Moralny codex

Moralny сodex (Russian: Моральный кодекс means moral code) is a Russian rock band founded in 1989 by famous Moscow producer and poet Pavel Zhagun and saxophonist Sergey Mazayev to play "reactive" big beat.

The debut album by Moralny codex was called Sotryasenie Mozga (Russian for "brain concussion"), and was filled with strict big-beat drums in combination with INXS-like guitar riffs and psycho lyrics by Zhagun. The song "Dosvidanya mama" (Russian for "goodbye mama") became a main single of this album. Several video clips were shot in 1990.

In the early 1990s, Moralny codex was recognized as the most promising and popular rock band in Russia but their second album Gibkij Stan (here "Slender Body") wasn't very successful. Some in-band disagreements appeared after this release, due to frontman Sergey Mazaev's problems with alcohol. The band temporarily left the Russian mainstream scene.

Their third album was entitled "I Choose You". It included two hit tracks: "Ya vybiraju tebja" & "Nochnoj kapriz" (Russian for "I choose you" and "Night caprise" respectively).

In 1997 Moralny codex started recording their fourth album, Horoshie Novosti ("Good News") which was finally released in 2000. This album had a brand-new sound and a lot of hit songs. It was a revival for the band.

In 2004 drummer Yuriy Kistenev left the band, and Mazaev invited new drummer Zechariah Sullivan from New York. After a while the band made some new recordings for the next album at the Abbey Road Studios in London. Chris Kimsey, who worked with Rolling Stones and INXS, was the record producer for the album Slavianskie Tancy ("Slavic Dances").

The band played a popular set on the Moscow stage as part of the 2005 Live 8 concert.

Personnel