Gorky Park (band)

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Gorky Park / Парк Горького

| image = Gorky-Park-1988.jpg

| caption = 1988

| origin = {{USSR}}
{{RUS}}

| genre = Hard rock, glam metal{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/gorky-park-mw0000653976|author=Curtis Zimmermann|title=Gorky Park Review by Curtis Zimmermann |publisher=AllMusic|language=en}}

| years_active = 1987–1998, 2022–present (reunions: 1999, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019)

| label = Mercury Records
PolyGram
SNC Records

| current_members = Aleksandr Marshal
Alexey Belov
Yan Yanenkov
Alexander Lvov

| past_members = Nikolai Noskov
Aleksandr Marshal
Alexey Belov
Yan Yanenkov
Alexander Lvov

| website = {{URL|gorkypark-band.com}} {{URL|gorkypark-band.ru}} {{URL|gorkypark.group}}

}}

Gorky Park (international title), aka GP, or Парк Горького (Russian title) is a Soviet and Russian hard rock band formed in 1987 by musician, composer and producer Stas Namin at his producing centre SNC in Moscow.[http://gorkypark-band.ru/index.php/history/history.html Official website of the Gorky Park band // gorkypark-band.ru]Arthur Gasparyan. [https://www.mk.ru/culture/2018/03/02/mamut-rabotal-u-nas-yuristom-arkasha-novikov-v-kafe.html Stas Namin: "I was banned until I was 35"] // mk.ru (02.03.2018) It is the only Soviet and Russian band to have some success on the MTV and Billboard charts and become world famous.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/gorky-park-mn0001606686/biography|title=Gorky Park | Biography & History|website=AllMusic|access-date=18 July 2021}}

The main springboard to the heights of popularity in the USSR, United States and other countries was the band's participation in the Moscow International Peace Festival, organised by Stas Namin and Doc McGhee. It took place on August 12–13, 1989 at the Luzhniki Stadium under the motto "Rock Against Drugs" and was broadcast on MTV in 59 countries. Gorky Park participated in the festival alongside Bon Jovi, Ozzy Osbourne, Mötley Crüe, Scorpions, Cinderella and Skid Row.The first show business in new Russia. // Passport to the world, July–August 1993 After the festival, in August 1989, US PolyGram released GP's first and only studio album of the same name, Gorky Park, recorded entirely in English by the original band, which entered the 1989 US Billboard 200 chart and brought the band worldwide fame.[https://argumenti.ru/society/2017/08/544103 Gorky Park. Birth.] // Argumenti.ru (02.08.2017)

In the original line-up, with lead vocalist Nikolay Noskov and general producer Stas Namin, the group lasted only three and a half years. In 1990, when Namin sent Gorky Park to its first US tour, there was a conflict in the group, and Noskov left the group. They continued with Alexander "Big Sasha" Minkov as singer.

After 30 years, Stas Namin revived his project, and on August 28, 2022[https://vm.ru/society/990927-stas-namin-my-vypustili-prakticheski-ves-sovetskij-rok-n-roll-70-h-i80-h We released almost all of the Soviet rock and roll of the '70s and '80s] // Evening Moscow, 24.08.2022[https://tass.ru/novosti-partnerov/15591073 More than 10 thousand spectators gathered at the Russian rock festival SNC-35] // TASS, 29.08.2022 the first concert performance of the band in the new line-up took place at the Russian rock festival "SNC. 35 Years" in Moscow Gorky Park.[https://www.intermedia.ru/news/372990 Stas Namin revived ‘’Gorky Park’’ and fulfilled Marco Mendoza's dream] // InterMedia, 29.08.2022 The special guest at this performance was the leader-vocalist of the original Gorky Park, Nikolay Noskov. He passed the baton to the new musicians, The new line-up of GP are musicians from Russia and the US, singing about Love, Peace and Freedom.[https://radio1.news/article/stas-namin-o-vnutrenney-kulture-nastoyashchem-rok-n-rolle-i-novom-sostave-parka-gorkogo/ About internal culture, real rock 'n' roll, and the new Gorky Park lineup] // Radio1, 25.08.2022[https://radiokp.ru/podcast/nastoyaschiy-khit-parad/642043 About the revival of the Gorky Park group] // Radiokp.ru, 30.07.2022[https://argumenti.ru/interview/2022/12/805223 Revival of the Gorky Park band] // Argumenti.ru, 21.12.2022

