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	Interviews: :: "Tatu": celebration of Lena's birthday without Yulia new :: Interview with Ivan Shapovalov and Yulia Volkova during the promo tour in Spain, 2002.< :: Tatu girls were hypnotized. :: Has Shapovalov seduced Yulia Volkova? :: No to war. :: Tatu girl's father is telling the truth :: Sensation! "Tatu" is falling apart! :: Like a Rolling Stone- observations of Russian reporter made during the promotional tour of t.A.T.u. in Europe and MTV Europe Music Awards, 2002 :: Interview with t.A.T.u. in Poland- with Yulia and Lena on the sofa in Pajamas. :: Interview with t.A.T.u. in restaurant in Poland :: Dialogue between Lena and Yulia in Vegas, USA- the audio file belongs to MalchikGei@aol.com Disuss it in the forum...
Like a Rolling Stone- observations of Russian reporter made during the promotional tour of t.A.T.u. in Europe and MTV Europe Music Awards, 2002 At first, there were news: musical band "Tatu" was the first one among Russian pop- artists to receive the platinum disc. In the countries of Eastern Europe their album "200 km/h in the wrong lane" was distributed in the size of the million copies. Approximately in the same time it became known that the songs of Tatu are translated into English, and the girls are going to be recorded in the studio of Los Angeles, and their album is going to be released in USA and Europe. Back then nobody could even imagine what was going to happen in September. In September, people of Moscow, coming back from Rome or Barcelona, were telling with full of surprise eyes to their friends:" I am turning on the channel RAI- and there they are! If I go to some bar, "Ya Soshla S Uma" is being played! They are everywhere!" Success of Tatu turned out to be phenomenal: first places in Italy and Spain, high rotation on MTV, review ( even though not a very welcome one) in the main musical magazine of USA, "Rolling Stones". In the end of year 2002 Tatu ended up in the place, which was never occupied by any Russian citizens- inside of a large machine, named transnational show-business. On the eve of release of the album "200 km/h in the Wrong Lane" in Russia, UK, Germany and USA Mihail Brashinski managed to get inside of this "machine" for 5 days. First day. 12.11.02 13:20 Moscow, Sheremetievo-2 Airport As normally, we are late for the airplane. Well, some of us are. It is three of us. Ivan Shapovalov, producer of Tatu, Beata Ardeeva, manager of the band, and I. The rest of our group is already in Barcelona. While waiting for Beata, who got stuck in traffic, I and Ivan are drinking some tea in the cafe of the airport. The first thing that is ordered by Ivan- to turn off "Phantom of The Opera". When from the switched radio channel we start hearing "Simple motions", Ivan shudders suddenly, as if someone just called his name. Or as if someone in the crowd just pulled his wallet out of the pocket, and he reacted quickly, but still with a slightly late reaction. The degree of relationship between Ivan and the surrounding world becomes more clear to me, when a dispatcher of air company Lufthansa exchanged our tickets for a later flight without any previously promised fines of hundreds of dollars. Ivan acts lightly and quickly, with a sense of impunity. He never asks about anything, in fact, he already took off. The best way of avoiding the fine is to be always ready to pay for it. We will fly when we are going to be ready, and not when it is pointed out on the piece of paper. In essence, they should live in accordance to our plans, not us- in accordance to theirs. 14:47- flight Moscow- Frankfurt. - My mother doesn't even know what I am preoccupied is- Beata is saying. Closed airplane space and the sound of engines evoke sincerity. Actually, Beata's real name is Ania. But nobody calls her in such way. Probably, her mother is the only person who does so. Beata left MTV, where she was hosting the erotic show, in February, after Ivan's phone call…. Beata left MTV and never said anything to her mother. And then someone whispered to her, that there is such a girl band, and so on, and so on. Her leave didn't look very well. - If only you knew what the parents are thinking- Ivan is saying. 17:10 Frankfurt. Airport. Delay of the flight #1. Ivan By education Ivan is a psychiatrist He is 36 years old. Studied in Saratov's medical institution. Was directed to the town Balakovo, where for 2 years he worked as a family therapeutist. They say, people were waiting in the line in order to get a session with him. After while, he got sick of his practice and ran back to Saratov. Started commercial business. He thought of Tatu 5 years later. Because of the crisis- the one of August,1998 and the personal one. Advertisement business wasn't giving to Ivan everything he wanted to do. So, at that point he came up with an idea of working with the music. Idea was combined by him and the composer Alexander Voitinski, who wrote for the future band a couple o tracks. After that they went their separate ways. - Actually, how did you even come up with it?