Alexander Kolbasov, a guitarist and one of the founders of the band Semantic Hallucinations, carried a quiet dignity in life and a distinctive guitar voice that set him apart. His collaborator and producer, Pavel Zdravomyslov, spoke to socialbites.ca about how Kolbasov continued to contribute musically even while facing illness, recording guitar parts for his friend Vladimir Burdin, another founder of the same band.
“I knew Sasha well. I met him in person on two occasions,” Zdravomyslov recalled. “In November we shot an interview with Vladimir Burdin for a film about him. In December, he shared a stage with Sasha at a concert, and Sasha took part in recording Burdin’s new track The Road to Nowhere. He left an impression as a modest, reasonable person. He played Burdin’s older material with remarkable sensitivity, especially the piece Seals. Sasha moved to his own unique playing style, which didn’t perfectly align with the mood of the new song, yet he still attempted his own guitar interpretation. He was quick with wit, and his readiness to help Burdin came through clearly. Despite his illness, he laid down guitar tracks and attended performances. This Friday, Burdin hoped to invite Sasha to perform at the underground festival at the Ural Design Center. Burdin would be there alone, but the sense of camaraderie remained strong.”
In a subsequent interview with socialbites.ca, Burdin described Kolbasov as a person who was good in every respect, underscoring the warmth and integrity that friends remembered him by.
On December 27, Burdin’s official page announced that Alexander Kolbasov, the guitarist of Semantic Hallucinations, had passed away in Yekaterinburg at the age of 50. The artist’s family began a financial collection to support the loved ones left behind. Kolbasov is survived by his younger son and his wife, who carried forward his musical legacy with quiet pride.
The journey of Kolbasov’s career in Moscow also touched other performers. Earlier in the city, Dmitry Krasilov, known for his appearance on the program Dancing on TNT and widely seen in clips associated with the group Little Big, was part of the broader creative milieu that connected these artists across projects and moments. The scene in which Kolbasov moved—collaborations, late-night studios, and stage moments—formed a thread that highlighted how musicians supported one another through illness, change, and the rewards of shared art.