History

In 1987, guitarist Alexey Belov, vocalist Nikolay Noskov (both from Moskva band), bassist Alexander "Big Sasha" Minkov, guitarist Yan Yanenkov, and drummer Alexander Lvov (formerly from Aria) came together to form Gorky Park.{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=Virgin Books|date=1999|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0257-7|page=xx}} Stas Namin, a famous 1970s Soviet musician, became the band's manager. Because Mikhail Gorbachev lifted the censorship, many underground rock bands, including Gorky Park, became able to gain wider popularity. Later that year the band left Russia for the United States in search of a record deal.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gorkyparkmusic.ru/index/content/id/2|title=Официальный сайт Парк Горького|date=12 November 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091112194657/http://www.gorkyparkmusic.ru/index/content/id/2|access-date=18 July 2021|archive-date=2009-11-12}}

In the U.S. the band soon made some connections in the record business. One of the first people to take notice was musician Frank Zappa. Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora also helped them to secure a deal with Mercury Records.

The band released a self-titled debut album in 1989, featuring initials "GP" stylized as a hammer and sickle on the cover. With the fall of the Iron Curtain and a growing interest in Soviets to western countries, Gorky Park soon became widely known. The band seemed to be a kind of symbol of American-Russian friendship. The band's first video, "Bang", received MTV rotation. Their next two singles{{snd}} "Try to Find Me" and a collaboration with Bon Jovi "Peace in Our Time"{{snd}} received rotation on mainstream radio stations.

Gorky Park participated in that year's Moscow Music Peace Festival alongside Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, Skid Row, Cinderella, Ozzy Osbourne and Scorpions. Gorky Park joined the other acts from the Moscow Music Peace Festival in the compilation album Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell. This album included each band performing one song from an artist who died from, or a band who lost a member to, drug problems. Gorky Park's contribution was a cover of The Who's "My Generation". Namin's producing centre is referred to in the lyrics of the Scorpions hit Wind of Change.{{Cite book |last=Pristed |first=Birgitte Beck |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JR8vDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA187 |title=The New Russian Book: A Graphic Cultural History |date=2017-08-01 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-319-50708-8 |pages=187 |language=en}} In 1989, guitar manufacturer Kramer introduced a balalaika-shaped Gorky Park signature model, similar to Belov's custom-made instruments.{{Cite book |last=Bacon |first=Tony |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vQlMDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA227 |title=Electric Guitars: The Illustrated Encyclopedia |date=2018-03-13 |publisher=Book Sales |isbn=978-0-7858-3572-1 |pages=227 |language=en}}

The band continued into 1990 touring with Bon Jovi and performing at the Goodwill Games opening ceremony. Gorky Park live shows often featured the band dressed in traditional Russian style, waving Soviet and American flags. In 1991, the band received Scandinavian Grammis award as the best new international act.

As Perestroika era came to its end, the group's fame in America subsided rather quickly. Nikolai Noskov left the band in 1990, but Gorky Park remained active and kept releasing albums in the 1990s, with Minkov taking over as lead vocalist. 1992's Moscow Calling, produced by Fee Waybill, sold 500,000 copies outside the US. Their next album, Stare, was released in 1996, but only in Russia, followed up by promotional tour of the former USSR states. In 1998, the band released Protivofazza. In 1999, Nikolay Noskov joined for the first time in nine years to sing "Bang", also Alexander Minkov left the band and started his solo career under the stage name Alexander Marshall. Gorky Park was never officially claimed to disband, but have been inactive since 2001. Belov and Yanenkov continued to perform Gorky Park songs in their bands "Park Belova" (Belov Park) and "Muzykanty gruppy Gorky Park" (Musicians of the Gorky Park band). Line-up of that period: Alexey Belov (vocals, guitars), Yan Yanenkov (guitars), Alexander Bagnov (bass), Alexander Makin (drums).

Since then, Gorky Park made several brief reunions in festivals. In 2008, Gorky Park received Muz-TV award for contribution to Rock music and performed "Moscow Calling" with Alexander Minkov.{{Cite web|url=http://www.avtograf.com.ru/press/2000/park_gorkogo/gorky.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090825122824/http://www.avtograf.com.ru/press/2000/park_gorkogo/gorky.htm|url-status=dead|title=Интервью Алексея Белова|archive-date=25 August 2009|access-date=18 July 2021}}

On November 18, 2012, the band played a special show in Crocus City Hall in Moscow to celebrate their 25th anniversary. Nikolay Noskov joined the band on stage for the first time since 1999 to sing "Bang".

