"Bi-2" (Bi-2) - a band without which it is impossible to imagine the Russian rock scene. Their hits shaped the whole era of rock development, their contribution cannot be underestimated. The thirty-year history of the band is very eventful. They had ups and downs, active periods and moments of stagnation, the members lived and created not only in different cities, but also on different continents. They changed names, line-up, stylistics and themes of compositions, but Leva and Shura remained permanent legends. They managed to achieve international fame, love and recognition. Today the generation that grew up on their hits listens to new songs with the same enthusiasm.
The beginning of beginnings
A book could be written about how the band "Bi-2" was formed. Hardly any other band can boast such a rich history of formation.
Everything started in Belarus in 1985. Then two friends, Yegor Bortnik and Alexander Uman (Leva and Shura), were engaged in theater activities and dreamed of becoming actors. Their talent was undeniable, but over time they realized that they needed to show it in a slightly different field.
In 1988, the guys created their first musical duo "Chance". A little later they decided to expand the team. At the initial rehearsals they became the group "Coast of Truth", and then chose a more brutal name - "Brothers in Arms".
Leva was the author of the lyrics, Shura did the musical accompaniment, and Alexander Sergeyev (better known under the nickname "Crutch") sang. They sang once at the festival, and periodically appeared in local clubs and clubs. But the public did not catch their creativity. Soon the team broke up.
They made a second attempt to create a quality collective a year later. It was then that the name of the group appeared - "Bi-2" (in honor of the U.S. strategic bomber Northrop B-2 Spirit). "Roles" they distributed as follows: Leva writes lyrics and performs them, Shura is responsible for music. The stylistics of their compositions was a bit risky - the subtext was of an acutely social and sometimes even acutely sexual nature.
The newly-formed rock band was epathetic not only with their lyrics, but also with their performances. One of their first performances began with a real coffin being brought on stage. Leva slowly got up from it and started singing. Such a move made the audience remember the name "Bi-2". They got their first fans. The audience was expanding, it would seem that fame was approaching. During this period, they release their debut album "Traitors of the Motherland", which could bring their music to a new level. But in 1991, Leva and Shura go to Israel.
A prolonged sabbatical
The next 8 years about "Bi-2" in Russia nothing is heard. In Israel they spent the first months working on a construction site. Having settled down a bit and saved money, they continued their musical way. They performed in clubs and at rock festivals, created new songs, but in a slightly different style, more "soft". Their compositions had quality arrangements, acoustics, loyal lyrics. In 1992 they became winners at the rock festival in Jerusalem, and a year later they won the audience's sympathy prize at one of the forums.
In the midst of another stage of "ascension" Shura flies to Melbourne. Leva goes to serve in the army in Israel.
Shura lived in Australia until 1998. During this period, he managed to play in several bands, to put together a solo project, to master different musical genres. He begins to communicate with Victoria Bilogan, creates a musical team with her, records an album and even becomes a vocalist. Their team printed a series of CDs in Germany, which never went on sale due to the economic crisis in Russia. During all these years the guys did not stop communicating and doing joint creative work. Leva still wrote lyrics and sent them to Shura. Together they regulated all questions concerning music.
In 1998 Leva flew to Australia. Within a year they released a new joint album "And the ship is sailing" (later it would be renamed "Bi-2"). But all attempts to establish a connection with Russian labels were unsuccessful. Only a few songs managed to be released to radio airwaves.
"Rock discovery of the late 90's"
"Varvara", "Nobody Writes to the Colonel", "Heart", "My Friend" - listeners were fans of these hits. And wanted to see their idols. That's why in 1999 they came to Russia. Despite their popularity on TV and radio, music studios were not in a hurry to sign contracts for album publishing or touring.
But the problem was solved immediately after the release of the movie "Brat-2". The guys not only recorded three songs for the movie voiceover, but also starred in it. Then they consolidated their success with participation in the festival "Nashestviye". From this moment a new page in the musical biography of artists began.
They went on a joint Fellini Tour with the group "Splin", which significantly expanded their audience. "Bi-2" became a self-sufficient and original collective. They were recognized on the streets, fan clubs began to form. Musicians were invited to various festivals, concerts, they toured Russia, Europe and America.
With such active creative activity, they released new albums almost every year, which received record sales.
Having arrived in Russia, they recruited a team of musicians, who periodically changed. Interestingly, they had no concept of a "band leader". All issues were always decided jointly. There were Victoria Bilogan, Peter Woodrowb, Serge Petron, Grigory Gaberman, Nikolay Plyavin, Vadim Ermolov, Alexander Lyubarsky, and Alexander Plyavin in "Bi-2".
Today, apart from Shura and Leva, the band includes Maxim Andryushchenko, Boris Lifshits, Andrey Zvonkov, and Yan Nikolenko.
For more than 30 years of the band's existence it has collected a whole collection of all kinds of awards (about 30 prizes and nominations).
A special place in the musical biography is the cooperation with the symphony orchestra. This alliance opened new opportunities. It is precisely such concerts of the group became attended, because the originality of sound and the performance of already known hits in a classical treatment gives the audience an unforgettable pleasure.
"Bi-2" are actively touring around the world, writing new songs, even starring in movies. What will please listeners idols in the future, read in the catalog of artists on the website kontramarka.de.
Discography:
"Painless and sad love" (1998)
"Bi-2" (2000)
"Meow Kiss Mi" (2001)
"Ipomarka" (2004)
Moloko (2006)
"Lunapark (2009)
"What Men Talk About" (2010)
Spirit (2011)
"#16plus" (2014)
"Event Horizon" (2017)
