Viktor Tsoi met Boris Grebenshchikov on the commuter train from
Peterhof* after an
Akvarium concert. Grebenshchikov recognized Tsoi's talent, and the rest is history, nicely written by TAFKAH above.
Discography
1. 45, Moroz Records (1982)
2. 46, Moroz Records (1983)
3. Nachal'nik Kamchatki, Moroz Records (1984) . (The Boss of Kamchatka)
4. Neizvestnye pesni, Moroz Records (1985) (Unknown songs)
5. Eto ne liubov', Moroz Records (1985) (It's not love)
6. Noch', Moroz Records (1986) (Night)
7. Akusticheskii kontsert, Moroz Records (1987) (Acoustic concert)
8. Gruppa krovi, Moroz Records (1988) (Blood type)
9. Poslednii Geroi, Moroz Records (1989) (The last hero)
10. Kontsert v rok-klube, Moroz Records (1989) (Concert in a rock club)
11. Zvesda po imeni Solntse, Moroz Records (1989) (A star called the Sun)
12. Chernyi al'bom, Moroz Records (1990) (Black Album)
13. Legendy russkogo roka, Moroz Records (1996) (Legends of Russian Rock)
14. Poslednii Geroi (CD-ROM), Moroz Records (1997) (The last hero)
15. Luchshe pesni 82-88, Moroz Records (1999) (Best songs 82-88)
16. Luchshe pesni 88-90, Moroz Records (1999) (Best songs 88-90)
17. Istoriia etogo mira, REAL Records (2000) (History of this world)
In 2000, a number of artists recorded a 29 song tribute album, entitled 'Kinoproby'.
Tracks:
1. Vosmiklanssnitsa, Mumii Troll
2. Videli noch', Zdob si Zdub feat. Trio Erdenko
3. Razrechi mne ostat'sia s toboi, Tantsi Minus
4. Mama, my vse tiazhelo bol'ny, Smyslovye Galliunatsii
5. Sledi za coboi, Korol' i Shut
6. Eto ne liubov', Multfilmy
7. Prokhozhii, Chicherina
8. Trankvilizatop, Tequilaajazz
9. Kamchatka, Ricochet
10. Colnechnye dni, Vopli Vidopliasova
11. Mama Anarchia, Naive
12. Aliumunievye ogurtsy, Piknik
13. Kukushka, Zemfira
14. Zevezda po imeni Solntse, Viacheslav Butusov
15. Konchit'sia leto, Kukryniksy
16. General, Akvarium
17. Bezdelnik, Kradenoe Solntse
18. Pachka sigaret, Vopli Vidopliasova
19. Ukhodi, Dva Samoleta
20. Kogdo-to ty byl bitnikom, Leningrad
21. Bezdelnik-2, Chizh i Co.
22. Khochu peremen, Multfilmy
23. Mama, my vse tiazhelo bol'ny, Aleksandr F. Skliar
24. Kukushka, Bi-2
25. Kashduiu noch', Zemfira
26. Electrichka, Andrei Romanov
27. Poslednii geroi, Kolybel'
28. Trolleybus, Mikhei
29. Kogda tvoia devochka bol'na, Chicherina
Comments from the participants:
Zemfira recalled buying the 'Chernyi al'bom' on a trip to Moscow with her basketball team. "I was madly happy," she said.
The group 'Smyslobye galliutsinatsii' view Viktor Tsoi as the musical equivalent to Quentin Tarantino in film or Josef Brodskii in literature.
