FM
History
Гражданская Оборона or ГрОб and Г.О. (Grazhdanskaya Oborona or GrOb and G.O.) was one of the earliest and most famous Russian psychedelic punk bands (and the only one famous Soviet psychedelic rock / punk band). The name of the band can be translated from Russian as "Civil Defence" (abbreviated as "grob", which translates to "coffin"). There are also side projects Егор И Опизденевшие (Egor and Opizdenevshie) and Коммунизм (Communism).
The band was created in Omsk, Siberia, by a young Soviet poet and musician, Egor Letov, in December of 1984, who was inspired mostly by 60's American garage rock and Russian Futurist poetry in his vision of music, lyrics and lifestyle. It was shortly disbanded by KGB in late 1985, after one of band member's mother wrote a complaint that her son is involved in anti-Soviet organisation. Letov was sentenced to compulsory treatment in psychiatric hospital, his friend and fellow band member Konstantin Ryabinov (Kuzya UO or Kuzma) was sent to army, and other people linked with band were warned to break any relationship with Letov. After his release from mental hospital, Letov started recorded his early albums alone (until 1988, when Kuzya UO returned from army) in his home, playing all instruments. His home also was recording spot for all GrOb and his side-project albums: such a DIY-position was one of Letov's main principles. Early GrOb's music (1984-88) is lo-fi straightforward punk/post-punk with some noise rock, garage rock and reggae elements. Later, band's sound developed more in the vein of noise rock, industrial and experimental rock in 1989, and to psychedelic rock and shoegaze in 90s and 00s. GrOb were the ones to fill this vacant niche of counterculture punk bands, and now maintains a huge army of fans, admirers, and followers. It inspired hundreds of subsequent Soviet and then Russian punk bands.
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