Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Potential Difference



Back in September 2014, I mentioned some creative idea (apart from the tribute albums) which was to be implemented. With a three-week delay, I'm still pleased to announce it is implemented and outline its essence in a couple of words. Most likely, this should have been done then, at the end of March, but those days were just overfilled with events related to the completion of the albums, employment in my main job, and some other enterprises of creative nature. Huge potential difference between the high creative activity and difficult conditions in which it takes place, yielded due results.

So, my literary labour has got crowned with edition of a book, called simply: "Tales. Poems." ("Рассказы. Стихи."). It consists of the three stories, written in between November 2012 and September 2015, as well as several poems, survivors of certain technological collapses, briefly described in the introduction.

Yes, speaking of another creative idea, I meant my book, which by that time had morphed from notes for personal use into certain narratives with plots, characters, actions.

Perhaps the name of the first of the stories - "Trade gifts" (“Торговля дарами) - could have been placed on the cover of the book, for it is the most voluminous and full of characters and events. Its basic idea (which ​​unites, in fact, all three stories) was once discussed by me in a conversation with Armen Meruzhanyan, my friend and inspirer, whom I call "My Melchizedek," and to whom I dedicate this book: life gives us opportunities which, if not implemented, will be given to someone else. In the second story "Duo" (“Дуэт”) we become silent witnesses of a lengthy dialogue between the two protagonists. There are no more active persons acting in this story, but the stories told by them introduce many other actors and have a considerable degree of kinematics. During the "Interrogation" (“Допрос”) (the title for the final story) the investigator is doing his job, and his client is doing his human duty. Which one will eventually prevail?

While writing, I was guided, first of all, by feelings and sensations. There were moments when the imaginary curtain fell, and I had no idea of ​​what will happen in the next minute of narrative. The images remained frozen until suddenly a fresh doze of revelation arrived, and I was in a hurry to write all that was "received" both from above and from within. Naturally, I also took an active part in the treatment of the "delivered material", placing events in time, moving the characters from one scene to another, playing it all anew and changing scenery. I was the director of my own productions (another dream of mine), and I was aiming at doing three different productions. Repetitive is not interesting, even boring, hence different forms of my short stories. Those who have already read the book noticed the part (scenes) the first story is separated into (narrated in the third person), absolute secrecy of the personalities involved in the second dialogue, and, finally, the narration made in the first person by the main character of the third story, who even gets a surname.

"Cycles", presented with some poems, mark certain creative conditions in which they were created – from the "The Years of Shock" (“Годы потрясений”) to “Now in English”.

The photographs used in the cover design courtesy of Lilianna Hakhverdyan, a professional photographer, winner of various awards, and a wonderful personality. Even if my book is not read, the cover is seen for sure, and it is her work!



As for "the author's photo", I have chosen a photograph taken by my British friend, photographer Sean Kelly taken on 30th of June, 2013 in London (before the Van der Graaf Generator gig), who kindly allow me to use it for this publication. By that time, I have already been immersed in the process of writing, and so I think this picture can be considered adequate for this edition.

I was invited to a morning broadcast on RadioVan last week. During half an hour we discussed various topics, including the subject of creativity. I introduced my book, and also spoke about what is happening in the field of my musical activities. There, I have already completed the work on my tribute album, which I am talking about in several posts in my journal, I am awaiting news about the release of the group tribute album from the UK, and has already begun working on my first solo album. We didn’t have much time, so only the first of the mentioned projects has been briefly touched, but one of the songs was aired (not included in the video version of the interview, but you still can hear the first few seconds at the very end of this video).


Therefore, I believe, within the next post here, once again devoted to a tribute, I will keep my promise and will introduce my album, which by that time, I hope, will have all the features of an officially released product, just like the book "Stories. Poems." does.