Rudimentary charge

Recently, I, as a journalist and curator of the label “Dark Horses” , called me to the live broadcast of one Moscow radio station to talk about new Russian music and its problems. At the end of the conversation, the host of the ether asked why in our pop music there were no projects such as, for example, the British Disclosure ,-modern, fashionable, affordable, funny, with new sound and hit songs that conquer radio and TV. What is wrong with Russia? I replied, as usual I answer such questions: we have many problems - we will not have enough time to discuss them, and we should not compare Russia with Britain. Already leaving the studio, I thought: why not compare?

Take, for example, the Rudimental quartet - colleagues and competitors of Disclosure , who have become one of the triumphs of the latest Brit ceremony Awards . Prescribed in East London Rudimental were opened by India Black Butter Records , which now reaping the fruits of success, promoting the locomotive of the Rudimental hiths other artists. The case of Rudimental , who read the glory of the new Basement JAXX , is quite suitable for analyzing how musical elevators work in Britain and why they do not work in Russia. Two years ago, no one knew the quartet - already the second single of the group became in the United Kingdom of Platinov. What is the secret of their success? I would single out four important factors.

Rudimental - " Waiting All Night "

1) Family tradition

Although the participants of Rudimental and young, everyone has an interesting musical background behind everyone, and all their foundations were laid in the family. One comprehended the basics, playing the piano in Daddy Blues Bend, and hesitated to show his IPOD to classmates. Another in his youth trained to be a DJ, spoiling the mother of records Anita Baker. The third participant in the quartet from the age of six studied playing an electric guitar donated by relatives.

Continuity and heredity bring their musical fruits in the country, which has been praying to God for more than one hundred years that he keeps the queen. In Russia, which has survived several social disasters in the last century, a good parent is unlikely to wish his child an unsettled fate of the musician. The dynasties of the musicians who have developed in Soviet times, we still have at least somehow exist in academic music-children of successful pianists and violinists continue the family tradition, since the Soviet classical school is still quoted in the world. In jazz, pop and rock music, the undersized Soviet school was almost destroyed in the random 1990s. The household musical traditions of the USSR - for example, a music school for children, the piano as a symbol of well -being and choral songs during a feast - are also not reproduced in modern Russian society. The current younger generation really does not represent the history of Soviet popular genres and does not believe that their fathers and mothers had at least any interesting music and traditions that deserve attention.

Nevertheless, even in Russia there are cases when family history helps the musician: for example, one of the most commercially successful young Russian singers Nyusha - the daughter of a participant in the "gentle May" Vladimir Shurochkin, her father writes her songs and produces them. Maybe the children of Pugacheva recently born and Kirkorov’s children will continue the work of their parents - but, frankly, I would not want to.

2) professional experience

Rudimental shot with their pop jungle in 2012, but the group had existed for five years by that time. Three of its participants-the Pierce, Kesi and Leon-were looking for their sound at the junction of London street styles: Grima, hip-hop, dram-n-bais. In 2011, a resident of Kamden Amir Amor, who at that time was already a studio professional, joined the Trinity from Khakni-he worked with such unlike artists as the Plan B rapper, the Maxïmo Park and Yuk , the Pop-singer Marina and the Diamonds . It was no coincidence that Amir Amor was recorded by English newspapers in young producers that must be monitored - his diverse experience gained during work on other people's projects could not help but bear fruit.

What is wrong with Russia?

In Russia, as a rule, young groups in five years only manage to fall apart, faced with a ceiling of their own capabilities. They cannot switch from the step of inspired amateurism to a higher professional level - unfortunately, there is practically no one to study with and nothing. The basic musical education-music lessons in high school-is some kind of anachronism. The musical educational system remaining from the Union survives its days. There was no modern educational musical programs or courses in the country.

The terrible deficiency of professional personnel in the Russian show biz is clearly visible according to our musical television shows-there are no one in mentors, the same on the arena (in the eight issues of the "stars factories" six producers took part with us). Despite the fact that in the musical talents of all stripes there is no lack.

3) a comfortable environment

The debut album of Rudimental is called “ Home ” - this is a dedication to the beloved Khakni region and the entire Eastern London, which is the habitat of the London youth and bohemia. The Home cover depicts the famous fresco with the carnival of the world, which has become a symbol of this fashion region. Rudimental , by the way, donated 10 thousand pounds to the campaign to restore this fresco, drawn in 1985 according to the sketch of the artist Ray Walker. For three of the four participants in Rudimental Hakni, a native house. Their families live here, their studio is located here, in the local clubs they gave the first concerts, in the local pubs they met the vocalists who decorated their dynamic tracks with their voices - both with newcomers and superstars like Emelie Sande.

Rudimental - " free "

In Moscow and St. Petersburg, new art-clusters are actively emerging, which are sold to former factory territories for expensive apartments and offices using fashion restaurants and galleries. But urban areas with a coherent infrastructure-from a record-shop to a concert club-and an atmosphere that would inspire young musicians have not yet appeared. Judging by the level of prices for metropolitan real estate, they will never appear.

4) working industry

Rudimental Not alone worked to succeed. They were helped by two (!) Libra - an independent Black Butter Records and wealthy asylum Records , founded in 1971 by David Gaffen and belonging to the giant Warner . I do not know the details of the Rudimental contract and how the strategy for their promotion was built, but I can assume that the activity and mobility of Black Butter Records attracted to Rudimental Attention of the blogosphere and digesters playing in clubs and on the radio, and ASYLUM money and communication gave them the opportunity for each single to remove a spectacular video clip and - which probably helped in promotion is to license the track in the soundtrack of the popular computer game NEED for Speed . The result justified the investments of labels: single " Feel The Love ” was the first single to take 1st place of the British chart, as for the young Black Butter , and for Asylum , despite its 40-year history.

Rudimental - “ Feel The Love "

Despite the fact that in Russia there are formally show business and sound recording industry, we do not have labels with a 40-year history that are ready to systematically invest money in the promotion of young groups. And an analogue of the computer game Need for Speed ​​is not yet foreseen yet.

Resume

Their Rudimental cannot appear in Russia, because the four of the above factors - tradition, experience, environment and industry - are in a rudimentary state. We can only hope that they will develop over time, and will not die for complete unnecessary.