Kino

Russia, 1981–1990

Leningrad rock band (1981–1990) led by singer-songwriter Viktor Tsoi (1962–1990). Their terse, anthemic post-punk — 'Khochu peremen', 'Gruppa krovi', 'Zvezda po imeni Solntse' — made them a voice of the perestroika generation. The band ended when Tsoi died in a car crash at 28; Kino remains among the most influential Russian rock acts.

MusicRoots documents 4 artists who influenced Kino and 0 artists Kino influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Kino?

• The Smiths — The Smiths were Tsoi's favourite Western band; Kino's jangling guitar melodicism of the mid-1980s follows their model.
• The Cure — The icy post-punk of the Cure was one of the Western sonic templates for Kino's sound.
• Joy Division — Joy Division's stark bass-led post-punk shaped the sound of the Leningrad underground and Kino in particular.
• Vladimir Vysotsky — Kino's poetic, plain-spoken lyric tradition descends from the Russian bards, above all Vysotsky.