Akvarium

Aquarium (Аквариум)
Aquarium live (2004)
Background information
Origin	Soviet Union, Russia
Genres	Folk rock, art rock, psychedelic folk, new wave, reggae, fusion, experimental rock, psychedelic rock, indie rock
Years active	1972–present
Labels	Magnitizdat by Andrei Tropillo, Melodia, Solyd, Soyuz
Website	www.aquarium.ru

Aquarium or Akvarium (Russian: Аква́риум; often stylized as Åквариум) is a Russian rock group formed in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg, Russia) in 1972. The band had many member changes over its 40-year history, and at the end the only remaining original member was lead singer and founder Boris Grebenshikov. Former band members have included Anatoly Gunitsky, Dyusha Romanov, Sergey Kuryokhin, and Vsevolod Gackel.

Aquarium was formed in 1972 by two friends: Boris Grebenshikov, then a student of Applied Mathematics at Leningrad State University, and Anatoly (George) Gunitsky, a playwright and absurdist poet. The founding members were Grebenshikov, George (drums), Alexander Tsatsanidi (bass), Alexander Vasilyev (keyboards), Valery Obogrelov (sound).

The popular story behind the name "Aquarium" is that it was inspired by the Budapest street Leningrad pub "The Aquarium" and suggested by one of the band members. However, Grebenshikov has given differing stories in interviews, suggesting alternately that it came through band word association sessions or was inspired by a glass aquarium-like building.

In late 1972, guitarist Edmund Shkliarsky (later the leader of "Picnic" band) was briefly a member of the band. Bass player Michael Feinstein-Vasiliev (Fan), the first professional musician in "Aquarium", joined in January 1973. In the same year keyboardist Andrew "Dyusha" Romanov also joined the band, and, inspired by rock-flautists Richard Meier and Ian Anderson, retrained as a flautist.

Reports vary as to their first performance. Some sources suggest that it was in 1972 at a small country venue, while others place it at the Leningrad restaurant "Hold" at Central Park of Culture and Recreation, for which they were paid 50 rubles in cash.