- I am asking about the idea of two girls being in love with each other. - First, I had a concept of teenage sex, "underage sex". After I started the casting. First I took Lena, because of her voice. But the presence of mere Lena wasn't good enough. Then, I took Yulia. Yuliya passed casting too, since she was a second candidate for the position in the group. They were 14 years old. That is four years ago, can you imagine? I was searching for an image. Songs were being born for a very prolonged period of time, people were changing. And then an idea visited me: to observe their relationship. So, then the Tatu was born. That is it. He mostly calls girls by their last names: Katina and Volkova. - When parents of Katina came to the studio for the first time, I told them:" In a year we are going to record in Los Angeles". I believed in it happening as 5% out of 100%. They did not believe at all. Nobody believed. There were some conflicts, since it was my opinion, that Lean had to continue to study. They were saying:"No, Vanya, you are not Igor' Krutoi… If you were one… But you are not him". - Did sex issue disturb them. - Of course, it did. - And what did you tell them? - I wasn't telling anything, I was acting. I made the video "Ya Soshla S Uma", so after it they did not have another choice. Afterwards, there were some difficulties. Their mothers, grandmothers were displeased, cursing me. And I was telling them that this is how it has to be. Because this is what I usually do- never show the scenario of the video to anyone. For example, instead of the scenario of "Simple motions" I sent the same type of paper to Universal, in which there was written that the video is going to contain simple motions, of which our whole life consists. And I did not lie! And if I said that Yulia is realistically orgasming in front of the camera in this video, no one would ever let me to release this video. And I set up the camera and said:"Yulia, when you are done- call me". She called. I watched the tape and told her- no. You faked it. On the first time she faked it, on the second time she faked it, and on the third one she orgasmed. 17:40 Flight Frankfurt- Barcelona In my ears there is as much noise, as there is in the sea shell. I shouldn't have gotten this cold and drunk that much of cognac. We are discussing my favourite idea of the vocabulary of untraslated words. Come up with word "poshlost'" (in English, approximate translation of this word would be 'vulgarity'). Such word does not exist in any language- only in Russian. - In fact, I don't even use this word! - Ivan is saying- This is an unrealistic word. To define the description of this word turns out to be uneasy. All of us, in general, don't use this word frequently. May be, this word died?….. - Poshlost'- is a mistake in communication- says Ivan. 19.15 Barcelona, Hotel Arts While leaving the elevator, we accidentally run into the rest of the group. The hall is full of people running around with the tags 'MTV'. Everyone is looking on everyone's tag in order not to skip the star. It is evident that this hotel is the best one in all of Barcelona. In this crowd it is hard to determine the number of people in our group. Probably, 20. But, in reality, it turns out to be only 6 of us. The girls are differentiated from the crowd because of their size- they seem to be absolutely small. Yulia has black messed up hair, nails of a 'vampire' color and childish arms. She looks like a little child of a crow, or even more like a little creature from another planet. Red-headed Lena, on the contrary, seems to be the very definition of a human creature. - Oy, this is my favourite shirt!- Lena is saying to Vanya instead of 'hello'. The shirt, actually, is really good, tight around the waist, of white color, covered with little red dots. Vaniya is also not saying 'hello'- instead, he is laughing slackly. He does it quite frequently, in fact, when he laughs back instead of replying it seems that this is his casual form of reply. - Hello, how are you?(in English)- Lena is stretching out her hand to me. Evidently, she mistakenly thought that I was a member of the hotel staff. Second day. 13.11.02 11.40 Barcelona. Hotel Arts - Show business is absolutely the same everywhere- says Ivan.- Everywhere! For example, the same is with Kaili Minogue- she is going somewhere, there are 15 people surrounding her, the whole crowd. Big money is being invested. Nobody is in charge of their own selves. The crowd, of which Ivan is speaking, is called in English "entourage". Now I am too the part of entourage. It is a strange feeling, a really inspiring one- only one you pass the security guards by. At this point you feel really liberated. Today is the day when we "make news". Actually, the concerts that I was expecting - me standing behind the stage, the girls calling me to sing along with them- all of it is not going to take place. It is a promotional tour: the press, photo sessions, TV, fans. Not counting MTV Europe Music Awards, which is, of course, the main ingredient. Promotional tour is an essential part of life of the pop-star. It is good that at least there is