{{Short description|Russian singer-songwriter (1958–1991)}} {{for|his son|Igor Talkov Jr.}} {{family name hatnote|Vladimirovich|Talkov|lang=Eastern Slavic}} {{Expand Russian|topic=cult|date=April 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Igor Talkov<br />{{small|Игорь Тальков}} | image = ITalkov.jpg | caption = Talkov in 1991 | image_size = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = Igor Vladimirovich Talkov | birth_date = {{Birth date|1956|11|04|df=yes}} | birth_place = Gretsovka, Shchyokinsky District, Tula Oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union | death_date = {{Death date and age|1991|10|06|1956|11|04|df=yes}} | death_place = Saint Petersburg, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union | residence = | alma_mater = | occupation = singer-songwriter, film actor | years_active = 1973–1991 | spouse = | title = | website = | signature = | genre = {{flat list| * Russian rock * Bard * New wave * russian chanson }} | instrument = {{flat list| * Vocals * Guitar * Bass guitar * Accordion * Piano * Drum kit }} }}
'''Igor Vladimirovich Talkov''' ({{langx|ru|link=no|И́горь Влади́мирович Талько́в}}; 4 November 1956 – 6 October 1991), was a Russian rock singer-songwriter and film actor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://beautifulrus.com/igor-talkov-rock-musician/|title=Igor Talkov – rock musician|date=1 February 2014|website=Russian Personalities|language=ru|access-date=31 October 2019}}</ref> His breakthrough came in 1987 with the David Tukhmanov-composed song ''Clean Ponds'' which was an instant hit. Talkov's lyrics are mostly about love, but also contain social critique of the Soviet regime.<ref name="www.talkov.info">{{Cite web|url=http://www.talkov.info/pages/article_01.php|title=Памяти Игоря Талькова посвящается... Статьи|website=www.talkov.info}}</ref> He was shot dead in 1991.<ref name="Бондаренко В.">{{Cite web|url=http://www.zavtra.ru/cgi/veil/data/zavtra/04/549/71.html|title=Воскрешение поверженного в бою}}</ref>
==Early life and career== Igor Talkov was born in Gretsovka, Tula Oblast, Soviet Union on 4 November 1956.<ref name=russia-ic>{{Cite web|url=http://russia-ic.com/people/general/t/134/|title=Igor Talkov Popular singer, poet, composer, and film actor:: people:: Russia-InfoCentre|website=russia-ic.com|access-date=31 October 2019}}</ref> He grew up in Shchyokino.<ref name="allrus">{{Cite web|url=https://allrus.me/russian-singer-igor-talkov/|title=Russian culture|date=17 August 2013|website=Russian culture|language=ru|access-date=31 October 2019}}</ref> After leaving the army, Talkov started singing in the restaurants of Moscow and Sochi.<ref name="allrus"/>
Igor Talkov joined Electroclub band in 1986. Talkov's breakthrough came in 1987 with the David Tukhmanov-composed song ''Clean Ponds'' which was an instant hit.<ref name=russia-ic/> While he is mostly remembered for songs about love and fate, most of his work held a clearly political message against the Soviet regime, calling for change. This is one of the reasons why Talkov was never popular with the Soviet government; even as a performer renowned and loved throughout the whole Soviet Union, he lived in a small two-room apartment with his wife and son, composing his lyrics and music "on top of the washing machine in the bathroom", according to the rumours.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKRTzlZr_DA&t=2314 Russia Pain of My Soul] Igor Talkov (interview)</ref> He was not satisfied with Perestroika, claiming it to be nothing but the same regime under a different guise.<ref name="Русская линия">{{Cite web|url=http://rusk.ru/st.php?idar=110185|title=Русская линия / Библиотека периодической печати: Сделал дело — и пой смело!|website=rusk.ru}}</ref> In his post-Perestroika songs, he openly mocked the changes, calling them a ruse.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://talkov-music.narod.ru/txt/way.html|title=Крестный путь Игоря Талькова|website=talkov-music.narod.ru}}</ref> Talkov was an avid reader of pre-revolutionary Russian history, which served as the inspiration for many of his songs. He even guaranteed at his last concert that he was willing to "back up" his lyrics with historical facts.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://anna-katerik.narod.ru/fan.html | title = Игорь Тальков — гений XX века | accessdate = 2008-06-07 }}</ref>
Talkov also made a brief appearance in the cinema, acting in the films ''Behind the Last Line'' and ''Tsar Ivan the Terrible''. The latter film he disliked, apologising to a preview audience for participating in the film.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN7J4WsVgkM|title=Тальков о фильме "Князь Серебряный"|author=stihiya|website=YouTube |date=3 June 2011 |accessdate=2018-12-17}}</ref> Since Talkov refused to complete post-production sound on the film, his character was voiced by another actor.<ref name="ТальковМладший">{{cite web |url=https://www.ampravda.ru/2016/11/08/070857.html |title=Игорь Тальков-младший: "Отец был бы спортивным, успешным и счастливым" |date=2016-11-08 |publisher=Амурская Правда |accessdate=2018-04-25}} </ref><ref>[https://tass.ru/info/5790810 Расследование убийства Игоря Талькова. Факты]</ref>
Talkov's songs also have much in common – particularly from a lyrical perspective – with Russian bard music.<ref name="1tv.ru">{{Cite web|url=https://www.1tv.ru/doc|title=Документальные фильмы. Первый канал|website=1tv.ru}}</ref><ref name="Досье">{{Cite web|url=https://to-name.ru/historical-events/igor-talkov.htm|title=Игорь Владимирович Тальков — биография|website=to-name.ru}}</ref><ref>[http://txts.mgou.ru/vestnik/2009/rusfil_1_2009.pdf#page=155 Отечественная бардовская и рок-поэзия с точки зрения её национальных особенностей]</ref>
