Natalia Medvedeva was an actor, a model, a writer and a singer who performed with punk bands like "Tribunal", "Korrozia Metalla" and "Hyj Zabej". In 16 she moved to America after her first husband and began her career singing romances in the bars of Sunset Beach. Unlike most people who supported punk ideology, she took serious lessons of singing in New York conservatory. Then she married Eduard Limonov, a marginal anti soviet writer and a radical politician, who set in prison for some years because of his books and social activity. Together they moved to France, where Natalia wrote articles for french magazines which spotted and mocked bohemian traits of life. When she came back to Russia, she felt a cultural shock meeting true soviet people and this resulted in her songs. Medvedeva was well read and highly intellectual, that's why her lyrics (as well as her books) criticize stereotypes, primitive desires and ways of thinking in a sincere, decadent and sometimes ironical way and praise true love which is not easy to find among of this all. In 1994 she recorded her most famous and radical album "Tribunal" by Natalia Medvedeva (the title speaks for itself). Natalia was one of the brightest stars on russian female underground stage. Maybe she can be compared to Lydia Lynch.
Her songs make me start thinking of the meaning of life. Tragic frustrated melancholy tones of her voice drive me into sad and philosophical mood. Sometimes I feel like it's my elder sister talking to me.
(written by new ex-soviet music editor Panda_on_Snow)
I can add that I made Medvedeva's acquaintance in the end of 90th with her book "And they had passion.." (text in russian).
Book described relationship between young woman and writer (prototypes are certainly Natalia and Eduard Limonov). That times I was shocked with some cruelty and radicalism of this woman: it seemed she lived in revolution every day. And maybe it was. Limonov in one of his book said that Natalia's death was something like regularity: she died in the of 44 in quiet dream. In February 3, 2003.
And revolution was over.
I suppose punk wasn't best music style for Medvedeva's charisma and voice that were optimally for chanson songs. But punk was in her soul like protest against soviet life. She tried to get rid of soviet rules and lifestyle all her life.
by terless
К сорока годам у Барби | By 40 Barbie has.mp3 (poem in rus)
Пара гнедых | Couple of bay horses.mp3 (romance)
Singapur.mp3 (romance)
more music
6 comments:
Iam find someone who now s something more about this charming person officialy of course.I mean of her arts,and,if that person now it, wher is possible to find her book s or disc s.I ll be wery greatfull for that.My best wyshe s for next s fair s,for all fans off Russian Art s.
Deat TM, my mind was wandering and I asked myself who was the woman on the 1st album by The Cars and I wonder what she is doing today. Of course I read from you blog about Natalya Medvedeva. Do you know if any of her books were ever translated into English so I could read them?
Craig
Hi, Carig, thanks for your interest. Some poems of Natalya Medvedeva you can find here http://www.amazon.com/Russian-Women-Modern-Poetry-Translation/dp/0953382486/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231581431&sr=8-4
What's about her prose I don't know and can't help you((
sorry for spelling, Craig
Hi tm! Your post about Medvedeva is very useful. Really, it seems that no one knows her.. I agree with you when you say that "punk" was not the best music style for her voice.
Actually I'm studying Russian and surfing on the net I discovered this great personality. A few months ago I found a site with all about her: romance, poems.. But yesterday I noticed that that link doesn't work anymore. So now I would ask you if you know there is another site with her works... maybe my Russian is not so good!
;-)
keep going, Zinaida!
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