«Breakthrough Band: Mumiy Troll» — Heavy

Breakthrough Band: Mumiy Troll

Russians make the best trolls

When Mumiy Troll formed in Russia in the 80s as an underground rock band, they were viewed with suspicion by the local Communist party chiefs. In a recent Miami New Times interview, lead singer Ilya Lagutenko remembered, “Back in the Soviet Union time, I would say rock music was not really welcome, to put it the polite way…if you were brave enough to start to play music differently to what they would show on TV, instantly you became a rebel. I never really had any antigovernment lyrics, but I guess they were afraid of tricky lyrics about fashion or boys on the beach, even more than antigovernment propaganda!■

Russia`s biggest rock band for the last decade, Mumiy Troll is currently on a rare tour of the US, promoting their recently released EP Polar Bear. Considered the U2 of Russia, kids copy their style and emulate their music, which the band dubbed “rockapops■, a perfect blend of rock and pop. If you get the chance to see Troll play a club in your town, take it. While they may be unknown here, it would be the equivalent of catching Nirvana playing a dive bar in Australia circa Bleach.

Isaac Weeks