In 2020, the legendary rock band Kruiz celebrated its 40th anniversary. During their creative activity, the group has released dozens of albums. The musicians managed to perform at hundreds of Russian and foreign concert venues.
The group "Kruiz" managed to change the idea of Soviet music lovers about rock music. The musicians demonstrated a completely new approach to the concept of VIA.
The history of the creation and composition of the Cruise group
At the origins of the Cruise team is Matvey Anichkin, a composer, poet and former leader of the Young Voices vocal and instrumental ensemble.
This VIA included: Vsevolod Korolyuk, bassist Alexander Kirnitsky, guitarist Valery Gaina and Matvey Anichkin mentioned above. The guys in the early 1980s worked on the rock performance "Star Wanderer".
The rock production was presented to the audience in the same 1980. The premiere of the production took place on the territory of Tallinn at an event held as part of the Summer Olympic Games.
After this performance, Matvey Anichkin decided to completely change the composition and style of the team.
Actually, this is how the Cruise group appeared, which included: keyboardist Matvey Anichkin, guitarist Valery Gain, drummer and backing vocalist Seva Korolyuk, bassist Alexander Kirnitsky and soloist Alexander Monin.
The new team began to record the first compositions in Tambov. At that time, the musicians were under the wing of the director of the local philharmonic, Yuri Gukov. The tracks that the Cruise team recorded during this period of time have become a real legend of Russian rock.
Most of the musical compositions of the early period belong to the authorship of Gain. Kirnitsky, who was in the group until 2003, was responsible for writing the texts.
Then the lead singer of the Cruise group decided to leave the band due to disagreements with other members. In 2008, Kirnitsky died under very strange circumstances.
The composition of the Cruise group, as often happens, has changed several times. Fans especially remember Grigory Bezugly, who soon left after Sergei Sarychev.
After the release of the first studio albums, the talented bassist Oleg Kuzmichev, pianist Vladimir Kapustin and drummer Nikolai Chunusov left the group.
In subsequent years, the musicians, reinforced by guitarist Dmitry Chetvergov, drummer Vasily Shapovalov, bassists Fedor Vasilyev and Yuri Levachyov, conducted musical experiments by recruiting new soloists.
In addition, the mentioned trio was also engaged in solo projects. As a result, by 2019, three independent projects came out of the old Cruise group.
The projects were led by Grigory Bezugly, Valery Gain and Matvey Anichkin. The musicians signed a document in which they indicated that they could use the band's materials for their own purposes.
Music group Cruise
The Cruise team was founded in 1980. And then there was a shortage in everything, including the rehearsal facilities and technical equipment.
But even in such conditions it is impossible to hide talent. Having received an education, the musicians of the group released two collections, thanks to which, in fact, they were popular.
The collections were recorded almost at home. The tracks contained on the cassettes were of poor quality. But that energy and the message that the musicians of the Cruise group tried to convey could not go unnoticed.
In the debut album "The Spinning Top", which was released in 1981, the hard sound was perfectly conveyed. Music lovers liked this zest, and the group provided an increase in the number of fans and all-Union popularity.
Musical compositions based on poems by the poet Valery Sautkin and music by Sergei Sarychev were filled with unusual arrangements and energetic tempos. Thus, we can talk about the formation of the musical style of the Cruise group.
After the presentation of the debut album, the rockers were invited to perform at one of the concert venues in Moscow. The performance went off without a hitch. Then the rock band was recognized as the best project in the USSR in the 1980s.
At the peak of their popularity, the musicians presented new songs: “I am a tree” and “How boring it is to live without a bright fairy tale.” In 1982, the group's discography was replenished with the collection "Listen, man", which included the above-mentioned tracks.
Small changes in the group
At the same time, a second guitar appeared, which filled the sound of the compositions of the Cruise group. Grigory Bezugly played masterfully on the second guitar. The lyrical performance of Gaina's solo skillfully placed the necessary accents.
Soon, the musicians presented the fans with a rock production of "Traveling in a Balloon". The songs “Soul”, “Aspirations” and “Hot hot air balloon” were very popular among music lovers.
