Thinking back to sometime around 1990, I remember the appearance
of the “glasnost booth” on Soviet television. A person would step into
a room where he could speak his mind freely and without reservations in
front of a camera and no one else around.
Recently, a group of young men decided to revive the project,
but in their own way. All they needed was the right man who would make
it worthwhile. In a word, they needed a totally unusual individual. Very
soon they found one who almost instantly topped the list of hopefuls. Oleksandr
Yehorov, singer and composer, soccer player and bodybuilder, rude and always
ready to rumble. Why him? Because a television camera is an extremely penetrating
totally unbiased eye catching the slightest nuances and overtones. And
the man looked smart on-screen.
“You have changed a lot. Put on some weight,” I told him.
“Have you changed inside?”
“Several years ago I thought I could change inside. Now
I know differently. It’s just senseless. After they killed Talkov [Moscow
rop star known for dissident songs and extremely popular with post-Soviet
youth — Ed.] and except for those Black punk groups, not a single post-Soviet
musician has worked in a social vein. They are all scared and are content
with market able hits, singing about love and stuff and never broaching
any social problems. Nothing genuine has appeared in this sense.”
“How do you feel in our times?”
“I think I was born at the wrong time. I just can’t adapt
myself to the current reality. Previously a musician could win a grand
prix at Jurmala (resort town in Latvia, venue of the most prestigious Soviet
pop music festival — Ed.) and be set for life materially. True, even at
that time I did not like the way show biz was done. Now to make your name
you have to bow and scrape. That’s something I can’t do and never could.
They all think I have a nasty character. I think that currying favor just
isn’t in my blood.”
“How would you shortly describe Ukrainian show business?”
“Crap. All the way. It’s a dirty game I can no longer play.”
“So what’s the big problem and how can it be solved?”
“Audiences. And investment. All it takes is investing in
the right project, with good music and lyrics that make sense, then captivate
the listeners. One such project would leave nothing of all our hit parade
leaders. They are all self-styled. Yesterday they just told themselves
they were the best and today they sincerely believe they are.”
“What makes you the man you are?”
“I am from Kremenchuk. I had no father, and mother was
a musician, then took up retail; there was no other way she could make
ends meet. I left for Kyiv at 15. At 16 I rented my first apartment. Now
I rent my 150th. I have lived in practically every city district, several
times in some. I worked as a ballroom pianist, played at wedding parties,
dance halls, bars, then nightclubs. I started as a soloist in 1988, then
a grand prix at Jurmala. Three albums. The song ‘Bomzh’ (Homeless) is probably
my calling card.”
“You killed a man. How did it happen?”
“He lived with my mother. A hardened criminal, I killed
him in a manner the law describes as “heat of passion.” I stabbed him several
times. I was arrested, of course, and stood trial. They gave me two years
and only because my lawyer could prove that heat of passion thing, otherwise
I would have faced twelve years. Along with the pretrial investigation
I ran the qualifiers at Jurmala (I made a gentleman’s agreement with the
investors; I gave them my word and at the time a word of honor meant something
not only to musicians, but also to militia officers). It was unprecedented.
A man charged with inflicting body injuries causing death being released
in his own custody! And the crime was committed a week before the Jurmala
finals. So I went there, got the prize, and returned to jail.
“All right, Oleksandr, thanks for your time.”
“Now wait a minute! I haven’t finished. I want to live
by my own rules. Ukrainian show business doesn’t suit me one bit, starting
with people investing and ending with the performer’s level. I am not interested
in Ukrainian show business. I am show business.”







