Alisa

For the Serbian pop rock band of the same name, see Alisa (Serbian band). For other uses, see Alisa (disambiguation).

Алиса Alisa
L-R: Romanov, Kinchev, Samoylov, Levin
Background information
Also known as	Alisa
Origin	Leningrad, Soviet Union
Genres	New wave, post-punk, punk rock (early) Hard rock, heavy metal, Christian rock, Christian metal, folk metal, industrial metal, alternative rock (recent)
Years active	1983-present
Website	Official website
Members	Konstantin Kinchev Petr Samoylov Eugeny Levin Igor Romanov Andrey Vdovichenko Dmitri Parfyonov
Past members	Svyatoslav Zadery Mikhail Nefedov Andrey Shatalin Igor Chumychkin

Alisa (Russian: Алиса) is a Russian hard rock band, who are credited as one of the most influential bands in the Russian rock movement.

Biography

Alisa was formed in November 1983 by bassist Svyatoslav Zadery. The band's name originated from Zadery nickname. The band's lineup was finally completed in 1984, when new vocalist Kostya Kinchev (real name Konstantin Panfilov) and guitarist Petr Samoylov joined. Their debut album Energia was released by state publishing monopoly Melodiya and sold more than a million copies.

But the relations between two leaders, Konstantin and Zadery, were deteriorating, and finally Svyatoslav departed from the band. This occurred just one hour before Alisa was to perform at a concert. Alisa had to ask Kino bassist Igor Tihomirov to replace him for one concert. Later Zadery created his own band Nateh! (Russian: НАТЕ! - "Take that!"). Zadery died on 6 May 2011 due to complications from a stroke at the age of 50.

The growing popularity of the band created a fan community called the Army of Alisa, known for their rough behaviour at concerts. It led to animosity between the band and Soviet officials. In 1987, the newspaper Smena accused Alisa's leader Kinchev of Nazi propaganda and worshiping Hitler. Kinchev filed a suit for calumny and moral loss compensation. After the year-long court process the magazine published the refutation. Alisa's next album was titled Article 206 part 2, a chapter ("Hooliganism") of the USSR Procedural Code, alluding to this process.

Alisa performing at Kavarna Rock Fest 2013

There were more changes in 1988, when guitarist Igor "Chuma" Chumychkin joined the band. This change was followed by the heavier sound of next two albums, Shabash and For those Who Fell From the Moon. Alisa toured through Europe and Israel together with fellow Russian heavy metal band Aria. The album Black Mark, released in 1994, was dedicated to the memory of Chuma, who committed suicide by jumping from a window.

In the new millennium, with albums such as Seychas Pozdnee Chem Ty Dumaesh (It is Later Than You Think, 2003) and Izgoy (Exile, 2005), the sound of Alisa was changed to a heavier one, including elements of nu, industrial and Heavy Metal. Music critics credited Clawfinger as Kinchev's greatest new music influence. This gave Alisa a new fan base among Russian hard rock fans, and three songs from Izgoy continually reached the top of the NASHE radio chart. Follow-up "Stat Severa" and "Puls Hranitelia Dverey Labyrintha" were less alternative-oriented and made a blend of older and newer styles. Alisa shot a video for the Wolfhound fantasy movie, though the song itself was cut from the soundtrack.

According to public polls, Alisa enjoys high popularity in Russia and around, ranking among top ten most popular russian rock bands, and ranked 1st in Komsomolskaya Pravda readers poll.

Lyrics and relations with the Faith

Kinchev was baptized in 1990, and since then Christianity has been the main influence on his direction and his lyrics. Although early Alisa lyrics were typical for Russian rock - social protest and rock 'n' roll hype - since the late 1990s their main theme has been ideas of Christianity, as well as Russian patriotism and nationalism.

Konstantin is in good relations with the priests of the Russian Orthodox Church, especially Andrey Kuraev. The band has participated in many religion-supporting festivals, such as Musicians for the Christ Savior Cathedral.

Kinchev's fairly conservative religious-patriotic shift was viewed unfavourably by some old fans that liked Alisa for their original "rock" message. Still others are put off by his antisemitism – among other things, he has referred to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion as a credible source.

