Leningrad (band)

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Leningrad

Leningrad performing in 2007. Shnurov (left) and Baretsky
Background information
Also known as Gruppirovka Leningrad
Origin Saint Petersburg, Russia
Genres Ska-punk
Ska
Shanson
Punk rock
Years active 1997–2008 2010–
Labels Gala Records
O.G.I. Records
Website Official website
Members Sergei Shnurov
Vyacheslav Antonov
Aleksandr Popov
Andrey Antonenko
Denis Mozhin
Grigoriy Zontov
Roman Parygin
Alice Vox-Burmistrova
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 a lot of 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.

Cultural impact

As Shnurov said himself: "Our songs are just about the good sides of life, vodka and girls that is." Several of Leningrad's recent songs portray women (using Yuliya Kogan's voice) worshiping man's penis.[1]

The band are known to be so disliked by the mayor of Moscow Yuriy Luzhkov, that he has cancelled all of their ever attempted large-scale events in the city during his long term in office.[2] Thus Leningrad's numerous performances in Moscow were limited to privately owned night clubs or bars.

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. 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, guitar, bass (1997 - 2008, 2010 - present)
  • Alice Vox-Burmistrova (Алиса Вокс-Бурмистрова)- vocals, backing vocals (2012 - present)
  • Vyacheslav "Sevych" Antonov (Вячеслав "Севыч" Антонов ) - backing vocals, maracas (2000 - 2008, 2010 - present)
  • Aleksandr "Puzo" Popov (Александр "Пузо" Попов) - bass drum, percussion, vocals (1997 - 2008, 2010 - present)
  • Andrey "Antonych" Antonenko (Андрей "Антоныч" Антоненко) - tuba, arrangement, accordion, keyboards (1997 - 2008, 2010 - present)
  • Grigoriy "Zontik" Zontov (Григорий "Зонтик" Зонтов) - tenor saxophone (2002 - 2008, 2010 - present)
  • Roman "Shukher" Parygin (Роман "Шухер" Парыгин) - trumpet (2002 - 2008, 2010 - present)
  • Andrey "Ded" Kurayev (Андрей "Дед" Кураев) - bass (2002 - 2008, 2010 - present)
  • Ilya "Pianist" Rogachevskiy (Илья "Пианист" Рогачевский) - keyboard (2002 - 2008, 2010 - present)
  • Konstantin "Limon" Limonov (Константин "Лимон" Лимонов) - guitar (2002 - 2008, 2010 - present)
  • Vladislav "Valdik" Aleksandrov (Владислав "Валдик" Александров) - trombone (2002 - 2008, 2010 - present)
  • Aleksey Kanev "Lekha" (Алексей "Лёха" Канев) - baritone saxophone, alto saxophone (2002 - 2008, 2010 - present)
  • Denis Mozhin (Денис Можин) - sound director (2002 - 2008), drums (2010 - present)
  • Aleksey "Micksher" Kalinin (Алексей "Микшер" Калинин) - drums, percussion (1997 - 2002, 2006-2008, 2010 - present)

Past members

  • Yuliya "Yulia" Kogan (Юлия "Юля" Коган) - vocals, backing vocals (2007 -2008, 2010 - 2013)
  • Igor Vdovin (Игорь Вдовин) - vocal, guitar (1997 - 1999)
  • Roman "Romero" Fockin (Роман "Ромеро" Фокин) - saxophone (1997 - 2002)
  • Alexander "Sashko" Privalov (Александр "Сашко" Привалов) - trumpet (1998 - 2002)
  • Oleg Sokolov (Олег Соколов) - trumpet (1997 - 1998)
  • Vasiliy "Grasshopper" Savin (Василий "Кузнечик" Савин) - trombone (1998 - 2002)
  • Dmitry "Antenna" Melnikov (Дмитрий "Антенна" Мельников) - drums (2000 - 2002)
  • Ilya "Dracula" Ivashov (Илья "Дракула" Ивашов) - tuba (1997 - 2002)
  • Stas Baretsky (Стас Барецкий) - dancing and mascot (2005 - 2008)
  • Denis "Kashchey" Kuptsov (Денис "Кащей" Купцов) - drums (2002 - 2008)
  • Michael Gopack (Михаил Гопак) - trombone (2002)
  • Daniil "Dan" Kalashnick (Даниил "Дэн" Калашник) - guitar (1999 - 2002)
  • Maxim Temnov (Максим Темнов) - bass, double bass (2001 - 2002)
  • Sergei Arsenyev (Сергей Арсеньев) - accordion (2001)

Discography

Year Title Translation Other information
1999ПуляBullet
1999Мат без электричестваMat without the electricity (idiomatically, "Mat Unplugged" or "Acoustic Mat"
2000ДачникиDacha People
2001Пуля+ (Диск 1)Bullet+ (Disc 1)
2001Пуля+ (Диск 2)Bullet+ (Disc 2)
2001Маде ин жопаMade in the Ass
2002Пираты XXI векаPirates of the 21st Century
2002ТочкаPoint Contains the song "Money"
2003Ленинград уделывает Америку (Диск 1)Leningrad does America (Disc 1)
2003Ленинград уделывает Америку (Диск 2)Leningrad does America (Disc 2)
2003Второй МагаданскийSecond Magadan
2003Для миллионовFor MillionsContains the song "Меня зовут Шнур".
2004БабароботFembot
2004(Не) Полное собрание сочинений(Un) Collected Works Greatest Hits Record
2005ХуйняBullshitCollaboration with The Tiger Lillies.
2006ХлебBreadGerman release of Хлеб
2006Бабье летоIndian Summer
2007АврораAurora
2011Khna|ХнаHenna
2011Vechny Ogon|Вечный огоньThe Eternal FireInternet release, wasn't released on CD yet
2012Ryba|РыбаFish

References

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ Запрещенная Лужковым группа «Ленинград» выступит в поддержку его соперника Лебедева
  3. ↑ Official MP3 release, additionally ridiculing Madonna.
  4. ↑ appearing on the set list for a mock Russian-themed radio station in the game called Vladivostok FM.

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