Sunday, December 23, 2012

Icon: Daria Stavrovich (The Slot)

 

 One song made me want to learn how to speak Russian.  Finally being able to grasp a second language (after years of bad French and Spanish instructors) is something I didn't think I would ever accomplish.  And this time I chose a difficult language, all because of one rock band.

I was watching videos on youtube this past January, and on the sidebar was a language I did not recognize.  Instantly intrigued, I listened to the song, "АнгелOK", and looked up the band.  The music of The Slot reminded me of Japanese groups that I loved in middle school, and the language was unlike anything I'd ever heard before.  I wanted to decode the letters, and absorb the romanticism, tension, and sorrow in the music.  Daria Stavrovich has a voice that mirrors those qualities in her shrill, somewhat otherworldly tones.  The language itself gripped me with its complexity woven from severity and romanticism. 

I found more of their music, which is a hybrid of metal, rock with pop elements, and spoken word.  The whole band is incredible, but on stage Daria stands out.  Her personal style, like the music, is built on hybridity.  It is some sort of collision of Burning Man, goth, and cyber punk.  Her dreads are really cool (I'm jealous, but not yet ready to make the commitment). 

Now, almost twelve months and a few language coarses later, I can hold a pretty good conversation in Russian.  I practice by printing out Russian song lyrics, figuring out as much as I can on my own, and looking up additional words.  It's good practice, and using music it super fun.  Thinking about this makes me remember all of the other ways music has inspired me: learning to play the guitar, listening to other bands who I never thought I would like, writing poetry, painting inspired by music, experimenting with my style, ect .  Music can inspire so many things in just one person.  I'm a firm believer in that.

Check out the songs I'm working on translating:

Odni/ Одни

Dead Stars (acoustic)/Мёртвые Звёзды
 
Nebo/Небо





 
 



 
All photos found on Tumblr

8 comments:

Dextra said...

Wow, it's almost like if I wrote this myself...:) I got to know The Slot through my other favorite band Exilia in 2008 and I'm not overstating if I say it changed my life in so many ways. I even started a fan blog about them and when one day Nookie suddenly found the blog and sent me a nice comment, oh my, was I happy! They're such cool and nice people...
Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I loved what you wrote and I 100% agree with you! :)

TheClocktowerForest said...

Thanks for the kind comment <3 They are truly an incredible band. I'd like to interview them some day.

Please leave me the link to your fansite! I'd love to see it!

PRETTY IN BLACK

Dextra said...

Good luck with interviewing, if you make it, let me know! :)

it's www.slot-band.blog.cz (and just for the record, articles are mostly written in my native language, not English...;) )

TheClocktowerForest said...

Thanks!

Unknown said...

I too have become infatuated with Nookie. if its true that her religion is voodoo then I must be under her spell. I think she is the most beautiful girl in the world. It was great to learn that Russia Rocks. this is what inspired me to start learning Russian. I actually fantisize on being with her but not exactly the way it must sound. I wish I could hold her lovely hands and tell her how great I think she is or even hold her in my arms and tell her how much I love her. at 50 years old,I must be old enough to be her father ?

Sylwia VamppiV Błach said...

I love her voice and style. Perfect.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

hey :) omg i also learned russian due to slot!! when i was about 16 years old i didn't know what i want to do in my life. a friend of mine showed me the band slot and i started loving them (now i already know more songs of the band than he does). then i decided that i want to learn russian. now i study russian and i love it! in 8 days i will go to russia (the above-named friend will go with me) and i am totally looking forward to it. slot showed me the way, it changed my life! i have actually been listening to slot the whole day and now i found this blog :)
Я очень люблю Слот!!