On November 4, the Legends of Retro FM festival will host the performance of the legendary Tekhnologiya group
"MK-Boulevard" met with the leader of the group Roman Ryabtsev and found out how the artist lives today.
"MK-Boulevard" met with the leader of the group Roman Ryabtsev and found out how the artist lives today.
- Roman, you have repeatedly admitted that at one time "Technology" broke up because of women. Now women are not trying to destroy your male brotherhood?
- We courageously resist them ... Just kidding. Since then, we have matured, gained life experience and learned to separate flies from cutlets. Personal life and work should not interfere with each other.
How did the idea for your comeback come about?
- I myself called Vova Nechitailo and offered to reunite. Moreover, just a month before that, in an interview, he said “no, never.” The Internet convinced me - I went to the search engine, out of vanity I typed "Roman Ryabtsev" and ended up on the Technology fan forum, where I registered and began to communicate. And then proposals rained down: they say, let's come back.
- Your former producer Aizenshpis sarcastically remarked in his book: "The downed pilots do not return." What could you answer Yuri Shmilevich?
- It is already difficult for him to answer ... In fact, this is all nonsense. Look at the same "Mirage" - Sukhankin and Gulkin. They were nowhere at all, but returned. Yes, so that you can envy. By the way, they will also perform at the Legends of Retro FM festival.
— In 2005, you took part in the very first Retro FM festival. On November 4, perform again at Legends, now celebrating its fifth anniversary. Why do you think an event of this format - with idols and songs from the 80s and 90s - turned out to be so successful?
- The youth of a huge number of people in our country passed to the music of the 80s and 90s. Today, these people have achieved success, held and matured, but still they want to return to their youth, remember the first discos, their first girlfriend, the first kiss. It's funny, but 30-50 people on different network resources wrote to me about the same thing: “Thank you for“ Sooner or Later ”and“ Strange Dances ”, under this song my wife and I conceived our first child.”
— This year, Toto Cutugno, Thomas Anders, Sandra, E-Type will take part in Legends of Retro FM. How do you feel about these artists? Which of the Russian participants of the festival do you communicate with?
- Cutugno was one of my childhood idols, and it will be terribly interesting to see him live. I also respect E-Ture very much. Previously, during their concerts in Russia, we were on tour all the time, so now I will be glad to see them perform. As for the Russian participants, I now communicate more closely and make friends with the younger generation of musicians. We cooperate with them in terms of arrangements, remixes, in search of a new sound. We don't want to be a "band from the past". We recently recorded a new album, "The Bearer of Ideas", which, on the one hand, retained the signature sound of "Technology", and on the other hand, is addressed to today's youth and is in tune with their musical tastes. For me, November 4th is a doubly important date, because on this day our performance at the Legends of Retro FM and the release of our new album, Idea Carrier, will take place.
Why did he wait so long in the wings? After all, judging by the Tekhnologiya website, “The Bearer of Ideas” could have been released back in 2006.
“Even before. Everything began to be written back in 2003 - the first song "People" appeared just then. But there were many difficulties. Firstly, it was hard to enter the same river a second time. I wanted new songs in the spirit of the old "Technology", but that it was not naphthalene. Secondly, legal problems began with the record company. I went through a long and painful divorce from my business partners. Fortunately, we managed to reach an agreement in a civilized manner and maintain normal relations. But the album has been sitting on the shelf all this time. However, I'm even glad that everything turned out that way. I think now is the time for this music.
BY THE WAY
One of the founders of "Technology" Leonid Velichkovsky was not included in the new composition of the group.
There is a version that the main reason for his absence was the financial issue. But
two new members appeared in the team - Alexey Savostin and Matvey Yudov.
Childhood - from six to eleven years old - Roman spent in Syria, with his parents. Since then, the customs and culture of the Arab world have become one of the hobbies that still captivate his imagination. He speaks Arabic well. He also speaks quite tolerably French, which he mastered while working in Paris. However, my favorite language is English. Some of Ryabtsev's songs are written in English with perseverance worthy of a better use, since he is sorely lacking in the stock of Russian words. The years spent in the sultry Middle East left their mark on the other passions of the musician. For example, he hates all winter sports.
