Mumiy Troll
“Vive le Rockapops!”
Mumiy Troll (pronounced Moo-me Troll) is undoubtedly the top
band on the current ex-Soviet Rock and Pop scene and has really made its mark
with startling albums and live performances that are bursting with energy,
combining warmth with total debauchery.
The charismatic frontman, lead singer and songwriter of the
band, Ilia Lagoutenko, has been the driving force since the beginning.
Originally from the port of Vladivostok, in the Far East of Russia, he formed
his first psychedelic punk band named Bunny Pee at the age of 11. This was at a
time when Russia was still isolated behind the Iron Curtain, and any
rock’n’roll activities were considered subversive and were forced underground.
During the eighties Ilia formed Mumiy Troll, experimenting
with different music styles from neo-romanticism to big beats. Mumiy Troll
released two cassette only albums and became established a following in the
underground scene of many Russian cities. However, being labelled “the most socially dangerous band in the
world - alongside Black Sabbath and the Sex Pistols” by local Communist
Party Chief, but “sweet popsters” by aggressive rock critics, did not
help the band to become recognized by the general public. Ilia spent the first
half of the next decade in oriental studies and traveling the world in search
of some purpose!
In 1996, having been almost forgotten, Mumiy Troll was
offered a modest record deal in Russia.
It enabled Ilia and his long-term collaborator, Leo Burlakov (now the
band’s manager), to start their first proper studio project in London. The
resulting album, “Morskaya” (Nautical), along with some fantastic promo videos
(with constant rotation on MTV Russia), intrigued the Russian audience enough
to get Mumiy Troll the status of “Best
Band of the Millennium”, and “Morskaya’’ reached Number 1 in the Russian charts, as well as their other albums.
Mumiy Troll then delivered a successful live version of the
album, exploding all the rumours about Mumiy Troll being a “one-hit wonder” studio
project.
Having found their audience, Mumiy Troll are now seen a
Russian treasure – ‘The Dostoyevskys of
Modern Pop’. Their enigmatically smiling leader has not only became a
sex-symbol of his generation but also a most desirable and adorable figure for
the Russian media, who found they had finally met an intelligent, human,
faithful and independent creator amongst the morass of second-rate Russian pop
stars.
Mumiy Troll is now a household name in Russia, throughout
the former Soviet bloc, and in an increasing number of other countries. Fan
mail and interview requests arrive all over the world. Still independent and
even without any distribution outside Russia, Mumiy Troll successfully played
concerts in the UK, USA, Israel and Japan. Their live performance at Kanemori
Hall, Hakodate, Japan, was broadcast by satellite to over 40 million viewers in
Asia. Hong Kong’s Channel V has broadcast television documentaries about the
band. Scandinavian radio stations play their songs...
In Russia Mumiy Troll usually play 5,000 - 20,000 seat
arenas on their tour. They headlined the Moskowsky Komsomoletz Festival in
Luzhniki, playing for over 100,000 people!
The band is currently on tour promoting their latest CD, “
Exactly Mercury Aloe”, and are working on new English language material.
”The most
socially dangerous band in the world” has arrived!
What the
papers say:
“…the meteoric rise of Mumiy Troll, a Vladivostok band that
has sparked a Beatlemania-like phenomenon in Russia.”
- Time Out, UK
"... the charismatic lead singer, with his raw energy,
biting sarcasm and catchy choruses, is at present perhaps the only truly vital
singer on the Russian music scene. The rest are either crushing bores, fools,
or just con-artists…"
- St Petersburg Times, Russia
“...The band with no borders.”
- Hokkaido Simbun, Japan
“…Russia’s hottest band. Young Russians do not believe in
Santa Claus, they believe in Mumiy Trolls…”
-
Dagens Nyheter, Sweden
The Band:
Ilia “Laguta”
Lagutenko – vocals
Oleg “Punga”
Pungine – drums
Uri Tsaler –
guitars
Sdwgg – bass
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