This one contains a phrase that became sort of a slogan, or just a good short way to describe the irony of the things in the Soviet Union as opposed to the western world - or the opposite - who knows - in the refrain it goes like "Alain Delon doesn't drink cologne, Alain Delon drinks double bourbon, Alain Delon doesn't speak Russian, but French" - the whole song, and for that matter, the whole of the 1989 album "Kniaz Tishini" is very ironic but moving and touching too, it talks a lot about how things were and how people, especially younger generation, felt in the Soviet Union (at least in its last days)
This reminded me of another song by a less traditionally rock band - more of a disco band of those days - Elektronniy Malchik (Electronic Boy) - it describes a fictional story where a guy is unnerved by his fiancee who is too much head over heels about Dieter Bohlen, the then leader of a very successful duo, the Modern Talking, and keeps telling him that "Dieter Bohlen doesn't smoke, Dieter Bohlen doesn't drink, Dieter Bohlen doesn't munch on sandwiches in the morning".. etc.
Anyway, Nautilus Pompilius' song took a more serious and bitter look on the things, the other song was just funny, albeit descriptive too :)
And here's another NP classic song - of another era - I think this must be somewhere in the first half of the 90's. I remember listening to it just before we left Russia. It talks in the first person, to a girl - and tells her that "we are going to live in a small small shack on a bank of a very quiet river - nobody will blame us for leaving " etc.. It's just very smooth, and quite warm and lively at the same time
Stuff I discovered yesterday in Monastiraki:
Au Pairs - Sense and sensuality (1982) - was quite interesting - i read about them later on - of the same scene and approximate style as gang of four, mekons, influenced by talking heads, very ironic and provokative, with female vocals mostly - they catalogue them under post-punk/new-wave - they are also well known about their liberal sexual views
The Wedding Present - Singles (1995-97) - i liked it some.. in fact, i was afraid i wouldn't like this much - but the songs are good and melodic, with more harsh parts as well - but mostly sweet, in shoegazing sort of manner.. it's a nice listen..
Sully - I have much to report (1998) - this was a bit boring, but interesting as well - female dreamy a bit breathy vocals, singing mish-mash, like Liz Frazer from Cocteau Twins, but more monotonous, and the backing music is in shoegazing vein as well, with more outbursts of harshness with guitars and drums - i like those..
