Sergey Schnurov (Сергей Шнуров), also known as “Schnur”, was the front man of the wildly popular ska-punk outfit Leningrad (Ленинград) until 2008, and the punk band Ruble (Рубль). His nickname is derived from his last name and means “cord” or “wire” in Russian. Schnurov is especially known for his outspoken character and his often-scandalous live […]

Leningrad (Ленинград) is a hugely popular Russian rock band headed by Sergey “Schnur” Shnurov (Сергей Владимирович Шнуров). Leningrad combines elements of ska, punk, and shanson (шансон). The group is especially known for its use of mat (Russian profanity) and songs celebrating alcoholism. The band became rather well-known in the West after several of its songs […]

Korol i Shut (Король и Шут; King and Jester) is an iconic Russian punk band that existed from 1987 until the death of the band’s leader in 2014.  Their sound combined elements of horror-punk, hardcore, folk rock, and also showed a strong influence of rock n roll groups like The Beatles. In 1987, Leningrad classmates […]

Lyapis Trubetskoy (Russ: Ляпис Трубецкой, Belo: Ляпіс Трубяцкі) was a Belorussian band whose sound ranged over their twenty-five year career from punk rock to ska to folk. The band took their name from Il’f and Petrov’s 1927 novel Twelve Chairs (Двенадцать стульев), adopting the pen name of the novel’s main character. Lyapis Trubetskoy started in […]

Tarakany! (Тараканы!) was one of the first Russian punk bands to emerge after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Tarakany!, which translates to “Cockroaches!”, was formerly known as Four Cockroaches (Четыре таракана) until shortening their name in 1997. Tarakany!’s early work is straightforward punk rock in the vein of classic street punk bands […]