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Charismatic rocker Valeriy
Harchishyn has been a figure on the Ukrainian alternative music scene
for ten years. His band Druga Rika is preparing to mark the anniversary
with the release of a ‘best of’ album but as Valeriy is keen to stress,
the boys by no means intend to rest on their laurels and are also busy
recording a new album, set to be released sometime next year.
You’re originally from Zhitomir; do you miss your
old home?
To be honest I never really thought of Zhitomir as home; I moved
there when I was fifteen but five of the ten years I lived there were
spent touring Europe with a chorus I belonged to. Even now, living in
Kyiv, I get restless and find myself always thinking of upcoming tours.
I guess I’m a citizen of the world at heart.
What do you like and dislike about the Ukrainian
capital?
I love Kyivites; anybody who has spent a day here will know
locals as open, friendly, and down-to-earth. What I don’t like are some
of the new building developments and dubious architecture. Take Maidan
for example; why they had to rip it up and replace it with that ‘woman
monument’ is beyond me. If the statue really does celebrate independence
why not have it even higher up overlooking the whole square, replacing
all that Soviet stuff.
Tell us a little about your relationship with the
Ukrainian capital?
I’ve lived in Kyiv for seven years. I came to the city when I was
a small child, so all I can really remember from that time is the ice
cream and that the city was very big and beautiful. My place is in
Vinograder, a district quite far from the busy city centre. Sometimes I
go jogging amongst the trees and start humming a melody. When I sit down
to write a song to the tune it feels that I know it from somewhere; it’s
like the songs are inside me and the nature helps to bring them out
What is Druga Rika’s main priority - to conquer
Russia or Europe?
We have played in Russia and Poland while I’ve personally toured
many European countries including France, Switzerland, England, Germany,
Poland, Hungary and Italy. It’s true that four or five years ago Russia
was the Promised Land for many Ukrainian bands but this has changed
recently, thanks in no small part to Russian politicians painting
Ukraine as the enemy. Luckily not everybody listens to what politicians
say and our songs can still be heard on Russian radio, and our videos
seen on Russian music channels. Some time ago some Russian producers
approached us offering to cooperate but they wanted us to sing in
Russian so we politely turned them down; singing in Ukrainian is one of
our calling cards.
What does the future hold for the band?
Well we finally worked out that we are ten years old and to mark
the occasion we will release a ‘the best of’ album this month. There’s
also a new song, ‘Day Night’, in the pipeline. Reaching the ten-year
landmark is not a reason to stop and we continue to work on our new
album, which will be out some time next year. |
