Vesyolye Rebyata (russian: Весёлые Ребята, which means "''jolly fellows''") was a
Soviet
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
VIA
Via or VIA may refer to the following:
Science and technology
* MOS Technology 6522, Versatile Interface Adapter
* ''Via'' (moth), a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae
* Via (electronics), a through-connection
* VIA Technologies, a Taiwan ...
(vocal instrumental ensemble) band formed in 1966, in
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
. It became one of the most successful and best known VIA bands of all time. Its debut album sold 15,795,000 copies and its membership included at various times such popular Soviet era singers as
Alla Pugachova
Alla Borisovna Pugacheva, ) (born 15 April 1949), is а Soviet and Russian musical performer. Her career started in 1965 and continues to this day, even though she has retired from performing. For her "clear mezzo-soprano and a full display of ...
,
Alexander Gradsky
Alexander Borisovich Gradsky (russian: Алекса́ндр Бори́сович Гра́дский; born Alexander Borisovich Fradkin, 3 November 1949 – 28 November 2021) was a Russian rock singer, bard, multi-instrumentalist and composer. H ...
, and
Alexander Barykin
Aleksander Aleksandrovich Barykin (Byrykin) (russian: Александр Александрович Барыкин (Бырыкин); February 18, 1952 — March 26, 2011) was a Soviet and Russian singer and songwriter.
Biography
Alexander Baryki ...
. As of 2006, the band had sold a record-shattering 179,850,000 records.
History
Vesyolye Rebyata was a VIA band created in 1966 by the Soviet pianist and composer
Pavel Slobodkin
Pavel (Bulgarian, Russian, Serbian and Macedonian: Павел, Czech, Slovene, Romanian: Pavel, Polish: Paweł, Ukrainian: Павло, Pavlo) is a male given name. It is a Slavic cognate of the name Paul (derived from the Greek Pavlos). Pavel m ...
. Two years later, the band won the All-Soviet competition for best youthful song performance and in 1969, they won the All-Soviet competition for best song.
In 1970, the Soviet recording company
Melodia (Melody) released the band's first record, which sold a remarkable 15,795,000 copies. The band hits are "People meet" (russian: Люди встречаются), "You don't care" (russian: Тебе всё равно), "With each other's hand" (russian: Взявшись за руки вдвоём), "Portrait by Picasso" (russian: Портрет работы Пабло Пикассо), "How beautiful is this world" (russian: Как прекрасен этот мир), "Song, my song" (russian: Песня, моя песня).
In 1971, Vesyolye Rebyata gave a series of concerts in
Czechoslovakia
, rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי,
, common_name = Czechoslovakia
, life_span = 1918–19391945–1992
, p1 = Austria-Hungary
, image_p1 ...
, performing in the concert hall Lucerne in
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
.
In 1973, the band recorded one of the best known albums, "
Love - a huge country" (russian: Любовь — огромная страна). In 1974, Slobodkin invited a young female vocalist named Alla Pugacheva to perform with the band. In 1975, Pugacheva won the
Golden Orpheus
The Golden Orpheus ( bg, Златният Орфей, ''Zlatniyat Orfey'') was an international song contest, held annually from 1965 to 1999 in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria. Alongside its Bulgarian pop song competition, the festival’s rules and regula ...
award in
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...
with the song
Arlekino that launched her now legendary music career in the Soviet Union. In 1976, the band toured
East Germany
East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...
, Czechoslovakia, and Bulgaria and won a number of musical awards in those countries.
In 1980, the band released a new LP titled "We should be friends" (russian: Дружить нам надо) and took part in the cultural component of the
1980 Olympic Games The 1980 Olympics may refer to:
* 1980 Winter Olympics, Lake Placid, New York, United States
* 1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics (russian: Летние Олимпийские игры 1980, Letniye Olimpiyskiye igry 1980), officiall ...
in Moscow. Veselie Rebiata followed this up in 1981 with another LP, this one titled "Disco club" (russian: Дискоклуб). That same year, they won the top prize at the All-Soviet pop and rock music festival held in
Yerevan
Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Y ...
.
In 1983, the band recorded a new album titled "Banana islands" (russian: Банановые острова). In 1985, they won the grand prize at an international music competition in
Bratislava
Bratislava (, also ; ; german: Preßburg/Pressburg ; hu, Pozsony) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Slovakia. Officially, the population of the city is about 475,000; however, it is estimated to be more than 660,000 — approxim ...
for the song "Wandering artists" (russian: Бродячие артисты). The same year, the band did an international tour, performing in
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
, East Germany,
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
, and
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
. In 1986, they recorded their sixth album, titled "Just a minute" (russian: Минуточку). From 1986 until 1992, Veselie Rebiata was repeatedly nominated to the "Song of the year" (russian: Песня года) Soviet festival. In 1991, the band released a double album of best hits to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
In 2005, the band is reconstituted with new membership and in 2006 they are given the "Platinum record #1" award for setting the record in Russia and Eastern Europe for most records sold at 179,850,000. In 2007, the band released two CDs: "Love - child of the planet" (russian: Любовь-дитя планеты) and "When we are quiet together" (russian: Когда молчим вдвоём). In 2008, they took part in the international music festival
Diskoteka 80s, sponsored by the Russian radio station
Avtoradio
AvtoRadio (russian: Авторадио) is a Moscow-based radio station. The station plays songs in Russian and English. A variety of music from different genres.
History
It broadcasts music and information. It started broadcasting on 5 April 19 ...
.
In 2011, the band released a new album with the French title "Cherchez la..." and once again performed at the now annual "Diskoteka 80s" festival. In 2012, the band released its ninth album titled "Write me a letter" (russian: Напиши мне письмо).
In August 2017, Pavel Slobodkin had passed away
and the group was disbanded.
References
External links
*
* http://www.veselyerebjata.ru/ - official site
*
{{Authority control
1966 establishments in Russia
1992 disestablishments in Russia
2005 establishments in Russia
2017 disestablishments in Russia
Musical groups from Moscow
Russian rock music groups
Beat groups
Alternative dance musical groups
Russian boy bands
Russian pop rock music groups
Russian new wave musical groups
Soviet rock music groups
Musical groups established in 1966
Musical groups disestablished in 1992
Musical groups reestablished in 2005
Musical groups disestablished in 2017