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Alexander LyapinGuitar virtuoso, member of the group "Aquarium"
Date of Birth: 10.06.1956
Country:  Russia |
Content:
- Alexander Lyapin: A Virtuoso Guitarist and National Hero
- Early Life and Musical Beginnings
- "Trio Ermitazh" and "Nu, Pogodi!"
- Military Service and "Jonathan Livingston"
- Solo Projects and Collaborations
- "Aquarium" and Instrumental Projects
- "TELE-U" and "The Experiments"
- Solo Work and "DDT" Collaboration
- "POP-MEKHANIKA" and "Turkish Tea"
- Return to "Aquarium" and Solo Career
- Later Projects and Accomplishments
- "Lyapin's Blues" and American Adventures
- "ROCKMEKHANIKA" and Teaching
- "Video School" and "FeedBack"
Alexander Lyapin: A Virtuoso Guitarist and National Hero
Alexander Lyapin, the "national guitar hero" as once dubbed by the St. Petersburg magazine "RIO," achieved fame and public recognition as a guitarist in the classic lineup of the rock band "Aquarium." However, his individual musical journey is far more captivating, beginning long before "Aquarium" and continuing brilliantly to this day.
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Alexander Lyapin was born on June 1, 1956, in Leningrad. While attending a mathematics school, he began studying music. His classmate was Andrei "Dyusha" Romanov, with whom he also attended a music school, where Lyapin trained as a violinist. From 1969 to 1972, Lyapin and Romanov played together in the school band "Altair."
"Trio Ermitazh" and "Nu, Pogodi!"
After graduating from high school, Lyapin became a student at the M. Musorgsky Music College. There, he met and joined forces with drummer and rock music aficionado Dmitry Mikhailov and bassist Yuri "Basyavy" Razhev to form the trio "Ermitazh." The trio played rhythm-and-blues and hard rock at dances in the Vartemyagi settlement near Leningrad. Later, Dmitry left the band, replaced by another classmate, drummer Yuri "Kistyara" Nikolaev.
Lyapin first gained public attention while performing in the popular St. Petersburg band "Nu, Pogodi!" They played a fusion of art-rock and jazz-fusion with complex and highly inventive arrangements. It was here that Lyapin developed his signature improvisational style, which became a leitmotif of his future musical endeavors. He jokingly referred to his musical direction as "Free Bluez," a style he adheres to to this day.
Military Service and "Jonathan Livingston"
In May 1975, Lyapin was drafted into the military. He continued his musical studies while in service, playing and studying the arrangement of brass instruments in a professional military band. During his off-duty hours, he honed his rhythm skills with renowned drummer and swing theorist Igor Golubev.
Solo Projects and Collaborations
After being demobilized, Lyapin joined Golubev's band for over a year, which later became known as "Jonathan Livingston." He then began playing with his own group, "Staya," featuring Alexander Titov on bass, Evgeny Guberman on drums, and occasionally Mikhail Malim on flute. In the late 1970s, Lyapin joined various vocal-instrumental ensembles and toured extensively throughout the Soviet Union.
"Aquarium" and Instrumental Projects
In January 1982, Lyapin returned to rock-n-roll as a guitarist for "Aquarium." He quickly became an indispensable element of their sound and stage presence. Several of his instrumental pieces became part of the band's repertoire, including the legendary blues number "Cold Beer," an interpretation of Dyusha Romanov and Vladimir Shinkarev's song inspired by Jimi Hendrix's music.
"TELE-U" and "The Experiments"
In 1984, Lyapin founded his own instrumental project, "TELE-U," which became a laureate at the II Festival of the Leningrad Rock Club. "TELE-U" performed several more times with different rhythm sections in 1985-1986, but eventually dissolved in 1986, having exhausted its potential. Lyapin also performed with the band "Motor-Blues," founded for him by future "DDT" keyboardist and arranger Andrei Muratov.
Solo Work and "DDT" Collaboration
In the fall of 1987, Lyapin recorded his first solo studio album, "Mirror of the Day." He then returned to the stage with a more powerful electric program, accompanied by the rhythm section of "DDT" (Vadim Kurylyov on bass and Igor Dotsenko on drums), renaming the group "The Experiments of Alexander Lyapin." In 1988, "The Experiments" recorded their only album, "Committee No. 6." Lyapin has had a long-standing collaboration with "DDT," contributing to their music when he found their programs interesting.
"POP-MEKHANIKA" and "Turkish Tea"
Lyapin was a regular member of Sergei Kuryokhin's "POP-MEKHANIKA" from 1988 until Kuryokhin's death in 1996. He was Kuryokhin's creative partner, responsible for the group's Rock sector, which later evolved into the present-day "ROCKMEKHANIKA."
In late 1990, Lyapin formed the group "Turkish Tea" with cellist Vsevolod Gakkel (ex-"Aquarium") and drummer Alexander Yemelyanov (ex-"Gezy," "Voskreseniye"). The group performed several concerts and appeared at the Decade of the Leningrad Rock Club in March 1991 before disbanding in the summer.
Return to "Aquarium" and Solo Career
Lyapin rejoined "Aquarium" in February 1991 and participated in their infamous Last Concert at the Jubilee Palace during the Decade of the Leningrad Rock Club. In August 1991, Yuri Morozov completed the album "Anasha," which Lyapin had been working on for almost two years. It featured musicians from "DDT" and renowned jazz saxophonist Mikhail Kostyushkin. The album was released on vinyl and later reissued on CD in 1994 under the less provocative title "Nostalgia for Cold Beer."
Later Projects and Accomplishments
Lyapin has collaborated with various musicians throughout the 1990s, including Sergei Kuryokhin, Nikolay Vasin's Temple of Rock-n-Roll, and "DDT." He also worked on "DDT"'s album and concerts for their "Black Dog of St. Petersburg" program. In 1994, he performed with the retro band "Duby-Kolduny."
Lyapin has regularly performed at the "Billiard in Blues Style," a blues club in the St. Petersburg Palace of Youth. He has participated in numerous special programs dedicated to legendary musicians and important musical events.
"Lyapin's Blues" and American Adventures
In 2001, Lyapin formed a new band, "Lyapin's Blues," with guitarist and vocalist Yaroslav Pomohaykin (ex-"Smirnoff"). They performed blues standards, Jimi Hendrix numbers, and Lyapin's original material. In 2002, Lyapin embarked on a major trip to the United States, where he performed in various states, explored the country, and engaged in self-education.
"ROCKMEKHANIKA" and Teaching
Upon his return to St. Petersburg, Lyapin founded several new projects and initiatives. In 2006, he received the "MUZYKANT" magazine award as the best performer of the year. Lyapin has a deep passion for teaching and has established a music academy where he shares his knowledge and skills with aspiring guitarists.
"Video School" and "FeedBack"
Lyapin currently plays in the band "FeedBack" with Vadim Kurylyov ("DDT," "Electric Partisans") and Mikhail Nefyodov ("Alisa"). His most recent project, "ROCKMEKHANIKA," is a unique and genre-bending venture that combines live music, multimedia performance, and experimental sound techniques.