And skiing somewhere in the Alps can become for him the most terrible torture of all known to modern civilization.
The ideal woman, what is she, where to find her? These questions have haunted minds for centuries. Today, Roman Ryabtsev, composer, singer-songwriter, music producer of the Technologiya group, has joined our reflections on this topic.
I.D.Is there an example of an impeccable relationship in your life?
R.R.Never seen anything like this in my life. All outwardly prosperous families always have their "skeleton in the closet." Even in movies and books, relationships are always complicated by one factor or another. Otherwise, it would be uninteresting to read novels and watch melodramas (smiles).
I.D.Does the romantic image created in "Technology" correspond to the inner content?
R.R.For starters, I didn't create or even attempt to create any image. All the songs and poems that I wrote and write are an absolutely honest reflection of one of the sides of my inner world. But any world is not unipolar. And sometimes you have to remind some of those who ask in surprise: “You sing SUCH songs, but now you were rude and obscene, how is it?” That both angels and demons live in every person. And if the angels flutter in the stage incarnation, then the demons must be periodically walked. Otherwise, they will be torn to pieces (smiles).
I.D.What is unbearable for you in a relationship?
R.R.Stuffy selfishness, expressed in a jealous desire to limit the freedom of a partner. Which speaks of a lack of respect, trust, and, in principle, love itself.
I.D.What kind of women inspire creativity?
R.R. Favorite.
I.D.Should your woman share hobbies?
R.R.It would be strange if a woman watched demos of various synthesizers and other musical equipment on the Internet with me (laughs). No, of course, there are plenty of such women in the world, but I have not met them. But hobbies that are not related to my work are simply obliged to share it at least to some extent. "Look not at each other, but in one direction." This is perhaps one of the fundamental factors of harmonious relationships.
I.D.Is there a recipe for how not to forget about love in everyday life? About how it all began and why it was created?
R.R.There are no recipes and magic wands, everything is individual for everyone. But one must clearly understand that "the way it was then, in the beginning" will never be the same for anyone. Because every day you go to bed one person, and wake up a little different. And over time, this difference only accumulates. And in order not to bury your soul in the grave of nostalgia for Those Times, you need to learn every day to build relationships in a daily changing world. The two main words here are compromise and respect.
I.D.What person would you never be friends with?
R.R.With a fanatical supporter of the authorities. All other deviations are only welcome (laughs).
I.D.What zest in a person blows the roof?
R.R.The main thing is that this zest does not grow to the size of dried apricots. Well, in taste, in color - all felt-tip pens are different. You will never guess what exactly will make you lose peace and sleep (smiles).
I.D.Does appearance matter? Could you have a relationship with an ugly woman?
R.R. Of course, it has a priority when meeting, but what will happen next ... Although, no. I couldn't. Namely Relationships: long and serious, no matter how charming and smart she was.
I.D.And the last one, but if you don't want to answer, I understand (laughs). Is it true that "Technology" fell apart because of a woman?
R.R.Not true. This is just a high-profile journalistic headline, taken out of context, and stuck to our history. The reason was insurmountable, as it seemed to me at that time, creative differences and grievances associated specifically with our work. Women nearby, of course, were present and influenced, but not so much as to be the main factor (smiles).
Thanks for the chat, Roman. It was nice to chat and I hope this is not our last conversation. I wish you new breakthroughs in creativity and personal stability.
Irina Danilchenko
(photo from the personal archive of Roman Ryabtsev)
In the early 1990s the songs "Strange Dances" and "Press the Button" were mega hits, group "Technology" gave 4 concerts a day, and her soloist Roman Ryabtseva conquered by fans. In 1993, he unexpectedly decided to leave the band and went to Paris to record an album. There were rumors that women were actually to blame for the breakup of the group ...
The techno-pop group "Technology" was founded in 1990 by the musicians of the "Bioconstructor" group after the soloist left them. The first team included Leonid Velichkovsky, Andrey Kokhaev and Roman Ryabtsev, and later Vladimir Nechitailo joined them. Ryabtsev became the soloist - in his words, "out of necessity, and then out of inertia, and for some reason everyone liked it." In the same year, "Technology" began work on their debut album and released the first clips. These performers were not similar to anyone (they were compared only with Depeche Mode, although the similarity was only external), so the group immediately attracted attention and won thousands of fans.
