first album of the group to have a cover. Nothing is known about the covers of previous albums; they were all magnetic albums, i.e. they went out only to compact cassettes. One song from this album (“My Movement”) was recorded with Razin as the main vocal. The album turned out to be quite successful, because many listeners still remembered the “promoted” songs “Cloudy Morning” and “Only the Sun.” The album was released only on CD. On Nizhny Novgorod television they are starting to show the video for the song “Only the Sun” again. The popularity of the group in the Nizhny Novgorod region is growing rapidly. The group receives a cooperation offer from the recording company Soyuz-Records.

  Great success (1995-2000)

  In 1995, Soyuz released a version of the album “Solar Wind” on compact cassette and the album “Ours”, recorded in the city Knyaginino. Also, this year the AiS company re-released three magnetic albums on CDs: “Woe is not a problem,” “Nashi-2” and “I will always be with you.” In December of the same year, in Moscow, at the Soyuz tone studio, Vladimir Zakharov meets Yaznur Garipov - director and sound producer studio, with whom I became friends. In the spring of 1997, the album “Soar to the Sky” was released. The song "Don't Say Anything", on which it was filmed clip, to this day remains the “calling card” of the group. Begin tour. At the end of October 1997, “Soyuz” allocated money for the filming of two videos at once (these were clips for the songs “Lilac” and “Love Very Much”). In the spring of 1998, the album “On the Other Side” was released.

  The period of solo creativity of Vladimir Zakharov (2001-2005)

  In 2001, Vladimir Zakharov, at the invitation of Yaznur Garipov, resumed cooperation with the Soyuz-Production company. Under the leadership of the general producer of the studio, Vyacheslav Klimenkov, work begins on the audio series “Kotui History”. The project is a recording of life history in the form of songs in the genre chanson. In this project, Vladimir served as an arranger and performer of male vocal parts. The music and lyrics belonged to Klimenkov, the female vocal parts belonged to Anya Vorobey, at that time an aspiring singer whom Zakharov introduced to Klimenkov. By 2003, five albums had been recorded and released. Despite the fact that only Vladimir Zakharov from the Rock Islands group took part in the project, the name of the group is indicated on the covers of all parts of the audio series along with the name of Anya Vorobei. In the same 2003, five albums of the audio series “Unforgiven” were recorded and released - prequel"Kotui history". In 2001 and 2002, Vladimir Zakharov, while working on “The Kotui Story,” simultaneously released two of his own solo albums, also in the chanson genre.

  June 21, 2002 begins work official site group "Rock Islands". The operation of the site is important to the group. In addition to the fact that the site provides information about upcoming tours and all the group’s albums (mp3 and lyrics) are posted for free download, with the exception of commercially relevant ones (the three latest studio albums), it is also notable for the fact that on its forum with fans of its Vladimir Zakharov himself often communicates with creativity. Amateur poets also publish their poems on the forum. Some of these amateur poets became co-authors of songs released on the albums “Let Me Love You” and “Ice and Fire.” Songs not included in the albums are posted on the official website in a special section. The section is replenished both by Vladimir Zakharov (mostly new songs) and by fans of the group “with experience” ( amateur recordings, made at concerts).

  In 2002, due to disagreements with Vladimir Zakharov, Oleg Razin left the group, and from that time on, active rotation of the lineup began. In 2003, Vladimir Zakharov invited his distant relative Igor Zakharov to the group as keyboard player. This year the collection “The Best... 1987-2003” and a collection of songs from the audio series “Kotui History” and “Unforgiven” were released, and in 2004 the album “Joy of Times” (the second and last album of the group for all 2000s). A collection was published in 2005 Grand Collection. Also in 2004-2005, several MP3 collections were released. In 2005, the third “chanson” solo album of Vladimir Zakharov was released, the author of some of the songs on which, as on the two previous solo albums, was Vyacheslav Klimenkov.

  Lineup rotation, “New Sound” series (2006-2009)

  In 2006, Alexander Kutyanov left the group, citing his decision as “fatigue.” In the same year, Igor Zakharov also left the group. In place guitarist musician Timofey Pisarev comes from Vorsma (left in 2008, returned again in 2012). In 2009, a guitarist from Orla Philip Shiyanovsky (left the group in 2012 due to solo musical activities). In 2008, another collection was published - The Best. Also in 2008, Vladimir Zakharov begins to prepare for the 25-year-old anniversary groups. Albums from the “New Sound” series containing songs from old ones appear on the official website, available for free download. magnetic albums groups performed in the new arrangement. Thus, six albums were released (one of them in two versions). Subsequently, based on this material, an anniversary digibook album of the same name was prepared and released. Only four magnetic albums were not reissued on the anniversary digibook - “The Bell in My Heart”, “Only the Sun”, “Nashi-1” and “Nashi-2”.