Alexander Shulgin (musician) - Music Career

Music Career

Shulgin's career began at the age of 19 in Russian rock band Kruiz. The band is regarded as legendary for being the first rock band from the USSR to tour abroad (1983–1986). The popularity of The Kruiz was remarkable as they were known as anti-Soviet, and there was no mention of the band in mass media. With the advent of reorganization of the USSR, in 1985, The Kruiz sold 20 million copies of their first album and in 1987 the album was released by WEA (Germany)

After The Kruiz, Shulgin began working in Germany, where he created "The Taiga Symphony". This was a combination of Russian classic music with western rock-music with music by Vitally Bondarchuck and lyrics by American composer Richard Niles. The album featured The Moscow Symphony Orchestra conducted by Pavel Kogan and respected Western musicians Alvin Lee, Paul Carrack, Mel Collins, Phil Palmer and J.J. Belle. Successful in the USSR, it was the beginning of the career of Valeria who has become one of the most popular singers in Russia.

Meanwhile Shulgin didn’t stop writing – music, lyrics, or simply rhymes. All this then often resulted into songs and if not - just stayed in mind, waiting.

Shulgin then created "Merry Christmas to the World", another ambitious East-West collaboration between Shulgin and BBC Worldwide. With music by Shulgin and lyrics and production by Richard Niles it expressed the ethos of glasnost. London studio musicians performed with members of the Moscow Symphony and the Soviet Folk Orchestra. Sung by Valeria, the video was directed by Ken Russell who used it in his film "Alice in Russialand" (1998). Shot in Red Square, the clip featured psychic Uri Geller. During a special communication, astronauts from the "Star Township" introduced Valeria while in orbit around the Earth. The clip became the grand finale of the New Year program on the first national TV channel of the Soviet Union.

The next big project was working up the “Anna” album where most of the songs were written by Shulgin. The process in the record studio was one of a non-stop ones – Shulgin kept writing various music, different kinds of songs and instrumentals. The “Anna” album appeared in 1995, and in 1996 gave the start to the concert tour in more than forty towns. After that the new idea resulted into the “Familia” album where the music and lyrics of the compositions was created by Shulgin also. (The word Familia means in Russian both – the surname and the family). And next came the new album “The eyes of the Sky colour”, also with Shulgin’s creations.

Shulgin didn’t stop writing music – he helped “FM GROUP” to record the debut album named «MADE IN RUSSIA» and recorded an album of Alexander Byinov. Afterwards he recorded a solo album for “FM GROUP” lead-singer Alevtina Egorova, also worked with Tatiana Ovsienko, Nastya Shirokova. In spring of 2005 Shulgin got the suggestion to write music for the new music serial with the tentative title “Primadonna”, the serial made for showing onto the Russian TV Channel. For this “Primadonna” serial Alexander wrote 20 original songs, and at the very least 3 leading themes from the film and all the songs of a composer got into the final variant of “Primadonna”. Shulgin also wrote all the music filling-out for the new socio-political TV Channel “SPAS” (The Festival of the Saviour).

Then Shulgin released his first solo album “Predstavlenie” (The Introduction), and the album got the worldwide preem. The world leader in the digital music industry, TheOrchard.com Company had signed the contract with Shulgin, and the album was presented worldwide in more than 170 music stores, according to the contract.

Together with the preparations for the album release Shulgin didn’t stop to write the instrumentals. Amongst he wrote material for 2 albums of Elena Sheremet. One the albums – “Lady-Sax” succeed as so-called easy listening with the saloon jazzy sound, and the second one “Lady-sax (The Remixes)” consists of the remixes on the first album themes. After than two more albums of a sax-player Sheremet came into life - “Sax It Easy”and “Sax It Up! – The Remixes”.

Successful Russian artists who have recorded his songs include Valeria, Alexander Buynov, The Band FM, Yulia Mikhalchik, Drugie Pravila and Tatyana Ovsienko. Shulgin’s songs have topped the Russian and Eastern European charts such as Bratislava Lyre '93.

As a producer, Shulgin has had more than 20 hit albums, 5 of which were Number 1. He has also had 10 Number 1 albums as co-producer.

Shulgin is also a composer of music for films and TV, his songs appearing in films by Lukas Moodysson and Ken Russell. He is also the director of the first public TV channel "Spas" and composed all the music for the channel.

As the producer and judge of such popular TV music contests as "Become a Star" (the Russian version of "Pop Star") and "Star Factory" (the Russian version of "Star Academy") Shulgin may be said to be the "Simon Cowell of Russia." He also judges many other Russian and international contests. British singer Sam Brown took part in his popular Russian contest "Morning Star" and Shulgin was also a judge on "Donetsk Olympus" (Ukraine).

Alexander Shulgin has written many hits in Russia. His awards for "Song of The Year" include: 1994 – "Aeroplane," 1995 – "Something Common", 1999 – "You Are Somewhere Round There," 2000 – "Snowstorm," 2001 – "Don’t Hurt Me." The old Russian song from the 18th century "Flowers" which he produced and addapted won many prizes including "Montreux 1992," "Anigraf 1992," "Generation 1992."

Recently the 3-parted music compilation “Tryptych” of composer Alexander Shulgin came into life. These 3 albums contains the new music and new melodies as well as the instrumentals of the famous themes of a composer which have been played before. This 3 albums were recorded by various artists in various styles but they collide in a harmony into one 3-parted album “Tryptych” thus making this album of 3 parts really a certain 3-parted creation. Each DVD contains tracks in Stereo and Dolby Surround 5.1 formats, videomaterials and photos of musicians.

«Tryptych. Shulgin’s Songbook. Part I» - an instrumental album of the music of feelings and mind, romantic lounge, recorded together with the most famous English instrumentalists - Simon Rushby, Steve King, Jon Howell, lead guitars by Paul Drew. Album was recorded in spring 2008 in Great Britain, at DWB Music record studio, situated at the ecologically pure district of London, where the ecologically pure music is born. The record was produced by young English producers Paul Drew, Greig Watts and Pete Barringer, who have the great experience working with the wide range of different music – from pop and rock to the academy music.

«Tryptych. Shulgin’s Songbook. Part II» - a piano album played by Gary Husband, played in a “minimal” style. One of the album tracks – an instrumental duet – was recorded together with the great star of the music jazz, the best guitar player in England and one of the best ones in the world - Martin Taylor. The record was done in the end of summer 2007 in one of the London studios. The record was produced by Richard Niles.

«Тruptych. Shulgin’s Songbook. Part III» - was made in a “smooth jazz” style, recorded together with the most famous worldwide jazz musicians: Billy Cobham, John Patitucci, Bob James, Bob Mintzer and others. The material was recorded during spring and summer of 2007 at New-York and London studios. The legendary Richard Niles, who before had worked with Luciano Pavarotti, Paul McCartney, Pat Matini, The Pet Shop Boys group, was a producer of the album.