Andrey Kotov is the drummer of the Russian rock band "Agatha Christie": the reasons for leaving

There are very few good drummers. Their names are known in narrow circles, and practically all of them cooperate with top groups. Andrey Kotov became known for a long career in the group "Agatha Christie" (he performed with this band for 18 years). Now Andrey continues to improve his technique and gives lessons on playing drums to young musicians.

Childhood

Andrei Kotov was born in Yekaterinburg (then he was Sverdlovsk) in 1963. His family was simple - my mother worked as an accountant at the plant, and my father worked as a fitter. After the eighth grade, Andrei wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father and get a working specialty, so he entered the editing technical school. At the same time, he began working at a factory that produced penknives.

As a child, Andrey Kotov visited all kinds of circles and sections. Most of all he liked to design and draw. In his interviews, he often talks about the boomerang he created, which he did with great precision (during the childhood of Andrew all children were fond of Westerns and played "in the Indians"). Later, while working at the plant, he independently made a knife from high-alloy steel. However, after a small incident, interest in making knives has disappeared.

The first steps in music

It was at that moment that Andrei Kotov became interested in music. First he was shown three chords on the guitar buddies from the yard, and later he himself mastered this instrument by accidentally fallen into the hands of a book. The first acquaintance with the drum was in school. He played it in the Pioneer squad at the time when they carried the banner. Later, during the training at the technical school, the whole group was divided into three ensembles, which first performed at events inside the school.

To sing, after he heard his voice from the side, Kotov Andrei Nikolayevich did not. At first he played in a band on guitar, and later sat down for drums (when another member of the collective could not play his part correctly). It was with the technical school that Andrew began his career. Later he was taken to a jazz-rock ensemble. There he became acquainted with many beginning Sverdlovsk musicians.

Andrei entered the music school by accident. He helped to pass creative competition to a familiar guitar player and so liked the head of the variety department that he invited him to study. The drummer entered the second course at once, but due to the lack of musical literacy he had to attend classes of two years at the same time simultaneously.

"Track"

With this group, Andrew met before he studied at the music school. The drummer of this collective became the real teacher for Andrey. He explained to him the basics of playing the drum set. The young musician Yevgeny Dymov started his training at once, as he was looking for a replacement and saw a talented young drummer who could have become a full member of the "Track" group.

The new group took Andrei coldly, but after the first rehearsals the band played. During this period, the musician realized that daily work on himself is important. After the army, he wanted to return to the "Track", but at that time the team practically fell apart.

"Oorfene Deuce"

After the army, Andrei had to recover for a long time. For two years he lost his form and could not immediately continue his studies at the school. In order to study at home daily, Andrei buys drums (he takes money from relatives). The musician kept his hands in order all the summer, studying every other day. In parallel, he worked as a loader to recover the money taken from the drums.

Later, Andrey managed to get acquainted with the soloist of the group "Oorfene Deuce". With this team, he went on the first tour around the country. In the same place, he first tried himself as an author of songs. The musician liked the new experience, he began to express his opinion more often and make changes to the composition.

"Agatha Christie"

Vadim Samoilov recalls that Alexander Pantykin, the soloist, introduced him to Andrey (he worked with Kotov in the groups "Cabinet" and "Oorfene Deuce"). Then the Samoylov brothers searched for their group a permanent concert drummer and made a proposal to Kotov. At that time he played in the band "The March March", where he worked actively to change the musical sound of the collective.

Drummer Kotov from "Agatha Christie" firmly entered the history of Russian rock music. He experimented a lot with the collective and experienced with the brothers Samoilov the rise of their career. The only thing that did not please Andrei was the scarcity of the drum parts. He often tried to solo on performances, to add something new.

In 2008, he leaves the group, having played in it for 18 years. Andrei Kotov ("Agatha Christie") did not give reasons for leaving for a long time. In several interviews, he mentioned that it just turned into a collective. This can be considered true, since the Samoylov brothers in late 2008 (after finding new musicians) have repeatedly said in the press that Kotov did not like the music he played. The musicians did not feel with him spiritual unity and very painfully accepted comments about the improvement of the guitar parts.

In place of Kotov Dmitry Khakimov (who previously played in the "Naive" group) came to the collective, but soon the "Agatha Christie" group itself disintegrated. Now the Samoylov brothers have their own solo projects and do not practically communicate with each other.

Light shows and club projects

Currently, Kotov is engaged in his own projects related to the drums. He gives private lessons to young musicians and improves his own technique. His main projects are connected with the symbiosis of drums and electronic music. Compositions in this style are suitable for club parties.

One of the main achievements of Andrei in recent years is his own light show. He realized it for the group "Bi-2" on the tour "Inomarki" and for the young team "Sugarfri" from Estonia. For the first time the light show was used even at the performances with "Agatha Christie" - at the jubilee concert in "Luzhniki". Its peculiarity is that the work of the strobe is synchronized with music and punching. The light control panel can be controlled from the stage. Now Andrey often experiments in this area and prepares his own show.

After successful experiments with stroboscopes, Andrey was offered to write a number of articles for professionals in the magazine "Empire of Light". Many young musicians are still consulting with Kotov about preparing unusual light accents for the show.