Interview with Valery & The Greedies
http://www.myspace.com/valeryandthegreedies
Here is my opinion that is now perspective to be engaged —
not to make something in a direction of music,
but make directly music because music is boundless
and barriers do not exist
(с) Anatoli`, Valery & the Greedies
Not a secret that every band has a different way of its development. Some collectives work for years before going on the stage and it is necessary to wait when a debut album is out, sometimes for 5 or even 10 years. Other bands, on the contrary, start very actively also write down first plates in a year-one and a half of persistent rehearsals. Number of the last also concerns collective which this article is devoted to. This band in its present structure does not exist even a year, but it’s already known within the entire country. This is Valery & The Greedies. Their music represents at present melancholic post-punk with the spirit of Joy Division.
Surprising, first of all, is the high level of quality, uncharacteristic, unfortunately, for the majority of young bands and also improbable speed with which the band develops: it is less than a year of rehearsals — and they already touring all the country. Naturally, occurrence of such bright collective could not remain not to be noticed. Video shootings, interviews, notes in magazines — integral part of a today’s life of musicians. However, Valery & the Greedies are modest and do not like to extend too much about themselves, so we had to address for the information to the vocalist and front man— to Anatoli`:
Sorrow: To start with, explain, please, sense of the band’s name. If I am not mistaken, Valery among participants of group is not present.
Anatoliy: At once I wish to dispel some doubts! At some concerts on posters organizers thought out legends about certain Valery, without knowing actually sense of the name of our band. And when we acted in film for telecast «Sound pickup» one of TV channels, we have supported this idea. But actually all was not so. Earlier we in our band had a girl Valery, she played bass.
When we thought of that it is necessary for us to be called somehow. The guitarist Lум had an idea concerning with the word The Greedies. And one of translations of a word «Greedies» isn’t good and I said that we can’t be called because Valery is girl. Maybe Valery & The Greedies. But it not so is pleasant to me, to tell the truth.
Sorrow: The name actually is enough difficult to pronounce. It’s never late to be renamed, especially with recording of the album. Do you think about it?
Anatoly: Yes, and difficultly remembered! Many people in our town have a problem with it, as far as I know. Apropos recalled we have definitively solved that we wouldn’t do it. This is label and about it all the same knows.
Sorrow: When there was an idea of creation of band?
Anatoly: It’s a difficulty to tell how much for a long time… There was an idea to create the project there were no even style frameworks.
It was the autumn of 2007, the idea was extremely painful, that is I did not know that I want, similar doubts remained to thresholds of rehearsal base) There I have understood that the way back is not present.
Sorrow: Tell me, please, about your band members.
Anatoly: I’m Anatoliy) I sing! Lev plays guitar, Grisha is the drummer and Sasha Shultz is our bass player.
Usually our guitarist writes the music; he thinks out all the basic riffs, we only are engaged in arrangements.
Sorrow: And words for songs are thought out only by you?
Anatoly: Not only me, Lev writes some songs too. Those songs which we now have in our arsenal are cast by own experiences. If all the same to speak to the point, texts of songs are probably about fears, regrets and disappointments…
Sorrow: And what from music has affected most of all your creativity?
Anatoly: Many people say about us that we are Joy Division. It I heard likely billion times if it is no more.
I did not consider). And it’s an interesting question about inspiration. The matter is that strenuously the post-punk we listened before we began to play it.
After have played — listened in the given key ever less and less. It is difficult to tell, than we are inspired. Joy Division became the basic factor, of course, I will not argue. But it was, more likely, at the earliest stage. Then we began to take many a little, from different records any different counters and so on. There are hundreds of these bands groups. And all of them are so different that it is difficult to present to it. Each our song is a mosaic, consisting of hundreds different smallest elements.
Sorrow: With whom you would wish to appear on stage?
Anatoly: About bands from the west I do not know… I am not too familiar with the western scene now (young teams) in spite of the fact that we have a lot of friends on myspace.com from Europe and the USA.
And here in Russia there are good bands! Especially I will allocate Zeberti from Saint-Petersburg and The Cavestompers from Moscow.
And to speak about dreams absolutely transcendental, that, perhaps, would be cool to play with New Order.
Regarding to Europe I will tell easier: we simply very much would like there to act and be apprehended by public.
Sorrow: What can you tell about rock scene in Petrozavodsk?
Anatoly: For the population in 270 thousand people the scene in Petrozavodsk is developed very strongly for such small town.
Sorrow: And what’s the difference between the audience in Petrozavodsk, in Moscow and in Saint-Petersburg?
Anatoly: The difference is quite small! Everywhere an audience is cold enough, sleepy and sleeping. Therefore all should be warmed up properly! As a whole, an audience is almost identical. On concerts many people listening many of different music go.
Difference the basic that at us to the people in a city is less and all anyhow communicate with each other and the same people go to the majority of concerts. As far as I know, In Saint-Petersburg the similar unity already in my opinion is not present, in Moscow especially.
Sorrow: What were your impressions of your debut performance?
Anatoly: It too should be recollected) I remember that before it strongly were afraid! I’m always afraid before a debut exit with any project on a scene! Well, naturally, feeling of simplification. Public accepted us well, there were many people, and they thanked us for the performance.
We played not bad, but still very uncertainly for that time. Yes, and then we were as like as two peas similar to Joy Division.) Since then fear of a scene and any audience has disappeared at all! It is a very positive moment! We always behave equally at any concert.
«Freaks on a secular reception!» has written about us one local magazine in December of the last year.
Sorrow: And what about plans for the future?
Anatoly: We plan to make round across Russia, there is a desire to go to Europe but while there are no such communications. And besides all will rest against record of a new album, therefore the main plan — to release an album!
Plate release is planned for the end of spring — the beginning of summer. When there will be it then, I think, there will be also a food for reflexions about сoncerning the new fulfilments, new concerts and possible round (and probably not one).
Sorrow: And the last question — what can you esteem to readers of our magazine?
Anatoly: I want to wish the readers of magazine successes in private life! That the roof in the house did not proceed and that wives and husbands don’t fool around.
Take care, my dear!
Victor ‘Sorrow’ Nikolaev
Grave Jibes Fanzine.
