The Hall Of The Not So Famous (part 2)

Inductee Number Two - t.A.T.u

It’s hard to say something about t.A.T.u that hasn’t already been said before, but one thing is for sure, this (and any) hall of fame would be a little bit duller and seem a little bit quieter without these two girls. Would’ve thought that two girls from Moscow would take over the world and cause so much controversy just by playing on male fantasies so unashamedley? Ivan Shapovalov did.

Shapovalov was the brain child behind t.A.T.u. He picked out 14 year old Lena Katina from a casting to sing a song about the Yugoslavian conflicts and later formed a duo with Julia Volkova, who knew Lena from a children’s chorus, Neposedi, which they had both been members of. However, Julia had been allegedly expelled for inappropriate behaviour such as smoking, swearing and drinking. When Julia left, Lena soon followed. It was this attitude and companionship that would rocket t.A.T.u. into outer space (or the ‘Cosmos’).

It was pop classic ‘All the Things She Said’ (‘Ya Soshla S Uma’) that launched t.A.T.u. face first, scratching and biting into the world’s view. The song was released in Russia before being re-produced by Trevor Horn and sent global. The video saw the girls in catholic school girl uniforms, seemingly imprisoned, snogging lesbian style in the rain. The video (and in fact, the song) is most well known for the snog, yet people paying close attention would’ve noticed that they walk off hand in hand at the end, meaning that the disapproving adults watching them through the fence are the ones imprisoned. In their own minds! So for every Judy Finnagin snarling and demanding it be banned, there was an ever so subtle back bite. The censorship and parental scolding allowed t.A.T.u. to snowball into an uber-cool group for kids to idolise (because as David Bowie once said “The reason rock and roll is so successful is because it isn’t school” or something) and the band blew up. Big time.

‘All The Things She Said’ is an amazing song, which is unequalled in screamy, pop-rock brilliance. But it needn’t have been. With the controversy caused by a kiss (in the 21^st century, which does beg the question as to just how much we’ve moved on from the dark ages) the girls needn’t have been singing at all to make whatever song they were promoting successful. However, it was the brilliance and addictiveness of the chorus that made a potentially good band with a good gimmick become a world straddling super-duo with an amazingly effective gimmick.

The girls followed this up with ‘Not Gonna Get Us’ (‘Nas Ne Dagoniat’) a simple, screamy, thumping dance song that once again played on rebellion and being out of the ordinary. This, rather loud and high pitched, voice of the ‘others’ struck a cord with fans and they lapped up there debut album ‘200Km/h In The Wrong Lane’ (‘200 Po Strechnoi’). In fact five million people worldwide lapped it up.

And upon one listening you can see why. Not only do the two singles sound just as vitriolic, but ‘Show Me Love’ craves angrily and longingly, ’30 Minutes’ wraps itself up in an indulgent-yet-secret love affair and ‘Malchik Gai’, which will make even the coldest heart want to dance and documents a girl’s love for a gay guy and all the songs (although they are only eight) hit the right spot everytime. And that’s not even mentioning the cover of 'How Soon Is Now?’and the Russian version with insomniac genius ‘Doschitai Da Sta’ and the hypnotising ‘Ya Tvoi Vrag’ (‘I’m Your Enemy’).

The second album ‘Dangerous & Moving’ (‘Lyundi Invalidi’) is less consistent in it’s appeal, but is considerably longer and has songs written by Dave Stewart of the Eurhythmics and The Veronicas. Highlights include ‘Nich Ya’ (from the Russian version) which chills and twin sisters ‘Novaya Model’ and ‘Perfect Enemy’ which both show evidence of the girls growing up and growing into a new style. ‘Loves Me Not’ is a stunning, rip-roaring return to form. The girls have done it again. And expect them to do it again, as there's at least three more albums to come from them yet.

Although you may not understand a single word, one can slip on ‘Lyundi Invalidi’ or ‘200 Po Strechnoi’ and lose yourself and allow yourself to be overwhelmed by an epic wall of wonderful, screamy, angsty music. This ability to produce not one, but two brilliant albums that span the language barrier without even so much as a raised eyebrow must be rewarded by a placing in our hall of fame.

Download t.A.T.us amazing single released only in Russia and never put on an album, 'Prostiye Dvizheniya' ('Simple Movements') the video of which sees Julia giving herself the finger in the bath.