Three years ago after several sacrifices and hard work dedicated to his music, Ivan Smirnov was just getting the first results.

He played anywhere he could, in any possible street, in any condition. He had even been  homeless for a while, living on a budget of $ 5 per week,

until he “met a good producer and things started to change”. That’s exactly what he shared, 3 years ago, as my guest on “United States of Artists”.

 At that time, Privet Earth  former name was “Smirnov”. I was looking for upcoming bands in Los Angeles for my tv show and  what really caught me

 about him  the way he combined Russian Classical Music with British/American tunes then the deep sound of his voice. I first listened to”Phunken Angel” which

I loved right away, then I listened to “The Saddest Boy in the World” and “The Sunshine Never Cries”, the first choosen as best rock song and the second for best performance

 at the Grammy Ballot for the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards. I liked the style  and the songs as well and I will never forget the funny explanation about the photo on Privet Earth cd cover!

(if you missed it you can watch it here: United States of Artists- RadiostarTV)

Soon after our interview broadcast on RadiostarTV, the indie artist Ivan Smirnov  had already  reached the Top5 of RadiostarTv.

The name Privet Earth had possibly brought luck so the band was renamed, changing from “Smirnov” to “Privet Earth”.

In December 2013 the band took 1st place in the FIAT  BAND PRIX, beating over 6000 bands,  and made a special appearance on VH1’s Top 20 Video Countdown. In 2014, ‘Privet Earth’ has been number 1 Rock band in the World, on Reverbnation Charts,  and has also become number 1 Reverbnation Artist in the World in all genres in March 2014!

last June,  Privet Earth have gone to tour Russia, playing packed houses and stadium shows in Moscow, St-Petersburg, Orenburg and Vologda.

Just like the Queen used to sing:”Playin’ in the street gonna be a big man some day” and here he is .

1. How come you changed the band’s name from “Smirnov” to “Privet Earth”? (if you want to tell about a nice anecdote, you’re welcome).

• As a name, Privet Earth is not exactly new to my project. It’s the name of my debut album!

I wasn’t very happy about too many similarities with the famous vodka brand, so I decided to make this change in the early 2013. ‘Privet’ means ‘Hello’ in Russian. It’s like I’m saying, ‘Hello Earth, I’m here!’

2.Can you better explain the concept of Blitz -Rock?

I’ve noticed a while ago that a lot of music critics had a hard time identifying the exact genre of Privet Earth’s music. So, I decided to give it a name. Blitz-rock is a crazy fusion of three musical opposites – Punk rock, Classical Music and EDM. And yet, I believe, it’s suited for Mainstream audiences. When two or three different storm clouds collide in the sky, they create a lightning. ‘Blitz’ is German for ‘Lightning’. I relate those three music genres to three clouds, crashing into each other in the musical atmosphere and creating a powerful spark.

3.You just came back from a tour in Russia.How have you been?

This tour came very unexpectedly, but turned out to be a total blast. We performed in four cities – Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Orenburg and my hometown Vologda. Every show was special. In Orenburg the audience was very excited. In Vologda they rocked so hard, some of them walked away with injuries. In Moscow a young couple jumped onstage during our last song and started making out. And the stadium show in Saint-Petersburg was epic. In spite of heavy rain, thousands of people showed up and were waiving gigantic flags and blasting fire crackers!

4. Now that Privet Earth is back in Los Angeles, what’s next? Do you have any upcoming date and/or any other interview, or a contest or just anything that you want to let people know?

We’re currently working on the long-awaited release of our video “Dive” (one of the singles from the new album “Breaking The Ice”). This video was all shot under water! So, please stay tuned and check back on our web site for the Release party details. It’s coming up soon.

5.What songs of yours European fans like more. Please list 3 titles.

I think, in Europe and Russia people are really digging tunes like “Ice orkestra”, “Forest Queen” and “The Sunshine never Cries”. They really appreciate that melodic, classical side of Privet Earth.

6.How would you describe the evolution of your artistic path since now?

I would definitely like to think, I’ve improved as a songwriter. Writing a great song is always the key. I also think, Privet Earth has grown a lot as a live act and in the studio. But to me, it always feels like it’s just a beginning, and there is always room to grow and so much new creative territory to conquer.

http://www.privetearth.com

https://www.facebook.com/privetearth

Soon video interview to Ivan Smirnov (Privet Earth)