Jura—musician. The leader of the “DDT” Shevchuk — 60!
“Volodya, I don’t celebrate the anniversary, and to speak on this subject I will not. Again, let’s talk,” ambarisa Shevchuk in response to my request to talk to him on the eve of his 60th birthday.
“Well,’ I said to him mentally, yourself untied my hands”. In this case, the language, of course.
In fact, it accurately describes Shevchuk.
He doesn’t like honors, pomp, pathos and toasts. But he was pleased when praised for your songs, performances.
How many wonderful songs written do not count. The conversation went on foreign tours “DDT”. “20% of our audience abroad, — not without pride he admitted to me, is local natives. The songs was clearer, my friends translate the lyrics in Finnish in Finland, English in the United States, Greek Cyprus… Interesting… sing in Russian (wheezing bass): “For Bo-th at-s-Li”!. And some lady is reading a translation of these lines in the flashes of light. It is clear that we come there to show off, to show that also “mogem”. Our main audience is, of course, here.” “In the United States have always protected African Americans and even our CD’s to buy — so they liked the concert — Shevchuk in the eyes Shine mischievous imp. — We have a great drummer and bassist, and black guys to our songs and danced with wild pleasure. And after the concert came up and thanked me. I even thought then, maybe, give up in Harlem concert in Russian? (laughs) to Make a reverse racist: “Only for black”. And white is not allowed”.
I saw him in a different state, even completely disassembled — tired after a grueling concert, drunk. And he never lost his human charm was positive, aphoristic, witty. With them is a great pleasure to drink. But it is more rare to do so, as if apologizing: “Motor began to act up”.
I remember that was under Peter at his country house, struck me bachelor simplicity and at the same time creative atmosphere. On the walls hung weapons and punched helmets, according to Shevchuk, was found near a suburban area. After we drank, Shevchuk suddenly suggested: “Want to shoot?” Took down his rifle, and loaded the first shot into the sky. It was so childish. And he see any action, having been in the hot spots of Chechnya, Tajikistan, Yugoslavia. And understands what a weapon.
It was in the era before Catherine, his current wife. I’m sure she would not be allowed to shoot from the balcony, even in the sky. He hid their relationship from Kiev. But once, in a moment of revelation even told me the grisly details of the accident, which they spent together. In that crash, as he sees that she has saved him. Kate was a real wife-a talisman that protects him from even the careless words not to mention actions. With her appearance in his life, he became noticeably more cautious. He will read these lines, and probably wince. Because he does not like to talk about my personal life, as the current sound Director of the “DDT” Igor Tikhomirov, a group of “Cinema”, which once was the bassist.
I remember Shevchuk good-naturedly laughed at Boris Grebenshikov, calling it “honorary railwayman” for the fact that the leader of the “Aquarium” often changes lineups of the group. But sitting in a hotel room in the city of Minsk, told me one day that tired old “DDT”. “I want to disband, but only you about it do not write” — he said. He then told me off the record. And every time asked me not to write about it.
Shevchuk is very sensitive regarding all that concerns his appearance in the public sphere (where anyhow not serviced and is not involved anyhow in it) and of course strict on the job. Where it is necessary, from your guy, he turns into a hard boss. And can “break” for mistakes on the job will not find it. Remember how during the tour moving between cities Shevchuk, seeing that the band “DDT” bite in the bus seeds, commented ironically: “Maybe “For-Bo-th at-s-Li”!. raquo; “Deleteslice” instantly hid the bags with the image of the sunflower in their backpacks. “What were you rebelling against?” — I asked him once, not about the seeds, of course, but globally. “I do not protest against the sausage, of course, but against the chaos in their heads, about which Professor Preobrazhensky in a Dog’s heart says.”
There was also a number of episodes that I remember with a smile. For example, when we had two times to lock myself in the bathroom so no one would interfere with our interview. The first time it happened on the evening in memory of Bulat Okudzhava in the School of modern plays, the second — during the recording of “Kvartyrnyk from Margulis,” in may last year. All he wanted: a photo for memory, communication. He, by the way, there is a ritual that I have seen on the road. After the concert (and sometimes in the restaurant, often in the lobby or the hotel room) over to his table to fill his fans. Sometimes it is old friends and sometimes first seen. And he communicates with them for hours. Tells stories, sings songs, and treats. After midnight I was so tired from fatigue after a flight, a concert “DDT” and the long seat at the table, and Shevchuk spoke and sang as if with a concert t-shirt and replaced the battery.
I asked him during one of our gatherings about his favorite song, he wrote, “the Lord respects us”. “God gives us a test — he touched gently the topic of faith. Because he respects us. If not respected, he would of these tests have not been sent. And so, watching all our movements. There was one case. We shot the film on blown monasteries in Kosovo year in ‘ 99. And now imagine, high in the mountains monastery, in which there are only six people. 30 or 40 people have already been killed by Albanians. Protected this monastery two rusty Italian tank with a tank that did not protect anyone, but only pretended to. I asked one of the surviving monks: “You’ll kill everyone here. You need to lock all the doors to lock and leave, or you all die.” He looked at me, lit a cigarette (there is in the monasteries are allowed to smoke) and said, “I think, Yes. Kill. But I’m happy. If they kill us, then the Lord turned to face us. He we are once again experiencing”. Maybe the line “the Lord respects us” then born”.
Every time Shevchuk greetings, wishes of peace and goodness. I could not resist and asked: “What, in your understanding, is good?” “Compassion, empathy, ability to relate to a stranger not as a potential threat, but as a good Samaritan”. And, anticipating my next question, he laughed and said, “If I knew all the answers, I would have walked on stage in a toga with a halo over his head, an olive branch in his hand and telling people what to do, where to go, what to eat, drink and who to vote for…”.
Want the day of your birth, Jura musician, and wish you peace, happiness and new songs!
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