1984 Golden Era
Peak of Idiocy
The fifth numbered studio album by Oblachny Kray, recorded in January 1984 at the Cultural Center of the Red Smithy factory in Arkhangelsk during building renovation. Session musicians were invited for the first time: Konstantin Lapshin (saxophone, flute) and Vladimir Abroskin (drums). Bogaev later described it as the best-sounding of their early recordings; a shortened edition appeared in 2001, with the complete version released in 2009.
Album tracks
8/14 52:25
1
Preface
2:50 5
Fairy of the Sticky Dream
5:11 9
Victim of Democracy
2:18 12
Peak of Idiocy, Part 1
2:23 13
Peak of Idiocy, Part 2
2:02 14
Marasmic Apocalypse
5:34 Album story
By the end of 1983, the pressure on the group had reached its absolute limit. On orders from above, local law enforcement agencies dispersed practically the entire Arkhangelsk rock club. Oblachny Krai, however, could not be disbanded, as there was nothing to pin on them. Sergei Bogayev worked as an electrician at a factory, was a brigade leader, and was a leading production worker; he had served in the army and was not studying at a university.
In short, he could not be intimidated with expulsion from a university or other deprivations. Therefore, unable to figure out a way to shut down the project, a particularly zealous official from the committee (the one known as "Super-Chukcha") forbade all Palaces of Culture and clubs from hosting the band's performances, let alone providing spaces for rehearsals and album recordings. The musicians recorded this remarkable album under the most grueling conditions, though they were no strangers to working in extreme modes.
Everything turned out top-notch, as always! With this album, Sergei stepped away from art rock and moved closer stylistically to hard rock. Due to the persecution of the band, they did not have time to fully compile the album, and its first release was a third shorter. The album was fully compiled by Sergei and prepared for release in 2008. It was released in its complete form and with restored sound for the first time in 2009.
I. Plenov
The restored and remastered version of the album ("Predislovie", "Myasokhladoboynya", "Shire krug", "Vremya priobshcheniya k lyubvi", "Feya lipkoy mechty", "Merknut vse brilliyanty mira", "Zabastovka lyubovnogo bronevika", "I'm bydlo") was also published by the VKontakte community "Rok-Kolybel SPb", where remasters of Oblachny Kray's albums appeared from January 2015.
Credits
- Sergei Bogayev: guitars, bass, music, lyrics, vocals (1, 2, 4)
- Sound Engineer: Sergei Bogayev
- Artwork: Sergei Bogayev
- Artwork Restoration: Sergei Supalov
- Audio Restoration and Mastering: Igor Plenov 2008 SPb
Editions
Artwork and releases
Scans and photographs of the releases: covers, backs, inlays, discs and records. Click a picture to look closer.
- Back Back of Igor Plenov's edition (2009): "Vershina idiotizma — 1984 (I)", 14 compositions and the line-up
- Inlay The inlay: a card with a group photo
CD, AnTrop, ATR 01040, 20015 pictures
- Scan 1 of 5
- Scan 2 of 5
- Scan 3 of 5
- Scan 4 of 5
- Scan 5 of 5
Scans: Discogs
Cassette, Otdelenie VYKHOD, В 162, 20015 pictures
- Scan 1 of 5
- Scan 2 of 5
- Scan 3 of 5
- Scan 4 of 5
- Scan 5 of 5
Scans: Discogs
Personnel
Musicians who performed on this album
Sergey Bogaev Guitars, bass, music, lyrics, vocals (1, 2, 4)
Oleg Rautkin Vocals, drums, piano (09), keyboards (10)
Nikolai Lyskovsky Keyboards
Konstantin Lapshin Saxophone, flute
Vladimir Abroskin Drums (3, 7, 8)
Aleksey Bulygin Artwork of the cassette edition (2001)
Sergey Supalov Restoration of the artwork
Igor Plenov Restoration and mastering (2008)
Andrey Tropillo CD release (AnTrop, 2001)