Members

;Current lineup

Oleg Izotov — lead guitar, lead vocals (2022—present)
Tim Grigorovich — lead guitar, vocals (2023—present)
Alexey Baev — rhythm and lead guitars (2022—present)
Marco Mendoza — bass guitar, backing vocals (2022—present)
Kenny Aronoff — drums (2022—present)

;Past members

Nikolai Noskov — lead vocals (1987—1990, 1999, 2012, 2022)
Aleksandr Marshal – bass guitar (1987–1998; 1999, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019), backing vocals (1987-1990; 1999, 2012), lead vocals (1990-1998, 1999, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019)
Alexey Belov – lead guitar, backing vocals (1987—1998; 1999, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019), keyboards (1989—1994), rhythm guitar (2019)
Yan Yanenkov — rhythm guitar, occasional backing vocals (1987—1998; 1999, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015)
Alexander "Little Sasha" Lvov — drums, backing vocals (studio) (1987–1998, 1999, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019)
Nikolai Kuzminykh – keyboards, backing vocals (1994—1998, 1999: died 2011)

= Timeline =

{{#tag:timeline|

ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20

PlotArea = left:110 bottom:100 top:0 right:10

AlignBars = justify

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy

Period = from:01/01/1987 till:{{#time:d/m/Y}}

TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3

ScaleMajor = increment:3 start:1987

ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1987

Colors =

id:lvocals value:red legend:Lead_vocals

id:lguitar value:teal legend:Lead_guitar

id:rguitar value:brightgreen legend:Rhythm_guitar

id:bass value:blue legend:Bass_guitar

id:keys value:purple legend:Keyboards

id:drums value:orange legend:Drums

id:bvocals value:pink legend:Backing_vocals

id:studio value:black legend:Studio_albums

id:bars value:gray(0.92)

BackgroundColors = bars:bars

BarData =

bar:Noskov text:"Nikolai Noskov"

bar:Belov text:"Alexey Belov"

bar:Oleg text:"Oleg Izotov"

bar:Yan text:"Yan Yanenkov"

bar:Pavel text:"Pavel Popov"

bar:Alexey text:"Alexey Baev"

bar:Alex text:"Alexander Marshall"

bar:Marco text:"Marco Mendoza"

bar:Nikolai text:"Nikolai Kuzminikh"

bar:Lvov text:"Alexander Lvov"

bar:Kenny text:"Kenny Aronoff"

PlotData=

width:11 textcolor:black align:center anchor:from shift:(11,-4)

color:lvocals

bar:Noskov from:start till:30/06/1990

bar:Alex from:01/07/1990 till:31/12/1998 width:3

bar:Alex from:01/08/1999 till:31/08/1999 width:7

bar:Noskov from:01/08/1999 till:31/08/1999

bar:Alex from:01/06/2008 till:31/08/2008 width:3

bar:Alex from:01/01/2009 till:31/03/2009 width:3

bar:Alex from:05/07/2012 till:18/11/2012 width:7

bar:Noskov from:05/07/2012 till:18/11/2012

bar:Alex from:01/10/2013 till:31/10/2013 width:3

bar:Alex from:01/05/2015 till:31/07/2015 width:3

bar:Alex from:01/06/2019 till:31/12/2019 width:3

bar:Noskov from:01/06/2022 till:30/06/2022

bar:Oleg from:01/07/2022 till:end width:3

bar:Pavel from:01/07/2022 till:end width:3

color:lguitar

bar:Belov from:start till:31/12/1998

bar:Belov from:01/08/1999 till:31/08/1999

bar:Belov from:01/06/2008 till:31/08/2008

bar:Belov from:01/01/2009 till:31/03/2009

bar:Belov from:05/07/2012 till:18/11/2012

bar:Belov from:01/10/2013 till:31/10/2013

bar:Belov from:01/05/2015 till:31/07/2015

bar:Belov from:01/06/2019 till:31/12/2019

bar:Oleg from:01/06/2022 till:end

bar:Alexey from:01/06/2022 till:end width:3

color:rguitar

bar:Yan from:start till:31/12/1998

bar:Yan from:01/08/1999 till:31/08/1999

bar:Yan from:01/06/2008 till:31/08/2008

bar:Yan from:01/01/2009 till:31/03/2009

bar:Yan from:05/07/2012 till:18/11/2012

bar:Yan from:01/10/2013 till:31/10/2013

bar:Yan from:01/05/2015 till:31/07/2015

bar:Belov from:01/06/2019 till:31/12/2019 width:7

bar:Pavel from:01/06/2022 till:end

bar:Alexey from:01/06/2022 till:end

color:bass

bar:Alex from:start till:31/12/1998

bar:Alex from:01/08/1999 till:31/08/1999

bar:Alex from:01/06/2008 till:31/08/2008

bar:Alex from:01/01/2009 till:31/03/2009

bar:Alex from:05/07/2012 till:18/11/2012

bar:Alex from:01/10/2013 till:31/10/2013

bar:Alex from:01/05/2015 till:31/07/2015

bar:Alex from:01/06/2019 till:31/12/2019

bar:Marco from:01/06/2022 till:end

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bar:Belov from:01/03/1989 till:31/07/1994 width:7