==Death== According to Talkov's wife, Tatyana and son Igor Jr., in the last months of the singer's life, he received threats.<ref name="Сын">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bulvar.com.ua/arch/2005/24/43428d8689ea5/|title=Игорь Тальков-младший: "Незадолго до смерти отец жутко ругался по телефону"}}</ref>
Many performers performed at the concert, which took place on 6 October 1991 in St. Petersburg at the Yubileiny Sports Palace. A friend of the singer Aziza, at her request, asked Igor Talkov to perform first, since Aziza did not have time to prepare for the exit. Talkov called the singer's guard, Igor Malakhov, to his dressing room, and a verbal conflict occurred between them. After that, two guards and Igor Talkov took Igor Malakhov out of the dressing room. Talkov began to prepare for his performance, but a few minutes later, the administrator of his Lifebuoy group, Valery Shlyafman, ran up to him, shouting that Malakhov had taken out a revolver. Talkov pulled out a gas pistol from his bag, which he had acquired for self-defence, ran into the corridor and, seeing that his guards were at gunpoint of Igor Malakhov, fired three shots at him. Malakhov bent down, and the guards, taking advantage of this delay, began to neutralise him. Then he fired two shots, but one bullet hit the floor, and the second – into the box with the equipment. The guards began to beat the shooter, and, covering his head, he dropped his revolver. A few moments later, another shot rang out, which hit Igor Talkov in the chest. An hour later, when the ambulance team arrived, the doctors immediately stated biological death.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
The prosecutor's office opened a criminal case. Igor Malakhov, who was put on the all-Union wanted list, voluntarily came to confess 10 days later. In December 1991, the charge of premeditated murder was dropped. After conducting examinations in April 1992, the investigation established that the last shot was made by Valery Schlyafman, Talkov's one-time manager.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.talkov.nnov.ru/texts/shlaf.htm |title=Потому что Шляфман |accessdate=2018-07-20 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731002530/http://www.talkov.nnov.ru/texts/shlaf.htm |archivedate=2018-07-31}}</ref> However, in February 1992, the defendant left for Israel, with which Russia did not have an extradition agreement at the time, and the murder case was suspended. In November 2018, the Investigative Committee resumed its investigation into the singer's murder.<ref https"dw.com">{{cite web|url=https://m.dw.com/ru/%D0%B2-%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BA%D1%82-%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B1%D1%83%D1%80%D0%B3%D0%B5-%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B7%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B8-%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5-%D1%83%D0%B1%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B0-%D0%B8%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%8F-%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0/a-46277673|title=В Санкт-Петербурге возобновили расследование убийства Игоря Талькова|author=Виталий Кропман|website=Deutsche Welle|date=2018-11-13|accessdate=2021-10-25}}</ref>
==Aftermath== While Valery Schlyafman was suspected of the murder by a Russian court in 1992, he fled through Ukraine to Israel before he could be arrested.<ref name=russia-ic/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rucriminal.info/en/material/kto-prikryval-ubiycu-igorya-talkova|title=Who covered up the murderer of Igor Talkov|website=rucriminal.info|language=en|access-date=31 October 2019}}</ref> He remains in Israel to this day, insisting he is not guilty of the crime while Israel refuses to extradite him. Schlyafman and his supporters have claimed that the KGB orchestrated the murder.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vesti.ru/article/1991870|title=Обвиняемый в убийстве Игоря Талькова прервал молчание|website=vesti.ru}}</ref>
In 1999, Talkov was honoured with his image portrayed on a Russian postage stamp. There is an Igor Talkov Museum in Moscow.<ref name="ТальковМладший"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.talkov.info/en/museum.php|title=Dedicated to memory of Igor Talkov... The museum|website=talkov.info|access-date=31 October 2019}}</ref>
==Popular songs== * ''Clean Ponds'' ({{langx|ru|Чистые пруды}}) * ''Summer Rain'' (Летний дождь) * Russia (Россия) * ''My Love'' (Моя любовь) * ''Ex-Podesaul'' (Бывший подъесаул) * ''At Your Window'' (У твоего окна) * ''My Homeland'' (Родина моя) * ''KPSS'' (КПСС) * ''Scene'' (Сцена) * ''Memory'' (Память) * ''An Exemplary Boy'' (Примерный мальчик) * ''Stop! I Think to Myself'' (Стоп! Думаю себе) * ''Kremlin Wall'' (Кремлёвская стена) * ''The Lifebuoy'' (Спасательный круг) * ''Gentlemen Democrats'' (Господа демократы) * ''Mr. President'' (Господин президент) * ''I'll Be Back'' (Я вернусь)
==See also== * List of unsolved murders (1980–1999)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Find a Grave|9044}} {{in lang|ru}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Talkov, Igor}} Category:1956 births Category:1991 deaths Category:20th-century Russian male singers Category:20th-century Russian poets Category:20th-century Russian male writers Category:Burials at Vagankovo Cemetery Category:Deaths by firearm in Russia Category:Deaths by firearm in the Soviet Union Category:Russian chanson Category:Russian male poets Category:Russian male singer-songwriters Category:Russian singer-songwriters Category:Russian murder victims Category:Soviet murder victims Category:Russian people of German descent Category:Russian rock singers Category:Soviet dissidents Category:Soviet male singer-songwriters Category:Soviet singer-songwriters Category:Unsolved murders in Russia Category:Unsolved murders in the Soviet Union Category:Russian anti-communists Category:Soviet anti-communists