Here's Tim Krysko with our International Spotlight:
About a month ago, my Russian friend Tima (yeah, we have the same name, basically) visited Vancouver. We got to hang out, and he brought with him a pile of great Russian punk rock. One of my favorites is this band from St. Petersburg. Their name? 1.5 kg Of Really Good Mashed Potatoes. I'd tell you more about what they sound like, but does it really matter? Their name is 1.5 kg of Really Good Mashed Potatoes! What else do you need to know? Well, if you insist, I'd say they sound somewhere between the Gamits, Millencolin, and NOFX. Everything is in Russian: the band name, album name, song names, and lyrics (as a result, I might be mistranslating; if anyone can offer a correction, don't hesitate). The song I chose means something like " Attempt", and it's from their 2004 album "The Center of Gravity". And with this, we begin Russia Month!
And if you're interested in learning a bit more about the Russian punk scene, have a look at my Russian scene profile. And if you're interested in the social/political context, check out this 'perspective' article I did with Tima while he was in town. We talk about everything from police brutality and the bad crime rate, to life under the Soviet Union and President Putin.
1.5 kg of Really Good Mashed Potatoes - Attempt (MP3) Visitors in Russia are welcome to contact Tim about other good bands in their country. Drop him a line at tim@punkinternational.com. Recent Spotlights: Neshamah (South Africa), Fokofpolisiekar (South Africa).