bar:Nikolai from:01/08/1994 till:31/12/1998

bar:Nikolai from:01/08/1999 till:31/08/1999

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bar:Lvov from:start till:31/12/1998

bar:Lvov from:01/08/1999 till:31/08/1999

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bar:Lvov from:01/01/2009 till:31/03/2009

bar:Lvov from:05/07/2012 till:18/11/2012

bar:Lvov from:01/10/2013 till:31/10/2013

bar:Lvov from:01/05/2015 till:31/07/2015

bar:Lvov from:01/06/2019 till:31/12/2019

bar:Kenny from:01/06/2022 till:end

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bar:Alex from:start till:30/06/1990

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bar:Yan from:01/06/2008 till:31/08/2008

bar:Yan from:01/01/2009 till:31/03/2009

bar:Yan from:05/07/2012 till:18/11/2012

bar:Yan from:01/10/2013 till:31/10/2013

bar:Yan from:01/05/2015 till:31/07/2015

bar:Belov from:01/08/1999 till:31/08/1999

bar:Alex from:01/08/1999 till:31/08/1999

bar:Nikolai from:01/08/1994 till:31/12/1998

bar:Nikolai from:01/08/1999 till:31/08/1999

bar:Belov from:01/06/2008 till:31/08/2008

bar:Belov from:01/01/2009 till:31/03/2009

bar:Belov from:05/07/2012 till:18/11/2012

bar:Alex from:05/07/2012 till:18/11/2012

bar:Belov from:01/10/2013 till:31/10/2013

bar:Belov from:01/05/2015 till:31/07/2015

bar:Belov from:01/06/2019 till:31/12/2019

bar:Oleg from:01/06/2022 till:30/06/2022

bar:Pavel from:01/06/2022 till:30/06/2022

bar:Marco from:01/06/2022 till:end

LineData =

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at:08/08/1989 #Gorky Park

at:01/05/1992 #Moscow Calling

at:20/05/1996 #Stare

at:01/05/1998 #Protivofazza

}}

Discography

= Studio albums =

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

! Year

! Title

! Label

! US

! Release

1989

| Gorky Park

| align="center" | Mercury Records

| align="center" | 80{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p39116/charts-awards|pure_url=yes}}|author=|title=Charted albums in Billboard 200|website=AllMusic|year=2006|access-date=May 18, 2010}}

| align="center" rowspan="3"|Europe
USA
Russia

align="center" | 1992

| Moscow Calling

| align="center" | BMG International, N.V.

| align="center" | —

align="center" | 1996

| Stare

| align="center" | Nox Music

| align="center" | —

align="center" | 1998

| Protivofazza

| align="center" | Nox

| align="center" | —

| align="center" | {{small|Russia}}

"—" – Album did not chart or was not released in country

= Singles =

class="wikitable" style=text-align:center;

! rowspan=2| Year

! rowspan=2| Title

! colspan=1| Chart peaked

! rowspan=2| Album

style=font-size:smaller;

! width=35| US

rowspan="3"|1989

| align=left| "Bang"

| —

| align=left rowspan="3"|Gorky Park

align=left| "Try to Find Me"

| 81{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p39116/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}}|author=|title=Singles Charted in Billboard Hot 100|website=AllMusic|year=2006|access-date=May 18, 2010}}

align=left| "Peace in Our Time"

| —

1992

| align=left| "Moscow Calling"

| —

| align=left rowspan="1"|Moscow Calling

1996

| align=left| "Stare"

| —

| align=left rowspan="1"|Stare

2001

| align=left| "Сделано в России" (Made in Russia)

| —

| align=left rowspan="1"|—

2019

| align=left| "Hello my Friend"

| —

| align=left rowspan="1"|—

Popular culture

A snippet of "Bang" was used in HBO's Barry season-one finale. The song was played in the scene where the Chechens were readying their weapons.

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20160807091005/http://gorkyparkmusic.ru/ Official Website (only on https://web.archive.org - last normal 4.jun 2016)]

Category:Musical groups established in 1987

Category:Russian hard rock musical groups

Category:Soviet rock music groups