Culture

Love for music to the Moon and back

We keep introducing readers to the creative side of JINR life. For many, "People on the Moon" is already a well-known musical band. BLTP Scientific Secretary and the bass player that stands at the origins of the establishment of the band Alexander Andreev shared the story of its origin and development. Also, all members of the team shared their creative principles and plans.

Alexander, tell us, please, about the origin of the band.

- The band "People on the Moon" has existed since 2020, it was established right before the Covid. There was no one initiator, it so happened that the three of us and my friends simultaneously came to this idea. We were all from JINR, often playing and singing songs at friendly meetings. Our first performance was held in the format of an apartment building. Later, it was decided to give a concert at the Blokhintsev Universal Library but due to Covid restrictions, it had to be canceled. This performance was held there later.

The band has a beautiful and mysterious name, what is the idea behind it?

- I think that there are many meanings and everyone will have his own. We are united to science and space flight is a high-tech and science-intensive event. This title expresses the idea of striving for something great, for achievements and conquering new heights. In addition, the name "People on the Moon" reminds me of the unknown and the ways of knowledge. Again, I associate it with music, since through it we know ourselves.

Where did you study music?

- In the ninth grade, a classmate showed me the chords of one song of the band "Kino" and then, I studied on my own. I found new chords for those songs that I like, tried to pick up chords by ear and with the development of the Internet, I drew knowledge from there. Today, there are six people in the band and most of us are self-taught. Only vocalist Olga and guitarist Nikolay have a musical education.

Do you remember how was your love for music born?

"I think it was thanks to my parents, my father that listened to a lot of music and my mother that sang songs to me. We had a lot of records in our house: The Beatles, Deep Purple, the rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar" and others. Afterwards, my cousin became interested in the band "Kino" and introduced it to me. We always had a guitar at home, although no one knew how to play it, later, with its help, I took my first steps in music.

The band started with three and today, it consists of six people. Tell us, please, about the participants.

- Over the years of our activity, the membership of the band has more than once changed due to the emerging life circumstances of the participants. From the very first membership, there was only me. Today, there are six people in the band, four from JINR: Nikolay Maximov (FLNP) - guitar, Mikhail Bobkov (CE Office) - guitar, Olga Lychagina (DLNP) - vocals, violin, me - bass guitar. Nikita Kudryashov (TMPK) - drums. For a long time, our vocalist has been the psychologist Anna Savinova, whom our audience has probably remembered. Just recently, again, due to life circumstances, she has moved to another city. In her place, we have a new vocalist Sergey Lysenko.

In what musical genre do you compose?

- First of all, we are a rock band, although the preferences of the participants are quite different. Some gravitate to the classics of rock, jazz and blues, others love more modern and heavy areas. We have to find compromises and negotiate.

What kind of music do you personally prefer?

- I listen to different kinds of music. In world rock classics, I love "Deep purple", "Metalica", "The Beatles". Of the more modern ones - "The Offspring", "Nickelback". But in general, I listen to different genres.

Did you have a dream of being a rock star?

- I like to perform, but there has never been a dream to be a rock star. My main activity is scientific work and in the band, I play as a hobby.

Why did you choose a career as a scientist?

- I've liked physics since I was in school. I participated in the Olympiads, won prizes there. Afterwards, I entered the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology in Dolgoprudny and while still in high school, in 2001, I began working in BLTP JINR.

In your opinion, is there anything in common between science and music?

- Science is as creative as music. In science, we create new knowledge, in music, we create new songs, new melodies. Science is a living organism that develops all the time. There is a base that can be considered verified, but on its basis, there is always development. The new relies on what has already been done. In music, genres also develop, styles gradually change, there are borrowings from the past, a rethinking of what was created earlier. This is also a search.

What is the most valuable for you to participate in the band?

- I like the way our music sounds. When I understand that I am involved in its creation, these are indescribable feelings. I like how my bass part is united to other instruments and a solid musical composition is obtained. The bass guitar is not the leading instrument but it is very important, together with the drums it is the basis of the song.

Why did you choose the role of a bass player?

- In the band, someone had to play bass and I was happy to take this place. The bass is very similar to the guitar and I easily took it. I like the density of low-frequency sound that you not only hear, but also feel. In addition, finding a bass player, like a drummer, is not so easy, these are rarer musicians than guitarists.

How important is the attention of the audience to you?

- Of course, the response from the public is very important. It's nice to play when people react: sing along and dance. I have no need for personal attention but when the band is appreciated, I am very happy. Sometimes, those who have already been to concerts begin to recognize us on the street.

How often do you perform?

- On average, we get about five to seven performances a year. Last summer, we performed at the project "Ulitsa" three times. We also performed at the Open Day of the Cultural Centre "Mir" in the Great Hall. We have regularly been invited to speak at their events by the JINR AYSS Council. Several times, we have performed at festivals in Dubna and nearby cities.

What role does JINR play in the life of the band?

