Boris Grebenshchikov reflects on New York, rock and freedom in RTVI US interview

By AI, Created 5:08 PM UTC, May 17, 2026, /AGP/ – RTVI US released an exclusive interview with Boris Grebenshchikov, the Aquarium founder and a central figure in Russian rock, on May 18, 2026. He discussed New York, the American Dream, his early years in the city, and why he sees rock music as a path to freedom rather than protest.

Why it matters: - Boris Grebenshchikov remains one of the most influential voices in Russian rock, and his remarks connect the genre’s history to questions about freedom, art and identity. - The interview also highlights RTVI US’s role as a Russian-language outlet reaching audiences in the United States. - Grebenshchikov’s view that rock is about liberation, not protest, challenges a long-running idea in Russian music culture.

What happened: - RTVI US released an exclusive interview with Grebenshchikov on May 18, 2026. - The conversation covered his first trip to New York in 1987, the American Dream, encounters with major rock figures and his philosophy of music. - Grebenshchikov is the founder and frontman of Aquarium and is widely regarded as one of the founders of Russian rock music.

The details: - Grebenshchikov first arrived in New York in December 1987 to work on Radio Silence, his English-language debut released by CBS/Columbia and produced by Dave Stewart. - He said New York and the United States still feel “human” and simple to him. - He described the American Dream as basic enough food, simple living and no need for “fancy tricks.” - Grebenshchikov said he and his wife lived on about $80 a week during those early years in New York. - He said the struggle taught him that creative work cannot start from anxiety about money. - He said he spent real time with David Bowie, Lou Reed, Dave Stewart and George Harrison, and that their offstage personalities matched their music. - He pointed to Lou Reed’s Perfect Day as a song that still captures New York. - He rejected the idea that rock is inherently protest music, saying the notion came from critic Artemy Troitsky. - He argued that protest changes nothing and said musicians should not tell people what to think. - He said the real task of a musician is to give listeners space to feel, think and choose for themselves. - He recalled a late-1980s moment at the Leningrad Rock Club when he demanded police return detained audience members before a concert could continue. - He said that episode showed him what it feels like when events seem to move in the right direction, even briefly. - For a mood lift, he suggested listening to cheerful music and named System of a Down and Black Sabbath. - RTVI US said the full interview is available exclusively on its YouTube channel.

Between the lines: - Grebenshchikov’s comments recast New York less as a symbol of glamour and more as a place defined by practicality and ordinary people. - His rejection of protest as rock’s core purpose pushes back against a moralized view of Soviet and post-Soviet rock. - The interview reinforces his image as an artist focused on inner freedom rather than public messaging.

What’s next: - RTVI US is directing viewers to the full interview online. - Grebenshchikov’s remarks are likely to keep fueling debate about the political role of rock music and the legacy of Russian rock itself. - The interview adds another public reflection from an artist whose influence still shapes Russian-speaking musicians today.