Following yesterday’s news that three members of Russian agit-punk group Pussy Riot were sentenced to two years imprisonment by a court in Moscow, found guilty “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred;” The Guardian now reports that Russian authorities have begun the hunt for the other members of the band.
Though fellow bandmates Maria Alyokhina, 24, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29, were convicted for their staged performance/protest against the Russian Orthodox Church leader’s support of President Vladimir Putin, held at the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in May – Police are now searching for additional band members of the all-female lineup.
A spokesman for the Moscow police said that a “probe is currently ongoing” while “search activities are being conducted.”
Police did not clarify how many individuals they were searching for the missing members to arrest and convict them as well, or were wanted merely for questioning in connection with the controversial protest; but a police spokeswoman added that Moscow’s central district were seeking unidentified members in a criminal case that was now separate from that against the three performers that were tried.
At least two more members of Pussy Riot, who conceal their identity with their trademark balaclavas, were present at the “punk prayer” protest are still at large, but have made it known through interviews and social media that they plan further demonstrations against Putin and the Orthodox Church.
The Guardian points out during a recent interview, the incognito bandmates said the trail had only strengthened their resolve.
The sentencing handed down to Alyokhina, Tolokonnikova, and Samutsevich also sparked outrage in the music community, with high-profile acts the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paul McCartney, Peaches and Bjork all throwing their support behind the Russian punk band defendants.
Madonna even penned a statement on her website, the singer – who sported a Pussy Riot balaclava at a recent Russian concert – also threw her support behind the defendants and slammed the verdict as “too harsh” and “inhumane.”
The latest high-profile musician to add to the chorus of outcries is forthcoming Meredith Festival headliner Grimes, aka Canadian DIY artist Clare Boucher.
The pop futurist, who is of Ukranian-Russian descent, spoke to NME about the jailing of the three women.
Interestingly, she went to school in Russia “for a while, so I’m very familiar with it.” Further adding: “It’s funny to me because I think a lot of people are just realising now how fucked up Russia is… I’m not surprised at all that that situation is happening. I think it’s something that happens more than people know.”
Boucher added that support from musicians was the strongest course of action for the timebeing: “I think what’s being done, like Madonna and people going over there and performing, is all we can really hope for. Russia will slowly become more educated. Younger people are better. It’s going to be a matter of time before things die off. But it’s still a really racist, homophobic place.”
In related news, Boucher has begun work on the follow-up to her breakout 2012 album, Visions. In a recent interview, she hinted at a “more experimental” direction, along with a possible name change, “because I want to stick with this pop aesthetic as Grimes.”
Speaking of the potential sound of this new moniker, she added “I’ve been working on more percussive noise music and also a lot of straight vocal music. I want to make [both] dark percussive shit and vocal ranging and release an album that’s halfway between ethereal reggaeton and industrial dance music but is still very pop in its song [structures].”
Speaking to NME, Boucher added that she wanted to record in Japan, after listening to some of the nation’s more experimental sonic output. “I think the only way I can record is to leave a country where anyone speaks a language that I speak and go somewhere that’s really isolated, and I feel like Japan is really calm and quiet and I’m really influenced by Japanese stuff.”
Meanwhile, Pussy Riot have released a new track onlne entitled “Putin Lights Up The Fires” in light of their fellow bandmates’ conviction – which you can hear below:
