A man with sad eyes

A big interview with the poet and musician Dolphin

The poet and musician Dolphin very rarely and reluctantly gives an interview. Even less often and reluctantly speaks on political topics. For Radio, Liberty Delphin made an exception and said that he did not leave him indifferent at the end of 2015: as the war in Ukraine influenced his work, how propaganda in the Russian media forced to turn off the TV and stop monitoring the news why he had never went to rallies and elections, how the fate of the Boaching Room groups developed and is able to inspire him in a political gesture in Russia.

- Andrei, how did the fate of the main characters of the Boyshore group develop: Mutabra, Dan, deer, producer Alexei Adamov?

- With Adamov, I saw the last time several years ago in Riga. Then, according to rumors, he moved to Kyiv, after which his trace was somehow lost. He is a citizen of America, therefore, perhaps he returned to his new homeland. The deer, unfortunately, died. Mutabor and Dan, in my opinion, feel good, they are engaged in music to one degree or another. Dan is a great DJ. Perhaps Pasha plays. But I have very little information about them, because we do not intersect with them.

-You, Andrei, are for many people-you want it or not-have remained superhero from the 90s. What can you say about the 90s? Was it blessed for you?

I did what I wanted, and sometimes I received money for it

- Probably yes. But I did not realize what was happening. I did not understand how wide the possibilities that have opened before us are. I did not understand how stupid we sometimes used them. Now, of course, it is easier for me to judge this by gaining experience. It seems to me that my youth has developed very brightly and colorful. There were many friends around me, I did what I wanted, and sometimes I received money for it. That was great.

-Do you remember how the 90s ended for you and for the country? Have you remembered this transition?

- It was a transition from one state to another. A fairly difficult transition. I did not feel what was happening around me, I was very busy with myself. Perhaps the state of the country, the one in which we were then, just affected my complete absence in public life. The zero years for me is the time when I had a more conscious attitude to what I would like to do. The zero years are the first sensations of his artistic power, attempts to do something worthy that he had never done before.

- Do you not think worthy of the Boy?

- The Boy was worthy of his time.

- Is it a shame for that period?

- Absolutely not.

- Your creativity of that time and modern is so different that sometimes it seems that these are two completely different people. Do you feel this bifurcation yourself?

My current side I like more

- No, I feel that these are parts of the same person. I like my current side more, it is more pleasant for me, I develop it more. But she was always present in me. And when I was part of my first team, I simultaneously recorded a completely different music, conducted experiments that gave me a good foundation for self -development in the future.

- I don’t fit in my head, as one and the same person can write “sex, sex, how cute, sex, sex, without a break” and, for example, “birds have forgotten the sky, wings broke the weakness, eternity of stale bread - everything that remains left ...”. You have changed colossally. One thing alone remains unchanged, Andrei: your permanently sad eyes. Is this just a feature of your appearance or is it really always sad?

-At the background, all the time is going on to reaches some sad stories, yes. Rather, not even sad, but true for me.

- Why is truthful stories should necessarily hang in the heart?

- They do not hang with weights. No.

“But your look is sad.”

“Maybe we’ll sit on the fact that he is thoughtful?”

- Let's get together. Why don't you write at all about what is happening outside? Your poetry and music are directed mainly inward. Are you in this way you are trying to isolate yourself from the world that is not too pretty to you?

What is happening inside me is much more important than what is happening outside

- I am sure what is happening inside me is much more important than what is happening outside. But what is happening outside is still a lot. The effect of colossal. No matter how I fenced off from the outside world, all this penetrates one way or another into me. This penetrates the texts, what we do, into music. You can’t be in a complete vacuum, even if you do not watch news and do not read blogs. This can be tracked on the last plate. There is a track called "soot". When he was written, I realized that these are just those events that recently excited us all.

- Which ones?

- This track about Ukraine.

- Why did it hurt you?

Ukraine passed the background for me just during the recording of the last plate

- This happens besides me. The track was formed. When he was written, I realized what he was talking about. Sometimes this happens besides my will. Ukraine passed the background for me just during the recording of the last plate. If all other texts are completely different - more internal and closed, then the “soot” track is a breakthrough into the external environment.

- Specially follow the information agenda? Reading news in the morning?