Interestingly, the performance was directed by the musicians of the Cruise group themselves. The presentation of "Traveling in a Balloon" was a great success.
Those who wanted to watch the performance lined up. Everyone wanted to see musicians soaring above the stage against the backdrop of a hot air balloon filled with air. The atmosphere that reigned at the performance caused real euphoria among the audience.
After the concerts, the audience often went out into the street and rioted. This alignment worried the authorities. Thus, the Cruise group was included in the so-called "black list". The musicians were forced to go underground.
The rock band could not be underground. Some musicians became depressed. A way out of this situation was found in the mid-1980s.
The leader of the group, with the support of Grigory Bezugly, Oleg Kuzmichev and Nikolai Chunusov, registered a new group with the Ministry of Culture, which was called "EVM".
The fans were at a loss, but when they found out that "computer" is an abbreviation for "Oh, your mother!", They calmed down. Good old rock - to be!
Complete relief came after the presentation of the collection "Madhouse". Fans realized that the soloists did not change the principles of hard rock and alternative rock.
Recording a new album and moving abroad
And Gaina and several musicians continued their creative activity under the creative pseudonym "Cruise". The guys basically did not want to change the name. In 1985, the discography of the Cruise group was replenished with the collection KiKoGaVVA.
The musicians expected a warm welcome from the "fans" of the album. But their expectations were not met. The absence of other musicians greatly reduced the quality of the songs. The guitarist decided to change his style from hard rock to heavy metal and took the position of vocalist, frontman.
The musical experiment was a success. The recording studio Melodiya became interested in the group. They were especially attracted by the tracks from the Rock Forever compilation.
However, after the presentation of the demo recordings of Gaina and the rest of the musicians, it became clear that the Kruiz group in such a composition was not needed by the USSR public.
The musicians were very disappointed. They realized that it was time to take a landmark to the west. Soon they held a number of concerts in Spain, Norway, Sweden and other European countries.
Despite the fact that the audience of the USSR was not enthusiastic about the group, European music lovers recognized the musicians as geniuses. They have received international recognition and the support of professional producers.
Thanks to this, the Cruise team released two "powerful albums" in English. The songs "Knight of the Road" and Avenger deserved considerable attention.
This period can be attributed to the "golden time" of the group - prosperity, popularity at the international level, lucrative contracts. Despite the current situation, the atmosphere "inside" the group was heating up every day.
The result of constant quarrels and conflicts was the decision to move to their homeland. Each of the musicians chose to do their own thing. The concert and studio activities of the Cruise group had to be “frozen” for some time.
The team developed thanks to the efforts of the soloists of the EVM group. This event happened in 1996. The musicians of the "EVM" band presented the double album "Stand up for everyone" and re-recorded old compositions for CD and DVD albums.
Most of the musical compositions composed in the early 1980s were used in the 25 and 5 project. Fans believed that the musicians would be able to find a common language and revive the Cruise team.
Death of Alexander Monin
Fans consoled themselves with thoughts that the Cruise group would appear on the stage. But with the death of Alexander Monin, the last hope for saving the rock band also died.
Due to this tragedy, the musicians suspended their tour activities. The only ray of light was the presentation of Monin's posthumous album.
The musicians were looking for a replacement for the legendary Alexander, and in 2011 Dmitry Avramenko replaced the deceased vocalist. The singer's voice can be heard in the record "Salt of Life".
Actually, then preparations for the anniversary of the Cruise group took place. In addition, the musicians presented the fans with a new album, Revival of a Legend. Live".
Almost all the soloists of the rock band, who were also sad for the old days, were involved in the performances. Subsequently, the musicians united in the Kruiz trio.
After the scandal that arose during the preparation of the concert in the concert hall "Crocus City Hall" in 2018, the musicians were forced to document the relationship.
As a result, Grigory Bezugly, Fedor Vasiliev and Vasily Shapovalov still perform under the creative pseudonym "Cruise", and their former colleagues received the names TRIO "CRUISE" by Valery Gaina and "Matvey Anichkin's Cruise Group".
All of these groups are still active today. In addition, they are regular guests of thematic music festivals. In particular, they managed to visit the rock festival "Invasion".
