The Sexy Voice of Perestroika: The Intersection of Rock Music, Politics, and Sexuality in the songs of Nautilus Pompilius

Barycheuskaya, Yuliya (2024) The Sexy Voice of Perestroika: The Intersection of Rock Music, Politics, and Sexuality in the songs of Nautilus Pompilius. BETEKINTŐ, 18 (4). pp. 81-102. ISSN 2732-186X (print); 1788-7569 (online)

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Abstract

This article explores the cultural and political significance of the Soviet rock band Nautilus Pompilius, situating their work within the broader socio-political and cultural shifts of late Soviet Sverdlovsk. Emerging from the vibrant local rock scene, the band distinguished itself by blending socio-political critique with themes of love, sexuality, and human connection, capturing the emotional complexities of Perestroika. Using frameworks such as spatialization, cognitive modeling, and conceptual blending, this study examines the metaphorical language and implicit socio-political meanings in Nautilus’s oeuvre. Through an analysis of selected songs, “Bound by One Chain,” “Striptease,” and “I Wanna Be with You,” the article reveals how the band’s lyrical hero—shaped by the interplay of poet Ilya Kormiltsev’s intellectual depth and frontman Vyacheslav Butusov’s enigmatic performance— navigated the quest for personal and collective agency, the erosion of socialist ideals, and evolving gender and sexual norms.

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