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Two short stories about Romislokus' moving from Kirov to Moscow by Evgeniy Gorelov. The events were happened in March 2001. Three members of Romislokus (Smolnikov, Gorelov, Voronov) left Kirov to distribute their first CD "Between two mirrors" at Moscow musical markets. The real names of acting persons are changed.
The First Arrival.
Day first. Saturday, March 24.
After we had arrived to Moscow Dmitriy Shelemetev met us at the station. He was on car and it was wonderful, because I do not imagine at all us carrying our heavy bags with the disks to other part of city. A huge thanks to him! The hero! The real comrade!
In his car Shelemetev played for us the most fashionable Moscow punk band "Leningrad", their lyrics contained a lot of swear-words. Nevertheless we didn't say anything and listened to all hits of "Leningrad". Then was "Dolphin". Shelemetev liked it very much.
So, listening various music, we, without special adventures, reached a flat of my Moscow's uncle. He was glad to see me, we left there our huge bags and returned to the car. Shelemetev invited us to his home.
At Dmitriy's apartments we celebrated our arrival with the Kirov's famous beer "Viatich". We presented our disk to Shelemetev. From his side he decided to show us his musical instruments.
His instruments were great, take a look, for example, at the Korg Triton - I was near to fall after I had seen it. Instruments for the whole band were in the one room!
Certainly, we had played some sounds. Cool!
After playing we decided to ring up Artemiev. He wanted to us to meet in 2 hours at other part of city. Shelemetev helped us once again - he brought up us to Krylatskoe.
The historical meeting with Artemiev, holder of the company "Electroshock", was held in his new "Scoda" at 3:30 P.M. During one half-hour Smolnikov and Gorelov had to tell a lot about the project "Romislokus".
Artemiev promised to listen to it at the night and, if he would like it, to include one of our compositions to the annual collection of "Electroshock".
In the meantime Voronov waited us in the nearest post office.
After meeting we departed to center of capital with the purpose to find something to eat. A place for this purpose we found near Accounting Chamber of Russian Federation. The mood of the participants of the project was "average", constantly it seemed, that we did not leave anywhere actually,.. still in Kirov,.. like always together in the Saturday evening after musical practice we discuss vital problems of the project.
Then we departed further. On a road there was a church, and we came in. Smolnikov delivered a candle for success of our project.
Walking without the special success down the Arbat-street and other central streets of Moscow, we appeared on the Red Square when it was absolutely darkened. There was a few people, I slightly have frozen and wanted just to reach flat as soon as possible. Suddenly I had heard a foreign speech very close, I looked back and had seen two men with cameras. Something told me that I should give these people our disk. I immediately did it. They began to talk with us. The foreigners came from Denmark. They were very much interested by free of charge musical disk. The participants of "Romislokus" had to "flash" their English. During amicable conversation the Danes have promised: " : - we e-mail you : ", to that we, certainly, were delighted.
Guys, where are you now?
Saying good bye to the foreign visitors of capital we departed to sleep.
Day second. Sunday, March 25.
The day began with a call to Artemiev. He said what he thinks about "Between Two Mirrors". There wasn't anything negative in his judgment. He delivered our creativity to creativity of Peter Gabriel.
Then we went to a legendary place of Moscow - Gorbushka.
At that time "Gorbushka" was a place with a small amount of cars, in which various CD were exhibited for sale. The buyers were very few .
After short circulations round the disks I began to speak with Nikolay Zhukov and other sellers - discussing interesting for us items. Therefore our 5 disks for the first time were given for sale. And not somewhere, it was the place internationally known - Gorbushka!
Further we departed to search for other trade channels for our production. We found it not far - the street Barklaya,15. The holder of basement shop CD Ilia decided to sell 10 our disks.
Smolnikov left us for Shelemetev. I together with Voronov went to the shopping center in a building of factory "RUBY".
We didn't find any distributors there but we met a stranger in black. Something inside again suggested me:
"He should receive our disk".
I approached to him and asked: "How do you concern about rock - music?".
He wasn't confused to my sudden intrusion, and answered with a smile:
"Positively".
"It is for you", - and I presented to the stranger... you know what.
In the meantime Smolnikov together with Shelemetev was in a club " Chinese pilot Dzhao Da ", communicating with a person having nickname "England", recent migrant from Kirov.
At 20:30 we had met each other again at the Red Square. There were dark and cold.
Day third. Monday, March 26.
After making a morning business calls, we went to VDNCH to meet a comrade of Voronov - Grigoriy. After listening his judgment upon the problems that were interesting for us, we had a waste time at the VDNCH - famous soviet exhibition of great achievements of USSR, before we found the way to leave this big area. We went to the film studio in the name of Gorkiy - famous soviet writer. Smolnikov called from the hall to meet a head of film studio. He was lucky. They agreed to meet him on 27 of March.
Then we went to recording studio "CNC" in the name of Frank Zappa. To travel across Moscow you need to have a lot of time. For the pass to the Gorkiy Park, where CNC is located, we had to pay for the tickets to local mafia - the guards of Gorkiy Park.
But in spite of all barriers we reached that studio.
The sound technician Igor met us there. Smolnikov and I were forced to learn much about this studio and principles of its work. During conversation Stas Namin appeared, the photos of him decorated walls of studio.
So, it is possible to record everything you want in studio "CNC", including world class product :), if only you've got enough money.
After dinner we appeared in club "U2", where we had a nice talk with Taras - remarkable person who manage A&R of the club. A place for performance was good th to best (under the common judgment) club of capital "Bunker". Contrary to willing of Smolnikov I gave our disk to the guard of club through the back door.
Day fourth. Tuesday, March 27.
