Leningrad (band)


Leningrad, also known as Gruppirovka Leningrad and Bandformirovanie Leningrad, is a popular Russian rock band from Saint Petersburg, led by Sergey "Shnur" Shnurov.
Composed of 14 members, the band was founded in the late 1990s. Leningrad worked in Gypsy punk style and soon became notorious for vulgar lyrics and celebration of drinking. As a result, most radio stations initially avoided the band, which did not stop Leningrad's growing popularity, partly for purely aesthetic reasons, such as the rich brass sound. The band eventually made its way to radio and TV. Shnurov even presented several New Year's Eve TV shows.
In 2007, the group began experimenting with female backup vocals, finally choosing jazz singer Yuliya Kogan as a permanent band member.
Leningrad disbanded in 2008, and then reunited in 2010. Several new songs and videos have been released since, most of them featuring lead vocals by Kogan rather than Shnurov. In March 2019, Shnurov announced, through his daily Instagram poem, that Leningrad would disband by the end of the year, after a farewell tour.

Cultural impact

As Shnurov said himself: "Our songs are just about the good sides of life: vodka and girls that is."
The band was so disliked by the then-mayor of Moscow, Yuriy Luzhkov, that he cancelled all of its attempted large-scale events in the city during his term in office. Leningrad's numerous performances in Moscow were therefore limited to privately owned night clubs and bars.
A particular focus of the band's lyrics are mainstream cultural and political clichés. Kandidaty - pidory, the refrain of their 2007 song "Vybory", became a widespread post-Soviet meme referring to electoral abstention. The 2010 song I Bolsche Nikovo 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 by covering the songs of popular performers and then inviting them to appear with Leningrad live on stage.

Soundtracks

Leningrad songs appeared in several popular pulp and crime films, 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. In 2015, Leningrad's song "Lastochka" was featured in the ending credits of the 2014 mockumentary film What We Do in the Shadows.

Current line-up

YearTitleTranslationOther information
1997ПуляBullet
1999Мат без электричестваMat without the electricity
2000ДачникиDacha People
2001Пуля+ Bullet+
2001Пуля+ Bullet+
2001Маде ин жопаMade in the Ass
2002Пираты XXI векаPirates of the 21st Century
2002ТочкаPointContains the song "Money"
2003Ленинград уделывает Америку Leningrad does America
2003Ленинград уделывает Америку Leningrad does America
2003Второй МагаданскийSecond Magadan
2003Для миллионовFor The MillionsContains the song "Меня зовут Шнур"
2004БабароботFembot
2004 Полное собрание сочинений Collected WorksGreatest Hits Record
2005ХуйняBullshitCollaboration with The Tiger Lillies
2006ХлебBread
2006Бабье летоIndian Summer
2007АврораAurora
2011ХнаHenna
2011Вечный огоньThe Eternal Fire
2012РыбаFish
2014ФаршMinced Meat
2014Пляж нашThe Beach Is Ours
2018Всякое''Random ThingsInternet release

Videography