Terms under which the information supplied by the electronic version of the "Vecherny Minsk" can be reprinted.

---

E. Khanok. It would be better when people talk about me in a bad way than talk nothing at all. /25.02.1997/

The byelorussian composer E.Khanok is an odious person. Everybody agrees with this statement including his partisans and enemies. Even hehimself does. He is always in the sight of different kinds of newspapers. Anyway, E. Khanok makes himself an aim for bad rumours of journalists and colleagues.

-Do you enjoy by tousling an audience, or you act by principle: anti- advertisment is the best way of advertisment?

-Yes, it would be better when people talk about me in a bad way, than talk nothing at all. /25.02.1997/

Many colleagues of mine, who are writing songs, stand at the backgroundas they are not exiting at all. But I am. I'd like people know about that. The composer's occupation has become almost asppliable.

You are well-known-just if you sing yourself. You may ask any person who has written "Stranger's Pretty"? The most will answer: Solodukha. Khanok will not be mentioned, although his song has beaten all the records of popularity. An audience may have a bad memory...

-That's why you sometimes give such a notorious interview like that one, which appeared in one of the newspapers under the sensational headline- "Pugatchova is nought".

-Suppose the headline is on the journalists conscience. And recently my interview with almost a criminal title-"Alla Pugatchova is a "tycooness of Soviet stage". But it doesn't mean that I think this way.

-Did you say anything like that?

-It's not easy to answer this guestion definitely. Yes, I did. But in which context? One thing is to say simply that Pugatchova is nought, the other thing is to say that she is nought in comparison with B.Streisand or L.Minelli, who are acknowledged stars of the world's stage. Pugatchova is not like this. It's true. But generally I must confess that I had a bad habit:if I wanted to prove something, and people didn't agree with me, I began to wind up and started to smash everything, trying to hurt badly.

-Do you mean, when the flame of polemic is extinguished you would deny your words, wouldn't you?

-Everything is more complex. I'll tell you one anecdote, which is very alike my situation. A scorpion is swimming on the frog. She is telling him, "Be sure not to sting me". He answers, "How can I sting you if I can't swim?"

But anyway, he stang her. The drowning frog asked him, "Why did you do that?"

The scorpion answers, "That is my character". And I also have a character. There is nothing to be done with it.

-Will you underwrite your "stinging" interview today?

-I wouldn't sign them even then. But journalists didn't bring them for visaeveryone was pleased with my charge. Anyway, I don't regret that they appeared in the world. The sharks of a pen didn't guess that they did me a kindness although it seemed they wanted to hurt me, making an image of a wicked, scandalling man, who doesn't confess any authority. No doubt there is a guota of truth in this argument. If the press doesn't beat me, I would stay very ruft till now. So, my enemies will be disappointed a little, having found what a kindness they have done to me: due to all of them my weight has flown away like a tinsel.

-So, today you are not that one, who wrote "Potolok Ledyanoi" and smashed Pugatchova, are you?

-Of course, not. And this is guite correspondent to my theory of wave.

-Aren't you confused, that this theory has become a byword and only lazy one didn't make laugh at it.

-Life confirms the propriety of my conclusions. For instance, an actor became popular-as I say-"seated on the wave". And he's got involved- the album after album is releasing, the cilp after clip is going out. And it's getting on for 5 or 7 years. After that a recession is following.

-Is your theory already known as a prinsiple of taking off and falling down?

-It's not exactly so. According to my theory the weaks are sifted away and the strong are left. Just like in a battle: someone falls down, another one takes his place. In art new boys and girls occupy vacant places on the wave's top.

-Sometimes after falling down an actor has a new taking off.

-Yes, there are one- and two-wave singers. But no one can overtake the third wave. It can be a pseudowave-like Pugatchova had. Since 1986 she hasn't had songs equal to "Maestro"," Arlekino", but bad glory: th scandal in the hotel, getting divorce or wedding. While there were good songs in her repertoire, did we really know the details of her private life? By the way, I've written the book "Alla P. in principles of the wave". I have already got two contracts for this book publication.

