Korol i Shut (Russian: Король и Шут, lit.'King and Jester') were a Russian horror punk band from Saint Petersburg that took inspiration and costumes from tales and fables.

Korol i Shut
Background information
OriginSaint Petersburg, Russia
GenresHorror punk, folk punk, shock rock, art punk
Years active1988–2014
LabelsMisteriya Zvuka [ru] (Russian: Мистерия Звука)
Melodiya (Russian: Мелодия)
Manchester Files [ru]
Nikitin (Russian: Никитин)
Past membersMikhail Gorsheniov
Andrei Kniazev
Aleksandr Balunov
Dmitrii Riabchenko
Aleksei Gorsheniov
Maria Nefiodova
Dmitrii Rishko
Yakov Tsvirkunov
Aleksandr Shchigoliev
Pavel Sazhinov
Aleksandr Leontiev
Sergei Zaharov
Websitewww.korol-i-shut.ru

History

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The band was formed in 1988 by a group of school friends in Leningrad (current day Saint Petersburg). The founding members were Mikhail "Gorshok" Gorsheniov (Russian: Михаил "Горшок" Горшенёв), Aleksandr "Balu" Balunov (Russian: Александр "Балу" Балунов), and Aleksandr "Lieutenant" Shchigoliev (Russian: Александр "Поручик" Щиголев). Singer Andrei "Kniaz" Kniazev (Russian: Андрей "Князь" Князев) joined the band in 1990 and guitarist Yakov Tsvirkunov (Russian: Яков Цвиркунов) joined in 1996. The band's name, which means "The King and the Jester," was adopted in 1992.[1][2] Previously, the band was called Kontora (Russian: Контора, lit.'Bureau').[3]

Korol' i Shut's lyrics are written by Kniazev and feature horror stories and folk tales about pirates, trolls, ghosts and vampires, as well as Slavic mythology.

The band recorded their music for the first time in 1991 in a semi-professional studio. Their music was broadcast on the radio soon after and they began to tour around Saint Petersburg's clubs. They began rehearsing in the club TaMtAm,[4] in which the bands Chimera and Tequilajazzz also started performing.[5]

In 1994, the band released a few copies of a tape named "Bud' kak doma putnik" (Russian: «Будь как дома путник», lit.'Make Yourself At Home, Wayfarer').

The band's first official album was 1996's "Kamnem po golove" (Russian: «Камнем по голове», lit.'Rock To The Head') which was distributed by Melodiya. Many other albums were released since then. The first music video was released in 1998 for the song "Yeli miaso muzhiki" (Russian: «Ели мясо мужики», lit.'Men Were Eating Meat').

The band's lead singer, Mikhail Gorsheniov, died of heart failure during the night from 18 to 19 July 2013. After a farewell tour during the fall and winter of 2013, Korol' i Shut officially broke up in January 2014. The surviving members formed a new band named Severny Flot [ru] (Russian: Северный флот).[6][7]

However, due to the numerous requests of the fans, the former band members decided to keep the name Korol' i Shut exclusively for the release of the unfinished rock musical TODD.[8]

In 2023, a TV miniseries Korol i Shut was released, that combines band's biography with adaptations of its folk horror stories.[9]

Former members

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  • Mikhail "Gorshok" Gorshenyov (Михаил «Горшок» Горшенёв) - vocals, acoustic guitar (1988-2013)
  • Andrei "Kniaz" Kniazev (Андрей «Князь» Князев) - vocals, lyrics (1989-2011)
  • Aleksandr "Balu" Balunov (Александр «Балу» Балунов) — bass guitar, guitar (1988-2006)
  • Dmitry "Ryabchik" Ryabchenko (Дмитрий «Рябчик» Рябченко) — bass guitar
  • Aleksei "Yagoda" Gorshenyov (Алексей «Ягода» Горшенёв) — drums (1993-1995)
  • Maria "Masha" Nefyodova (Мария «Маша» Нефёдова) — violin (1998-2004)
  • Dmitry "Casper" Rishko (Дмитрий Ришко) - violin (2006-2011)
  • Yakov "Yasha" Tsvirkunov (Яков «Яша» Цвиркунов) - guitars, backing vocal (1995-2013)
  • Aleksandr "Poruchik" Shchigolyev (Александр «Поручик» Щиголев) - drums (1988-2013)
  • Pavel "Pakhan" Sazhinov (Павел Сажинов) - keyboards (1998-2013)
  • Aleksandr "Renegat" Leontyev (Александр «Ренегат» Леонтьев) — guitar (2001-2006; 2011-2013)
  • Sergei "Zakhar" Zakharov (Сергей «Захар» Захаров) - bass guitar (2006-2013)

Discography

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Date of Release Title Translation
1996 Камнем по голове Stone to the Head
1997 Король и Шут King and Jester
1999 Акустический альбом Acoustic Album
1999 Ели мясо мужики (live) Men Were Eating Meat
2000 Герои и злодеи Heroes and Villains
2001 Собрание Gathering
2001 Как в старой сказке Like in an Old Tale
2002 Жаль, нет ружья! Alas, I Have No Rifle!
2003 Мёртвый анархист (DVD) Dead Anarchist
2004 Бунт на корабле Mutiny on the Ship
2006 Продавец кошмаров Trader of Nightmares
2007 Страшные Сказки Scary Tales
2008 Тень Клоуна The Clown's Shadow
2010 Театр демона Demon's Theatre
2011 TODD. Акт 1. Праздник крови TODD. Act 1. Feast of Blood
2012 TODD. Акт 2. На краю TODD. Act 2. At the Edge
2018 Концерт в Олимпийском Concert at the Olympic Stadium

References

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  1. ^ Балунов, Александр (2016). Король и Шут. Между Купчино и Ржевкой [King and the Clown. Between Kupchino and Rzhevka]. АСТ. p. 384.
  2. ^ Карев, Игорь (2021-05-08). "Без Горшка, но с «Тоддом». Как живут участники группы «Король и Шут»". AiF (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  3. ^ Chekinev, Ilya (2013-11-20). "Пять любопытных фактов из истории "КиШ"". Rossiyskaya Gazeta (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2013-11-23. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  4. ^ Gakkel, Vsevolod (2007). Akvarium kak sposob ukhoda za tennisnym kortom (in Russian). Saint Petersburg: Amfora. ISBN 978-5-367-00331-4. OCLC 162154853.
  5. ^ Stogov, I. Yu. (2007). Greshniki (in Russian). Saint Petersburg: Amfora. p. 250. ISBN 978-5-367-00586-8.
  6. ^ "Группа «Король и шут» прекратила существование". Lenta.ru (in Russian). 2014-01-02. Archived from the original on 2020-08-30. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Группа "Король и Шут" превратилась в "Северный флот"". Vesti.ru (in Russian). 2014-01-02. Archived from the original on 2021-03-31. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  8. ^ Nedelko, Yekaterina (2013-12-23). "Зонг-опера сохранит "Король и Шут"". 5uglov.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2014-03-02.
  9. ^ "Сериал «Король и Шут»: какой вышла сказка про сказочников | Обзоры сериалов | Мир фантастики и фэнтези".
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