no need to sing: Yulia has throat ache, she keeps swallowing the pills and slightly speaks in a bass voice. It is impossible to fit all of the entourage into the microbus. There is no other choice but to take the cab. The number of all of us at various stages is between 10 and 13. Besides the girls, Beata and myself, here are also the representatives of 'Universal Music Russia' from Moscow, 'Universal Music Spain' from Barcelona, 'Universal Music England' from London, the president of Spanish fan-club "Tatu" wearing a black t-shirt "t.A.T.u.", a photographer, translator, make-up artist, and, it seems, that is it. Ivan did not follow us because he didn't need it. The person who is in charge of the whole operation is Amy from Los Angeles- the manager of Interscope Records in the field of international promotional tours. Her physical appearance reminds me of the participant of the female TV- wrestling in the mud- perhaps, in some sense she is preoccupied with this sort of activity. Among her clients, with whom she traveled all over the world, are Eminem, Doctor Dre, Limp Bizkit, Foo Fighters and Enrique Iglesias. Being in our colorful European company of people she is an American almost to a stereotypical/standard degree. She is a couple of decibels higher than the rest of us, she is always in extremely positive mood, she immediately asks you about your family status and in the morning can't even recognize you in the hall. Amy demands from Beata the passports of the girls: in a couple of days there is going to be a filming on Italian TV, and since the TV is maintained by the government, they need an official permission to give the job to an underage person- Yulia is not 18 years old yet. -Our translator is so beautiful!- is saying Lena, when Irina, who has lived in Barcelona for 7 years already and, as she asserts, has worked as a translator, clothing designer, and flamenco dancer, is coming out of the car. -The most important is to be a good person,- is saying Yulia. 12.25 Club Dixie 724 The club, the surface of which is covered with stained wood, bears a resemblance with typical American saloon. It is still unclear why in the corner on the dais there is a statue of Salvador Dali in a full human height with an owl near the statue's left leg. It is empty here now, and the girls are giving interviews- one after another. They are being asked the same questions again and again: why do they act in such way, is it true that they were kicked out from the music school, how Spanish teenagers are different from Russian teenagers, and so on. The girls maintain their defence. Yulia is mainly the one who talks- when there is a translator to help her, she becomes more active. When it is necessary to start speaking English, Yulia is silent. - I hate this English language, I don't f*cking need it! Yulia likes strong language. This is how she is different from Lena. The girls became hungry, so they are offered some potato chips. When we leave, there remain 5 empty bags of the chips on the table and 2 full ones. 16.40 TVstudio Flaix On the way to the studio all the entourage stops in the drugstore. I couldn't see what was bought by Yulia. She is exiting the store while eating from the can with baby- food. - Through out all of America they were eating merely baby- food! This food and also pasta "Doshiraque"!- yells out Amy- I love it! In the street, in front of the studio I see the first number of fans. These are three fat girls being approximately 14 years old holding the covers of t.A.T.u. albums. The fact that there were only three girls does not indicate the scale of success- in reality, they were just passing by. And this is the fact that actually indicated t.A.T.u. success. Yesterday, while we were in the process of the flight, the girls were seeing the fans. In the street in front of the studio there was a number of 300 people- unusual crowd for Barcelona. Borja, label- manager of 'Universal Music Spain' in Madrid, who looks like 'grange' star from Seattle, says that he couldn't believe his eyes. His eyes are still widely rounded. In the stidio- the recording of interview for the teenage TV show in Catalan language. A very unpleasant rouged teenage reporter is trying to look condescending in relation to the little freaks. Why, of course! The girls are telling him that they are going to invite him for their wedding. He is blushing and doesn't know what to say. During our exit we are informed that everyone at the studio is excited with the interview. May be, this guy is going to be fired? I don't know why have such an anger with the rouged teenage reporters. May be, we are simply tired- this is the 6th interview for the day, and not the last one. To stay aside and not do anything is very tiresome. Of course, what is there to say of those who actually do the work. - They are only building up their professionalism- says Amy with a positive outlook.- For example, Doctor Dre sits down into his chair and says:" Until I don't run out of my Coke, I am not going to close my mouth". And keeps sitting in such manner during all 8 interviews. And I keep supplying him with Coke. And then he get up and, as if nothing happened, leaves. In such context the word "coke" seems to have a double meaning, but it look like Amy meant "Coca Cola". 