- No, I do not specifically follow. And after I stopped following, I became much calmer and more confident to feel. Someone, perhaps, is needed along with coffee (so that coffee is even stronger) read the next news and excitedly go about your business. I, having ceased to watch and read the news, began to feel great, much better.

- This is called "you know less - you sleep better."

- Maybe.

- But there is another logic. The one who has more information is stronger.

You cannot confuse information with what we are offered as information

- You can not confuse information with what we are offered as information. Everyone has their own information now. True as such, absent. Instead of the truth, the word "they claim." No more "they tell the truth," but everyone claims something. Why delve into this story and score your brains with this? Why force yourself to analyze this?

- Because this stream announces the mood and climate of the environment in which you are. You can calculate the situation and understand what to wait. You can prepare for the worst, for example.

Information serves only a certain number of people so that they earn a lot of money

- When specific plans arise, then yes, perhaps, you need to make a cut of all this information. I still have no such tasks. In addition, it must be understood that all this manipulates people, is fed with loud statements: if someone needs to quietly solve the problem of the same character, then a problem of a different nature is created loudly. And we all take part in this. But in the end, the information serves only a certain number of people so that they make a lot of money. As far as possible, I would not want to take part in this.

- Is there one journalist to whom you trust one hundred percent?

In the nineties in each of us there was some kind of faith in people

- Yes, perhaps not. In the nineties in each of us there was some kind of faith in people who tell us something from the TV. This faith has been created with us for years. We partially believed in it. When a person seemed to convincingly say something, there was a feeling of faith. But now nothing is left of this. Now the situation is that any word on any question can be played in a completely different way. Therefore, when now more or less famous people are forced to speak out on pressing and acute issues, it would be better to be silent. Silence is a greater weapon than their convincing and violent words.

- Journalists cannot but ask the leaders of public opinion about acute things. And I, of course, will ask you not only about music, but also about your attitude to the Russian presence in the blazing Syria, for example.

I know that our planes fly over the villages in Syria, but I absolutely do not understand why they fly there

- I know that our planes fly over the villages in Syria, but I absolutely do not understand why they are flying there. I ask different people about this: "Why are we flying there? What are we doing there?" It seems like our planes help destroy the Islamic State group. But then why is the NATO block not satisfied with this? And what's the joke, I don't understand.

- Then another news, which, of course, is much closer to you than Syrian villages. The trial of the creativity of your colleagues is the Glovelok group.

“I know about it.” Heard.

- Can you put yourself in their place?

- I can easily put myself in their place. Some people come to me, begin to conduct a linguistic examination and find in verses ...

- propaganda suicidal moods.

- Anything is found. “A Christmas tree was born in the forest” can also be pulled by the ears, and there will be a seditious song about something bad. You know, I just don't understand the people who are doing this. Perhaps they have a lot of free time? Or is it a personal relationship: a quarrel that is solved in this way? But this is complete nonsense. On such grounds, almost all films containing scenes of violence can be prohibited. This is stupidity.

- Is the news that our government agreed to classify the data of the owners of villas and yachts hurts you?

This is another spit from above on us all. We will wait for the next spit

- This is in the logic of the events we have. This is somehow normal. Based on what happens based on what the elite allows itself, this is quite normal. This can be an occasion to chat about it with friends, scratching languages. This is another evidence that none here from ordinary people decides anything, cannot do anything. This is another spit from above on us all. We will wait for the next spit.

- Are you part of the general musical industry in Russia? Or do you exist with her in parallel?

- Rather in parallel, yes.

- Is there this industry as such?

-Perhaps there are some labels who are looking for talented and pretty young people. We are trying to cope on our own.

- Your strength is what? Guitar and computer?

- Yes, we just try to do as well as possible that we ourselves like it, and we offer it to those who will be interested.

- What is happening with music channels in Russia? They are?

- They say that there is.

- Is it also past you?

There is no such musical channel that would be interested in what we do

- Yes. Because there is no such musical channel that would be interested in what we do.

- Radio?

-There are some radio stations that support us. But television plays a large role in promoting an artist than a radio. This is strange for me. I thought everything changed. But little has changed.

-Remember, when was the last time you were on some federal channel as a guest?

- I don't remember.

-Was it the 20th century or already the 21st?

-It was the 21st century. We played at Urgant about two or three years ago.

