Russian

Aleksandr Galich (Александр Галич; originally Ginzburg) was a Russian/Ukrainian singer-songwriter, bard, poet, and Soviet dissident who died in 1977. He is well-known enough, and beloved enough, to be mentioned in the same breath as Vysotsky. He was born in present-day Ukraine (Dnepropetrovsk) to a family who enjoyed, though did not create or participate in, music […]

The Master and Margarita (Мастер и Маргарита) is a 2005 TV miniseries based on the fantastical, bizarre, venerable book by Mikhail Bulgakov (Михаил Булгаков). Bulgakov, a Russian/Ukrainian/Soviet writer born in Kyiv, was one of the most esteemed writers of the Soviet period, though his works, of which The Master and Margarita is the most famous, […]

The Island (Остров) is a 2006 Russian drama directed by Pavel Lungin (Павел Лунгин). Lungin is one of Russia’s most well-established and well-respected contemporary filmmakers, and The Island is a valuable part of his directorial portfolio. The film takes place in a secluded monastery on the White Sea. Anatoly is a monk who lives in […]

Paperny T.A..M… (Паперный Т.А..М…) is a Russian music group that was founded in Moscow shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union. Its leader is Aleksey Mikhailovich Paperniy (Алексей Михайлович Паперный; the T.A..M… stands for “fellowship of actors and musicians” (товарищество актёров и музыкантов), though information about the strange system of periods/ellipses is not forthcoming. […]

Vladimir Vysotsky (Владимир Высоцкий) was one of the most celebrated figures of the late Soviet underground cultural scene. He is best known as a Russian singer, performer, and poet and one of the founders of the Soviet bard tradition, but he was also an inspiration for many members of Soviet society who disagreed with the […]

Vysotsky, Thank You for Being Alive (Высоцкий. Спасибо, что живой!) is a 2011 biopic about legendary Russian bard and singer-songwriter Vladimir Vysotsky (Владимир Высоцкий). Vysotsky, who died in 1980, is one of the best-loved cultural figures in Russian and Soviet history. There have been numerous books and movies made about him, in addition to his […]

Nervy (Нервы; “nerves”) is a Ukrainian alternative-rock band led by singer and pianist Zhenya Milkovskiy (Женя Мильковский). He formed the band in 2010 after his solo career, which he had begun several years earlier, didn’t yield the results he wanted. The original members of the band were Milkovskiy (vocals, guitar), Dmitry Dudka (Дмитрий Дудка; bass guitar), […]

Perfect is a Polish rock band founded in 1977. It was fantastically popular in its early years and has continued to enjoy success even up to the present day, despite breaking up and getting back together multiple times. The original members of the band were Wojciech Morawski (drums), Zdzislaw Zawadzki (bass guitar), Paweł Tabaka (keyboards), […]