Moscow must be experiencing an acute fit of nostalgia for the 1980s. Parties themed on the good-old-bad-old Soviet times are taking place one after another at various nightclubs and restaurants in town. Nostalgia for the modest charm of the 1980s has brought back the almost forgotten names of pop singers, such as Natalya Gulkina, Roma Zhukov and Alexander Aivazov. The latter singer, who debuted as far back as 1989 with the song "Lilii" (Lilies), is now experiencing a second rebirth on stage. A freshly remade "Lilii" was put on hot rotation on dance-music radio station Dynamite at the beginning of the year. A new hit, "Glaza" (Eyes), was presented on the same radio station on July 4, and in August, Aivazov plans to release his fifth album, half of which will be modern remakes of his old time-tested hits and the other half new songs.


Name: Alexander Aivazov
Birth date: 1973
Profession: pop-singer, composer, poet
Country of residence: Moscow, Russia
Languages: English (advanced level)
Hobbies: Rollerblading, fitness, singing in English (many of those who heard him singing in English say he just can’t sing in Russian)

Does it offend you that you are often regarded as a symbol of the long-gone Soviet era?
A little bit. But on the other hand, attitudes toward pop songs have changed for the better nowadays, and there are lots of means and opportunities for one to do what he wants. For example, I’m planning to record my 1997 hit "Babochka-Luna" (Butterfly-Moon) in English and send it to Italian producers. Russian and Italian pop music have a lot in common. Maybe I will succeed, and people will be dancing to my songs, if not throughout Europe, then at least in Italy. By the end of summer, I plan to record two or three songs in English
.
Which kind of music do you like to listen to?
I would describe it as club music. After visiting a nightclub, I go on listening to heavy house for some three to four days. In fact, I like different kinds of music. At the moment, my favorite album is David Gahan’s "Paper Monsters."

In which other fields do you think you could express yourself?
I would like to feature in movies. I’ve got lots of ideas and plans, and there are so many talented people around who I would like to help. In other words, I see a wide field for activity in the producer business.

Do you think you could live and work in a different country?
Yes, of course. I feel comfortable in Italy. If and when I have enough cash, I would like to live in Rome or Milan. I would even like to learn Italian. Speaking of languages, as I’m 100 percent Armenian, I would also like to learn my primordial language – Armenian. Moscow is a very good city, but the more often I leave it, the better I feel. In April last year I worked in Germany at Russian discotheques. I was surprised to find out that there are some 200 Russian discotheques in Germany. And they are not at all small – some are designed to accommodate 5,000 people.

Where does social life fit into your plans?
It is impossible to lead a social life here nowadays. As for me, I like the clubbing scene. Therefore, club life occupies a notable place in my life.

Which restaurants do you like?
As I used to smoke a lot (now I don’t), I could not appreciate gastronomy. Now I’m trying to get acquainted with various cuisines and to find out, for example, what’s the difference between Japanese and Italian cuisines.

Clubs?
I divide clubs into two categories: Clubs where I work and clubs where I relax. I give concerts in 10-12 clubs every month. Among the clubs where I work, I particularly like Metelitsa, Golden Palace and Kristall. They have good stages, sound systems and lighting. For relaxing and hanging out, I like A Priori, Mix and Ekipazh. The former two clubs are remarkable in that you can drop by at noon and find yourself going all out to the extent only possible at, say, 3 a.m. in other clubs. Regarding Ekipazh, I like it as a cozy harbor to relax after a busy day. Ekipazh is a place to enjoy intellectual and creative relaxation. •