ANJ
By: Rei Nishimoto
Russia is hardly known as somewhere that would produce heavy metal music. The country is better known for its vodka and importing its athletes and the music scene is best known for producing 80s hard rockers Gorky Park and female pop act T.A.T.U.
ANJ is an up and coming modern metal band out of Moscow who is beginning to make some noise. Started by frontman and guitarist Anatoly Zhuravlev in 2003, he began writing music on his own. He was a guitar prodigy in his teen years and became Russia’s only Schecter Guitar endorsee. He later wrote satirical songs with such titles as “Gorbachev,” “Power to Destroy” and “Prophecy,” fusing that with his elaborate stage shows.
The band has released three full length recordings in Russia, and has found them appearing on various music fests across Russia, as well as 2006’s Finnish Metal Expo in Helsinki and 2007’s Download Festival in England.
In 2008, Zhuravlev recorded new songs in Los Angeles with producer John Travis (Kid Rock, Buckcherry). He recorded songs with guitarist Levon Sultanian (formerly of Onesidezero and Abloom) and drummer Roy Mayorga (Stone Sour/ex-Soulfly).
ANJ utilized the services of Sultanian and former Candiria drummer Ken Schalk (later replaced by drummer Dmitry Sachko), as well as the live members, guitarist Oleg Izotov, and bassist Nikita ‘Niki’ Simonov for a Gigantour date and As I Lay Dying in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The band recently completed a US tour supporting Yngwie Malmsteen.
Zhuravlev (through a translator) spoke to Blistering.com about the band’s history, being a metal band from Russia and conquering the American market.
Blistering.com: Please tell us about the history of the band.
Anatoly Zhuravlev: About four, five years. The band or crew now, it’s about over one year.
Blistering.com: Is this your first time playing in America?
Zhuravlev I played in Milwaukee before. I also recorded in L.A. a music video called “Mikhail Gorbachev.” You can find it on YouTube.
Blistering.com: How are American audiences different than playing in Russia?
Zhuravlev Sometimes I feel like there’s no difference and other times there are bigger differences. I’m actually in the process to find a connection with the audience.
Blistering.com: I read that ANJ has played various European festivals in the past. How did you get onto those festivals? Did you build a fan base over there first?
Zhuravlev I am working hard and doing my best to get over there. Because we’re doing something original, they like that.
Blistering.com: A lot of people are unfamiliar with the Russian music scene, especially the heavy metal scene. How is the Russian metal scene today?
Zhuravlev Metal is not very popular. That’s why I am trying to get outside of Russia to find an audience. There’s nothing there so that’s why I’m looking for foreign audiences.
Blistering.com: Your lyrics are in English. How difficult is it to write lyrics in English when it is not your native language?
Zhuravlev There are Americans that help him [writing in English]. Actually those texts are adapted.
Blistering.com: Do you ever feel that when you are getting the idea down in Russian that it gets lost in the translation into English?
Zhuravlev Some of those songs completely change when you translate them into English. The meaning is totally different from what it meant in Russian. Some of those songs stay the same and mean the same.
Blistering.com: You mentioned recording some songs in Los Angeles. How was it to work with an American producer and American musicians, and how different was it compared to how you normally record music?
Zhuravlev Like when we recorded the music video here in LA, “Mikhail Gorbachev,” he got a lot of positive emotions. But with the songs, I think it’s about the same recording here [as in Russia]. With the technology today, the whole world seems the same. Anyways we’re trying to adapt for American audiences. For Russian audiences, we’re going to have to do this a different way. It’s a different mentality and a different culture. You can’t use the same thing. It won’t work like in America. Even the albums are different.
Blistering.com: You recorded the song “Mikhail Gorbachev.” Tell me about the song, including what the point you were trying to get across in the song.
Zhuravlev It’s a humorous tale. You have to look at your past with a sense of humor. It’s not trying to make fun…a lot of intellectual people in Russia recognize it as a good song and a good music video. It’s not making fun, but an easier way of telling the history.
Blistering.com: Do you feel that through your music you are bringing positivity to Russia when there is a lot of negative press right now with what’s going on there?
Zhuravlev I wouldn’t put it that way. The government won’t pay me for that! That’s not my point to do that. It’s cool to be in America. For every band there, it’s their dream is to tour in America. I don’t have any ambitions to change the view or stereotypes of Russia.
Blistering.com: When you started ANJ, what bands did you listen to that inspired the sound?
Zhuravlev: Creedance (Clearwater Creedance Revival), Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne. It’s stuff that everyone’s listening to - no one too famous.
Blistering.com: Are you recording a full-length album any time soon?
Zhuravlev We already have a few songs written already. A full album will be done in a few months.
Blistering.com: Any final words?
Zhuravlev (without the translator) Ladies and gentlemen, ANJ is coming…!
www.myspace.com/anjkill
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