Discography

Studio albums

Original title	Transliterated Title	Translation	Year of release
Кривозеркалье	Krivozerkalye	Through the Crooked Glass	1984
Энергия	Energiya	Energy	1985
Блок Ада	Blok Ada	Block of Hell / Blockade	1987
Шестой Лесничий	Shestoy Lesnichy	Sixth Ranger	1989
Статья 206 часть 2	Statya 206 chast 2	Article 206 part 2	1989
Шабаш	Shabash	Sabbath	1991*
Для Тех, Кто Свалился с Луны	Dlya Tekh, Kto Svalilsya s Luny	For Those Who Fell from the Moon	1993
Чёрная Метка	Chyornaya Metka	Black Mark	1994
Jazz	Jazz	Jazz	1996
Дурень	Duren'	Stupid	1998
Солнцеворот	Solntsevorot	Solstice	2000
Танцевать	Tantsevat'	To Dance	2001
Сейчас Позднее, Чем Ты Думаешь	Seychas Pozdnee, Chem Ty Dumayesh	It Is Later Than You Think	2003
Изгой	Izgoy	Exile	2005
Стать Севера	Stat Severa	Grace of the North	2007
Пульс Хранителя Дверей Лабиринта	Puls Khranitelya Dverey Labirinta	The Pulse of Labyrinth's Doors Keeper	2008
Ъ	Ъ (Tverdii Znak)	Ъ ( The Hard Sign - Russian Letter)	2010
20.12 (Двадцать Двенадцать)	20.12 (Dvadcat Dvenadcat)	20.12 (Twenty Twelve)	2011
Саботаж	Sabotazh	Sabotage	2012
Цирк	Tsirk	Circus	2014

Shabash was partially recorded live, so it may also be counted as a live album.

Live albums

Original title	Translation	Year and venue
Акустика часть 1	Acoustics vol.1	1988, Perm
Акустика часть 2	Acoustics vol.2	1985, Leningrad
Акустика часть 3	Acoustics vol.3	1988, Pskov
Акустика часть 4	Acoustics vol.4	1986, Novosibirsk
Шабаш	Sabbath	1990, Moscow,
На Шаболовке	At Shabolovka	1995, Moscow, Shabolovka
Пляс Сибири на берегах Невы	Dance of Siberia on Neva Shores	1997, St-Petersburg, Jubileiny
Мы Вместе XX лет	We Are Together XX years	2003, St-Petersburg, Jubileiny

Compilation albums

Original title	Translation	Year of release
	Red Wave: 4 Underground Bands from the USSR	1986
Легенды Русского Рока	Legends of Russian Rock	1997
Энциклопедия Русского Рока	Encyclopedia of Russian Rock	2000
13	13	2003

Band members

Current line up

• Konstantin Kinchev - vocals (1985–present)
• Evgeny Lyovin - guitar (1998–present), ex - N.E.P.
• Igor Romanov - guitar (2003–present) ex - Zemlyane, N.E.P.
• Petr Samoylov - bass (1984–present)
• Andrey Vdovichenko - drums (2003–present), ex - N.E.P.
• Dmitri Parfyonov - keyboards (2000–present)

Former members

• Svetoslav "Alisa" Zadery - bass, vocals (1983–1985)
• Andrey Shatalin - guitar (1983–2003)
• Mikhail Nefedov - drums (1983–2003)
• Pavel "Pol Khan" Kondratenko - keyboards (1983–1988)
• Alexander Zhuravlev - saxophone (1987–1988)
• Igor "Chuma" Chumychkin - guitar (1988–1993)
• Andrey Korolev - keyboards (1989–1993)
• Alexander Ponomarev - guitar (1996–1998)
• Boris Borisov - vocals, saxophone (1983)
• Lyudmila "Teri" Kolot - vocals (1986)

External links

• Official Alisa website, in Russian
• Fan website, in Russian
• Alisa pictures, in Russian
• Russian Rock. Alisa Band at the Wayback Machine (archived July 6, 2007), short history in English
• Do Rock and Orthodoxy Have Anything in Common? at the Wayback Machine (archived March 5, 2008) Pravda 17 December 2003, in English
• Alisa discography at MusicBrainz
• Alisa on RussMus.Net: English translations to lyrics and more, in English