The Red Elvises were founded in 1995 by Igor Yuzov and Oleg Bernov, two Russians living in Los Angeles, California. Igor and Oleg met during a Russian-American peace walk and subsequently played together in a Russian folk-rock band called Limpopo. The band’s third original member, guitarist Zhenya Kolykhanov (he later legally changed his last name to “Zhenya Rock”), had also emigrated to America and had been spending time playing in Texas. For the first few months Andrey Baranov was the band’s drummer, but within that year, the first American in the band, drummer Avi Sills from Austin, Texas, was added to the lineup. The four of them got their start playing on Santa Monica’s 3rd Street Promenade.
When they weren’t playing on the road they were busy recording and self-producing their own CDs. Grooving to the Moscow Beat was the band's first release in 1996, followed by Surfing in Siberia in 1997. In 1998, the band released their breakthrough CD, I Wanna See You Bellydance. Their music filled the soundtrack of Lance Mungia’s independent film released in 1998, Six-String Samurai, a film in which they also had small roles and screen credits. With Mungia directing, the band also produced two music videos of songs from the Six-String soundtrack, Lovepipe and Boogie on the Beach, that year. A full-length concert video, Live on the Pacific Ocean was also released, showcasing their appearance at the Santa Monica Pier’s Twilight Summer Concert Series.
The small screen also beckoned with television show appearances, resulting in Red Elvises’ guest spot in an episode of the now-defunct Fox television series Melrose Place (Episode #206, "Suspicion") which aired on November 9, 1998. Near the end of that year they appeared on FX’s Penn & Teller’s Sin City Spectacular accompanied by Penn & Teller’s show dancers, which aired in January 1999. They released three new recordings in 1999, two studio-produced and one live. The band's fourth and fifth studio albums, Better Than Sex and Russian Bellydance, a Russian language version of their smash album I Wanna See You Bellydance from the previous year, were both released in March 1999. Later in that same month Red Elvises’ performance im San Francisco was released as the band's first live double album, Live At The Great American Music Hall.
In the summer of 1999 the FX television channel hired Red Elvises to play in Malibu on the beach for their Beverly Hills 90210 Swimsuit Beach Party highlighting a marathon airing of syndicated episodes of the hit series. FX held and flew the winners and ten of their friends to the beach party to appear on TV and dance to the band’s music. February 2000 heralded a brief change in musical direction for the band with the release of their seventh CD, Shake Your Pelvis, a more electronic techno/disco style CD that greatly differed from their earlier releases. December 2000 also saw an end to Avi Sills’ association with the band with his decision to move on to other musical opportunities.
The band persevered as an all-Russian three-piece during 2001 with Bernov giving up the big red balalaika bass and taking over much of the drumming. In March two new studio CDs were released, Welcome to the Freakshow, written entirely by Yuzov, and Bedroom Boogie, written entirely by Rock. The band continued their non-stop touring across America throughout the year and also toured their native Russia.
In 2002 Rokenrol was recorded entirely in Russian with the exception of two songs, Juliet by Yuzov and Sunshine by Rock, both sung in English. Rock began a side project, Zeerok, going in a completely different musical direction, and by the end of the year decided to commit to his new band full time, announcing his departure from Red Elvises. The band kept busy during the summer months with a tour through Russia that included some filming for the upcoming film Mail Order Bride, a romantic action comedy starring Danny Aiello, Vincent Pastore, Ivana Milocevich, and Robert Capelli, Jr., returning home in August to record the soundtrack. The band also returned to television with an appearance playing themselves in an episode of the Fox action series Fastlane (Episode #3 "Gone Native").
In 2003 Yuzov switched back to guitar, this time on lead, and Bernov returned to the large bass balalaika. Completing the new lineup were another Russian, Oleg "Schramm" Gorbunov on keyboards and accordion and new American drummer Adam Gust. In 2005 they were asked to perform in the Moscow Live8 concert, along with the Pet Shop Boys and a number of local performers. In 2006 Elena Shemankova from Moscow, the first female to ever play with Red Elvises, joined the band on keyboards and was very well received. Later that year they were joined by female guitarist Beth Garner from Texas, who continued to tour with them until the end of 2007.
In 1999 and 2002 the Red Elvises released CDs in Russian, which were very well received in Russia. Subsequently they have been invited to perform there every summer, and they spend a couple of months playing in clubs in larger cities such as Moscow and Saint Petersburg, as well as Yuzov's hometown of Odessa in the Ukraine.
The band's line-up is slightly different in Russia than in North America, and features many Russian musicians who are hired specifically for that tour.
