ArtistInfo

Vladimir Gustov's Radio Rock
The Anthology

Album RU 2016 on Sublimity Records label
Rock (Hard Rock)

Sales Points: • Full Radio Rock discography on 3 CD’s in a Special Triple Box. • First ever releases of Religion (1989) and The Crime & The Punishment (1995) albums on CD. • 4 exclusive bonus tracks from 1989 and 1991. • “Crazy Game” official video from 1991. • Remastered 2014 by bandleader Vladimir Gustov himself. • 32-page booklet with band’s history, rare archive photos and all songs’ lyrics. • Strictly limited run of 125 factory pressed numbered copies. • For fans of FireHouse, Yngwie J. Malmsteen’s Rising Force, Pushking, Royal Hunt. Just say “radio rock”, and what do you imagine? Yes, loud and proud music with big guitar sound, highly impressive vocals and larger-than-life melodies and harmonies. And if musicians called their band Radio Rock, don’t hesitate: they really play radio rock of highest quality. Radio Rock, the band from St. Petersburg, Russia, was brainchild of guitar player, songwriter and producer Vladimir Gustov, who started work in semi-professional bands being just 11-years-old and playing virtually every kind of music, from straight pop to progressive instrumental blues. Being a keen Queen and Brian May fan, Vladimir always loved loud distorted guitar sound and English-singing songs, but in the Communist Era he simply hadn’t any chances to play such material. But that chance finally came in 1988, when Mr. Gustov started to work with young vocalist Vladimir Kharitonov, first as studio duo. And from the day one Radio Rock was a highly professional band due to highest bandleader’s skills as guitar player and songwriter, so within a year since its formation band did massive Russian and Ukrainian tours, recorded quite successful debut album Religion and did great live show at St. Petersburg’s SKK Arena with UK bands Passion and Gipsy Queen. Although band always kept revolving doors policy in its line-up department, it didn’t shake quality of the songs at all. Both albums The Russian Eagle (1991, recorded with vocalist Vyacheslav Shkutov) and The Crime & The Punishment (1995) demonstrated quite unique combination of ‘80s arena hard rock and truly Russian melodies. It’s always a striking hit combination, and not only for domestic listeners… The Crime & The Punishment presented immaculate talents of singer Igor Balakirev, who worked at Russian version of Queen’s stage musical We Will Rock You as Galileo later at 2004. But after recording its third album Radio Rock was disbanded as Vladimir Gustov decided that band’s material started to repeat itself. And, anyway, melodic hard rock wasn’t in vogue in mid-‘90s Russia. So Radio Rock became a great secret of Russian rock stage. And, quite paradoxically, The Anthology came as serious CD Box reissue with highly informative booklet in the era of digital downloads only. But this is an important release for any keen ‘80s melodic hard rock and AOR fan and maybe your very first foray into the secret world of Russian ‘80s and ‘90s professional rock music. Listen and wonder!

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