23.15 Bar Mirablau Eminem is dressed completely into white. To be more precise, he has black sports pants on with the stripes, but because of the snow- white jersey and knitted hat, blond hair and overall luminescence it seems, that he is absolutely covered with white. This guy is evidently clarified. We are at the isolated, completely secret, fully exclusive party of Interscope Records for the members of the company in honour of the first- also isolated- European demonstration of the autobiographic film of Eminem "8 Mile". "8 Mile"- it is a border, which separates in Detroit normal life from the slum. I liked this movie, even though, as it seems to me, my Russian friends were expecting me to sniff scornfully. This movie is an American version of "Maxim's Youth"- very sincere. It is about the growth of poetry from "white trash". Eminem is very photogenic. And his mother, degraded trash, is played by Kim Bassinger. During the first (past) weekend in America the movie collected 52 millions. It was a fantastic hit. But in Europe it is going to be released only in January. Near Eminem, Marilin Manson evidently does not give such a high impression. He, on the contrary, wears only black, including the penciled left eye and high platform shoes. He represents himself highly reservedly. He is evidently troubled with Eminem's presence. And fluorescent Eminem doesn't seem to care. As it was promised, Manson plays the recording of his yet unfinished album. Possibly, it is the influence of the author, but, in my opinion, it sounds very energetically. Finishing with the performance, Manson sits down near Eminem, and the black guys, who arrived with their white brother and patron, play some hip-hop. Eminem stands up and, not leaving his table, begins to sing along with them. He stands above Manson, making gestures with his fingers- evidently, Manson is feeling very well about it. Seems to be afraid, that his face is going to be accidentally hit. Sometimes he tightens his lips together and pretends that he is a flower or a robot, but it doesn't help him. Tonight is evidently not his night. Lena seems to look even better, than Eminem, being near Manson. She reaches approximately his belly button. They are standing, separated by their common American producer Martin Kirshenbaum, a man of an average height, and, while looking at them, it is impossible not to burst into laughter full of tender emotion. The girls were brought here after the supper with Bill Rowdy, the president of MTV all over the world. They are old acquaintances, one year ago they were together on the cover of Newsweek. Here, they are treated like princesses. I can see, how the eyes of producers get inflamed when they find out, who is Ivan and that these girls are "t.A.T.u. girls". Ivan doesn't approach anyone himself. Everyone approaches him. We stand in front of DJ, and looking at how Ivan is dancing the guys from Queens start playing more cheerfully. Manson looks with one of his eyes at Volkova, and with another eye- at Katina. He seems to be truly squint-eyed. He is evidently attracted to Lena. Possibly, he is aiming for the light, sensing in Yulia his dark kindred spirit. And it is also possible, he feels that Yulia is afraid of him. And replies to her with the same behaviour. At this moment the vision becomes blurry. "Dave"- some guy is shaking my hand. At the word "Russia" he nods his head respectfully, as if it not a name of the country, but my personal size. We have a drink and exchange some positive emotions in regards to the movie. When he leaves, I realize that this is the leader of the band Foo Fighters. He sits down near the bar, and nobody recognizes him. On the way to the washroom the black brother of Eminem, calling himself 50 Cents (he is dressed into the hockey type of the uniform with such name), gives me "five", but two of us slightly miss the target. The only thing I remember later on: driving down from the hill. While consuming sobering sandwich with salami at the coastal snack-bar Ivan is explaining to me, that the party did not go well. There was a sense of enormous intensity between the artists and the company- since even Manson played his music without standing up from his chair. - All of them here are the workers in the company, but not the artists. Some of them are simply paid more, than the others. Third day.14.11.02 11.10 Barcelona. Hotel Arts. In the hall the black brother- rapper in the knitted hat and with a golden pendant on his neck plays Shopen at the piano. Today is the main day- MTV Europe Music Awards. It can be seen by how people are in a fuss, as if all the events are filmed in the accelerated temp. The girls in the room are getting ready for the repetition. It will last all day. Lena can't find her white sock. Both of them are sleepy, angry, so it is better not to approach them now. Even yesterday it became known, that they were not the ones who received the award from Russian MTV, but "Diskoteka Avaria". The awards were already given. - Let the guys be happy,- said Yulia ardently. It was clear that she was sorry about it. Lena said nothing. It is necessary to understand one matter here. Reception of the national premium from MTV- a sign of success in the motherland, a pleasant event, nothing else to say. Presentation of European premium from MTV_ a sign of a different kind of success. It is not obligatory to receive a local premium if you were invited to present the international one- together with Eminem, Kaili Minouge, Moby, Dolce, Gabbana,Gotie and Bond. It is simply a different level, class "A". The girls have to present the premium for the best song- class "A+". 