Life of pop stars of the 90s (9 photos)

I wonder where the stars go? If you turn on retro radio stations from time to time, you get the impression that the times of the 80s and 90s have never gone away. The loho dance of the era of cooperative stalls still sounds, melodies familiar from childhood reshape time coordinates, and soulful and merciless pop music of the Yeltsin style reigns.
However, most of these stars are not at all visible among the participants in high-status television concerts. They do not play on current radio stations. And most often the listener knows nothing at all about their current existence. What did the stars do after their resounding success, where did they disappear from visibility? All that was left of them were songs. The songs alone are quite a lot. Even if it's just one song.

"Ladybug" - "Granite Pebble"

The keyboardist of the legendary “Mirage” Vladimir Volenko, aka Volesha, initially conceived “Ladybug” as banter punk. However, nothing worked out, and I still had to play pop music. It must have happened that the very first song released to the radio in 1993 by the Soyuz label turned out to be “Granite Pebble”! Resounding success and the laurels of the “Russian Shizgara” fell instantly.

However, the problem was that Volesha’s team was unable to create anything else equally as hit. He, of course, tried to master the legacy of the Beatles and other little-known Western artists, and even tried to write his own songs. But everything was in vain. By 2000, lead singer Inna Anzorova left the group, but this did not help. It came to the release of a Christian pop album with the tracks “King Jesus”, as well as “Jesus Walks (1)” and “Jesus Walks (2)”. But the arrangements on cheap keyboards at the level of an orphanage music club are so monstrous that the group was not successful in this matter either.

Volenko’s cheerfulness and sociability have led to the fact that “Ladybug” is actively in demand in casinos and restaurants in a considerable number of cities, and in terms of the number of corporate concerts it is ready to compete for primacy with “Uma Thurman” herself. But has there been at least one concert in its history without the song “Granite Pebble”? Hardly.

"Shao? Bao!" - “Konyk’s mother bathed”

Not everyone remembers that the song “Kupyla Mama Konyka” started airing on the then newly opened Russian MTV. The musicians sent the black-and-white clip on a VHS tape to Moscow along with a bucket of strawberries. The TV crew ate the strawberries, and they broadcast a video of complete strangers on the air. Then this was possible!

Quite by accident, the musicians learned that their song was heard from every iron in Russia. They arrived and began to star. However, Russian show business does not give two alms in a row. The self-confident provincials quickly quarreled with all the right people, and somehow did not produce 100% hits. As a result, the group now performs in godforsaken places, publishes self-made albums, and even goes on tour to Germany. In a word, he leads an original lifestyle.

Bogdan Titomir – “Do as I do”

Titomir left Kar-Mena, which was beginning to lose its popularity, and immediately recorded the album “High Energy” full of hits in 1992. It included not only “Do as I do,” but also “The Girl in Red,” “Sex Machine” and other imperishables. The charismatic, browed Bogdan (aka Oleg Titorenko) came up with utter nonsense, such as the “hi-energy movement” and sex preaching. And they all went with a bang.

Then Bogdan Titomir decided that he needed to learn how to rap from real masters, and left for America. Leaving the rapidly growing Russian show business was an unforgivable mistake. Three years later he returned, but show business and the public were no longer interested. Attempts to attract attention with old tricks also failed - new idols appeared in music a la rap and hip-hop, younger and prettier. Since then, Bogdan Titomir has been spinning discs from time to time in pretentious clubs and singing at retro parties.

Kai Metov – “Position No. 2”

Many believed and still believe that Kai Metov is a provincial genius from somewhere in the Urals or Siberia. However, this impression was formed due to the artist’s closedness and unsociability. In fact, Kairat (real name) graduated from the Central Music School at the Moscow Conservatory in violin class, although he then traveled around the country. Kai Metov came up with a very characteristic intimate recitative and put it on a chanson-disco rhythm. Kai Metov recorded his first album “Position Namba Tu” in 1993 at home. But the title song worked so well that there was no longer any need for it.

