Nautilus Pompilius (), sometimes nicknamed Nau (), was a Soviet and Russian rock band.Nautilus Pompilius // Encyclopaedia of Contemporary Russian culture, 2013 It was founded in Sverdlovsk in 1982 by Vyacheslav Butusov and Dmitry Umetsky. Butusov disbanded the group in 1997, after multiple albums and several different line-ups of the band.
Name The band was originally named "Ali-Baba and the Forty Thieves" (). In 1983, at the suggestion of the band's sound director, Andrei Makarov, the band's name was changed to Nautilus. In 1985, under the initiative of Ilya Kormiltsev, the name was lengthened to Nautilus Pompilius to avoid confusion with other Russian rock bands that were also named Nautilus at the time, such as the Moscow group led by Evgeny Margulis.
The band later elaborated on the name, saying "The band is named after the nudibranch mollusc, which is naturally beautiful and charming." Nautilus pompilius is the scientific name of a species of cephalopod (mistakenly called a nudibranch by the band) commonly known as the Chambered Nautilus.
History
Founding Vyacheslav Butusov and Dmitry Umetsky took the first steps towards forming Nautilus in the late 70s. At first, the band performed at small events, covering songs by foreign performers and famous native performers like Mashina Vremeni and Voskreseniye. The band was formed by Butusov and Umetsky.
In 1982, the group made its first attempts to record its own songs. The band's first album, Pereyezd (Russian: Переезд), was released in 1983. The album was strongly influenced by Led Zeppelin.
Later The band was active in various incarnations from 1983 to 1997. Since the group disbanded, Vyacheslav Butusov has launched a solo career.
Members
Discography Year Russian name English transliteration (translation) 1983 Переезд Pereyezd (Resettlement (or Highway Crossing)) 1985 Невидимка Nevidimka (The Invisible One) 1986 Разлука Razluka (Separation), a name of a Russian folk song featuring in the album 1987–1988 Ни Кому Ни Кабельность (LIVE) Ni Komu Ni Kabel'nost (pun; nekommunikabel'nost means 'lack of sociability' (a loanword, from communicate and -able-) and nikomu ni means 'to nobody' 1988 Князь Тишины Knyaz' Tishiny (Prince of Silence), after a poem by Endre Ady 1988 Отбой (LIVE) Otboy (Lights-out)1989 (first publishing in 1995)Человек без имениChelovek Bez Imeni (Man With No Name)1990Наугад (Родившийся в эту ночь)Naugad (Rodivshiisya v etu noch) (At random (Born at this night))1992Чужая земляChuzhaya Zemlya (Foreign Land)1994ТитаникTitanic1994Титаник-LIVETitanic-LIVE1995КрыльяKryl'ya (Wings)1996Лучшие Песни (LIVE)Luchshie Pesni (Best Songs)1997ЯблокитайYablokitay (China-apple, Dutch etymologization of Russian apel'sin 'orange fruit') Produced By Bill Nelson1997АтлантидаAtlantida (Atlantis)
References
External links Nautilus Pompilius' history at Allmusic.com Nautilus Pompilius at discogs.com About the band Nautilus Pompilius On-Line - Official web site Zvuki.ru - Nautilus pompilius Official Website of Butusov & U-Piter Vyacheslav Butusov's current group (Nautilus Pompilius' front man)