In 1991, Yuri Aizenshpis began working with Technologiya as a producer. He helped the group release the album "Whatever You Want". With his arrival, the group became recognizable and popular throughout the country. For 14 months, the song "Strange Dances" held a leading position in the "Sound Track" hit parade of the Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper. “Before, everything was somehow simpler, we brought our video to the music channel - and it was put on. At that time, it was generally possible to break through without any special PR. Everything was decided by personal connections, ”the soloist of the group Roman Ryabtsev later admitted.
The following year, Technologiya released an album of remixes, took part in the Rock-Summer festival in Tallinn, gave several large-scale concerts in Moscow and Leningrad, gathering about 15 thousand spectators each, and went on tour to other cities of the country. The popularity was incredible, often they gave 4 concerts a day. A complete surprise for many was the news that in the fall of 1992 the group stopped working with Aizenshpis, and soon Roman Ryabtsev announced his desire to pursue a solo career.
At the time, there were rumors that women were actually to blame for the breakup of the group. Vladimir Nechitailo stated that "Roman Ryabtsev's ambitions" gave birth "to his beloved girlfriend, who worked at M-Radio. She convinced him that he was capable of making a solo career.” Later, he broke up with this girl and, as the musicians suggest, regretted leaving the group. And soon Andrei Kokhaev left after him, and Leonid Velichkovsky started producing the singer Lada Dance. "Technology" disappeared for a while, and then appeared in an updated line-up.
Roman Ryabtsev went to France in 1993 to record a solo album. He spoke about this period as follows: “I signed a contract, then rehearsals with a French group in Paris, then a recording ... And then the curator of my project died ... And since RFI is about the same as the State Radio and Television in the USSR (i.e. - the state office, the money - state money), then this whole story came to naught. Pros? A lot of them. They bought me good instruments, I worked with a live band, signed up in the West, learned some things that we didn’t do ... ”.
After returning to Russia, Ryabtsev fell into a depression, a creative crisis began, problems with alcohol appeared. However, he was able to overcome all this, again took up a solo career and released 4 albums in 10 years. In 2003, the two main vocalists of "Technology" Roman Ryabtsev and Vladimir Nechitailo reunited, and the group again began to perform concerts. However, the audience still demanded the songs "Press the Button" and "Strange Dances".
Now they are not afraid of disagreements because of women: “Since then we have matured, gained life experience and learned to separate flies from cutlets. Personal life and work should not interfere with each other. They are also optimistic about their prospects in the music market: “We don't want to remain a 'band from the past'. We recently recorded a new album, "The Bearer of Ideas", which, on the one hand, retained the signature sound of "Technology", and on the other hand, is addressed to today's youth and is in tune with their musical tastes.
Yuri Aizenshpis was engaged in producing and
In January, the singer, musician and composer will turn 45 years old. Shortly before the New Year, Roman married a second time. The TV program magazine met with Ryabtsev to find out what he is doing now and what is happening in his life
Photo: Ivan PROKHOROV
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2015 begins for me with filming in the television series, where I once again play myself, - says Roman. - Pretty funny role.
- And this is despite the fact that you fundamentally do not watch TV. At least talk about it often.
At some point, I revised it so much that I realized: it cannot give me anything new. Movies, for example, I can't watch on TV, because they are interrupted by advertisements all the time. I'd rather go to the movies or buy a CD. If I want to watch a particular program, I download it from the Internet.
- For example, political fights?
No, I'm not interested in them. Probably, it came with age, he became calmer. I don't think there's anything in them that will grab me. In addition, I know television cuisine: people who are ready to beat each other's faces on the air, then communicate nicely in the smoking room. It's all a big show... This year I've been called to appear in TV projects from Alexander Gordon's show to funny quizzes in which you have to perform a song while being suspended from the ceiling. The bottom line is the same: the audience should like the show.
- And you agree: hang from the ceiling in the show "Stars without pathos" on the Yu channel. Are you talking about the same program?
I participate, yes. It was very funny, I would even say hilarious. I looked at myself in the recording and rolled with laughter.
- ... realizing that all this is for the amusement of the public.
