Discovering the Legendary Victor Tsoi and Kino: My Journey into Russian Music

As a teenager in the 90s, I was obsessed with the internet and spent countless hours browsing the web at my friend's house during sleepovers. It was during one of these late-night browsing sessions that I stumbled upon Russian music and discovered the legendary Victor Tsoi and his band Kino.

At first, I was hesitant to listen to Russian music, as I had never heard of it before and was unfamiliar with the language. However, my curiosity got the better of me and I clicked on a link that led me to a video of Kino's iconic song "Gruppa Krovi" ("Blood Type").

From the first chords, I was hooked. Tsoi's voice was hauntingly beautiful, and the lyrics were poetic and thought-provoking. I couldn't understand a word he was saying, but the emotion in his voice transcended language barriers.

As I delved deeper into Kino's discography, I discovered a band that was not only musically talented but also socially conscious. Their songs touched on themes of love, war, politics, and the human condition.

Despite facing censorship from the Soviet government, Kino remained true to their message and continued to produce music that resonated with the Russian people. Tsoi's tragic death in a car accident in 1990 only solidified his status as a cultural icon and cemented Kino's legacy in the Russian music scene.

Nearly three decades later, I still find myself listening to Kino and other Russian artists I discovered during that fateful night of internet browsing. While I may never fully understand the nuances of the language or the intricacies of the culture, the power of music is universal, and I will always be grateful for the opportunity to discover the legendary Victor Tsoi and Kino.

Links:

Kino - Gruppa Krovi (music video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqQVfPaaEJY

Victor Tsoi biography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Tsoi

Kino biography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kino_(band)