- Not so long ago, a clip for the song "Nadia", with Vika Isakova in the title role, came out. The video is incredibly fascinating. Real cinema. Have you become reverent to the visualization of your poems? Or did it happen so by chance?

- When we recorded the last record, it was not clear to me how this can be shown, which videos can be shot on these tracks, because they were originally strongly saturated with images. We proposed to solve this problem to the director with whom we collaborated in the past, Pavel Ruminov. After small negotiations, he agreed to do this. And it turned out such a video unexpected for me, but a very suitable track for this.

- Did you suggest Isakov yourself?

- Yes, that was my proposal. And thank her very much for agreeing.

- There was such a project on the Internet when famous and good people read your poems. It will be the highest praise for you if who reads your poems?

- I find it difficult to answer this question. I just don’t know this person, I am not familiar with him. Surely there is such a person. But at the moment I do not see such a person.

- Who is interesting to you from modern Russian musicians? Before you, I wrote an interview with Makarevich, and even earlier with a cord. Both answered the same way: no one. Russian people do not write anything interesting. Do not write?

- They write. We write. People who write interesting music in our country are very focused on music. And often in their midst there are people who can take on the role of management and convey this music to others. How to break through in such a large information stream and say: pay attention to me, am I making excellent music? Everything is very very clogged. The more interesting and more complicated the music, the more it requires relations, the more management needs to invest souls and money in it so that the listener is found. The music of the "Time Machine" and the Leningrad group itself finds the listener.

- The problem is exclusively in distribution, and not in the extinction of talent?

“I think yes.” There is no system that could convey interesting music to a wide audience.

- YouTube and Facebook are not enough to become famous?

It is much easier to agree with what you tell on TV than to find something yourself

- Not enough. It is much easier for people to sit at the TV than to look for something interesting on the Internet. It is much easier to agree with what you tell on TV than to find something yourself.

- You are now in what form and at what age are you? Sometimes you already want to sit in front of the TV yourself, relax and accept the proposed? Or are you still spending yourself on looking for something alternative in Internet stores?

- I spend time and dig. I am always interested in what my friends listen to. I can’t say that I devote a huge amount of time to these searches, but it’s more interesting for me to do this than sitting in front of the TV. Sometimes I find great things.

- Among these pieces is there Russian?

- No, no Russian music.

- Well, you say that the Russians write interesting music ...

“Although no, I, I,.” I got one interesting Russian guy. Although he lives in Brooklyn. He makes excellent electronic music.

- Tell us about your family. What do your children, wife do?

- The spouse is engaged exclusively in children. This is a very large load: two children, a school. The son goes to the second grade. The daughter graduates from school, prepares for admission to the institute.

- How do you rest? Are you a traveler for sure?

- I really like to move to others for a while - especially warm - countries. I am not a traveler in the sense of climbing the mountains and watching sights. I like to come to a city more and sit in one place, see what is happening around me. So I have much more impressions. When everything goes on the run, there are no impressions.

- If not for Moscow, then in which city you would like to live?

The sea is my only desire. And warm

- In any city where there is a sea. The sea is my only desire. And warm.

- You have a very intimate attitude to the Russian language. When you read or listen to your poems, it seems that you make love with the Russian language. However, you do not have a philological education, and in general education?

- I have secondary education.

-Somehow you scored on this matter?

- A difficult story. A secondary education remains on paper. The dashing 90s began, I was not up to study. Then the stormy labor activity began. And therefore - a late rush.

- Who is your circle of communication?

- My circle of communication are those people who come to visit me. They are very far from what I do, these are ordinary people. And it suits me very much, because I talk to them on completely different topics.

- And you do not go to the party cards?

- It is extremely rare. If only there is a need.

- Tour in Ukraine?

- Previously, yes, he toured very actively.

Every year we had a tour in Ukraine

-Then they stopped because of the war?

- Yes, when all this happened, we just stopped understanding who to cooperate with. Now some proposals are appearing, we will consider them. I hope everything will settle.

- Does the Ukrainian public accept you well?

- Yes, we have warm relations with people there, we always went with joy there.

- Do you lay out your music for free on the network with whole albums?

- Not yet, I don't do that.

- Do you understand the people who do this?