Excuse me, where do I work? In show business. Recently, I have radically changed my attitude towards all these programs. Let’s say, about ten years ago, maximalism still played in me: “Yes, I’m a serious person, I won’t go to these entertainment programs!” And now I think: why not? If I'm fooling around in the company of my acquaintances, then why shouldn't I do the same in public? If earlier the Tekhnologiya group tried to maintain a brutal image - we tried not to smile, we were serious - now, in general, we don't give a damn about anything. We can allow ourselves to be ourselves.
“I was brought up in the right communist spirit”
- You were born in Voronezh, then returned there after living with your parents in Syria. Do you have anything in common with this city now?
There is a certain nostalgia... After all, it was in Voronezh that I entered the institute and even studied one course there. At this time, many events took place that turned my life upside down ... This year in the summer something covered me, and I realized: I definitely need to go to Voronezh! Just like that, not on tour. I think I've finally caught up with the notorious midlife crisis. Summer was generally very chaotic and crazy. I tried to understand myself, in life, including my personal life. Thank God, now everything has settled down. But then I was tormented by mental anguish, I suddenly felt acutely that I needed to go to Voronezh - to come and just wander around the city for a couple of days, go to the village where my grandfather and grandmother lived. I do not like pathos words, but I wanted to fall down to the roots.
- By the way, about the Voronezh Institute ... Why did you suddenly decide to enter a pedagogical university?
At the insistence of the parents. They, diplomats, were planning another business trip abroad. I was at the age when I was no longer allowed to travel with them. In embassy schools in the Middle East, children usually study until the fourth or fifth grade. Decades are, as a rule, only in large capitalist countries: the States, France, Germany ... Therefore, my brother and I graduated from school in a special boarding school for children of foreign workers. Going to another country, my parents thought: what to do with me? They were quite rightly afraid to leave me at home. 16-year-old teenager, free life, alone in the apartment. What will happen? Now I understand them very well. And then he got terribly angry. However, my mother and father insisted that I enter the Voronezh Pedagogical Institute, which they themselves graduated from. In addition, the deputy dean is their classmate. Grandma and grandpa side by side. In general, I was, in their opinion, under supervision. My parents hoped that I would enter the Voronezh Institute, and the next year I would transfer to the Moscow Institute. So, in fact, it happened.
- Did you realize that Moscow is a city of great prospects?
For me, Moscow was just the capital of our Motherland. And that's all. Understand, I was brought up in the right communist spirit. And how else could a teenager who lived for five years in the embassy be brought up? Immoral people were not allowed abroad. I took everything at face value. The word "careerist" for me was as abusive as "bureaucrat" or "bribery". I sincerely despised people who aspire to make a career and break out somewhere. I thought it was very dirty, ugly and bad. That is, I was an absolutely communist-educated child. It was only later that an envious and contemptuous attitude appeared towards me, a Muscovite who arrived in Voronezh, which depressed me very much, and I tried by all means to show: I am absolutely the same as everyone else, no different.
"Technology" has gone bronze. And I reconsidered my views on life and work.
- Did you start thinking about a career as a musician at school?
No, I didn't even think about a musical career. The fact is that in the 9th - 10th grades, my friend and I, while serving a “link” in that very boarding school, tried to compose songs. I played the piano, and my friend had three instruments at once: a drum machine, a synthesizer and an electric organ. They were presented to him for a good study by parents working in Italy. As a result, we recorded three magnetic albums, absolutely disgusting in quality, but very funny, sincerely naive in content. Although, I confess, I recently started recording one of these songs, slightly reworking the text and leaving the melody composed at the age of 16 unchanged! certification. Already in the first year of the institute, my parents bought me a Casio electric organ. With him I was the first guy in the village! (Smiling.) I was taken to the institute's international VIA "Solar Circle" without talking. In 1987, I managed to get to the first Voronezh rock festival as a guest, out of competition. I was allowed to sing three songs, after being forced to go through the hell of the Soviets. I took my texts either to the district committee, or to the city committee of the Komsomol, they were approved there, they were looking for sedition, they were not found and they put a seal. Everything was so gloomy ... I myself, in general, was going to follow in the footsteps of my father and build a diplomatic career. Music was just my hobby, but there were always people around me with whom I was interested in playing and who were interested in playing with me. And when I had already arrived in Moscow, I joined the group. Now I do not remember how and to what. Then there was another group. Slowly it started, it started, the first tour to Smolensk followed ...
