Fotomoto

Fotomoto were an Ukrainian electro-pop group formed in 1999 consisting of Olya Volodina (vocals), Sergey Sergeyev (Instruments) and Anton Singurov (Instruments). An extra member Alexander Ivanov later joined the band in 2002 on midi and drum programming. Fotomoto started as a bedroom instrumental project in the Ukrainian city of Zaporozhye and originally consisted of Sergey and Anton. Olya Volodina came later introducing some French female vocal and lyrics, then Ivanov joined the band. The group only released one album (Suranov, A?) in 2003 on the Russian label Snegiri and one single in 2002, which they shared with Workhouse called the Hershel Whiskey 43 on the Jonathan Whiskey label. The band's last album was released in 2005.
== Links To Peel ==
Mike Eardley, brother of Rich Eardley, who later joined the band Melys, sent Peel a CD demo of Fotomoto in late 2000 that he was distributing for the Snegiri label in the UK. Peel played the demo track Je Suis Fotomoto on his 14 December 2000 show and would continue playing the band's demos and later released material throughout the years despite the group virtually being unknown in their own country. After some years of Peel trying to get the band to do a session for his show, the group finally in 2004 saved some money to endure the 70-hour bus journey from the Ukraine across Europe to the UK to record their Peel session. Peel mentioned in his 24 June 2004 show that he just missed meeting the group when they performed their session. However, he thanked them for their gift of a bottle of wine - "Tonight it's going to prove fabulously useful." (England had been knocked out of the Euro 2004 tournament that evening) 
A couple of months before his death, Peel commented on the group's unique sound:
"It was just the unexpectedness of it that appealed to me. Most music I get from eastern Europe tends to be rather grim metal stuff, not awfully good, and when you see the bands live - of course this is a gross generalisation - there's always a kind of cabaret approach. There's always someone in the band dressed as a clown or a monk, and the vocals are always terribly theatrical." 
In an Observer article by Matthew Collin, published on January 23rd 2005, Fotomoto singer Olga Volodina expressed her sadness at the death of Peel in 2004:
"Not long after their session was broadcast, Peel was dead. His passing was particularly felt among bands who hadn't yet (or might never) become successful, and who still relied on the veteran DJ as their only outlet to the world. For who would play such records now? Fotomoto were among them, and they were devastated by his death. They had admired him so much that they had even used a sample of his voice on one of their early tracks. To them, Peel wasn't a rock'n'roll institution, admired but rarely listened to - he was a vital force for good, and a man who exemplified all that was best about Britain. 'We are grieving,' Volodina emailed me to say. It is a heavy loss." 
== Sessions ==
1. Recorded: 2004-06-16. Broadcast: 21 July 2004
* Edmund / La Planet De Gopak / Le Sport La Musique / Kes Buits De Georgiennes
== Other Shows Played ==
;2000
*14 December 2000: Je Suis Fotomoto (CD - Fotomoto) White label
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;2001
*04 January 2001: Medeo (CD - Fotomoto) White label
*10 January 2001: Krivbass (CD - Fotomoto) White label
*14 January 2001 (BBC World Service): Medeo (CD - Fotomoto) White label
*24 January 2001: Krivbass (CD - Fotomoto) White label
*04 February 2001 (BBC World Service): Le Sport, La Musique (shared CD with Workhouse - Hershel Whiskey 43) Jonathon Whiskey
*14 March 2001: Une Planete De Gopak (CD - Fotomoto) White label
*21 March 2001: Ma Faute A Moi (CD - Fotomoto) White label
*22 March 2001 (Radio Eins): Le Coquillage (CD - Fotomoto) White label
*29 March 2001 (Radio Eins): Ma Faute A Moi (CD - Fotomoto) White label
*05 April 2001: Le Passage (CD - Fotomoto) White label
*24 May 2001: Une Planete De Gopak / Coquilage (CD - Fotomoto) White label
*26 July 2001 (Radio Eins): Bogunskaya (CD - Fotomoto) White label
*08 August 2001: Bailer (CD - Fotomoto) White label
*August 2001 (FSK): Ballado
*23 August 2001: Deep Ze (CD - Fotomoto) White label
*19 December 2001: Morozko 333 (demo) – officially released on the YolkaYolka compilation
;2002
*03 January 2002: Edmund (Demo)
*23 January 2002 (BBC World Service): Edmund (Demo)
*10 February 2002 (BBC World Service): Sever (demo)
*21 February 2002 (Radio Eins): Sever (Demo CD)
*06 August 2002: Le Sport, La Musique (shared 7" with Workhouse - Hershel Whiskey 43) Jonathon Whiskey
*20 August 2002: Le Sport, La Musique (shared 7" with Workhouse - Hershel Whiskey 43) Jonathon Whiskey
*22 August 2002 (Radio Mafia): Le Sport, La Musique (shared 7" with Workhouse - Hershel Whiskey 43) Jonathon Whiskey
*24 August 2002 (BBC World Service): Le Sport, La Musique (shared 7" with Workhouse - Hershel Whiskey 43) Jonathon Whiskey
*03 October 2002 (Radio Eins): Le Sport, La Musique (7") (shared 7" with Workhouse - Hershel Whiskey 43) Jonathon Whiskey
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;2003
*10 April 2003 (Radio Eins): Vyuga v Lesu
*11 November 2003: Dolya (LP - Suranov, A?) Лёгкие
*20 November 2003 (Radio Eins): Dolya (album - Suranov, A?) Лёгкие
*25 November 2003: L'amour Africain (LP: Suranov, A?) Лёгкие
*11 December 2003 (Radio Eins): Goran Phillips (album - Suranov, A?) Лёгкие
*18 December 2003 (Radio Eins): El L (LP - Suranov, A?) Лёгкие
*December 2003 (FSK): Hydrocomfort (CD - Suranov, A?) Лёгкие
;2004
*16 January 2004 (BBC World Service): Hydrocomfort (Album: Suranov, A?) Лёгкие
*20 January 2004: Hydrocomfort (Album: Suranov, A?) Лёгкие
*04 March 2004: Uran Defense (Album: Suranov, A?) Лёгкие
== See Also ==
*January 2001 (Peel's Record Box): Fotomoto (album)
*March 2001 (Peel's Record Box): Demo (album)
*August 2001 (Peel's Record Box): Fotomoto(3) (album)
*August 2002 (Peel's Record Box): Le Sport, La Musique (shared 7" with Workhouse - Hershel Whiskey 43) Jonathon Whiskey
*Ukraine
== External Links ==
* Discogs
* Official Website
Category:Artists