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| There is a street in Almaty dedicated to the late rock musician Viktor Tsoi. Tsoi was the Soviet Union's punk Michael Jackson. His music today feels like inescapable gospel. At a party in Kazakhstan, if Viktor Tsoi is played, whether purposely or accidentally, every guest seems to be emotionally affected. The conversation is bound to change to about Tsoi or the times of his music. His lyrics are known by all teenagers and all adults. |
excerpts from his movie Needle (filmed in Almaty) used in his music video.
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My sunshine - shine on me now,
my hand transforms into a fist,
and if there's gunpowder, give it fire.
......
like that.
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| And who is going to sing, if everyone will be sleeping? |
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| Someone has to become the door, then someone has to be the lock, and someone has to be the key to the lock. |
People across the USSR wept in the streets when Viktor Tsoi died in a car crash. "Tsoi lives" was spray painted on buildings and houses in every city. The newspaper Pravda wrote his obituary as follows:
"Tsoi means more to the young people of our nation than any politician, celebrity or writer. This is because Tsoi never lied and never sold out. He was and remains himself. It's impossible not to believe him... Tsoi is the only rocker who has no difference between his image and his real life, he lived the way he sang... Tsoi is the last hero of rock."
written on August 17th, 1990 (two days after his death)