- At one time you managed to collaborate with Kristina Orbakaite, and with the t.A.T.u. group, and with Vlad Stashevsky. Do you continue to work with other artists?
Haven't done anything like this in 10 years. "Technology" took too much time. But now I am restoring my old skills, I am starting to work for other performers, I don’t want to advertise their names for now. In one case, I act as the author of music to the verses of another person, in the second I produce songs.
- And what about the new album of the group "Technology"? You said he was about to come out.
I revised my plans for life and work. In my opinion (although not everyone agrees with me), the Technologiya group has finally turned into, as they say on the posters, the “legendary Technologiya group”, that is, it has bronzed, completely passed into the category of retro. From my touring practice, I see that no one needs anything new from us. Concert organizers keep telling us: “Only, for God’s sake, don’t sing new songs!” Therefore, I consider it inexpedient to do something new under the brand name of the Tekhnologiya group. In 2009 we recorded the album "The Carrier of Ideas". But we don’t play half of the songs from it at concerts. I already had a similar situation in 1993. I wrote songs that did not fit the band at all, it was never “Technology” - Celtic-Irish melodies ... In general, as then, now I decided to release my solo album. And for "Technology" for the upcoming anniversary (in March 2015 we turn 25 years old, we plan to celebrate on a grand scale - with big concerts) to record several new singles.
- Does something surprise you, pleases you in modern music?
Surprisingly, nothing new and interesting happens in it. Solid chewing of the old. Earlier, for example, there was a fashion for some offshoot of dance music. Take at least goa trance, tribal house or drum and bass, which lasted for several years, and then were replaced by some other general hobby. Now, thanks to the Internet and flash mobs, everything happens hastily, in a few months, and is quickly forgotten. Music TV channels are practically dead, they do not have any influence.
- But thanks to the same Internet, Igor Rasteryaev, Petr Nalich were “born” ...
Rasteryaev interested me: he started well, but then, in my opinion, everything became dull. I didn’t like cash at once, I didn’t catch it. It's much more fun to listen to another song by Semyon Slepakov. Here he is, in my opinion, beautiful. Especially the song "The best sex is sex with your wife." How old is this hit, and every time I listen to it with delight.
- On your Facebook page, you admired the composition Gangnam Style.
She is gorgeous. This is a superbly constructed song, which contains absolutely all pop stamps: sounds, structure, arrangement. The perfect cocktail!
- For some time, the Technology group collaborated with Yuri Aizenshpis. Which producer would you like to work with right now?
With Max Fadeev. This is the only one who can be called a producer in the correct sense of the word. Of all our producers, he is the most interesting and close to me. I think that he does everything very cool.
- Maybe it's time to try your hand abroad again?
No, because none of ours could do it. No examples! And to think that I will succeed is stupid and naive.
- But you didn’t think so when you left for France in the early 90s, did you?
I did not go there - I lived in Paris only during the recording of the album. I went to France solely with the hope that my album would sell in the future. However, I had no illusions, remembering the experience of releasing Radio Silence by Boris Grebenshchikov - with much larger budgets and producers like Dave Stewart. So what? As a result, his album failed. Therefore, I regarded my trip only as an interesting experience of working “differently”, not like ours.
- What is the main difference?
mentality! We recently played in a rehearsal space that consisted of several rooms. There, various young groups rehearsed non-stop from morning to night. And 90 percent of them played hard heavy metal: adrenaline, teenage energy... But no matter how ridiculous it may sound, they perform fashionable and quite relevant music. Young people do not go through an amateur song club and strumming guitars in the yard, they do not sing Soviet songs at singing lessons. These musicians were brought up by the Internet and radio on the right music. And in 20 years, when our generation and the scoop remaining in the brains will die out, there is a chance that such groups will break through.
- And in principle, you could move abroad?
For what? If only for recording an album. But I have my own studio here, and I cannot physically transport it abroad. You can, of course, go with a mobile keyboard and one synthesizer, but it will not be the same. Of course, if the situation of 1993 were repeated and some French offered me to sign a contract and record an album, I would agree. But so far no one has suggested...
