KiNo

A seminal Soviet post-punk outfit led by musician, singer, actor, and Russian rock icon Viktor Tsoi, Kino formed in Leningrad in 1981. Influenced by bands like Joy Division, Sisters of Mercy, and the Cure, and working under the Tolstoy-derived moniker Garin i Giperboloidy, the group changed its name to the more accessible Kino (which translates to "cinema" or "film" in Russian) the following year and released their debut album, 45, which featured contributions from veteran Russian rocker Boris Grebenshikov's band Aquarium. The album failed to make much of an impact, but subsequent years saw the band's popularity explode. By the time they issued Zvezda po Imeni Solntse in 1989, they were a full-blown Eastern bloc phenomenon. ~ James Christopher Monger