Mike Naumenko
Encyclopedia
Mike Naumenko was a Soviet rock
and blues
musician, the leader of Zoopark
rock group.
Born in Leningrad
, in the 1970s he was a member of Akvarium Russian rock-group, and in 1981 he formed Zoopark
, which became one of the most outstanding blues rock groups of USSR. Naumenko is considered one of the poets of Russian rock, although drawing on Bob Dylan
and sometimes other UK/US songwriters, occasionally retaining the original melody as well. Some of Naumenko's songs are more or less faithful translations or remakes of English language
source material (the notions of copyright and plagiarism being hardly established in the Soviet Union, especially as regards works created on the other side of the Iron Curtain
). Even though sometimes imitative, Naumenko's input was significant due to his adaptation of the rock tradition to Russian culture.
, "Mike".
The first time he got interested in music was at the age of 8 when he had heard The Beatles
music playing from the street, standing on his balcony. The first he took an interest in were The Beatles, The Rolling Stones
, and Jefferson Airplane
; besides he collected articles from magazines concerning T. Rex, The Doors
and David Bowie
. At the age of 15, he started playing guitar and writing his first songs. His song lyrics were in the English language firstly, but in 1972-1973 he switched to Russian
under the influence of his friend, Boris Grebenshikov.
Naumenko died in Leningrad in August 1991, at the age of 36.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
musician, the leader of Zoopark
Zoopark
Zoopark was one of the founding rock groups which began the Russian rock movement. The group was founded in 1980. It consisted of singer-songwriter Mike Naumenko, guitarist Aleksandr Khrabunov and a varied group of artists. The first album recorded was All Brothers are Sisters with Boris...
rock group.
Born in Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
, in the 1970s he was a member of Akvarium Russian rock-group, and in 1981 he formed Zoopark
Zoopark
Zoopark was one of the founding rock groups which began the Russian rock movement. The group was founded in 1980. It consisted of singer-songwriter Mike Naumenko, guitarist Aleksandr Khrabunov and a varied group of artists. The first album recorded was All Brothers are Sisters with Boris...
, which became one of the most outstanding blues rock groups of USSR. Naumenko is considered one of the poets of Russian rock, although drawing on Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
and sometimes other UK/US songwriters, occasionally retaining the original melody as well. Some of Naumenko's songs are more or less faithful translations or remakes of English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
source material (the notions of copyright and plagiarism being hardly established in the Soviet Union, especially as regards works created on the other side of the Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
). Even though sometimes imitative, Naumenko's input was significant due to his adaptation of the rock tradition to Russian culture.
Early years
Naumenko studied at a "school with deep learning of English language" in Leningrad, where he got his stage nameStage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
, "Mike".
The first time he got interested in music was at the age of 8 when he had heard The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
music playing from the street, standing on his balcony. The first he took an interest in were The Beatles, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, and Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
; besides he collected articles from magazines concerning T. Rex, The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
and David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
. At the age of 15, he started playing guitar and writing his first songs. His song lyrics were in the English language firstly, but in 1972-1973 he switched to Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
under the influence of his friend, Boris Grebenshikov.
Naumenko died in Leningrad in August 1991, at the age of 36.
with Zoopark
- 1981 — Blues de Moscou
- 1983 — Uyezdny gorod N
- 1984 — Belaya polosa
- 1987 — Illyuzii
- 1987 — Bugi‐Vugi Kazhdy Den
- 1989 — W
- 1991 — Muzyka dlya filma
- 1996 — Legendy Russkogo roka
- 1999 — The Best
Solo
- 1978 — Vse bratya – sestry (with Boris GrebenshchikovBoris GrebenshchikovBoris Borisovich Grebenshchikov also known as Boris Purushottama Grebenshikov, is one of the most prominent members of the generation which is widely considered the "founding fathers" of Russian rock music...
) - 1980 — Sladkaya N i drugiye
- 1982 — LV
- 1985 — Zhizn v Zooparke
- 1996 — Vesna‐leto (with Viktor TsoiViktor TsoiViktor Robertovich Tsoi ; 21 June 1962 – 15 August 1990) was a Soviet rock musician, leader of the band Kino.He is regarded as one of the pioneers of Russian rock and has many devoted fans across the countries of the former Soviet Union even today...
) - 1996 — 12–13 yanvarya 1985 goda, Moscow (with Viktor Tsoi)
- 1997 — Kvartirnik (with Sergey Ryzhenko)
- 1998 — Mike Naumenko. Viktor Tsoi (with Viktor Tsoi)
- 1998 — Ispolneniye razresheno (with Boris Grebenshchikov and Viktor Tsoi)
- 2009 — Leningrad 1984 (with Viktor Tsoi)
- 2010 — 25 oktyabrya 1980 Moscow (with Aquarium)
Tributes
- 1993 — Pesni Mayka
- 1998 — Park Maykskogo perioda
- 2000 — Remayk
- 2001 — Rom i Pepsi‐kola (Dmitry Dibrov i “Antropologiya”)
- 2002 — Zoopark tribyut – Pesni Mayka
- 2005 — Tribyut Mayku Naumenko, 50 let. Uyezdny gorod N 20 let spustya
- 2008 — Gryaznye blyuzy (Aleksandr Dyomin)