Viacheslav Petkun of "Tantsi minus" sees Tsoi songs as "our youth, our childhood, with those many connections, while Ilya Lagutenko of Mumii Troll believes Kino and Akvarium were the first examples of Russian-language rock. Andrei Kniazev of "Korol' i Shut," a fan since the age of fifteen, was happy to participate in the tribute, noting that Tsoi is a cult figure, and quipping "Maybe it can be said 'Tsoi lives, Tsoi will live...'" (a Communist slogan originally on Lenin, I believe). Aleksandr "Renegat" Leontiev of "Kukryniksy" says he knows all Kino's songs by heart, and has memories linked to each one, while Yevgenii Fedorov of "Tequilajazzz" is most fond of the songs which fell during his school years, connecting them to memories of young love. Igor Timofeev, of "Multfilmy," took the project very seriously and hoped only people who really loved Kino would participate, not people who were hoping to get on an album guaranteed to sell. Snake, of "Naive," said his band often played Kino songs while practicig just for fun. Viacheslav Butusov had 'Zvezda po imene Solntse' in his head for a whole year before he found out there would be a tribute album. Leva, of "Bi-2" recalled hiding under the bleachers of the stadium in Minsk for a whole day, because he and his friends didn't have money for tickets and wanted to be inside before security showed up.
Boris Grebenshchikov said, recalling his first meeting with Tsoi and Rybin, "When you hear a true and neccessary song the first to recognize it always has a certain trembling, like finding a precious stone or an amphora from God knows what century -- I had that same feeling."
Chirerina noted that Kino's songs have a certain timelessness to them -- they don't necessarily sound like they came out of the eighties, while Roman Yagupov of "Zdob Si Zdub" says Kino was Russia's first superstars, and Oleg Skripka of "Vopli Bidopliasova" commented on Kino's influence in the evolution of modern rock music in the post-Soviet era.
My favorite songs are 'Kukushka' (lyrics below), 'Gruppa Krovi,' 'Zakroi za mnoi dveri,' 'Bezdel'nik,' and, aww, hell, I love pretty much all of them.
Кукушка . | . Cuckoo*
Песен еще ненаписанных, сколько? . | . Songs still unwritten, how many?
Скажи, кукушка, пропой. . | . Tell, cuckoo, sing out.
В городе мне жить или на выселках, . | . In the city shall I live or in the suburbs,
Камнем лежать или гореть звездой? . | . As a stone lie, or burn as a star?
Звездой. . | . As a star.
Солнце мое - взгляни на меня, . | . My sun - look at me,
Моя ладонь превратилась в кулак, . | . My palm has turned to a fist,
И если есть порох - дай огня. . | . And if there's powder - give a spark.
Вот так... . | . Like that...
Кто пойдет по следу одинокому? . | . Who will walk the steps of the lonely one?
Сильные да смелые . | . Strong, yes, bold
Головы сложили в поле в бою. . | . Heads went together to the field to the battle.
Мало кто остался в светлой памяти, . | . A few remained in blessed memory,
В трезвом уме да с твердой рукой в строю, . | . In a sober mind, yes with a firm hand in the ranks.
в строю. . | . In the ranks.
Солнце мое - взгляни на меня, . | . My sun - look at me,
Моя ладонь превратилась в кулак, . | . My palm has turned to a fist,
И если есть порох - дай огня. . | . And if there's powder - give a spark.
Вот так... . | . Like that...
Где же ты теперь, воля вольная? . | . And where are you now, free will?
С кем же ты сейчас . | . With who do you now
Ласковый рассвет встречаешь? Ответь. . | . The tender sunrise meet? Answer.
Хорошо с тобой, да плохо без тебя, . | . It's good with you, and bad without you,
Голову да плечи терпеливые под плеть, . | . The head and shoulders are patient beneath the lash,
под плеть. . | . Beneath the lash.
Солнце мое - взгляни на меня, . | . My sun - look at me,
Моя ладонь превратилась в кулак, . | . My palm has turned to a fist,
И если есть порох - дай огня. . | . And if there's powder - give a spark.
Вот так... . | . Like that...
*straight up literal translation, which never quite achieves the same effect as the original, but oh well.
I'm sure there's a better name in English for Peterhof, but I can't think of it. It's the palace outside St. Petersburg with the gardens and the famous fountains.
Sources:
Kino: http://www.zvuki.ru/A/P/224/
Kinoproby: http://www.zvuki.ru/M/P/4461/