- Undoubtedly, the participation of the Institute in the activities of the band expands our opportunities for creativity, gives us a basis for preparation and speeches. Since last year, thanks to the support of the Institute and AYSS, we have held rehearsals in the hospitable Cultural Centre "Mir" to participate in Cultural Centre events, to enter the big stage, where Russian and world stars have performed and perform. We are very grateful to everyone that supports our band: JINR Directorate, AYSS, the Cultural Centre "Mir" and personally, S. N. Nedelko, V. A. Rozhkov, E. R. Yamaleeva, E. E. Bystrova and many other employees.

Other musicians also shared about themselves and their participation in the band "People on the Moon".

The vocalist Anna Savinova spoke about her love for music and singing, "I have always loved music as long as I can remember. I have always wanted to sing and play the guitar. I didn't go to music school. I learned to play the guitar myself from scratch. I was 15 years old and I mainly used lessons on parsing songs from the Internet and then I learned how to select songs by ear. I meaningfully began to learn vocals in 2022 and went to the extreme area. But they also teach pure vocals. During this time, I have learned a lot and I started to sing much better compared to all previous years. In 2023, I came to the first musical band as a rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist, later, I became a leading vocalist there. I was in different bands twice and today, I am a member of "People on the Moon". The dream of the scene was definitely from childhood. Always something prevented it, there were periods when I completely quit music classes. But later, I came back and I'm grateful to myself for that."

"The dream of becoming a rock star was in childhood, like many that started playing music with friends at school age," the guitarist Nikolay Maximov said. "I graduated from music school in the accordion class. I learned to play the guitar and drums on my own, listening to my favorite artists and analyzing their songs.

I love a variety of music, I listen to everything I like from Metallica to Leonid Agutin. When I was just starting to immerse myself in the world of rock music, I listened exclusively to recognized masters of this genre - The Beatles, Deep Purple, gradually expanded my horizons, reading the history of rock music and learning new bands - Queen, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, others. Currently, they are the basis of my musical taste but I do not limit myself, if the song is interesting, complex, with a lot of beautiful hooks, then I will most likely like it, no matter who performs it.

In performances and in rehearsals, most of all, I love the very fact of playing, the process of performing music, cooperating with other participants, as a result of which it turns out to reproduce what I sincerely like."

"I have a rather musical family," the vocalist Olga Lychagina said. "Mom and dad often sing, listen to different music, watch Soviet films (most of which have wonderful and familiar music), my grandmother took me to concerts of a symphony orchestra.

I graduated from music school in violin and piano. But there has always been a dream to learn to sing and for more than four years, I have been studying in a vocal studio in Moscow.

It is believed that on stage people put on masks, becoming not what they are in life. But I noticed that it is sometimes much easier for me to be sincere on stage than in life, where one way or another, I have to adapt to circumstances. A sense of freedom, joy, a splash of energy and the opportunity to share my emotions with others, for it, I love performances.

I have no rose-colored glasses about the artist's career. Having got to know this kitchen a little, I have realized how difficult it is: from creating composition, recording it, working out an image, to full-fledged regular work on stage. So far, we work with what we have, gradually honing our skills.

As a member of the band "People on the Moon", I want to develop the skills of conducting concerts, communicating with the audience. This is a very important component of the performance and in many ways, it determines how the band will be perceived and remembered. I want to work on my own material, create something special, meaningful and understandable to others."

Nikita Kudryashov said how he had become a drummer in the band. "I have played in many bands, I even have my own that is today inactive. "People on the Moon" gave me stability. There are regular rehearsals, events. For me, this is the first band that develops its career so stubbornly. The rest, like a kind of transformer, when there is time and opportunity, gather, play and part ways again.

For the most part, I love alternative rock, something from the noughties, partly, from the nineties. It so happened that basically, I listen to the music that I do not play and vice versa, I play what I practically do not listen to. I listen to what is heavier and more dynamic and I just like to play more calmly when you can relax and feel the wave of music.

Drums, in my opinion, as an instrument either suit a person or not. It's not very difficult to play on them. This is not a question of music, but of coordination, of understanding rhythm. There is partly something mathematical about it. But at the same time, there is also freedom in order to throw out emotions and to show the creative part. When I was in the first year of university, I came to a band as a guitarist. There was a very good drummer and once, he just invited me to sit at the instrument and to try. So, I stayed on the drums and he taught me a lot. Over time, I have developed on my own. It has turned out to be mine."

"My profession is a dosimetrist engineer. I have been working in JINR on the IBR 2 reactor since 2013," the guitarist Mikhail Bobkov said. "I have loved listening to music since childhood but I started doing it at the age of 30. First, I got a synthesizer and later, an electric guitar that I have been playing for six years. During this time, I have even gathered a small collection of guitars.

I like a lot of genres like rock, pop, electronic music. My favorite Russian bands are "Aria", "King and Jester", "Cinema". And from foreign bands - Metallica, Judas Priest, Deep purple. Their songs attract the audience by catchy lyrics, melodies and in the way they are performed.

I wanted to perform from the moment I started playing music. The most valuable in concerts is testing your capabilities, after all, playing the guitar at home sitting on the couch and standing on stage are different things. And of course, communication with musicians and with the public is valuable.

Today, creative plans in the band are composing your own songs, performing them, recording an album!"

Maria KARPOVA,
Drawings by Head of the JINR Artists' Club "Quarks" Anastasia ZLOBINA