Who doesn't love Lenin i Shumov? Idiots, that's who. Ringleader Eugene Slonimerov also has a little outfit called Minsk Mensk. Slonimerov even provided a handy introduction to the band: 'œMinsk Mensk is uglier music than Lenin i Shumov. It's also a workshop. Josh (Thorpe) plays electric guitar very skronky, Jen Castle plays synths, pianos and drum machines very subtle, James Anderson plays drums very loud and very well. I sing operatically very badly and strum guitar gently. Minsk Mensk used to be the band name that I wanted to change Lenin to. Then it was the name which I used to do any side project at all, solo or with guests. Now it's an attempt to play music with above mentioned people and build a strong musical relationship based on collaboration, which I don't do very well.'? Kate Carraway got a chance to ask Slonimerov how things are going.

WHAT ANGLES DOES MINSK MENSK COVER THAT LENIN DOESN'T?
Minsk Mensk is ideal for coffee, while Lenin more like a computer factory for hipsters. Minsk Mensk is mobilized on a whim. Lenin pays extra baggage fee at the airport. I'm hoping that Jen Castle's hot looks will do for Minsk Mensk the good that my looks don't do for Lenin i Shumov.

HOW IS THIS "SOLO WITH GUESTS" CONFIGURATION OF MINSK MENSK WORKING OUT FOR YOU?
At this stage, the "guests" are not guests anymore; they are encouraged to bring their ideas to the table. This is different from the recording session I held last spring, where I wrote all the songs and got a few people to come by and improvise around existing structures. I've had the fortune of working with some very talented people one day this year. These tapes are still being edited (more like sitting in a drawer, waiting for their time to come).

IT SEEMS THAT YOU HAVE INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF TWO CITIES, HAVING MOVED HERE AS A TEEN FROM MINSK. HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK REGIONALISM AND LOCAL INFLUENCE HAS TO DO WITH WHAT MUSIC IS GENERATED IN A CERTAIN PLACE?
I don't know the Minsk music scene, I have not been there since I left. I heard they have a good festival under a bridge once a year, bands get banned by the government for playing this and other shows. It doesn't mean the music is better.

People decide if you either got it or you don't got it, while you sit there in doubt and drown yourself in booze and drugs. That's what many artists do all over the world, me thinks. Or you just shut up and work harder. Or you shut up and you quit. Also - music is doing well here and now, because we are afraid to be alone, in silence.

WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE AROUND HERE RESPOND SO WELL TO NOISY RUSSIAN?
Because they seem to fucking love it. You said it!!!

YOU'RE A MYSTERIOUS MAN ABOUT TOWN. TELL US YOUR SECRETS.
I'm gay. But I had a girlfriend for the last two years. I make $18.50 an hour. I booked Tom Jones' limousines two years ago.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD?
My allergist injected me with drops called "Toronto in the Summer" and I tested positive.