It is important to convey what you are doing, not get money from this

- Yes, I understand. And I admit this for myself too. It is important to convey what you are doing, and not get money from this. This money can be obtained later when people come to your concerts.

- Do you go to the polls?

- No, I never walked. Never in life. Somehow it turned out. Previously, the elections fell on tour, and I was not up to absenteeism. Then a couple of times was the opportunity to vote, but I no longer wanted something.

- 1996, "vote or lose." Did you take part in this campaign?

- Yes, we actively participated in this campaign.

- But they themselves did not go to the polls at the same time.

- It seems to me that I did enough so as not to go to the elections in 1996.

- If you are so apolitical, why did you take part in this? It was a policy.

- Then everything was simple and clear. It was black and white. Then all these borders were blurred, but then it was exactly so. And it was important to choose. То время ознаменовалось большим душевным подъемом. Все это напоминало немножко постоянный праздник, который когда-то должен закончиться. Мне было приятно ощущать себя частью большого процесса.

– Это было не про деньги? Вас не купили?

Это было вообще не про деньги. Это было про выбор между Зюгановым и Ельциным. Я выбирал Ельцина, и этого было достаточно для осознания того, что я делаю что-то хорошее

– Это было вообще не про деньги. Это было про выбор между Зюгановым и Ельциным. Я выбирал Ельцина, и этого было достаточно для осознания того, что я делаю что-то хорошее. Все остальное – мне было все равно. Мы отлично проводили время.

– Не жалеете сейчас, что участвовали?

- Absolutely not.

– Почему сейчас вы не запишете ролик о том, что вас устраивает или не устраивает в политической или общественной жизни? Потому что праздник кончился?

То, что должно никому не нравиться и находиться в полном забвении, плавает наверху. А все, что имеет какую-то ценность, никому не нужно

– Да, совсем уже не праздник. И понятия сейчас размыты. Все перевернулось с ног на голову. И я часто об этом говорю. Очень странно у нас все происходит. In everything. В музыке в том числе. Все стоит на голове, все наоборот. То, что должно никому не нравиться и находиться в полном забвении, плавает наверху. А все, что имеет какую-то ценность, никому не нужно. И это относится не только к музыке. Сбились ориентиры.

– А что вас может сподвигнуть на какое-либо политическое высказывание?

– Трудно сказать…

– Вы из тех, кто в случае какой-то политической катастрофы пытается с ней как-то бороться, или вы из тех, кто тихо возьмет под мышки семью и просто улетит куда-нибудь подальше?

А за что и с кем тут бороться? Люди на самом деле не хотят всем этим заниматься

– Если будет возможность не участвовать во всем этом, я только за то, чтобы в этом не участвовать. А за что и с кем тут бороться? Люди на самом деле не хотят всем этим заниматься. Все подогревается нарочито каждый день, везде, новости только нагнетают, новости будто для того существуют, чтобы была все время нервная ситуация. Всегда есть кто-то плохой. Вот неужели в мире ничего не происходит хорошего? Почему хотя бы в противовес плохим новостям нельзя показывать хорошие? Напряженная ситуация выгодна, потому что люди, ожидающие чего-то плохого, зашоренные, они смотрят только в одну точку. Их только поворачивают в ту сторону, куда им надо идти.

– Ваша музыка, честно говоря, это тоже ожидание чего-то плохого. Не светлого и не радостного. Ваша музыка – это печальное воскресенье, и все знают, что в понедельник все е…ся.

– Хорошее и эффектное сравнение, но для меня в моих песнях нет сомнения. И это для меня очень важно. Возможно, в моих песнях все сказано со знанием дела.

– Вас когда-нибудь звали на корпоративы?

– Бывало, да. Мы между собой шутим, что наш корпоратив – это Хеллоуин. Нас надо звать, чтобы поддать мрачности. Один корпоратив был не так давно. Прошлым летом. Я даже не помню, что это такое было: то ли свадьба, то ли день рождения. Все очень внимательно слушали, аплодировали. У меня были странные ощущения.

– "Чем больше слов, тем больше лжи" – ваша строчка?

- Yes.

– Насколько сейчас это актуально в нашей стране?

– Как никогда. Это архиактуально. И нужно быть очень осторожным при выборе контента, которым ты себя наполняешь.