- You like to talk about corruption in the domestic music business. Are you facing this yourself?
Certainly. You seem to have a good relationship with the radio people. Offer them a song to broadcast. “Yes, yes, listen,” they answer. And nothing. Silence. And only then you find out through other people - and this is the most disgusting thing - that the song does not fit the format. They hint that you need to bring money. They are even embarrassed to talk about it in the forehead. You can't just walk into the commercial department and pay for a song to play on the air. Everything happens at the level of half hints.
"I don't need extra hysterical love"
- What are the best qualities you adopted from your father?
Despite the fact that my dad is a diplomat, it was he who taught me to do everything with my own hands. I thought about this just the other day, screwing another shelf. In principle, at home I can do everything that does not require gas welding: put together a table, paint it, hang a shelf ... I'm rushing from this. It’s easier to drill and nail yourself than to call the master. Dad always did something at home, nailed, picked. And I watched and learned independence.
- You once said that a musician has three constant expenses: a studio, a car and a spouse. The situation has not changed?
Pah-pah, I don’t spend money on medicines yet (smiles). Number one on this list is, of course, the wife. The studio already, fortunately, does not need expenses. Only in the rent for the premises. 28 synthesizers is more than enough. I want to get rid of at least a couple. I don't play them, but they take up space... A car? Yes!
- Although lately you prefer the subway.
I try to take the subway more often, because it's fast. In Moscow, figs park. I have two more meetings and a rehearsal scheduled for today. In a car, I would spend half a day, and on the subway - whack-whack, back and forth ... I have absolutely no complexes on this score. And when it's warm and dry outside, I also ride a scooter or a bicycle.
- We talked about the three main items of expenditure... Does alcohol interfere with this "coordinate system"?
Only non-alcoholic beer, and even then without fanaticism. For over four years now.
- How did you come to this?
There were many calls. Naturally, exhortations from loved ones. Yes, I myself felt how quickly I get tired - an eternally broken state, feeling unwell. Volodya Nechitailo dragged me to the clinic - to check the body. That's when I realized how terrible it was. I decided: it's time to tie if I want to live happily ever after. There was an elementary fear for their health. As a result - a half-hour session, a bunch of electrodes connected to the head - and the very next day I calmly looked at alcohol, no emotions!
- You do not have a feeling of nostalgia for the times when your entrance was filled with declarations of love, when fans overcame both night and day?
No! It was terrible and embarrassing. Honestly, without coquetry, because it terribly complicated my life. Vanity is such an interesting thing: it's good when it's monetized, when fans shout "Roma, Roma!" and buy concert tickets. And separately - it is not interesting. By the way, now there are no fewer fans, they just flowed from the entrances to the same Facebook, became more civilized. And now they don’t interfere with life (laughs).
- Once you said: "I plan my life for the day ahead and for what will happen in three years, and freestyle in between." Where did you get these frames? Why exactly three years?
Three is a good number, magical. But not everything in my life can be divided into such segments. The notorious midlife crisis I experienced this summer has led to me now trying to plan with great care. Especially in the current economic situation, planning anything at all is unrealistic. What will happen in three years? Leshy knows him! Of course, I have Napoleonic plans - to finally release my album next year. At least on the Internet... But I feel that planning and I are incompatible things. This is very bad, of course, wrong, but that's how I am - Roman Ryabtsev.
Makeup and hair: Kristina KOVALEVA.
We would like to thank The Box bar for their help in organizing the shooting.
Private bussiness
Roman Ryabtsev was born on January 25, 1970 in Voronezh. Grew up in a family of diplomats, lived for five years in Damascus (Syria). He began his professional musical career in 1988 as part of the duet Farewell to Youth. In 1990, he became the keyboardist of the Bioconstructor group, which then transformed into Technology. In 1993, Ryabtsev left for France to record a solo album under a contract with Radio France Internationale. Returning to Russia, he soon left the band and officially announced the beginning of his solo career. For 10 years, Ryabtsev has released four albums, while remixing and arranging for various artists. In 2003, he recreated the Technology group, in which he still performs together with Vladimir Nechitailo and Matvey Yudov. Wife - journalist Marina Kancler (Ryabtseva).