15.50 Barceloneta We are walking along Barceloneta, which cuts with its sharp cape into Mediterranean Sea. It is completely covered with drying towels: with such humidity the air is probably drier outside than inside. This is my only chance to have a walk in Barcelona- the city I have never visited before. The city is full of petite women, built with exceptional proportionality, and old men, many of whom resemble Salvador Dali. - Look!- my companion, photographer from Barcelona, Tatiana exclaims so loudly, that I flinch.- This is Alaska! She points at the woman of middle age dressed in black leather with brightly red tuft of hair, punk style, sitting in the chair of hairdressing saloon, in which they touch up with a fiery red color the roots of her hair. Unfortunately for Tatiana, this name does not have any impression over me. - Alaska, what, don't you know her? This is our main singer! I am ashamed of myself. Alaska is known in Spain by everyone. She is a punk, recusant, star of gay-scene, she played in the very first movie of Almadovar "Pepe, Lusi, Bom and another similar girls". Back then she was 18 years old. Now, may be, she is more than 40 years old. She did not sell herself out, she remained the same. But she also came from Madrid to Barcelona to EMA. The truth is concluded in that everyone came to EMA. Madonna, it seems, didn't come. Well, she is busy, then. 20.40 Palace Palau Sant Jordi This is a gigantic stadium, of which I only know that it is beautiful: it is impossible to make anything out in such euphoria. With a minimal lateness with help of Beata I squeeze through endless posts into the VIP-section. Here are those who are going to give award and to be awarded. Sometimes these are the same people. But it is not always so. At the stadium there are 15 thousands people, but, naturally, not as many, as it seems on TV. The crowd is roaring. The chosen fans are in the parterre, allowed to be near the border with VIP- section, in ecstasy are waving to me. Electronic screen- prompter in front of the stage provides Puff Daddy, who leads the ceremony, with the text, who merely makes additions to it with the words "baby" and "sh*t". I didn't even know, that I sit merely 3 rows above Kaili Minougue. I realize it, when she receives her first prize. Kaily is irresistible. She is shining from inside. During commercial break, while the clock on the screen shows the time left until airing, a couple of tens of people in black cleans the stage from the garbage, left by previous orator. Manson, who himself does not have any pretensions for the awards,while giving the award to the best hip-hop performer, compares the stage with a pile of enormous pink tongues, which are pierced with enormous q-tips. Receiving the award from Manson and while leaving the stage, Eminem pulls down his pants and shows his bared behind, but MTV does not show this part. A man forces his way through near me and steps on my foot. He wears heavy laced boots up to the knee, that's why it was so painful. I lift my head up. It is Jean-Paul Gotie. He is going to present another award. This is the only fact that saves him. Eminem is singing "I'm sorry, momma!". I am catching myself with the thought that he copied it from Tatu:"Mama, forgive me, papa, forgive me!" The girls are brought out 10 minutes before entering the stage. It turns out that the present the award not for the best song, but for the best dance, but it is not important. They look excellent. The boys from the band "The Calling" present the award together with Tatu. They look withered, but from the new wave. - We enter the stage with them,- is saying Lena later on.