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Kino: Russian rock

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The greatest russian rock band

KNHO (spelled ki' no) was a rock band in Soviet Union in '80s. But it wasn't just another rock band. Viktor Tsoi and his crew made an influence on lots of young people.

The main phenomenon of this band is that people keep on listening to their songs still.

The Kino

The band was formed in the summer of 1981 in Leningrad, USSR (now St. Petersburg, Russia) as rock band "Garin i giperboloidy" (Garin & The Hyperboloids, after Aleksei Nikolaevich Tolstoi's novel "The Hyperboloid of Engineer Garin") consisting of Tsoi, Aleksei Rybin and Oleg Valinskiy. A year later, the name of the band was changed to Kino.

Since rock music was considered a "bourgeois style" in Soviet Union, Kino, like the other rock bands, performed only in semi-underground clubs and at musicians' apartments (kvartirniks).

All Kino songs were written by Viktor Tsoi. His lyrics are characterized by a poetic simplicity. The ideas of liberty were present (one song was named "Mother Anarchy") but, on the whole, the band's message to the public was not overly politically charged, except for themes of freedom. Their songs largely focused on life, freedom and love. Daily life is embedded in Kino's vocabulary (for instance, there is a song about the elektrichka, a commuter train many suburbanites use daily).

Band members

(from left)
Yuri Kasparyan - lead guitar (1983-1990)
Viktor Tsoi - lead singer and guitarist (1981-1990)
Georgiy Guryanov - drums (1983-1990)
Igor Tihomirov - bass (1986-1990)

Former members
Aleksei Rybin - guitar (1981-1983)
Aleksander Titov - bass (1983-1986)

Kino: Hochu peremen ("I want change")

Kino 4 ever

The band's popularity in the Soviet Union was so extraordinarily high that after Tsoi's death, the words "Tsoi ziv!" ("Tsoi is alive!") and "KNHO" appeared on public surfaces throughout the country. Writing these words became a kind of a memorial ritual among fans of the band. Even today the slogan occasionally surfaces in urban graffiti.

There are bands who still cover Kino songs and show respect for Viktor Tsoi.

Inlfuence on me

I was a kid aged 2 when Viktor Tsoi died. I surely didn't know who he was or anything he has done. It all changed when my teen age came along.

As a teen I found out about Viktor Tsoi and Kino and never stopped loving it since. The story of this band has influenced my personality. I was also the one, who kept on writing on walls "KNHO".

I have other artist in my playlist now, but there is always some space reserved for KNHO.

Now say something deep

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theswz22@yahoo.com Dec 8, 2011 @ 1:23 am | delete

i need a copy of NeveAbl pycckoro poka please nostroavia happy jan 14th and if u all can tell red elvis band members that being amerized will make the music lose it's meaning