Va-Bank (Russian: Ва-Банкъ) is a Moscow-based rock band, formed in 1986. It was founded by singer-guitarist Alexander Feliksovitsh Sklar (Russian: Александр Феликсович Скляр). It performed its songs mostly in Russian, but in 1988 band recorded an album in English for the Polarvox record label in Finland. Va-Bank performed at Jyrock in Jyväskylä in the same year. The band took its name from the 1981 Polish film of the same name. The music was favoured by young people and began to be more accepted in the Soviet Union during the reign of General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, under the new policy of so-called openness.
Links To Peel[]
On his 28 February 1989 (Radio Bremen) Peel mentioned that Va-Bank were one of the best bands that he saw whilst being in Russia. Peel played some tracks of their self titled album in 1988 and 1989. The album was later found in Record Collection: V.
Shows Played[]
- 08 March 1988: Why? (LP - Va Bank) Amulet
- John Peel In Russia (1988-03-12): Одинокий герой (Lone hero)
- 16 March 1988: Why? (LP - Va-Bank) Amulet
- 21 March 1988 (BBC World Service): Why? (LP - Va-Bank) Amulet
- 29 March 1988: Всё наоборот (Vice Versa) (album - Концерт в Измайлово)
- 1989
- 22 February 1989: Be My Commander (album - Va-Bank) Amulet WISH 27
- 28 February 1989 (Radio Bremen): Be My Commander (album - Va Bank = Ва-Банкъ) Amulet
- 07 March 1989 (Ö3): Why? (LP - Va-Bank) Amulet