Nautilus Pompilius (band)

Nautilus Pompilius

Butusov, San Francisco, 2005
Background information
Origin USSR, Russia
Genres Art rock, post-punk, new wave, gothic rock, alternative rock
Years active 1983–1997
Associated acts Televizor
DDT
Past members Vyacheslav Butusov
Dmitry Umetsky
Ilya Kormiltsev
Aleksey Mogilevsky

Nautilus Pompilius (Russian: Наутилус Помпилиус), sometimes nicknamed Nau (Russian: Нау), was a prominent Soviet/Russian rock band formed by the lead singer Vyacheslav Butusov and bassist Dmitry Umetsky while the two studied in Sverdlovsk (now Ekaterinburg) Institute of Architecture (now called Urals Academy of Architecture). The band, with its various incarnations, was active between the years 1983 and 1997. Nautilus were an influential band in the post-punk, new wave wing of Russian rock music and also a landmark of the "Ural rock" style with their philosophical lyrics. Some of their early hits are popularly associated with the Perestroika period. Their songs also accompanied the movie Brother. A version of their popular song, "Bound by One Chain" ("Скованные одной цепью") appeared in the film Stilyagi. The band hired English guitarist Bill Nelson to produce their 1997 album Yablokitay (Russian: Яблокитай) on which Nelson also plays guitar. Since the group disbanded, Vyacheslav Butusov has launched a successful solo career.

Even though Butusov composed most of the band's songs and wrote some of their lyrics, poet Ilya Kormiltsev was one of the key contributors as a songwriter and producer.

Discography

Year Russian name English transliteration (translation)
1983 Переезд Pereyezd (Resettlement (or Highway Crossing))
1985 Невидимка Nevidimka (The Invisible One)
1986 Разлука Razluka (Separation), a name of a Russian folk song featuring in the album
1987–1988 Ни Кому Ни Кабельность (LIVE) Ni Komu Ni Kabel'nost (pun; nekommunikabel'nost means 'lack of sociability' (a loanword, from communicare and -able-) and nikomu ne means 'to nobody')
1988 Князь Тишины Knyaz' Tishiny (Prince of Silence), after a poem by Endre Ady
1988 Отбой (LIVE) Otboy (Lights-out)
1989 Человек без имени Chelovek Bez Imeni (Man With No Name)
1992 Чужая земля Chuzhaya Zemlya (Foreign Land)
1994 Титаник Titanic
1994 Титаник-LIVE Titanic-LIVE
1995 Крылья Kryl'ya (Wings)
1996 Лучшие Песни (LIVE) Luchshie Pesni (Best Songs)
1997 Яблокитай Yablokitay (China-apple, Dutch etymologization of Russian apel'sin 'orange fruit')
1997 Атлантида Atlantida (Atlantis)
Nautilus Pompilius in the 1980s

Among their most well-known songs are: The Prince of Silence ("Князь тишины"), "Walks on Water" ("Прогулки по воде"), "The Last Letter" ("Последнее письмо", also known as "Goodbye, America"), "The Glance from the Screen" ("Взгляд с экрана"), "Hlop-Hlop" ("Хлоп-хлоп"), "The Khaki Sphere" ("Шар цвета хаки"), "Bound by One Chain" ("Скованные одной цепью"), "I Want to Be with You" ("Я хочу быть с тобой"), "On the Shore of the Nameless River" ("На берегу безымянной реки"), and "Wings" ("Крылья").

Nautilus pompilius is the scientific name of a species of cephalopod commonly known as the Chambered Nautilus.

External links