Scary Tales

Yesterday we had a birthday party for Amaliia - my 8 (now) year old daughter! When we discussed the party theme as a talent show months ago, I suggested to perform with a guitar, which was supported by Alice, my elder daughter, immediately. We decided to play and sing Forrester (Лесник) by Korol I Shut. To be more precise - it’s slightly different kiddish version. But that’s not the point.

Alice and me share the passion for that music - fairy tale punk rock by Kool I Shut. Probably, I’m still 14-15 in my soul. Those songs are still very close to me, I feel the drive, fun, smiles and horror, simplicity from a first glance, and deep complexity and beauty of the melodies.

When I was in school, my parents were working and home was empty at days. My friends and me were hanging out there sometimes. One day they noticed I have a guitar hanging on the wall. I didn’t touch it ever before that. To be honest - I don’t even know whose guitar it was. It just hanged on a wall. We chatted with classmates a bit, and I got to know a lot about rock and punk music, which was popular those days among youngsters. I also found out, there is rehearsal space in our school with a couple of old crappy electro guitars and amps, managed by our school janitor / DJ. He cleaned the schoolyard and set up all the music equipment for school events. We called him DJ Janitor. I once heard the sound of concerts in the schoolyard from my window. It was very tempting to join them and try learning to play guitar. But I was afraid back then. Should not be.

Anyway, that very moment I met Korol I Shut music. And it’s still with me since then, even after almost 25 years past. Some say, it is very simple dull music. Some kind of village drunken punk. And I am ready to admit it in a way - simple words, not even lyrics sometimes. In one interview the band leaders were smiling when a journalist called their songs poems. In most cases, these are more stories. But stories, came from the deepest depths of souls, the hidden shadows of unconscious. Scary fairy tales with a dash of black humor. 

We all miss some mysticism, spirituality and feeling of a fairy tale. When we were kids - we had believed in goblins, boggarts and silvans, sorcerers and enchanters. Now we forgot about it. Life became practical and real. Listening to Korol I Shut fills that void in myself and brings fairy tales back to life. I feel 15 again.

Even right now, the magic of synchronicity, I hear these words of their song in my headphones:

I tried to say, there are no monsters on earth.
But then a terrible voice was heard in the darkness

All the dark and terrible things were manifested as a shadow side of life in songs of Gorshok and Knyazz. You know, I was shy to admit I adore this music back then. But now in 3X years - I can truly say I love it.

So, back to the party - we played one of their songs and it was really fun! I screwed up the intro, but nevertheless enjoyed the whole thing!

To be continued… 

p.s. band leader names - Gorshok and Knyazz, means Pot and Duke. The whole band structure was built around contrast between Fool (Pot), provoking everything and everybody, and Duke - representation of Noble powerful King. Foolishly-looking Fool with wisdom in his crazy eyes and an honorable knightly-looking Duke with a slight sense of dumbness.