#MyMusicStory

Submitted by: Vladimir Rogov (Website,Twitter,Facebook,Instagram)

When I lived in Germany during the late '50s, the most popular singer was Freddy Quinn. Freddy played a small guitar and sang songs about the sea, far-away-places, lost love, and his motherland. I wanted to sing and play guitar like Freddy.

I was ten years of age as I sat by myself on the chipped cement steps that led to the common entrance to a building that survived Allied Bombing.

This building used to house the Luftwaffe personnel. After the war, the complex housed a multitude of displaced refugees —, Polish, Russian, Serb, Ukrainian…  The steps were the spot where residents often sat left and right, at either end without obstructing the stairs. Residents sat, talked, and watched the residents. 

One grey Sunday afternoon, I sat there alone. There was a stillness in the air as often is on Sunday after church. Coming around the corner, and about to walk right past me, came three of the toughest-ass dudes in the complex, singing Freddy's hit, 'Die Gitarre und Das Meer' (The Guitar and the Sea).

 I couldn't help myself as I blurted out, I can sing that song. All three badasses stopped and turned to me. In a deep voice, the tall badass answered, Oh yeah! Well, sing it. So I did. 'Ok, you can sing,' he said, 'but your voice is too high, come on with us.'

And that's how the biggest, badass dudes on my street became my friends. As a result, not too many troublemakers would want to pick a fight with me.

—

ROGOV is an artist who has shared the stage with luminaries such as Talking Heads, The B-52’s, The Pretenders, Rockpile and Elvis Costello. 

Collaborating with producer, Stacy Heydon, ROGOV kicks off the ’20’s with, “Mistakes are Beautiful,” from his upcoming Extended Play recording, ’Tourist.’ ROGOV’s ‘Mistakes are Beautiful, video showcases his return to Prince Edward County in Canada, after living for years in San Diego in Southern California.