A little word with the Retuses

New Holland had a little word with the Retuses after their Concert on New Holland.

How and when did the band form?

Misha Rodinov: We started off as just good friends partying with eachother constantly and then we started to play together. We have been playing concerts together for a year.

You are quite a young band! In fact how old are you all?

Misha Rodionov (front-man): I am 20.

Misha L'vov (lead guitarist): I am the youngest 17 (and a half...) I'm about to go to University.

Danya (bassist): I'm the oldest in the group - 24!

Do any of you have any formal musical training?

Misha Rodionov: Not really! I started playing the trombone after I saw myself playing one in a dream! Then I went to music school but left after only a month!

Lera Savelyeva: I learned the accordion and then the organ.

Sasha (drummer): I only had two rehearsals before I started playing with the band at concerts, before that I played the piano for 5 years and thought I would never do music again!

What was the first album you every bought?

I got an Album by Axion as a present, also Arcade Fire's Funeral (2006), and some albums by Beirut.

Can you suggest any good songs for Summer listening?

'Dormy Orchestra' - a St. Petersburg band.

What do you like doing when you come to St petes?

Listening to music and drawing - in fact the poster for our concert is one of my works!

What do you think of New Holland?

It's similar to Gorky Park, but it's nice and small, a great place to grab a beer!

Who would you most like to collaborate with/tour with?

With some electronic music, I really like this guy called Roman Litvinov.

If there was a chance you could perform with an idol of yours from the past who could be reborn, who would it be?

Venya D'Irkin, also Vertinsky (Alexander Vertinsky, a Cabaret artist).

If you had an unlimited budget what would you do/where would you perform?

At Alexander Palace in London.

You write songs in both English and Russian, how do the languages compare for lyrics composition?

I find English much easier to write lyrics with, it can be much simpler- and more easily understandable, Russian is very metaphorical and it can be interpreted by people in various ways, ways that can be very different from how you meant them when you wrote the song.

What's next for the Retuses?

We don't have any 'plans,' because if you have plans you restrict yourself! Though hopefully we will be performing in London as part of the Olympics in August, however this depends on visas..

Describe you group in 4 words:

Misha Rodionov: Melancholy/Expressive.

Sasha: Crazy/Sleepy.