RADIO CHACHA (RADIO ЧАЧА) is a current punk band, led by punk-poet and NAIV vocalist Aleksandr “Chacha” Ivanov (Александр “Чача” Иванов). He started the group in 2009 when NAIV went on a hiatus for a couple of years. In an interview, Ivanov cited what he felt was NAIV’s lack of creative evolution, and his desire […]

Brigadnyi Podriad (Бригадный подряд) in Russian means “contract services”, a tounge-in-cheek reference to the bureaucratic side of Soviet culture. They are one of Russia’s most popular punk bands, known especially for their live shows. Brigadnyi Podriad‘s career started in Leningrad in 1986 when classmates Nikolar Mikhailov, Aleksandr “Santer” Lur’ianov, Fyodor “Behemoth” Lavrov, and Dmitri Babich […]

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 […]

Kipelov (Кипелов) is a Russian heavy metal band led by vocalist and composer Valery Kipelov (Валерий Кипелов). Kipelov formed the group in 2002, along with guitarist Sergey Terentev (Сергей Терентьев) and drummer Aleksandr Manyakin (Александр Манякин), after the breakup of their former band, Aria (Ария). Kipelov has made a name for themselves for their massive […]

Epidemia (Эпидемия) is a Russian power-metal band formed in 1993 by guitarist Yuri Melisov (Юрий Мелисов). Epidemia is best known for their concept albums, the three “metal operas” Elven Manuscript (Эльфийская рукопись), Elven Manuscript: Legend for All Time (Эльфийская рукопись: Сказание на все времена), and Enya’s Treasure (Сокровище Энии). Melisov, on vocals and guitar, recorded […]