Gorky Park
Gorky Park (international title) or "Парк Горького" (Russian title) was a Soviet Russian glam metal band, that gained short-lived mainstream popularity in USA during the Perestroyka times. Gorky Park is famous for its kitch use of western stereotypes of russians, such as pseudo-traditional clothing, balalaika-like guitar design and Hammer and sickle as their logo. It was the first russian band to be aired on MTV.
In 1987 guitarist Alexey Belov, vocalist Nikolay Noskov, bassist Alexander "Big Sasha" Minkov
, guitarist Jan Janenkov, and drummer Alexander Lvov (formerly from Aria) came together to form Gorky Park. Stas Namin, a famous 70's soviet musician and a leader of Tsvety, became band's manager. Since Gorbachev has lifted the censorship, many of underground rock bands, including Gorky Park, became able to recieve more widespread popularity. Later that year the band left Russia for USA in search of a record deal.
In the U.S. the band soon made some connections in the record business. One of the first people to take notice was famous guitarist Frank Zappa. Also Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora helped them to secure a deal with Mercury Records.
The band released a self-titled debut album in 1989, featuring initials GP stilized as Hammer & sickle on the cover. With a fall of the Iron Curtain and growing interest to soviets in western countries, Gorky Park soon became widely known. The band seemed to be a kind of symbol of American-Russian friendship. The band's first video, "Bang," received MTV rotation. Their next two singles, "Try to Find Me" and a collaboration with Bon Jovi, "Peace in Our Time," received rotation on mainstream radio stations.
Gorky Park participated on that year's Moscow Music Peace Festival alongside Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, Ozzy Osbourne, and the Scorpions. The band continued into 1990 touring with Bon Jovi and performing at the Goodwill Games opening ceremony. Gorky Park live shows often featured the band dressed in traditional russian style, waving soviet and american flags. In 1991 the band recieved scandinavian Grammy award as the best new international act.
As perestroika era came to its end, the group's fame in America subsided rather quickly. Nikolai Noskov left the band in 1990 but GP remained active and kept releasing albums in the '90s. 1993's Moscow Calling sold 500,000 copies outside the US. Their next album, Stare, came out in 1996, released only in Russia, followed up by promotional tour of the former USSR states. In 1998 the band released Protivofazza. In 1999 Alexander Minkov left the band and started his solo career under the scenic name Alexander Marshall. Gorky Park was never officially claimed to disband, but actually inactive since 2001.
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