In the last day we decided to be divided. I visited a lot of musical stores; I was only lucky to sell 3 disks at the shopping center in a building of factory "Ruby". The disk for the head of a department of russian music of famous shop "Purple Legion" was also kept.
I had met my friends at the railroad station.
The Second Arrival.
After my train had arrived to Moscow I went to visit musical store "Zigzag". Good luck waited for me there - we had sold our first disk. On a show-window it lies in one of the columns, it was impossible not to notice (running forwards I want to add - in other places of Moscow our disks nobody had purchased).
There I was delayed for the sake of our future admirers. One person, years about forty, had purchased the King Crimson disk. I immediately approached to him with a question:
"Excuse me, have you got an Internet?"
He answered: "Yes, of course".
"Then let me to present you our album with a condition, that you write a short review about it at our site", - I continued.
"Generally I make music too and it will be very interesting for me", - he completed with pleasure by accepting our album.
The young man of years of a thirty had acquired the Doors disk and I approached to him with the similar offer. He also was glad, telling:
"It is very unusual, when the musician himself personally gives you a disk".
"Have you got any friends for whom I can lend more disks?" - I have asked.
"Two disks - are too much, one will suffice us. Let's listen and necessarily we shall keep to you our recalls" - he has finished.
Further my plan was to visit Gorbushka and I went there. The cars of the sellers filled all space before House of Culture in the name of Gorbunov, but nobody opened their car-store with disks. "Strange" - I have thought. Soon in the crowd I remarked my friend from the first arrival Nikolay Zhukov.
At first he has not found out me, but after pronouncing by me a magic word "Romislokus" he became noticeably happier, clapped me on my shoulder. He asked: how are you, shorter: he was delighted.
I asked: "How do you find our music?"
He answered: "Cool, it is real art rock with harmonic use of electronics engineering, the best term would be "electronic art rock".
Nikolay compared us with King Crimson; he liked very much vocal of Yuri. He understood all words; the lyrics were very much liked by him.
"It is cool!" - he repeated. He found vocal of Yuri has something in common with Mamonov's.
I told him that we are going to the West. Nikolay answered after short delay: "Generally it is your way. Your music is meant for the West ".
Nikolay promised soon to send me in-depth review for the album "Between Two Mirrors". Also he told that he would give to listen our disk for some interested people. Soon he was going to make a page about Romislokus at his web-site (where people could order our disk). He asked to send him the lyrics of all songs.
I gave him some more disks and had departed further, because the bus with police approached for the next "round-up" against illegal music sellers.
On my way back I met next "knight" in an expensive suit with mobile. He had a magnificent hair down to the shoulders. I gave him our CD. He was surprised, but pleased.
Then it was time of calls. First, certainly, I called Shelemetev. We spoke about 40 minutes, very long.
He informed me:
He torn off all relations with his previous band and officially say goodbye;
He's going to find new place for musical practice in Moscow, where it will be possible to rehearse and to make recordings;
He advised not to hurry up with recording a single in Moscow - it will cost us a lot;
He told that it's better to record it in Kirov because the prices is much lower there (we knew that).
I declared that, probably, soon we should play in Moscow. He answered:
"I won't play with you without any practice. I should know your songs better".
He offered two variants of solving it: we come to Moscow to rehearse (where also he hoped to make a high-quality record of Romislokus' songs), or he visits us in Kirov, for example, on May-day holidays. I thought that it is necessary to weigh and to decide: what variant most is favorable.
Also Shelemetev recollected Kremlev (ex- bass player of Kirov's band "Muzory"). He returned from Peterburg where he "can't live anymore". Kremlev is going to live in Moscow. So here was one more offer to solve a "problem of bass".
Dmitriy had not overlooked to mention the usual themes: that he is not in the needed conditions to play; he forgot how to play; he is not half the man he used to be in Kirov, and generally: "Where to hurry up, wait, in one year I shall finish all my businesses and then we shall attend to music more:" and so on.
Further I rung up Igor from CNC studio. I asked:
"How do you find our album?"
He answered: "yes here it is, on my mixing console".
"How music?" - I did not lag behind.
"Individuality on a face", - he answered.
"Well and generally?" - I advanced a theme.
"Something complex for me generally" - concluded Igor.
Then he offered to meet next week for in-depth discussion of the plans of our work.
I spoke: "For the beginning we need to record a single".
"OK, whatever you like", - he answered etc.
Then I rung up Taras to agree upon our meeting.
Further I was already waited in the internet-company "ZVUKI.RU". There I was very well met by two charming girls and their director. And there historical event was accomplished: I, on behalf of all "Romislokus" signed the agreement with the company "ZVUKI.RU", according to which, the company receives for 1 year the right to use sound tracks from our album in cyber-space. What did it mean? It meant the following: if they will like our album, they will make a page about us at http://zvuki.ru, where 10 songs from an album "Between Two Mirrors" in MP3 format and real-audio will be placed.
Such a deal.
Not far from the office of "ZVUKI.RU" there was a club "Tochka". I went. There I left our disk for the local A&R-director, taking a number of his telephone. I did the same in club "Svalka".
Then I had a long talk with Taras. He told that he likes our music very much. "There are not such bands in Moscow", - he added.
He invited us to perform on the first or second week of June. We should discuss the date of event later - 7-13 May by a telephone talk.
He asked: "how many musicians will arrive from you?"
I told him - three: two guitars and one keyboardist.
Also I told that "if you can make to sound our cello, we would be glad". About drums and a bass I asked him about CD-player.
Taras answered: "there aren't any problems, we have a player".
The concert program must consist of four bands minimum. We should play 40 minutes. Taras promised to select for a concert bands, having something common with us.
Also he complained that he can't promise anything about money, all depends from an amount of the visitors who will come to listen.
He advised us to agree with other clubs upon the concerts.
Here is briefly all about Second Arrival.
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