A group is known all over the country, and even abroad"Earthlings." The composition of the group has changed many times. In this article we will try to trace it, and also tell about the main events of the history of the collective. First, we'll briefly talk about "Earthlings", and then we will dwell in greater detail on the important points associated with them.
The history of this collective begins in 1969.Then still, the truth, its name was another - "April". The musicians acquired their current name in the late 1970s. At first, their repertoire contained only English-language songs. The musicians were widely recognized after they started performing songs in their native language. They wrote the song "Red horse" Mark Fradkin in 1979.
The popularity of the group increased even more whenIn 1982 they performed the song "Forgive the Earth" by L. Derbenev and V. Dobrynin, as well as the cycle "Stuntmen". But the visiting card of the collective is "Grass near the house" performed by S. Skachkov. Until now, it is an honorable hit of Russian feasts. This song became a hymn of emigrants. In addition, many Russian astronauts took a cassette with it into orbit. The total circulation of records of the band, produced by Melodiya alone, is about 15 million copies.
It should be noted that "Zemlyans" favorably stood outin a number of Soviet performers. They used at their concerts a lot of pyrotechnic and lighting effects, art and hardcore arrangements, forced sound. And the very image of the band's members reminded the residents of the Soviet Union of foreign rockers of the 1970s. "Earthlings" had the best sound and light equipment in the country. They managed to achieve the impossible from the Soviet censorship: the musicians created arrangements of their songs that were not inferior in quality to the music performed by well-known western bands of the time, such as Aerosmith, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and even the Rolling Stones.
For the 1980s, the peak of popularity of thisgroup. At that time, musicians used to have 30 outlets monthly. For one especially successful year the group managed to become a laureate already of three international competitions: in Dresden, Sopot and Yalta. "Earthlings" were in those years even more popular than rock monsters like "DDT", "Time Machine", "Alice". And now the famous Andrei Makarevich in the 80s acted as the opening act for the band "Zemlyane" (the old band).
In November 2006members of the team celebrated his 30th birthday. The State Kremlin Palace, the Luzhniki Stadium and the Ice Palace in St. Petersburg hosted jubilee concerts, during which famous Western performers from Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Nazareth and others appeared on stage with the musicians. On November 25, 2009, a concert- festival "This song became the Hymn". It was dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the song "Grass Near the House". The concert was held with the participation of astronauts, pop stars and public figures. By the decision of Roskosmos on November 25, 2009, the composition "Grass at Home", which has long become an unofficial hymn of Russian cosmonautics, has now been given official status.
At present the group continues touring and concert activity. In addition, musicians perform at various professional and city festive events, as well as on television.
Now let's talk more about the history of this group.
Vladimir Vladimirovich Kiselev, known infuture rock-businessman and music producer, in the early 70-ies came to Leningrad (he comes from Western Ukraine). Kiselev first was a drummer, performed in various restaurant and amateur ensembles. Then he created his own group "April" (in the spring of 1975). Later, Vladimir settled a drummer in the VIA "Singing Guitar", but after a while decided to return to the idea of "April". In 1976 the collective was replenished with new musicians from Rossians, a disbanded group. It included Oleg Gusev, Boris Aksenov, Igor Romanov and others.
In September 1978the group found its base at the Palace of Culture. Dzerzhinsky. According to the documentation, it was held instead of "Earthmen", disintegrated by that time. "Earthlings," that is, the group Myasnikov, which existed since the 70's, decided to meet in late 1978. The musicians took their former name and participated under it at the festival "Spring rhythms-80". However, the group could not withstand competition with the team of V. Kiselev, and therefore she had to change her name to "Atlas".
So, the group of interest to us began its existence with a new name. By that time, the following musicians were listed in the "Earthmen" Kiselev:
Group "Earth" (1 composition) interested MarkFradkin, known at the time of the Soviet composer. He invited the musicians to compose a program from their songs. In addition, Fradkin gave the team the opportunity to record their compositions on a minion-record.
The first members of the group "Zemlyane" (the names werelisted above) remained unchanged not very long, like all the others. After reading this article, you will see that the history of the collective is quite complicated. Many musicians left him, many were members of the "Zemlyane" group. The photo presented above is done several years ago.
However, the relationship with the official structuresthe city of Leningrad, despite this, the musicians did not develop. "Earthlings", like many other rock bands in the country, found shelter in the Kuzbass. In August 1979 they signed a contract with the Kemerovo Philharmonic. Thus, the group secured for itself legal concert performances and earnings. Then the musicians went on tour to the cities of the Urals and Siberia. It should be noted that the "Earthmen" were a group of "native" LenKontsert only from January to November 1985. Prior to that, they visited a team operating at the Kaluga Philharmonic, then at the Tashkent Circus (since December 1985). After that the group "Zemlyane" finally moved to Moscow.
