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From Russia with rockin' love for Detroit

Yermachenko's band, Polygon.
Credit Courtesy of Vladislav Yermachenko
Yermachenko's band, Polygon.

In recent years, Detroit hasn't just inspired local artists. It's also inspired artists across the world. Russian rocker Vladislav Yermachenko, drummer for a Kazakhstan-based Russian rock band Polygon, has been inspired by the city since childhood when his father gave him a book on the world’s automotive industry. After seeing pictures of Motor City-made cars, he fell in love with Detroit. He's now a journalist for automotive magazines.

But cars aren’t the only thing that has inspired Yermachenko. Detroit’s resilience in the face of struggle inspired him to write Polygon’s song, “Winners in This Life.” His love for cars and resilient nature show in his lyrics. 

Listen toYermachenkodescribe his song's message to Detroit here:

While inspired by Detroit and its automotive industry, Yermachenko has also been influenced by American artists like Alice Cooper and KISS. Although he has never been to the U.S., he hopes to visit Detroit someday.

And here, listen to the whole song, "Winners in this Life":

Check outthe lyrics below.

As long as you know yourself you’ve always been

Reaching for the top and your plan was to live to win

And catch your train

When it seems your energy is in vain

There’s a little thing you know to drive in the fast lane –

No pain, no gain

Show must go on despite this pain!

Keep moving through the wind and rain!

Come on get up off your knees!

Make it please! Yeah!

You are the winner in this life

You gotta keep your dreams alive

You are the one who stays the same

This is your way to win the game

Fight because you can!

And you will rise again!

If you are completely ready stop to play

Every day and every night you think of how to say

“Enough to beat for it…”

Go again! Don’t stop! Everything is nice!

Simple truth and good old secret tell: “No sacrifice,

No victory!”

It is still not time to die

Remember, you were born to fly

Leave in the past all your falls

Score goals! Yeah!

You are the winner in this life

You gotta keep your dreams alive

You are the one who stays the same

This is your way to win the game

Fight because you can!

And you will rise again,

And you will rise again,

And you will rise again!!!

We gotta get up and try

And we will finally touch the sky

We know time will call our name

It’s our aim!

We are the winners in this life

We gotta keep our dreams alive

We are the ones who stay the same

It’s our way to win the game

We are the winners in this life, yeah-yeah!

We are the winners in this life, yeah-yeah!

We were born to fly!

The dream will never die!

Russian rocker Vladislav Yermachenko joined us today on Stateside to talk about his Detroit-inspired song.

Copyright 2021 Michigan Radio. To see more, visit Michigan Radio.

Vladislav Yermachenko playing drums for Polygon
Courtesy of Vladislav Yermachenko /
Vladislav Yermachenko playing drums for Polygon

Karl Williams