- Leningrad (band)
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Leningrad 
Leningrad performing in 2007. Shnurov (left) and BaretskyBackground information Also known as Gruppirovka Leningrad Origin Saint Petersburg, Russia Genres Rock
Ska
ShansonYears active 1997–2008 2010– Labels Gala Records
O.G.I. RecordsWebsite Official website Members Sergei Shnurov
Juliya Kogan
Vyacheslav Antonov
Aleksandr Popov
Andrey Antonenko
Denis Mozhin
Grigoriy Zontov
Roman Parygin
Denis Kuptsov
Andrey Kurayev
Ilya Rogachevskiy
Konstantin Limonov
Vladislav Aleksandrov
Aleksey Kanev "Lekha"Leningrad (Russian: Ленинград), also known as Gruppirovka Leningrad (Russian: Группировка "Ленинград") and Bandformirovanie Leningrad (Russian: Бандформирование "Ленинград"), is a popular Russian ska punk band from Saint Petersburg (formerly Leningrad), led by Sergey "Shnur" Shnurov.
Composed of 14 members, the band appeared in the late 1990s. They soon became famous for their vulgar lyrics containing obscenity, aestheticization of alcoholism and Russian mat, the main reason they were avoided by most radio stations at first. But this did not stop Leningrad's growing popularity, partly because of the rich brass sound. The band have made their way to radio and TV (filler noises covering the prohibited words), with Shnurov even presenting some New Year's Eve TV shows.
Circa 2007 the group began experimenting with female back vocals, finally choosing tall redhead jazz singer Yuliya Kogan as a permanent participant.
Disbanded in 2008, Leningrad reunited in 2010. Several new songs and videos have been released since, most of them featuring lead vocals by Kogan, not Shnur.
Contents
Cultural impact
As Shnurov said himself: "Our songs are just about the good sides of life, vodka and girls that is." Several Leningrad's recent songs portray woman (by Yuliya Kogan's voice) worshipping man's penis.[1]
The band are known to be so disliked by the former mayor of Moscow Yuriy Luzhkov, that he has cancelled all of their ever attempted public events in the city during his long term in office.[2]
Another field of the band's artistic interests are mainstream cultural and political clichés. 2007 song Vybory's final string Kandidaty - pidory ("Candidates are faggots") became a widespread post-Soviet meme referring to the election abstention. Fresh 2010 song I Bolsche Nikogo ("And Nobody Else (That I Love")[3] addresses Saint Petersburg's intended image as "Russia's cultural capital", ridiculed with the use of mat and references to alcoholism and street crime.
Shnurov is also fond of ridiculing Russian pop music and pop rock, particularly by covering their songs and inviting their stars to perform live together.
Soundtracks
Leningrad songs appeared in several popular films, mostly those of pulp and crime inclination, notably DMB and Bimmer. Three songs by Leningrad appeared prominently on the soundtrack to the 2005 film Everything Is Illuminated. "Nikogo Ne Zhalko" is one of the songs used in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV.[4]
Current line-up
- Sergei "Shnur" Shnurov (Сергей "Шнур" Шнуров) - vocals, arrangement, lyrics
- Yuliya "Yulia" Kogan (Юлия "Юля" Коган) - vocals, backing vocals
- Vyacheslav "Sevych" Antonov (Вячеслав "Севыч" Антонов ) - backing vocals, maracas
- Aleksandr "Puzo" Popov (Александр "Пузо" Попов) - bass drum, percussion, vocals
- Andrey "Antonych" Antonenko (Андрей "Антоныч" Антоненко) - tuba, arrangement
- Denis Mozhin (Денис Можин) - sound director
- Grigoriy "Zontik" Zontov (Григорий "Зонтик" Зонтов) - tenor saxophone
- Denis "Kashchey" Kuptsov (Денис "Кащей" Купцов) - drums
- Roman "Shukher" Parygin (Роман "Шухер" Парыгин) - trumpet
- Andrey "Ded" Kurayev (Андрей "Дед" Кураев) - bass
- Ilya "Pianist" Rogachevskiy (Илья "Пианист" Рогачевский) - keyboard
- Konstantin "Limon" Limonov (Константин "Лимон" Лимонов) - guitar
- Vladislav "Valdik" Aleksandrov (Владислав "Валдик" Александров) - trombone
- Aleksey Kanev "Lekha" (Алексей "Лёха" Канев) - baritone saxophone, alto saxophone
- Stas Baretsky (Стас Барецкий) - dancing and mascot
Discography
Year Title Translation Other information 1999 Пуля Bullet 1999 Мат без электричества Mat without the electricity 2000 Дачники Dacha People 2001 Пуля+ (Диск 1) Bullet+ (Disc 1) 2001 Пуля+ (Диск 2) Bullet+ (Disc 2) 2001 Маде ин жопа Made in the Ass 2002 Пираты XXI века Pirates of the 21st Century 2002 Точка Point Contains the song "Money" 2003 Ленинград уделывает Америку (Диск 1) Leningrad does America (Disc 1) 2003 Ленинград уделывает Америку (Диск 2) Leningrad does America (Disc 2) 2003 Второй Магаданский Second Magadan 2003 Для миллионов For Millions Contains the song "Меня зовут Шнур". 2004 Бабаробот Fembot 2004 (Не) Полное собрание сочинений (Un) Collected Works Greatest Hits Record 2005 Хуйня Bullshit Collaboration with The Tiger Lillies. 2006 Хлеб Bread German release of Хлеб 2006 Бабье лето Indian Summer 2007 Аврора Aurora 2011 Хна Henna 2011 Вечный огонь The Eternal Fire Internet release, wasn't released on CD yet References
- ^ Sladkyi Son ("Sweet Dream") official MP3 release, Pizdabol ("Cheap Talker") official MP3 release. One more song, Ne Mozhet Byt ("It Can't Be True"), released through YouTube only.
- ^ Запрещенная Лужковым группа «Ленинград» выступит в поддержку его соперника Лебедева
- ^ Official MP3 release, additionally ridiculing Madonna.
- ^ appearing on the set list for a mock Russian-themed radio station in the game called Vladivostok FM.
External links
Categories:- Musical groups established in 1997
- Musical groups disestablished in 2008
- Russian punk rock groups
- Third-wave ska groups
- Russian culture
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