"Skomorokhi" is a rock band from the Soviet Union. At the origins of the group is already a well-known personality, and then the schoolboy Alexander Gradsky. At the time of the creation of the group, Gradsky was only 16 years old.
In addition to Alexander, the group included several other musicians, namely drummer Vladimir Polonsky and keyboardist Alexander Buinov.
Initially, the musicians rehearsed and performed without a bass guitar. But later, when guitarist Yuri Shakhnazarov joined the team, the music took on completely different “shades”.
It is interesting that most of the beginning rock bands of the times of the USSR at the initial stage of their careers performed tracks by foreign performers. This feature allowed young groups to form "their" audience.
The group "Skomorokhi" has become a rare exception. Foreign songs were included in their repertoire, but sounded very rarely. The basis of the collective's creativity is compositions of its own composition.
The history of the creation of the team "Skomorokhi"
At first, the musicians had nowhere to rehearse. But soon the head of the Energetik House of Culture provided the group with a place for rehearsals. In addition to the group "Skomorokhi", the collective "Time Machine" rehearsed in the recreation center. The musicians communicated with each other and exchanged ideas regarding performances and recording tracks.
Despite the efforts of the musicians, music lovers did not seem to notice the new band. To ensure interest in the soloists, and at the same time to replenish the “purse” a little, Gradsky and several former colleagues in the Slavs group (Viktor Degtyarev and Vyacheslav Dontsov), created a parallel group with the Western repertoire Los Panchos.
The commercial group lasted until 1968. Thanks to the stake on the Western repertoire, the musicians enriched themselves and were able to buy the necessary equipment for work.
It is interesting that initially the group "Skomorokhi" performed exclusively on a free basis. Concerts of musicians were organized in the House of Culture and at city holidays.
The songs included in the repertoire are the merit of each of the soloists of the group. Sometimes Valery Sautkin, who wrote the texts, collaborated with the Skomorokha group. A little later, Alexander Gradsky wrote compositions for the group that became hits. We are talking about the songs: "Blue Forest", "Poultry Farm", mini-rock opera "Fly-sokotuha" based on Korney Chukovsky.
Alexander Buinov’s Peru owns the tracks “Songs about Alyonushka” and “Grass-Ant” (lyrics by Sautkin), Shakhnazarov also wrote several hits: “Memoirs” and “Beaver” (lyrics by Sautkin).
Interest in the team "Skomorokhi" increased. Musicians began to be interested, and accordingly the group began to be invited to commercial performances. There was no need for the Los Panchos group. They wanted to listen to the group not only in Moscow.
The change in the composition of the team "Skomorokhi"
The first changes in the composition of the "Skomorokhi" group were in the mid-1960s in the early 1970s. During this time, the team was visited by: Alexander Lerman (bass guitar, vocals); Yuri Fokin (percussion instruments); Igor Saulsky, who replaced Buinov, who left for the army (keyboards).
During this period, the group announced a forced hiatus. The musicians again ran out of funds. At that time, they were in great need of professional equipment.
Soon the group "Skomorokhi" and the team "Time Machine" held a concert, which caused riots. This event took place on February 23rd. The free concert in the literal sense of the word "charged" the listeners with madness. After the concert, the audience ran out into the street, starting hooliganism. When the police arrived at the scene, the angry fans threw their "carriages" into the Moscow River.
Departure from the group of Alexander Gradsky
In 1968, Alexander Gradsky left the band for a while. He began work in the vocal and instrumental ensemble Electron, where he replaced solo guitarist Valery Prikazchikov on the spot, but did not sing.
Over the next few years, Gradsky traveled with various Russian bands to performances, but the most interesting thing is that Alexander "kept silence", just playing the guitar.
In 1970, Gradsky joined the popular Soviet group "Merry Fellows" under the leadership of Pavel Slobodkin. Being part of the group "Merry Fellows", Alexander received the first serious skills of performing on stage.
Alexander Gradsky sang and played at the same time in the group "Merry Fellows". And everything would be fine, but in 1971, in connection with his studies, the musician made a difficult decision for himself - he left the band. Together with him, the drummer Vladimir Polonsky was admitted to the ensemble "Merry Fellows", who performed in the ensemble until the mid-1970s.
Gradsky entered the prestigious Moscow Gnessin University. The young man learned the basics of vocals from L.V. Kotelnikov himself. A little later, Alexander Gradsky improved his skills in the class of N. A. Verbova.
Reunion of the group "Skomorokhi"
After leaving the vocal-instrumental ensemble "Merry Fellows", Gradsky again wanted to restore the work of the "Skomorokhi" group. The musician wanted to take part in the all-Union festival "Silver Strings" in the city of Gorky. The team began to actively rehearse.
But a few weeks before the All-Union Festival, Alexander Lerman and Yury Shakhnazarov, who became the second guitarist, left the band. Igor Saulsky was urgently called to replace the musicians, who had to become a bass player and already on the Moscow-Gorky train learned bass parts.
The group still performed on the stage of the festival. The team "Skomorokhi" made a good impression on the jury and the audience. The musicians took away with them 6 out of 8 possible awards. The remaining awards were awarded to the Chelyabinsk ensemble "Ariel".
The increase in Gradsky's popularity, as well as the unstable composition of the team, played a cruel joke with the Skomorokh group. Soon, the participants in the radio recordings began to be called the group.
Alexander Gradsky was not shocked by this news. Starting in the 1970s, he mostly realized himself as a solo singer. In addition, he played the guitar very well.
In the late 1980s, Alexander Gradsky, with his accompaniment under the banner of "Skomorokhi", performed at the "Time Machine" concert. Then the aforementioned team celebrated the second major anniversary - 20 years since the creation of the group.
To date, each of the musicians was engaged in solo activities. And some have completely abandoned creativity. In particular, the "father" of the group "Skomorokhi" Alexander Gradsky realized himself as a producer, poet, TV presenter and showman.
