Mike Naumenko

Mike Naumenko (Russian: Майк Нау́менко, born Mikhail Vasilyevich Naumenko, 18 April 1955 – 30 August 1991)^[1] was a Soviet rock and blues musician, the leader of Zoopark rock group.

Born in Leningrad, in the 1970s he was a member of Akvarium Russian rock-group, and in 1981 he formed Zoopark, which became one of the most outstanding blues rock groups of USSR. Naumenko is considered one of the poets of Russian rock, although drawing on Bob Dylan and sometimes other UK/US songwriters, occasionally retaining the original melody as well. Some of Naumenko's songs are more or less faithful translations or remakes of English language source material (the notions of copyright and plagiarism being hardly established in the Soviet Union, especially as regards works created on the other side of the Iron Curtain). Even though sometimes imitative, Naumenko's input was significant due to his adaptation of the rock tradition to Russian culture.

Early years

Naumenko studied at a "school with deep learning of English language" in Leningrad, where he got his stage name, "Mike".^[2]

The first time he got interested in music was at the age of 8 when he had heard The Beatles music playing from the street, standing on his balcony. The first he took an interest in were The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Jefferson Airplane; besides he collected articles from magazines concerning T. Rex, The Doors and David Bowie. At the age of 15, he started playing guitar and writing his first songs. His song lyrics were in the English language firstly, but in 1972-1973 he switched to Russian under the influence of his friend, Boris Grebenshikov.^[2][3]

Naumenko died in Leningrad in August 1991, at the age of 36.^[1]

Discography

with Zoopark

• 1981 — Blues de Moscou
• 1983 — Uyezdny gorod N
• 1984 — Belaya polosa
• 1987 — Illyuzii
• 1987 — Bugi‐Vugi Kazhdy Den
• 1989 — W
• 1991 — Muzyka dlya filma
• 1996 — Legendy Russkogo roka
• 1999 — The Best

Solo

• 1978 — Vse bratya – sestry (with Boris Grebenshchikov)
• 1980 — Sladkaya N i drugiye
• 1982 — LV
• 1985 — Zhizn v Zooparke
• 1996 — Vesna‐leto (with Viktor Tsoi)
• 1996 — 12–13 yanvarya 1985 goda, Moscow (with Viktor Tsoi)
• 1997 — Kvartirnik (with Sergey Ryzhenko)
• 1998 — Mike Naumenko. Viktor Tsoi (with Viktor Tsoi)
• 1998 — Ispolneniye razresheno (with Boris Grebenshchikov and Viktor Tsoi)
• 2009 — Leningrad 1984 (with Viktor Tsoi)
• 2010 — 25 oktyabrya 1980 Moscow (with Aquarium)

Tributes

• 1993 — Pesni Mayka
• 1998 — Park Maykskogo perioda
• 2000 — Remayk
• 2001 — Rom i Pepsi‐kola (Dmitry Dibrov i “Antropologiya”)
• 2002 — Zoopark tribyut – Pesni Mayka
• 2005 — Tribyut Mayku Naumenko, 50 let. Uyezdny gorod N 20 let spustya
• 2008 — Gryaznye blyuzy (Aleksandr Dyomin)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Thedeadrockstarsclub.com - accessed October 20, 2011
2. ^ ^{a b} "Нет смысла представлять Майка Науменко (interview with Mike Naumenko)". April 1988. http://www.mikenaumenko.ru/images/1988apr_zoo.JPG. 
3. ^ "Майк о Майке (1981 год) (interview with Mike Naumenko)". журнал "Зеркало" ("Zerkalo" magazine). 1981. http://www.mike-zoo.kiev.ua/maiko/maiko/1.htm. 

External links

• Remike.spb.ru
• Майк Науменко.ru
• Mike-zoo.kiev.ua
• Майк и группа "Зоопарк"
• Poems at lib.ru

Persondata
Name	Naumenko, Mike
Alternative names	Naumenko, Mikhail Vasilyevich
Short description	Soviet rock and blues musician
Date of birth	18 April 1955
Place of birth	Leningrad
Date of death	30 August 1991
Place of death	Leningrad