(The) Oskar

[sharivari]

Oskar's magnificent 2001 debut album, Beg Pa Ostriyu Nozha (Run On The Edge Of A Knife) made him a superstar virtually over night in Russia. Outlandishly dressed and with a habit of performing stripped to the waist, covered in white body paint and fake surgical scars, he courted controversy with the gay-themed electro-pop of Mazh Vazelinom (Spread Vaseline) while wooing the dyevs with gorgeous ballads like Mezhdu Mnoi I Toboi. But as he was to find out, there's controversy and there's controversy. Sick of getting hassled on the Moscow metro by racist police officers and heartbroken at the continuing conflict in his homeland, Chechnya, he reverted to his roots, changed his name to Shamil and released a single called Become Jihad with an accompanying video showing the aftermath of the actrocities both sides had perpetrated. Moscow's skinheads, strangely, didn't take kindly to a gay Muslim Chechen commenting on the war and he was forced to flee for his life to London, before relocating to New York.

It's not just his history that makes pretty much every male solo star in the world look banal. His personal magnetism and showmanship are unrivalled and his two Russian albums are astonishingly good

In theory, he should have a new one coming out this year. His Myspace record label status is rather worringly set to "unsigned" though. As far as i'm aware, the record has actually been finished, it just needs someone to release it. It would be criminal if it had to be shelved given the quality of the stuff i've already heard. I'm half-tempted to go to New York for one of his shows.

Make Love To America:

www.box.net/public/static/2xyj0rn3ez.mp3

How To Find Bin Laden:

www.box.net/public/static/slrezq9njl.mp3


Take a look at the videos for Beg Po Ostriyu Nozha

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpvZFP9HvKQ&search=the%20oskar

and Ya Stanu Jihadom:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY7p4ND1fZI&search=the%20oskar