By that time the collective includes Boris Aksenov(multi-instrumentalist, who previously played in the "Russians", "April" and "The Sun"), Y. Dmitrienko (keyboardist) and I. Dembowski (singer). Leave N. Kudryavtsev, V. Stepanova and P. Borisov. The conflict situation later leads to the departure of I. Romanov and I. Dembowski. They were replaced by A. Titov (bass) and Yu. Ilchenko (guitar, vocals).
However, Kiselev soon returns to the groupRomanov, who in early 1979 brings with him a vocalist and keyboard player Sergei Skachkov. With this musician, they worked in the band "Kakadu", popular at that time. From this moment, the peculiar timbre of Sergei Skachkov's voice determines the inimitable "earthen" sound.
Skachkov before the creation of the "Cockatoo" (since 1974)participated in the group created by him "April". It turns out that by that time two groups with this name were performing simultaneously in Leningrad. However, the paths of these collectives did not overlap, they were not personally acquainted.
Many are interested in what was then the group "Zemlyane" (composition of 1983). It is no wonder, because by this time important changes have occurred. The composition of the group "Earthlings" (1983) should be noted separately.
Kiselev decides to concentrate onadministrative activities. In addition, A. Kruglov becomes a drummer. At the same time in "Integral" goes Yu Ilchenko, and A. Titov - in "August", and then in "Aquarium" and "Cinema". Kiselev introduces the team to the composer V. Miguley. So there are very successful in all respects, including in commercial, hits "Earthmen" - "Karate", "Grass at home", "Stuntmen". These songs beat all records of popularity.
With the inexorable progression, the number oftours and concerts. Cooperation with pop composers and poets, of course, causes a negative attitude to the group from the side of the apologists of independent rock. However, the group is experiencing no less pressure from official structures, although outwardly they seem to be loyal to them. Musicians are criticized for being overly breezy and free on stage, for a concert sound that is described as "cosmodrome-loud". The technical pro-westernness of their image, the spectacle of the performances, and the special effects used are also displeasing. Despite all these moments, the combination of complex ballads with canons of mass variety attracts a diverse and wide audience to "Earthers".
In October 1985 the collective left the frontman I.Romanov, because he was a supporter of a heavier sound. Later Igor created a metal quintet called "Soyuz". Romanov lured to himself and V. Brusilovsky, who a little earlier replaced A. Kruglov behind the drums.
AT.Kiselev in 1986 makes an attempt to radically change the image of musicians. The members of the group are changing, a new program is being created, which is close in style to the weighted boogie-woogie. Finally, by the end of 1986, the composition of the collective was stabilizing. It becomes:
I. Kovalev in the spring of 1987 leaves the band, he is replaced by bass player A. Krivtsov. After that, "Earthmen" are again taken to storm the musical Olympus.
However, by this time the legalization of rock music inthe state splashes out on the stage a lot of different teams that used to be in the underground. And the rating of "Zemlyan" among young people, despite sold-out concerts, as well as a successful performance at the international festival in Dresden ("Shlyager-87"), is gradually falling. In the press there are negative assessments of joint concerts of the band with the band Uriah Heep. It was first held in December 1987, when the corsairs of the western rock Uriah Heep first visited the USSR. Gradually, the band "Zemlyane" is leaving for the foreign scene.
The composition is again changing by this time. The group left B. Aksenov and A. Lobachev. Disagreements continue in the team related to the music policy.
In 1987, the group took part in the Dresdenfestival, having received 2 prizes - "For the best performance of the German song" and "For high professionalism". All the prize was given to the Soviet Peace Fund. After that, V. Kiselev leaves Zemlyans, who entrusts the management of the group to Boris Zosimov.
In foreign trips, the team begins"Eastern Express". And in our country with this name "Earthlings" first performed in September 1989. In 1991 the band returned from the foreign tours in the following composition:
At home, musicians for some reason reaffirm themselvesas a group of "Earthmen". The composition in 1992 disintegrates, as the collective ceases to exist. This happened against the background of general shocks in our country.
At the end of 1994there is a double disc "Best hits", the group is again looking for a permanent composition. By the autumn of 1995, the group "Zemlyane" again changed its face. The composition of the group is replenished by the following musicians:
Later joins M. Ivanov (keyboard player).Again, "Earthmen" start touring, performing new compositions. About the further destiny of this collective we have briefly told in the first half of the article. In 2000 the group "Zemlyane" continued its activity. The composition of the group, as you can see, was not constant, but this did not prevent it from succeeding.
