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the devil came down to moscow
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- The artwork shown here is not official.
- "Mikhail Bulgakov's devastating satire of Soviet life was written
during the darkest period of Stalin's regime. Combining two distinct yet interwoven
parts - one set in ancient Jerusalem, one in contemporary Moscow - the novel veers from moods of wild
theatricality with violent storms, vampire attacks, and a Satanic ball; to such somber scenes as
the meeting of Pilate and Yeshua, and the murder of Judas in
the moonlit garden of Gethsemane; to the substanceless, circus-like reality of Moscow. Its central
characters, Woland (Satan) and his retinue-including the vodka-drinking, black cat, Behemoth;
the poet, Ivan Homeless; Pontius Pilate; and a writer known only as The Master,
and his passionate companion, Margarita - exist in a world that blends fantasy and chilling realism,
an artful collage of grostesqueries, dark comedy, and timeless ethical questions."
- "Although completed in 1940, The Master and Margarita was not published in Moscow
until 1966, when the first part appeared in the magazine Moskva. It was an immediate and enduring success:
Audiences responded with great enthusiasm to its expression of artistic and spiritual freedom." - Amazon description
- Whilst working on their 2005 album, Jim and
Charlie worked on a parallel project. By working on both, they allowed themselves the luxury of
avoiding writers block on both, switching when ideas or concepts weren't working.
- As a project, its idea was more heavyweight than the usual loose themed collection of songs comprising the usual Simple
Minds album. Basing their work on Bulgakov's The Master And The Margarita, a book steeped in
history and allegory, the Minds were working on musical narrative.
- Written during the Soviet crackdown of the 1930s, the book wasn't published until the 1960s, partly due to its strong
anti-Stalinist message.
- Simple Minds' version, entitled The Devil Came Down To Moscow, took formation during 2004. However,
with top priority given to the new album, a tour, a live DVD and a historical documentary of the group, this
collection might take a long time to see the light of day.
- The book can be purchased from Amazon.
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