A farewell ceremony was held in St. Petersburg for Anatoly “George” Gunitsky, a poet, rock journalist, and co-founder of the band “Aquarium,” following his death on June 5 at the age of 72. The ceremony took place at the St. Petersburg crematorium.

Friends, colleagues, and prominent figures from the rock club and Leningrad rock scene attended the ceremony to pay their respects to Gunitsky. Attendees included musicians, poets, artists, photographers, and journalists such as Dmitry Shagin, Will Usov, Alexander Semenov, Andrei Burlaka, Anton Belyankin, and Mikhail Novitsky.

Gunitsky was honored with applause during the ceremony. He was known as an absurdist poet whose work formed the basis for many “Aquarium” songs. He founded the band with his school friend Boris Grebenshchikov.

Yuri Shevchuk, the leader of “DDT,” attended the farewell ceremony and delivered warm remarks about Gunitsky, praising him as a brave thinker and an authority. Shevchuk emphasized Gunitsky’s insightful analysis of their work and his significant influence on their music. A wreath from “DDT” was placed by the coffin.

Boris Grebenshchikov, who currently resides outside Russia, announced Gunitsky’s death and provided details about the farewell ceremony on social media. He remembered Gunitsky as a special poet whose unique use of the Russian language was unparalleled.

Vsevolod Gakkel, a former member of “Aquarium,” explained his decision not to lay a wreath on behalf of the band, citing its dissolution and the dispersal of its members. An album of Gunitsky’s poems was released in 2015 with contributions from various musicians, including Boris Grebenshchikov, Yuri Shevchuk, and Vyacheslav Butusov, to support him.