PLOHO are ready to visit Greece, this time for a scheduled mini-greek tour. We had the chance to ask them some questions to know them better and get ready to experience live their
Known for their melancholic melodies and nostalgic lyrics, the post-punk band from Siberia is coming to Greece for 3 shows.
Read our very interesting conversation below and give yourself the opportunity to experience the atmosphere of their music. Ploho may be singing in a language that is strange to most, but they manage to express this joy that everyone can relate to.
RockOverdose: Hello and welcome to Rock Overdose! Since this is the first time interviewing you, I’d like to ask you how PLOHO came to be, how would you describe your sound to someone who hasn’t listened to a single note of your music?
PLOHO: The band emerged as a chemical reaction from the surrounding reality and the generation living in it. I’ll answer with a quote from a song by the Russian band Ютта Замбона – Злые цветы : «Нервная почва, злые цветы», in English it would probably sound like ‘From nervous soil grow evil flowers’.
RockOverdose: I remember watching you on stage at the Death Disco Outdoor Festival back in 2023 in what was probably the hottest day of that summer. Still, that didn’t stop you from putting on great show. Do you have any vivid memories from that day?
PLOHO: Hahaha, yeah. It was a very hot show! Despite the heat, we really enjoyed the festival and the people there. Such a friendly vibe. The next day, we tried to walk around and it was a very difficult mission! Everything was closed due to the heat and there were hardly any people on the streets. We drank a few liters of cold beer and tried to see as much as possible. So, and we did it!
RockOverdose: You’ll be playing in Greece again, this time for a mini headline tour across the country. What are your expectations this time and what you have prepared for us?
PLOHO: After the festival we were left with a very pleasant impression of the Greek audience so we are looking forward to a pleasant experience again! We have prepared many new and old songs, we are gonna play all or almost all of our top 10. If you liked our last show, the new show will not disappoint you!
RockOverdose: Do you prefer indoor or outdoor venues? When do you think that the music you represent can be enjoyed more and why?
PLOHO: Outdoor venues are great! It’s nice to breathe in fresh air and not feel the walls around you. Yes it’s a bit different when the temperature around you is like an oven and you feel like a pie, but anyway. In the indoor venues it’s easier to get the right atmosphere in terms of sound and light, and that’s better in its own way too. The main thing is the chemistry between the audience and the band, that’s the most important thing that doesn’t give you time to think about what kind of venue you’re in.
RockOverdose: You are addressing an audience that (mostly) does not speak Russian, yet they seem to feel your music to the fullest. Do you believe that after all, music is stronger than lyrics when it comes to emotion?
PLOHO: Of course! How else would it be possible. You know, in my childhood in Russia learning English was not the most popular thing, but at the same time English and American music was insanely popular or Rammstein for example is still known all over the world. Language is the basis of music and not even the basis of a song.
RockOverdose: Did the fact that you sing in your native language, caused any kind of difficulty in the promotion of your music and how did you decided to continue this way?
PLOHO: The main difficulty is that our lyrics are very important for the general conception of the band, I really put a lot of meaning into them. If you understand only the music you can’t understand our whole concept, so of course I always feel a little bit sorry that people don’t understand what I’m singing about on stage. But as we have already discussed, the language of the music is stronger than those barriers.
RockOverdose: How did the increasing tensions in your home country and your relocation to Serbia affected the making of your recent release “Почва”? By the way, I found it a bit more upbeat comparing to your previous releases, is that approach on purpose or it came out naturally?
PLOHO: Tensions are not increasing in our country, tensions are increasing between our country and Western countries. Everyone is very tired of it, I mean people are tired, those who are just trying to live their normal life.
The new album is more cheerful and very sad at the same time. I would say it reflects our life now. It’s in a more rhythmic mood, life processes are getting back to their usual pace, but our thoughts and our feelings are not getting cheerful, you know? These songs are rhythmic, maybe they sound more sunny, but their inner world is just as filled with hopelessness and darkness as it was before. Like people who continue to live and work or even dancing sometimes but with sorrow inside.
RockOverdose: You are a bold band that is not afraid to express its opinion. However, we often see artists who express their political to become victims of this “cancel culture”… What answer you give to those who believe that music and politics should not be mixed?
PLOHO: The culture of canceling is a very controversial phenomenon. It comes from a liberal society that fights for justice for every person, for their rights. At the same time, the culture of canceling is the Lynch trial – the public execution of a person without trial and justice. These are medieval methods of incvisition. If you want justice, you must follow its code, the rules that society establishes for its own safety. Otherwise, I don’t see much difference between medieval and modern methods of canciling. Thanks that they don’t burn the guilty in the central square yet. That’s very noble.
RockOverdose: We would like to thank you for your time and wish you all the best for what’s to come next. Last words are yours.
PLOHO: Thank you for these interesting questions, it’s always really nice when an interview isn’t just another question like “Why is your band called PLOHO?”. Haha. No, really, thank you for this conversation.
Very much looking forward to seeing you again!
Спасибо!!!
On behalf of RockOverdose.gr
Vivi Zapantiotou
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