STEAM ENGINE

It is a Moscow band of the second wave of Russian rockabilly if MISTER TWISTER, GREASE DREAM, HAWAII ISLES and THAT'S ALRIGHT MAMA could be considered the first one. The second wave came in the 90s and along with CRAZY MEN CRAZY (formed 1991) one can mention ALLIGATORS(1991 - to not confuse with Danish ALLIGATORS), OFFBEAT(1994), GREAT PRETENDERS (1996) and RUNAWAYS(1997). 

The first show STEAM ENGINE played on December 29, 1994 at also defunct now Moscow Mad Max Club. The lineup then was:

Vladimir Goncharov - vocal/rhythm guitar
Vladimir Osintsev - lead guitar
Алексей Yelmanov - bass
Yury Zhoorenkov - drums 

By the way, the ENGINE's lineup was (iron!)steady - before the band's breakup it did not change. It should be pointed out, few rockabilly bands enjoy commercial success in this country. Therefore the leaving musicians (or transitions in search for bigger money) for other bands is a usual business. We have got no pictures of the rockabilly period of the band.

Almost half of 1995 the band has played weekly gigs in a new Moscow Tabula Rasa club, perfecting skill on rockabilly classics: the singer was learning to sing and the guitar player was learning to play. What was already good was their rhythm section, solid and strong. The prosperity STEAM ENGINE was much helped by the manager Alexander Roonov. The musicians made a demo of 5-7 tunes and some live recordings. They played in Petrograd several times, (Tam Tam club and rockabilly Money Honey Saloon), and once visited Smolensk. In 1998 Vladimir Osintsev starts playing in a surf trio SURFING CATS, and after the financial crisis of 1998 the band practically ceases to exist.

 But Goncharov as a real leader forms a new outfit and, inspired by the swing revival, begins to rehearse neoswing tunes by Brian Setzer Orchestra, CHERRY POPPIN' DADDIES, ROYAL CROWN REVIEW, etc.
The lineup:
Vladimir Goncharov - vocal/rhythm guitar
Feodor Merkoolov - double bass
Yury Zhoorenkov - drums
Denis Yezhnov - trumpet
Anton Grigoryev - tenor saxophone
Tanya Derbina - alto saxophone
Helen Shemankova - piano

The band plays the first date at Taxman club on April 4, 2000 and records the demo from 4 songs. Soon rhythm section completely changes: from Peterburg comes double bass player Dmitry Illyin (MEANTRAITORS), and uniquitous Eugene Lomakin who drums with STEAM ENGINE along with OFFBEAT. But then and he makes up his mind not to stay and Alexander Koodryashov sits down on the drummers's stool. For some (personal, creative or financial) reasons the lineup changed again. The psychobilly double bass player quit, the trumpet player also was replaced by Vadim Zaidin. This is not unusual for such many-membered outfits even int the West.

Russian rockabilly

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