Born and raised in St. Petersburg (former Leningrad), the city which in the 80s was to become the center of the national rock culture, Lenia started his musical activity in the late 70s, playing in amateur rock groups. In 1983 he founded a rock band of his own, which was given the name of Auktyon (see also here). From the very beginning Lenia assumed the role of the main composer and musical director of Auktyon; later he also took up leading vocals, thus becoming the band’s leader, responsible for the band’s musical image, who, however, always preferred to remain out of focus of public attention onstage. Auktyon’s breakthrough coincided with the times of “perestroika”, when the rock music in Russia got an unprecedented opportunity to be brought out to big audiences nationwide. In a short while, Auktyon gained the reputation of one of the most interesting Russian rock acts with the most unique and original sound and style. Apart from the band’s other advantages, it owed a great part of its success to Lenia’s extraordinary musical talent. By 1989 in Russia Auktyon was a hit big enough to receive an invitation to France, where they, along with two other Russian top rank acts, Zvuki Mu and Kino, performed as the representatives of the national rock culture in the West, and got a chance of releasing their first ever record in CD format. When the bright prospects of “perestroika” ended up in overall worsening of economic conditions in Russia, bands like Auktyon, who wanted to retain their independent artistic status, were forced to find new ways of remaining afloat. In Auktyon’s case in meant spending more time touring on the club and festival circuit in Europe, giving the total of 200 live performances in France, Germany and other countries. Through the good and hard times, Auktyon, under Lenia’s guidance, never stopped progressing musically, producing excellent albums, which were immediately receiving cult status in Russia, and looking for new ways in expressing their rich musical ideas. In 1992 they began artistic collaboration with a poet, folk singer, and painter Alexei “Khvost” Khvostenko, which resulted in two widely acclaimed studio albums, one live record and a single.
Although never putting Auktyon on hold (the band’s last but one production was a maxi-single “Nebo Napopolam”, released late 1999 in the USA), Lenia in 1997 started a solo career, first as a “one man” unplugged act. In this capacity, he releases his first solo album “Chetyrespolovinoitonny”. Next year he teamed up with the highly reputed ethno-jazz formation “VolkovTrio”; this alliance resulted in a series of shows and a new album “Zimy ne budet”, Lenia’s latest up to date. This record shows him at his best again: a daring artist, an original musician, exploring unwandered worlds, an entertainer who can truly make his listener follow him, share his emotions and think.
In 2007 an Auktyon's album "Devushki Poyut" was released. It was recorded just in a few days in USA with participation of Marc Ribot (worked with John Zorn, Marianne Faithfull, Tom Waits and more) on guitar, John Medeski on keyboards, Frank London on trumpet, Ned Rothenberg on sax, Vladimir Volkov (Владимир Волков) on contrabass. The title of the album can be translated as "Young Women Sing" or "Girls Sing".
Зима
Леонид Фёдоров Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
То ли дети, то ли не дает
То ли весел, то ли вечер
То ли ветер, то ли самолет
Как из тучи ― я невезучий
Лето излечит, осень научит май
Лето лечит, осень канючит
Я невезучий
Был бы я не светел
Заварил бы зелье
Может, ты заметил
У меня веселье
Refrain:
У меня зима зимует
У меня зима ворует
За меня зима целует
У меня зима
То ли месяц в небе злится
Мне не спится
Значит не сезон
То ли вьюга веселится, то ли птицы
То ли полигон
Я живучий, но невезучий
Вьпадет случай, лето сведет с ума
Лето лечит, осень канючит
Я невезучий
Радость моя, зима
На моем оконце
Гнезда вьют метели
У тебя есть солнце
У меня веселье
Refrain
То ли весел, то ли вечер
То ли ветер, то ли самолет
То ли солнце мне не светит
То ли дети, то ли не везет
The Леонид Фёдоров song Зима (Winter) speaks to a sense of melancholy and uncertainty that appears to come along with the season, as the singer isn't quite sure what is causing their unhappiness. They mention that perhaps the sun isn't shining on them, but it could also be the children or something else holding them back. They feel like an unlucky person, and only the summer can heal them or the fall can teach them. They repeat the idea of being unlucky and say goodbye to their happiness. The following refrain speaks to how the winter seems to take things away from them - stealing, kissing, and perhaps also leaving them alone. They don't sleep, and they don't know if it's the season or something else. They mention a living but unlucky person with a crazy summer that leads to the fall teaching them, and then repeat the idea that the winter is their happiness.
The song appears to be speaking to a greater sense of ennui or uncertainty that people may feel during the colder months, where it's harder to pinpoint what's wrong or what could make things better. It's also possible that the song is speaking to a sense of isolation or loneliness, as the singer is seemingly cut off from what is going on around them. In any case, the lyrics are evocative and thought-provoking, leaving the listener to interpret them in their own way.
Line by Line Meaning
То ли солнце мне не светит
I am feeling down or something is not going well in my life
То ли дети, то ли не дает
It could be because of my children or something else holding me down
То ли весел, то ли вечер
I am unsure if I should be happy or if it's already late in the day
То ли ветер, то ли самолет
I am uncertain if the noise I hear is the wind or an airplane
Как из тучи ― я невезучий
I feel unlucky or like a dark cloud follows me around
Лето излечит, осень научит май
Summer will heal me, autumn will teach me, and come May, things will improve
Лето лечит, осень канючит
Summer heals me, autumn reminds me of what I need to learn
Я невезучий
I am unlucky
Радость моя, прощай
Goodbye to my happiness
Был бы я не светел
I may have turned to making potions or spells
Заварил бы зелье
Brewed up a potion
Может, ты заметил
Maybe you've noticed
У меня веселье
I am faking being happy
У меня зима зимует
Winter is staying with me
У меня зима ворует
Winter is stealing something from me
За меня зима целует
Winter is kissing in my place
То ли месяц в небе злится
Maybe the moon is angry with me
Мне не спится
I cannot sleep
Значит не сезон
It must not be the right time for me
То ли вьюга веселится, то ли птицы
I cannot tell if it's a blizzard, birds chirping, or something else
То ли полигон
Maybe it's a military testing ground
Я живучий, но невезучий
I am persistent, but still unlucky
Вьпадет случай, лето сведет с ума
If I don't watch out, summer's madness will consume me
Радость моя, зима
Winter has taken my happiness away
На моем оконце
On my windowpane
Гнезда вьют метели
Blizzards are building nests
У тебя есть солнце
You have the sun
У меня веселье
I am pretending to be happy
То ли весел, то ли вечер
I am unsure if I should be happy or if it's already late in the day
То ли ветер, то ли самолет
Maybe the noise I hear is the wind or an airplane
То ли солнце мне не светит
I am feeling down or something is not going well in my life
То ли дети, то ли не везет
It could be because of my children or something else holding me down
Contributed by Dylan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ася Адамова
Надеюсь Лёня Фёдоров будет жить вечно........
Алиса
💓
Nikolai Kuznetcov
В наших сердцах обязательно.
Софья Ильинская
Агааааа........
Владислав Еременко
Любовь на всегда
Faraon dj
Сомневаюсь что с таким изобилием реклам😅
Алексей Рогочий
когда впервые, в 80-х, их услышал, не понял вообще, а сейчас, видать, дошло. супер группа Аукцыон, ой, извините, АукцЫон. Леня шедевр
Николай Б
А я как то мимо них проехал, или они мимо меня
Ы и пикник - наше все...и все
семён тарасов
Сначала докатило в середине 2000-х но как-то не так, не в полной мере. А потом накрыло уже основательно. Спасибо что всё в своё время.
Ник Мих
Аналогично