- And he tells, I have a grandfather here, could you do some rock-n-roll thing, for example, kiss each other? -I did tell him a couple of things about his grandfather and rock-n-roll- says Yulya. - And I reply to her in English, innocently:"Oy, don't say anymore such bad words!" The award is given to Kaili Minougue. She is lower than Yulia. Probably, 1 meter and 40 cm. Girls don't seem to like Kaili. For the ceremony the girls were dressed by Dolce and Gabbana. Gabbana knocked on the door to their make-up room and said:"Forgive us, for God's sake, we are going to be silent here" They really liked the girls. Then with the help of corkscrew they were tearing off the labels from the outfits- the ones with the labels can't be on MTV, it would be considered to be a commercial. After the ceremony for a while it was hard to leave the palace, so nobody has any strength to go to the after-party. My evening ends with fried squids at the place in Casanova St. at 2:30 in the morning. In the hotel I am falling asleep along with the same ceremony. I sense that in the nearest three days I'll have to follow the same procedure. However, there are millions of people like me. Fourth Day. 15.11.02 9.15 Barcelona. Hotel Arts Wearing very high heels, staggering and showing off in the same time, Kristina Agilera is entering the restaurant. At the opposite table two adults, a man and a woman, with stomachs. One of them goes through the files in his suitcase in a very concentrated manner. They look like normal European business people. Only when catching sight of Puff Daddy, who was entering the elevator with the suitcases, they rush to him, I understand, that these are fans, who thanks to their stomachs and slyness penetrated inside of the hotel. Puff Daddy, like a lamb, gives out the autographs, which gives the end to successful career of the fans. Materializing out of the air, petite Spanish female in the uniform persistently asks them to leave the room. Her colleagues of the male gender cover her on the sides. Fans pretend that they have no idea what is going on, but, still, stand up. "Let's go to the airport",- says with hope the one in charge. We also go to the airport. Puff Daddy goes to Morocco to celebrate his birthday, arranged in his honour by the ruler Mohammed VI. And we go to Milan. Fans recognize the girls near the fence and start hitting strongly the surface of the car. Inside Ivan reprimands Lena that she did not touch up the roots of her hair. They should look just like the ones of Alaska. Even though Ivan doesn't know about it. Conversation in the car is a rarity. During the trips the girls are occupied with only two things: sleeping or calling their mothers. Yulia informs her mother that she feels much better. The throat ache is not as strong. Lena tells her mother that she sent to Moscow some belongings, with which they were awarded. The awards are: the one for platinum single in Italy ("It is, as it seems to me, 100,000") and another one is a golden disk ("This is fifty"). The award was presented by Las Ketchup. The girls liked it a lot. I liked it, too. 11.00 Barcelona. Airport Prat Near the stand of registration occurs an attack by the fans. They behave in a free and easy manner. Girls work nonchalantly. When one boy especially sharply pushes the cover of CD to Yulia, she looses her patience:"What is it with you, don't you see, I already signed yours!" But he doesn't care. Yesterday our entourage was joined by a new unit. It is Olga, a lawyer from juridical firm "Yakovlev and the partners". - I represent the artists,- she clarifies while getting acquainted.- Not the producers and not the company, but precisely the girls. Yulia is going to be 18 years old soon, it is necessary to re-make the contract, and, in fact- to protect them… The firm was hired by the parents. Ivan didn't know anything about it. - Olya, what is happening here, I don't understand?- he says politely. - I don't even understand myself, I was sent here as a moral support. They told me, help them there, if anything comes up. - Nobody told me anything, I don't understand how to consider it, it doesn't look nicely… Olya doesn't know herself how and from whom she is going to protect the girls. She seems to be too pleasant in order to protect anyone. A day before Olya's departure from Moscow someone stole of her luggage. 11.40 Barcelona. Airport Prat. Delay of the flight №2. Know-how. About mechanism of Tatu's success at the West I spoke with practically everyone. The plot of this mechanism took approximately such shape. Applying the developed practice, Universal Music Russia showed the video "Ya Soshla s Uma" to the regional affiliated societies of the whole world, but it didn't evoke any special enthusiasm on another side of the border. Universal decided to release the album in Russian language in Eastern Europe. In spite of language barrier, it suddenly became a hit. At the same time the video fell into the hands of vice-president of Interscope Records in Los- Angeles, Martin Kirshenbaum, who (perhaps, thanks to his Polish- Jewish roots) sensed in the material the right novelty and exotics. The rest was a technical matter: to integrate Trevor Horn into the project, the founder of the group "Art of Noise" and previous instrument player of "Yes", to re-write together with him the texts, to find an American composer for the next album, "Simple motions". - It was a unique insight made by Martin!- yells out Amy.