Igor Plastinkin Guitarist Country: Russia

1. Childhood and Early Musical Explorations
2. Formal Education and Musical Beginnings
3. Solo Journey and Recognition
4. Creative Evolution and New Horizons

Childhood and Early Musical Explorations

Igor was born in the town of Nizhnyaya Malykla, Ulyanovsk Oblast. He initially studied piano at music school but became captivated by the guitar at the age of nine after witnessing a local DJ demonstrate basic chords. Inspired by his older brother's passion for Deep Purple and Wings, Igor delved into guitar playing. They spent countless hours transcribing Ritchie Blackmore's guitar solos and performing cover songs together.

Formal Education and Musical Beginnings

At 18, Igor moved to Samara and enrolled in the Institute of Culture's wind instrument department, specializing in trumpet. During this period, he played military marches and encountered the local music scene, joining the Deep Purple-influenced band "P.L.V." and later becoming a guitarist for the popular group "Sintez." Extensive touring and financial gains led him to abandon his studies.

Solo Journey and Recognition

Following the disbandment of "Sintez," Igor worked as a studio musician for Yasya Livshitz's studio. It was during this time that he began composing as an instrumental guitarist and recorded his first two songs. He also met exceptional drummer and arranger Andrei Arenin and bassist Alexander Skobochkin, forming a trio that released Igor's debut guitar album in 1994. The album garnered significant recognition in Samara, and its tracks were submitted to a guitar competition organized by the "Dzhem" program.

To Igor's surprise and delight, he was named the Best Guitarist of Russia in the "Hard and Heavy" category a year later. The competition's jury consisted of esteemed international guitarists such as Allan Holdsworth, Bruce Kulick, Scott Henderson, and Steve Lukather.

Creative Evolution and New Horizons

Subsequent collaborations with renowned artists like Alexander Glyzin, Vika Tsyganova, and "Korroziya Metalla" showcased Igor's versatility. However, the pull of his own creative endeavor brought him back to Samara in 1997. Influenced by the likes of Joe Satriani, George Lynch, and Ritchie Blackmore, Igor's compositions initially followed a classic hard rock style. Currently, he is working on a new album that defies genre boundaries, incorporating elements of jazz, funk, and electronic music. Igor's exceptional technical skills, captivating melodies, and profound emotional depth have cemented his status as one of Russia's leading hard rock guitarists.