Ilya Lagutenko’s Alphabet: A Journey Through Music, Vladivostok, and Life
V — Vladivostok
Vladivostok, the capital of Primorsky Krai, is the city where I grew up and owe much of who I am today. It’s where I found my identity and where the band “Mumiy Troll” was born. I strive to help my city become more modern and attractive to tourists from Russia and around the world.
For three consecutive years, we’ve hosted the international music festival-conference Vladivostok Rocks (V-ROX) in Vladivostok. This event attracts hundreds of musicians, promoters, producers, journalists, and music enthusiasts who love new music.
G — Tours
For nearly 20 years, the musicians of “Mumiy Troll” have spent a significant part of their lives on tour. For musicians in Russia, tours are perhaps the only source of income, as listeners are often reluctant to pay for music online, preferring to download it illegally. Moreover, our legislation on copyright protection is far from perfect.
D — FEFU
FEFU, or the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, is where I graduated with a degree in Oriental and African Studies. The knowledge I gained has been invaluable in my life. Today, FEFU and its leadership are key partners in the international music festival V-ROX.
The university’s hospitable campus on Russian Island becomes a home for all festival guests—musicians, promoters, journalists, and show business representatives from different countries.
I — Ikra.tv
Long before the global penetration of well-known social networks into all spheres of life, we created our own musical social network, Ikra.tv. It became a platform for young musicians to communicate, share music, and videos.
Musicians from “Mumiy Troll” actively participated in the virtual life of Ikra.tv. In one of the Moscow clubs, we even held a festival inviting groups that were most active and creative on the platform. Today, Ikra.tv serves as a “creative laboratory” where information about our projects related to art, literature, fashion, travel, and more is collected and constantly updated.
C — Concert
A concert for any musician is always a big responsibility. We want our concerts to be exciting for everyone—both the audience and ourselves. We strive to creatively approach the visual and stage design.
M — “Mumiy Troll”
Of course, “Mumiy Troll”. When we first started playing together, journalists called us a one-day band. I’m glad their skeptical predictions did not come true.
R — Responsibility
This feeling or trait grows stronger with age. We are responsible for our loved ones and our family. I also feel responsible for my musicians; we’ve been together for so long that we’ve become one big family.
P — “Pirate Copies”
This is the name of the album we released in 2015 and have been gradually presenting to listeners in different cities and countries. The modern meaning of the term “pirate” in a musical context implies a violation of intellectual property rights and illegal distribution of music. We also adhere to another interpretation: in ancient Greek, “pirate” means “one who tries his luck, tests his fate.” We consider ourselves romantic sailors, and with each new album, we set off for unknown shores—in search of harmony and happiness.
R — “Rubezh”
“Rubezh” is a Primorsky book publishing house that reissues Russian-language authors from the pre-revolutionary Far East. I’ve been reading their publications with great interest lately.
T — Tiger
Our Far Eastern “totem” animal. The tiger is depicted on the coat of arms of Vladivostok, and city legends say that tigers sometimes roam the streets of the city. A few years ago, together with the Russian Geographical Society, we published a series of books about the Amur tiger for the whole family in the “Laguna” publishing house. The goal of these books is to popularize information about the problem of tiger conservation among both the younger generation and adults. This seems truly important to me—to learn to exist in harmony with the surrounding world and remember that humans are not the only inhabitants of planet Earth.
F — “Fantastika”
I first performed this song at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hong Kong at 4 a.m. with a group of Malaysian musicians—as a surprise for my future wife. We shot the video for “Fantastika” in extreme conditions: in the crater of the active Gorely volcano in Kamchatka. Unforgettable impressions!
C — Choir
In the second grade, I started singing in the school choir. We toured the entire country, then still the USSR, performing concerts for production leaders during their lunch breaks.