- To take Russian band and to re-write it! But it was never attempted by anyone! The machinery started working in the February. In May, Tatu came to Los-Angeles. "There was the biggest battle,- is saying Beata,- the battle for their image. They started coloring, brushing up, making out of them American stars. The outfits are more expensive. All of it matures greatly". It seems, the battle was won. In August they again came back to America, created a group (vocal without live music doesn't go through in the West), decided to build it on the contrast, accepted almost the Goths with tattoos. Already in the beginning of September they released the single, "All The Things She Said", which was turned into "Ya soshla s uma". Since by that time the project was a priority in Interscope Records, they quickly released the album "The Eminem Show" and centered all of their efforts on Tatu. Only after all of this the single and, later, the album t.A.T.u. "200 km/h in the Wrong Lane" was released in Europe. - They were expecting something,- says everyone.- But such a thing was not expected by anyone at all. In Spain and Italy for 4 weeks the single was holding the first place in the charts. It was more difficult with an album- you can't pull out the album with the help of mere single. In January will be released the second video "Not Gonna Get Us", which was re-made by Ivan from the Russian one, "Nas ne dogonyat". A powerful promotional company is started, the part of which is our tour. Earlier the girls didn't give interviews at all. But the firm insists: here you can't do it differently. You can't bend over the system. In spite of it (and "it" means not merely severe rules of PR, but, also, for example, the refusal of American MTV to air the second video- due to censoring considerations- which highly worries Ivan), it's clear, that if not for "Tatu", then for t.A.T.u. everything only begins. 12.20 Airplane Barcelona-Milan - I read it here and I liked it,- says Ivan.- "A man without a God is like a fish without a bicycle". I don't know, who said it, but, in fact, it is Kant. "There exists only starry sky above us and a moral law inside of us". And this one is simply more popular. Ivan carries everywhere with him the book of Robert A. Wilson "My life after death". - God is a self-deception of a human race,- teaches Ivan.- Illustration of his imperfection. Those, who find God inside of themselves, find the harmony. Only the fear prevents a human from finding it. There are only two conditions- fear and love. Fear doesn't allow to love. Fear destroys a human, and love makes him/her immortal. As if answering to Ivan's blasphemy, God strongly shakes the plane. - This is what I love,- laughs Ivan. 14.10 Milan. Airport Malpensa Leaving Barcelona, I thought, that this trip lacks adventures. I was heard: in Milan I find out, that my suitcase was lost by the company Alitalia. - And you view it not from the point of the theory of conspiracy, but from the point of the theory of love,- cheers me up Ivan, while we are driven to the hotel in propitiatory soft Mercedes.- Your life was simply eased. 15.40 Milan. Plaza Duomo In Milan- rain. In Duomo- mass. But I don't manage to listen to it for too long. I am distracted by another mass: on the main plaza of Milan, in front of the greatest in the world gothic cathedral, fans of the group "Tatu" gathered together. In sublime gallery Vittorio- Emanuel II on the second floor Milan MTV office is located. The girls were brought here to be photographed and shown to fans and doves. There are almost 300 people at the plaza. Girls with acne scan:"We love Tatu!"Some of them hold transparants:"Ya soshla s uma"(in Russian), "Kiss me, t.A.T.u." ( it is held by a couple of lesbian girls), "t.A.T.u., take us away with you!" and "All the things you said run through our head". Some have pictures of the girls. Not many of them are older than 17 years old. Hearing screaming of the crowd, people run out from the gallery. The girls came out on the right balcony of incredibly high arch. They can be seen in detail only with the help of the telescope. They wave to the crowd and leave. The crowd remains at the same place. Two crazed Russian business men, working in Italy, not believing their eyes, read into the slightly running under the rain posters. Only the doves and the child, who feeds them, don't have any interest in what is taking place. 16.50 Milan. Studio RAI 1 In the studio of the governmental channel everything is getting prepared for the recording of the program Top of the Pops. Without participation in this program you can't become a star here. After us they are going to record The Cranberries. While the girls are changing, we are eating sandwiches in the make-up room with the guys from Italian band. The recording will be with playback, but international image of Tatu from now includes live musicians. Here they were chosen following the principle of neutrality. They look like students, and they actually are the ones. The drummer is listening in his walkman "Nas ne dogonyat" so he could understand how to play it. The youngest one among them is the keyboardist Rocco, who listened to it already, is very shy, but even more than that he wants to have a talk. - This song has an interesting structure,- hesitatingly he makes an entrance.