Discography
* Give Us A Break (as Limpopo) — 1995
* Grooving To The Moscow Beat — 1996
* Surfing In Siberia — 1997
* I Wanna See You Bellydance — 1998
* Six-String Samurai soundtrack — 1998
* Russian Bellydance — 1999 (in Russian language)
* Better Than Sex — 1999
* Live At The Great American Music Hall — 1999 (live album)
* Shake Your Pelvis — 2000
* Bedroom Boogie — 2001 (written and performed by Zhenya Rock)
* Welcome To The Freakshow — 2001 (written and performed by Igor Yuzov)
* Rokenrol — 2002 (in Russian language except for two songs)
* Lunatics and Poets — 2004
* 30 Greatest Hits - 2007 (greatest hits compilation)
* Drinking With Jesus - 2008
www.redelvises.com/
Closet Disco Dancer
Red Elvises Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And make excuses and pretend
I was a afraid if someone knew
They wouldn't talk to me again
But tonight I'm gonna tell the truth
I am a closet disco dancer
I want to dance all night (Woo-hoo!)
I am a closet disco dancer
I am a closet disco dancer
I want to dance all night (Woo-hoo!)
I am a closet disco dancer
It makes me feel alright. (Woo-hoo!)
Remember 1985 you gave me record by Police
You didn't know that next day I traded them for new BeeGees
But tonight I'm gonna tell the truth
I am a closet disco dancer
I want to dance all night (Woo-hoo!)
I am a closet disco dancer
It makes me feel alright. (Woo-hoo!)
I am a closet disco dancer
I want to dance all night (Woo-hoo!)
I am a closet disco dancer
It makes me feel alright. (Woo-hoo!)
The Red Elvises’ song ‘Closet Disco Dancer’ is a catchy and upbeat tune that delves into the topic of secrets and self-expression. The lyrics are about a person who used to hide their love for disco dancing and their preference for disco music out of fear of being judged or ostracized. However, this person is now ready to confess their secret and embrace their love for disco dancing. The confidence and freedom found in the act of dancing is what makes them feel all right.
The second verse of the song gives us an insight into the extent to which this person went to keep their love for disco music a secret. The lyrics mention how they received a record by the Police in 1985, but secretly traded it for a Bee Gees record the next day. This emphasizes the extent to which they went to hide their true musical preference.
The theme of the song is about self-expression, being true to oneself, and embracing who you are. The Red Elvises remind listeners that it's important to be yourself and not to worry about what others might think or say. They stress the importance of letting go of fears and embracing freedom and happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to have a secret life
I once had to conceal my true self and my passion for disco, out of fear of rejection by those around me.
And make excuses and pretend
I would come up with justifications for why I couldn't join in or express my dance moves and pretend to be someone I'm not.
I was a afraid if someone knew
I was scared that if anyone found out who I really am, they would disapprove and shun me.
They wouldn't talk to me again
I feared that people would sever all ties with me if they discovered that I loved disco dancing.
But tonight I'm gonna tell the truth
But today, I am prepared to reveal my real identity and announce that I am a lover of disco.
I am a closet disco dancer
I secretly dance to the rhythm of disco music in my private moments.
I want to dance all night (Woo-hoo!)
I feel an intense desire to dance relentlessly until sunrise, and this makes me incredibly happy and excited.
It makes me feel alright. (Woo-hoo!)
Disco dancing brings me immense joy and makes me feel content and satisfied with myself.
Remember 1985 you gave me record by Police
I recall you gifting me a Police album in 1985.
You didn't know that next day I traded them for new BeeGees
However, you were not aware that the following day, I exchanged that album for a new BeeGees album, as I preferred disco to rock music.
Contributed by Connor V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@anarojo9409
Как хорошо 👍
@irishgurl68
Great show tonight at poor Davids... Miss the guys but the new ladies were kicking tail!!!
@johnmcnichol207
Heh! It's seven years later, and we caught them at Poor Davids in Dallas too! :D
@maryiamloved
This is my fav of all their songs
@gabbyhyman1246
Precrasno!!!!!!
@jamesshrimpfajitas5890
i bought a CD and T-shirt back in 2006 i think, maybe 2005, still love the music, keep rocking -----it was a small bar in Montana, but loved the whole thing
@Whammytap
Given recent world events, I am considering giving up my Siberian travel dream and instead using the money I've saved to just follow these guys around the country for as long as the money lasts.
@user-du8ux6ib5r
Охуительно:)
@keithstack6321
saw you in raleigh nc 5 years ago or so still one of my favorite shows
@johnmcnichol207
Awesome keyboard playing! But I still miss Elena,,,,, :D