-Which wave are you on now?

-I've already passed by the first and the second ones.

-What's important in your life today?

-The main is that I create my life in my own way. Someone may say "Oh, the poor one, where is his last popularity?" There is some kind of popularity but a different one. I've overrated my valuables. What will change if I write one more "Malinovka"? No, I never regret that today people don't sing my songs as they used to do on the country and living in hotels. I am attracted by hearth. Now I prefer respect to popularity.

-That's why you are sitting in the solid study-room of prestigeous firm as the official of culture counsellor, aren't you?

-You are not guite right. Both my study-room and my occupation are good guarantees of my creative freedom. Here I have such good conditions to work and rest, which are the subject for any composer to dream of. I have an instrument which I can work with. Even I have a swimming-pool and sauna. Besides, I earn such a salary that I can look into my wife's eyes without any shame.

-What do you give your firm?

-The firm "Batyvlya" is dealing with grain, flour and ohter goods supplies. It has some money, and I have my name. I am a popular actor. Because of this I may enter many doors, which are not open for everybody. I can solve some difficult guestions. I assist "Batyvlya" to spend money for culture in reasonable way. They were a sponsor of Christmas TV program and a selebration of "The Man of the Year".

-Do you feel offended that now new Khanok's songs sound rahter seldom?

-What do you mean by saying this? Yakov Naumenko is coming soon and we shall rehearse my new song dedicated to Militia's jubilee. Svetlana is singing "Beautiful Lady", "Prayer", "Silver Blizzard" and other songs.

-You may have already heard the rumours that you push your daughter, haven't you?

-I just push her a little. Sometimes I warn her, although I understand that he has good prospects. In a year and a half ahe can be made very popular all over Russia. Today it takes much money, which I don't have. So I don't want to goat Svetlana in order not to bring her any disappointments in the future. It's painfull to take off rapidly and then to fall down. It would be better to move slowly, but safe.

-Do you consider Alesya as a subject to imitate?

-By the way, they say that her growth happened also due to her father. Perhaps, A Yarmolenko had good opportunities for her promotion at the stage. But everything is coming out of something. Alesya is a real star. She is a many-sided personality with big opportunities.

-Today many people are complaining of pur time. Do you want to do the same?

-It's a sin for me to complain. I have taken my quota-glory, scandal, money...The omly song "Malinovka" brought me such authour's money which can't be seen even in dream to the famous composers. I had written the songs, which were sung by all the country. I've made wave's theory. I've grown a daughter, who is my prolongation, and she can do something that I couldn't do.

-Your song "Comrade President" is a kind of gratitude for attention and acknowledgement, isn't it?

-As you like it is. Gratitude not only to a politician, but to a human being. To the point, this song can be written into "Guinness Record Book", although I didn't stir my finger for it. Simply I included an incomplete song into my author's concert. I sang it myself in the way that a composer without any voice could sing. But the newspapers suddenly grabbed it on the shield and began chatting about. No day passed without mentioning of this song. I can't dream of a better advertisment. Besides, the newspapers propmted me and a poet Grygory Sokoloovsky the weak places, now it can be improved.

-Your are freguently criticized severely in various circles. Kirkorov also didn't miss a chance to take a revenge for his wife.

-He was in bad mood and wanted someone to let off. It happened to be Khanok for this, why not? I am loved to be "rinsed" by people. I have already trained not to pay attention to such things. I am not getting hurt for being forgotten by sponsors of "Slavyansky Bazar" and "Zolotoi Shlyager". Is it worth to spoil my nerves for this? I've realized a simple wisdom long ago:anyone has to make a hoice between two mischiefs. I choose the less one.

Written by Galina Tsvetkova.

Click Here to Return Back

Webmasters, contact Belarus.net support
Click Here to visit Belarus.net