- There are many refrains, but, for some reason, it's not boring. Rocco studies on philosophical faculty and next year he is going to study Russian language. Also, he loves Nikita Mihalkov. Below there are too many fans, so they lead us to the studio by different path. While they are setting up the cameras, Lena silently hums the song from "Evita". She makes it sound gently in a feminine way and very well. - Madonna is my favourite one!- she says. They work in the following way. First, the repetition, then, another one, then the fans are being let into the studio, they film. If it's necessary, they repeat it. But Yulia on the way to studio noticed in the show-case of the store the leather boots and told over and over to Beata to memorize that street with the store. Yulia heard somewhere, that in Italy one must buy shoes. Because of it she is in a hurry herself and hurries the very filming crew. The stores of Milan are closed at 7:30. Fans are yelling:"Tstu forever!" When the girls are kissing, the crowd explodes with the shouts of approval. The girls work with precision, and if not to count a mistaken version of "Nas ne dogonyat", in which they don't get in well, so this version had to be changed for something else, the rest goes quite smoothly. But there is still not enough time before the store closes. After the second filming of the second video, hundredth photographer and tenth picture with the worker of TV studio, the girls are completely worn to a shred. - I want to eat and sleep,- the only thing said by Lena on the way to the hotel. Yulia was taken to the only late mall which sell shoes. 21.30 Milan. Restaurant Il Milanese… Curioso We stopped at the famous hotel Sheraton Diana Majestic. It was visited by Verdi and Nabokov, Versace and Prada. For 25 years already it is habituated by Cherutti and only for 2 years- by Tom Ford. There is a famous bar in the hotel, where an hour ago gathered together all the aristocrats, fashionable designers, lonely rich women and fops of the high society of Milan ( I squeezed into their company for a couple of bourbons), and a famous restaurant, where some time ago was founded Italian culinary academy and where we are dining right now. For me this supper is the last one. Ivan is upset. He has just been at the presentation of the video "Nas ne dogonyat". The video was cut in pieces. Were cut out such fragments, when Ivan is hit by the truck, when the girls are hit by the truck, and the picture of little naked Yulia. All of it happened without his acknowledgement. - Are you going to undertake anything in regards to this matter? - I think, yes. But what precisely- it is not clear yet. - We, - is saying Beata,- are telling:"And why Eminem can kill and bury his mother?" And they reply:"But the murder is not shown… And the dead body, too" During the supper the girls are filmed by NTV for "Namedni". They don't want to be forced into a play and start kicking, even though afterwards the reporter Lyosha will tell me, that in the hotel room, where they filmed the rest, the girls changed, said everything they had to say and left gloomy Lyosha in the state of delight. Perhaps, they are shy because of Ivan. May be, because of me. The conversation on its own taxis out in the direction of men. - Who is more pleasant, Yulia?- I am asking.- Dolce or Gabbana? - Ah, Dolce is the little one? Gabbana is the little one? I like the tall one. - He goes like this:"I have a birthday today, I want to give you a present…"- links into the conversation Lena. - No, they are cool. They are good,- concludes Yulia. But who she really didn't like was Manson. - He is a freak, this Manson! I simply hate him! Colored himself all over and smiles at me, well, I just hate it! He is just a devil, you know! - And he is also so polite, this "innocent boy"- agrees Lena.- He only pretends to be wild. - And I like Eminem,- peacefully says Yulia.- He is a good boy. Giving me their wine, on time changed into Coca Cola, they girls hurry into the hotel room to finish the filming of the interview. Thanks God, that Lyosha came up with such a flexible idea- to film them on the bed. Fifth day. 16.11.02 10.50 Milan. Airport Malpensa. We are running. They are late for the airplane. My flight is delayed, but I am running with everyone. Fro Milan the girls are flying into Helsinki, then, to Stockholm, after to Paris and only then- home. Ivan flies with me to Moscow, but he doesn't have his ticket, so he, grabbing luggage cart, jumps on it and drives away into the distance. - He drove through all of America in such way- ironically smiles Lena. We say good bye to each other almost while running. The airplane is held especially for those who are late. - Good bye, Mishka!- with a sudden sadness says Lena. - Well, have a good one!- says Yulia. And smiles at me. For the very first time. Translated by www.russiantatu.netfirms.com Source: Afisha.ru	REMEMBER! All the articles/interviews presented here are not composed by our site, but only translated from Russian to English. Consequently, we can't guarantee if the translated article is a 100% gossip, or not. The responsibility is held by the actual source a mere translation of which we present here. Every source that contains original version is mentioned in the end of each translated article.
© Nina Yugina. 2003