Very quickly Kai Metov becomes a champion in touring chess, but his new songs are not broadcast. They are still not playing, although five albums have been released. Now, like most former stars, he lives in Moscow and regularly gives corporate concerts under minus “plywood”. His latest hit “Tea Rose” is familiar to everyone from its performance by Philip Kirkorov and Masha Rasputina. If you're lucky, at rare concerts you can hear this song performed by the author.

Natalie – “The wind blew from the sea”

A modest teacher from the Nizhny Novgorod region came to conquer the capital. She took part in the Morning Star competition, got married and became a prominent blonde. Not everyone knows that the 1998 album “The Wind Blew from the Sea” was actually the singer’s fourth album. But the tearful hit of the same name instantly made Natalie one of the most popular singers in the country. She gathered an almost full Kremlin, sounded from every iron and actively toured the country, irritating Tsoi’s admirers with her “blonde” cover version of “A Star Called the Sun.”

Unlike many, Natalie did not become a star. She lived a peaceful family life, feeding fans with PR about unrequited love. And she waited for her new finest hour, which came in 2000. “A Turtle Named Natasha” once again blew up all the provincial discos, and the plump blonde Natalie returned to the television screen. She is called “Miss Bad Taste”, her arrangements are for extremely unpretentious ears, but the image of a blonde at a rural disco continues to be in steady demand. On solo performances he performs “The Wind from the Sea Blowed” up to four times per concert, including encores. In the latest creative news, I shot a video clip for... a remake of the song “The Wind Blowed from the Sea.”

Vlad Stashevsky – “Love Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”

In 1993, the legendary producer Yuri Aizenshpis heard a guy backstage at a club singing criminal songs to the piano. A year later, the album “Love Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” was released, and Vlad Stashevsky became one of the most popular performers. Evil tongues then said: “the most popular of those who cannot sing.” Aizenshpis persistently released an album every year, invested $2.5 million in its promotion (according to his own words), and after the new hit “Call Me in the Night,” Stashevsky became the best singer of 1996 according to MK readers.

And in 1999, Stashevsky quarreled with his producer. He proudly called himself a philosophical singer, wanted to do everything himself, and even founded Vlad Stashevsky production. But the new album failed; without Aizenshpis, the artist ceased to be of interest not only to television, but also to his audience. The last memories of Stashevsky for most viewers are associated with the participation of the half-forgotten singer in the TV show “The Last Hero”. And it did not bring him happiness. But the singer is happy in his family life, and from time to time gives concerts in casinos and restaurants

Vadim Kazachenko – “It hurts me, it hurts”

The vocal Ukrainian became famous as part of the Freestyle group. In 1992, the group members quarreled among themselves, and since then Kazachenko and “Freestyle” with the voice of Nina Kirso exist in parallel. The paradox is that Vadim Kazachenko with the song “It hurts me, it hurts” became a widely known artist, and the musicians who kicked him out of the group are practically forgotten. Kazachenko gave a huge number of concerts, but was not very successful in writing new hits.

After a quarrel with Igor Krutoy, the singer disappeared from all television broadcasts, but was still in demand by the public. Vadim Kazachenko's textured, powerful vocals are recognizable from the first note, but he desperately has no luck with fashionable arrangements. Recently, Joseph Prigozhin took up the task of returning Kazachenko, but did nothing

"Nancy" - "Smoke of Menthol Cigarettes"

In 1992, the album “Smoke of Menthol Cigarettes” was recorded, the title song from which became the first and last hit of Anatoly Bondarenko and Andrey Kostenko. The musicians are not at all discouraged - they actively tour, and even release an album almost every year, as many as four of which were released with the sacramental title “New and Best”. Creative fertility has no effect on popularity, because almost no one even knows about these albums. But as long as there is “Smoke of Menthol Cigarettes”, the musicians will not have to live in poverty.

Concluding this brief review, we can note that none of the stars of the 90s disappeared anywhere. They are alive, well and giving a huge number of concerts. Take a look at the poster of the nearest casino and see for yourself. Everything is fine with them. Even if the reader knows at least one song from their repertoire.