The story of one Russian rock song that buried the USSR

Hello ATS!

You know, I am a lover and sign of rock music. I have a huge archive of vinyl records and CDs with the most unique and rare rock albums.
But today I want to introduce you to Russian rock. Or rather, with one song that buried the USSR. This is the composition of the Kino group by Viktor Tsoi “Blood Type”.
Viktor Tsoi was a Russian of Korean descent. He worked as a simple fireman in a boiler room in the city of Leningrad, present-day St. Petersburg. He was the idol of tens of millions of Russian young people in the 80s of the last century. Tsoi died tragically in a car accident in August 1990 at the peak of his popularity. To this day, the death of Viktor Tsoi is one of the most famous conspiracy theories in Russia.
On the day of his death every year in Moscow, on the pedestrian Arbat street near the “Tsoi’s Wall,” a huge number of his fans gather, sing his songs and kriyaat: “Tsoi is alive!”

The song "Blood Type" is known all over the world. Her first performance was in the 1988 film "Needle", where Viktor Tsoi fights the drug mafia.



The song became so popular among Soviet veterans of the war in Afghanistan that even in the USSR a wedge was removed for this song with English subtitles. American veterans, I think, will understand this clip.



A month before his death, Viktor Tsoi and the Kino group gave a concert at the Luzhniki Olympic Stadium in Moscow in the presence of 100,000 spectators



Of course, everything Russian is now and always is very popular in China. This is a small Chinese film based on the song "Blood Type".



Since Viktor Tsoi was an ethnic Korean, he is very popular in both Koreas

DPRK





South Korea



American club version



American version in English Alex Iluha



Well, a modern mix of the Kino group and the Linkin Park group



For aesthetes, I give an English translation of the song “Blood Type”:

"Warm place, but the streets are waiting
Our footprints
Stardust on boots
Soft chair, checkered blanket
Trigger not pulled in time
Sunny day in dazzling dreams

Blood type on a sleeve
My serial number is on my sleeve
Wish me luck in battle, wish me
Don't stay in this grass
Don't stay in this grass
Wish me luck, wish me luck

And I have something to pay, but I don’t want to
Victory at any cost
I don't want to put my foot on anyone's chest
I would like to stay with you
Just stay with you
But the star is high in the sky
Calling me on my way

Blood type on a sleeve
My serial number is on my sleeve
Wish me luck in battle, wish me
Don't stay in this grass
Don't stay in this grass
Wish me luck, wish me luck"

Thank you.

a reply to: RussianTroll

There’s also a popular theory that the CIA and The Scorpions teamed up to make Wind of Change. (Some even think this had an effect on the outcome of the USSR)

There’s tons of articles about it and a good podcast as well.

link to 8 episode podcast series

Rolling Stone Article


I didn’t put a whole lot of stock into the story myself, personally I approached it as a cool fiction story. I listened to the whole podcast series and it was worth it for the long road trip at the time.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

I don't agree with you. There is a conspiracy theory in Russia that the CIA infiltrated Joan Stingray into Viktor Tsoi’s circle. There are a huge number of joint photographs. Joan even married the bass guitarist of the Kino group, Armenian Yuri Kasparyan. She had a huge influence on the group's creativity.
Of course, the song “Blood Type” played a role in the collapse of the USSR, but the decisive role in the collapse was played by the song “Our Hearts Demand Change.”.

a reply to: RussianTroll

I’ll have to look more into this later. Definitely a really interesting topic bordering on spy stuff.

It’s one of those things I’m not sure we’ll ever know for sure.

I can certainly see the CIA using pop culture during the Cold War to sway hearts and minds just like most governments use the social media today. But I feel like it’s a spectrum, on one hand there is undoubtedly a presence in pop culture from intelligence agencies, and on the other they just feed and circulate the stories that they’re incredibly effective in that sphere.

At the end of the day I wonder how many people are actually manipulated enough to change their minds from such acts. And that goes for the Cold War and now.

a reply to: RussianTroll

I've followed a lot of Russian music. I particularly like Alexandar Buinov and not just his "Airborne" song. He's quite entertaining and a bit humorous. Sad to think so many lives wasted in this present war.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

This is the so-called “soft power”. I confess that when I was young, it was these compositions by Viktor Tsoi that attracted me with their expression. But my favorite song has always been his more romantic “Night”.



But even there there is a strong protest!

"The roofs of the houses tremble under the weight of the days
The heavenly shepherd herds the clouds
The city shoots into the night with a shot of lights
But the night is stronger, its power is great
And for those who go to bed
Good sleep, good night
To those who go to bed, restful sleep
good night
I've been waiting for this time, and now this time has come
Those who were silent stopped being silent
Those who have nothing to look forward to get into the saddle
You can't catch up with them, you can't catch up with them anymore
And for those who go to bed
Good sleep, good night
To those who go to bed, restful sleep
good night
Neighbors come and hear the sound of hooves
Prevents them from falling asleep, disturbs their sleep
Those who have nothing to wait for go on their way
Those who are saved, those who are saved
And for those who go to bed
Good sleep, good night
To those who go to bed, restful sleep
Good night"

a reply to: Cvastar

Buynov is Russian pop music. He is a member of the group "Merry Guys". I personally know him and Alexey Glyzin from this group. And I’m also friends with their “golden voice” Arkady Khoralov, whom Western journalists compared to Paul McCarnty. I was visiting Khoralov’s house and kissed the hand of his charming wife, who is from Lugansk. Khoralov himself comes from Zaporozhye Melitopol.
But all this is not rock music. Rock is primarily a youth protest))))

a reply to: RussianTroll

Not too shabby!

This is one of my favorite Russian bands:

Pussy Riot

m.youtube.com...

Another one I really like:

Siberean Meat Grinder

m.youtube.com...

a reply to: RussianTroll
As usual, England was there first.

This is the song which reputedly "sang James II out of three kingdoms". He knew the game was up when he overheard the sentry outside his tent whistling it.


"Ho, by my shoul, it is de Talbot
And he shall cut the English throats!...

Now, by my faith, what keeps him behind?
Ho, by my shoul, 'tis a Protestant wind!"