Biography
Oleg Alekseevich Garkusha (born February 23, 1961, Leningrad) is a Soviet and Russian musician, singer, TV host, showman, and member of the band "Auktsion." He is a songwriter, performer, poet, and actor.
In 1980, he graduated from the Leningrad Film College. After graduation, he briefly worked as a projectionist at the Sovremennik and Titan cinemas.
Garkusha has stated that his entry onto the stage was accidental. In 1985, he was invited to sing a few lines of a song for which he had written the lyrics. His performance was well received, leading to his joining "Auktsion."
Following his arrival, the band's image changed dramatically. Their performances became eccentric shows featuring buffoonery. Each character in the show was distinctive and recognizable, with Garkusha excelling as the wild, eccentric punk known as the "red clown," energetically performing on stage.
Within "Auktsion," Garkusha was not only the showman and vocalist but also a lyricist alongside poet and musician Dmitry Ozersky. While Ozersky wrote lyrics for Fedorov's compositions (similar to a libretto), Garkusha contributed his own poems to which music was later composed. Notable "Auktsion" songs based on Garkusha's verses include "Money is Paper," "Wolf," "Airplane," "Pioneer," and "Bird," the latter written during the 1991 August coup attempt. The 1990 album "Ass" is almost entirely set to Garkusha’s poetry.
Garkusha appeared in films such as "The Burglar" (1987), "The Presumption of Innocence" (1988), "Khrustalev, the Car!" (1998), and "I Want" (2012). He also portrayed the Crocodile in the "KS" group’s production of "The Stolen Sun."
In 1991, he took part in the "Rock Against Terror" concert. At one point, he ventured into public service by leading the "Youth-Public Committee for the preparation of the 300th anniversary of the city."
Garkusha hosts a weekly late-night program on Petersburg television. He is also involved with the "Garkundel" club, which was located in the Spartak cinema.
He is one of the organizers of the "Windows Open!" festival.
Oleg Garkusha is the author of several poetry collections. His first, "The Boy as a Boy," was published in 2001, followed by a second collection titled "The Crow.
