| BI-2 | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Origin | Babruysk/Minsk |
| Genres | Alternative rock Indie-Rock Post punk Russian Rock New Wave Pop-Rock |
| Years active | 1988–1991, 1998-present |
| Associated acts | Agatha Christie, Splean |
| Website | Official Site |
| Members | |
| Lyova Bi-2 (Igor Bortnik) Shura Bi-2 (Alexandr Uman) Andrey Zvonkov Maxim Andrusschenko Boris Lifshitz Yanik Nikolenko |
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Bi-2 (Russian: Би-2) is a Russian rock band with Belarusian origin, formed in the 80's in Minsk, Belarus. It was one of the most successful with many sales and chart-hits in Russia. Bi-2 was awarded MTV Russian Music Awards for Best Rock Act in 2007.
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The band was formed in 1985 in Minsk, Belarus by two teenagers, Aleksandr "Shura" Uman and Yegor "Lyova" Bortnik, who were amateur actors. Initially the band's name was "Bratya po Oruzhiyu" (Brothers in Arms), which was formed in 1988, then "Bereg Istini" (Shore of Truth), which resulted in abbreviation BI-2. This word Lyova and Shura begun to use as their scenic names, and Shura eventually changed his passport surname to Bi-II.
In the beginning of the 90s the two moved to Israel and as Jews received citizenship, but in 1993 Shura moved to Australia while Lyova remained and served in the Israel Defense Forces. During this time, Lyova and Shura continued to compose music together, exchanging their records and tabs via Internet and phone. In Australia Shura, together with Dino Molinaro of Ikon, and Michael Aliani, former member of Ikon, formed the darkwave band Chiron. In 1998 Leva moved to Australia and joined Chiron as well, but the two left the project in less than two years to continue with their own band.
In 1999 Bi-2 moved to Russia, where they previously tried to release their already recorded album "Bespolaya i Grustnaya Lubov" (Genderless and Sad Love, 1998), but their plans were ruined by Russian financial crisis of 1998, which affected the record business. As of 1999, the band consisted only of two men, but the lineup soon was increased by sessional musicians. The band went up to popularity only in 2000, recording the score for popular Brother 2 movie by Aleksei Balabanov. Several score songs, included in Bi-2 eponymous debut album, shook rock radio charts, including the influential Nashe Radio chart.
Bi-2 continued with "Meow Kiss Me" (2001) and "Inomarki" (2004), both sold gold in Russia. Each of their albums included duet records with other rock musicians from such bands as Splean, ChayF, Nochniye Snaiperi, Zemfira, and others. Videos for Bi-2 songs often appear at MTV Russia. In 2005 the double CD "Nechetny Voin" was released, which consisted completely of duets and collaborations.