Alexander Sklyar Александр Скляр | |
---|---|
![]() Alexander Sklyar on stage of Nashestviye-2008 | |
Background information | |
Born | Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union | March 7, 1958 (age 65)
Genres | Alternative rock, russian chanson, Bard Rock, indie rock, jazz-rock |
Instrument | Guitar |
Years active | 1979–present |
Website | www |
Alexander Felixovich Sklyar (Александр Феликсович Скляр, born March 7, 1958, in Moscow, USSR; usually stylized as Alexander F.Sklyar) is a Russian rock musician, radio presenter, actor and author. Sklyar, who in the 1980s and early 1990s fronted the popular punk metal band Va-bank, later moved into the traditional Russian singer-songwriter territory covering the vast stylistic spectrum (Alexander Vertinsky, Vladimir Vysotsky, Leonid Utyosov, Mark Bernes).[1][2]
Biography
[edit]Sklyar was born in Moscow, to Felix Sidorovich, a physicist, and his journalist wife Irina Viktorovna, a one time Rabotnitsa magazine second editor. In 1985 Sklyar graduated from the prestigious Moscow State Institute of International Relations and joined the Soviet embassy in North Korea as a minor official. Upon return later this year he became a member of the band Tsentr, fronted by Vasily Shumov (whom he played with in 1979 as a guitarist in 777, the band's first incarnation) and took part in the recording the Priznaki zhizni (Signs of Life) LP.[2]
In 1991 Sklyar debuted as a children's writer with the book Petrovich and Potapum in the Magic Labyrinth, co-authored by Roman Kanushkin. The same year he started his own rock radio series Utchites plavat (Learn to Swim) on Radio Maximum (it later re-surfaced on Station-2000). In 1995 he formed the duo Botsman i brodyaga (The Boatswain and the Tramp) with Garik Sukachov of the Brigada S fame. 1998 saw Sklyar going solo with the album Po napravleniyu k tango (Moving Closer to Tango), starting to experiment with different retro styles of popular Russian music. In 2001–2009 Sklyar appeared in seven Russian feature films and tried himself as a TV film and music programs' presenter on TV3 and TV Kultura.[2]
Political activity
[edit]In January 2015 in the Internet appeared a video with a song recorded to support Russian separatists in the war on East Ukraine. Alexander F. Sklyar, as well as Ivan Okhlobystin and Garik Sukachov took part in it.[3]
In April and May 2022, Sklyar participated in a series of concerts organized in order to support the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[4]
In January 2023 Ukraine imposed sanctions on him for promoting Russia during the invasion.[5]
Discography
[edit]With Va-Bank
[edit]- VA-BANK (Ва-Банкъ, 1988)
- Life on Wheels (Жизнь на колесах, 1989)
- Drink for Me (Выпей за меня, 1991)
- At the Kitchen (На кухне, 1993)
- That's How It Should Be! (Так nado!!, 1994)
- Live, What's Alive (Живи - Живое, 1995)
- Homewards! (Домой!!, 1997)
- The Lower Tunrda (Нижняя тундра, 1998, based upon Viktor Pelevin's novel)
Solo
[edit]- Getting Closer to Tango (По направлению к танго, 1998)
- Witches and Bitches (Ведьмы и стервы, 2002)
- DendyDiana (ДендиДиана, 2004)
- The X City (Город Х, 2007)
- Songs of Seamen (Песни моряков, 2008)
- Songs of Seamen 2 (2010)
- Vasya the Conscience (Вася-Совесть, 2011)
- The Russian Sun (Русское солнце, 2012, the songs by Alexander Vertinsky)
- The Word and the Deed (Слово и дело, 2013)
Collaborations
[edit]- The Botswain and the Tramp (Боцман и Бродяга, 1995, with Garik Sukachyov)
- The Gypsy Rock and Roll (Цыганский рок-н-ролл, 1997, with Zhemchuznye Brothers)
- Brasilian Cruiser. The Stranger Songs by A.N.Vertinsky (Бразильский крейсер. Странные песни Александра Вертинского, 2000, with Irina Bogushevskaya)
References
[edit]- ^ "Alexander Felixovich Sklyar". www.peoples.ru. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
- ^ a b c "Alexander Felixovich Sklyar". www.rusactors.ru. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
- ^ Охлобистін і Сукачов пропіарилися на «сатанинських обстрілах» Донецька. ВІДЕО (in Ukrainian). ТаблоID. Ukrayinska Pravda. 19.01.2015
- ^ "Гастроли патриотов. Как кремлевские эксперты и шоу-бизнес зарабатывают на концертах "Za Россию"". BBC (in Russian). May 11, 2022.
- ^ "ALONG THE SANCTIONED PERSONS SKLYAR Alexander Feliksovich". Retrieved May 21, 2023.