Megapolis

Formed in Moscow during 1986 by Oleg Nesterov, the rock outfit Megapolis enjoyed a relatively fortunate trajectory that commenced shortly ahead of perestroika's liberalization, setting it apart from numerous peers whose paths faced interference or worse from Soviet authorities. Their sound fused electronica textures with pop and rock frameworks, and they ranked among the earliest ensembles to treat music videos as a serious artistic counterpart to recorded works. The ensemble further distinguished itself through efforts to advance emerging indie acts once the new millennium arrived.

Self-released in May 1987, their opening effort Utro (Morning) preceded a standout appearance at a Moscow Rock Laboratory festival held a few months afterward. Critics and audiences alike gravitated toward the band's ease within the still-unmapped domain of electronic music, then uncommon among local acts. Oleg Nesterov handled guitar and vocals, Andrei Belov covered bass, Mikhail Alesin sat behind the drums, Aleksandr Suzdalev and Arkady Martinenko managed keyboards, and Igor Zhigunov supplied percussion.

Melodia, the state-run imprint, soon extended a contract that prompted both a reissue of Utro and the arrival of the follow-up Bednie Ludi (Poor People), an album viewed as emblematic of the prevailing Moscow aesthetic. Throughout 1989 the group produced its initial pair of music videos while mounting concerts across Russia. A twenty-minute German radio profile and an appearance at an international German music festival in August marked the start of ongoing ties with that country; the ensemble also shared bills with the American rockers the Beatnigs. Lineup shifts followed: Mikhail Gabolaevim returned to assume bass duties from Andrei Belov, Andrei Nadolsky took over drums, and Yuriy Matzenov contributed guitar from June through December. That summer four Megapolis tracks appeared on the soundtrack of the film Nash Chelovek v San-Remo (Our Man in San Remo), in which the band also performed.

Released by the Mosfilm studio in July 1990, Pyostrie Veterochki (Motley Breezes) contained the hit single "Novie Moskovskie Sirtaki" (New Moscow Sirtaki), whose lyrics drew from a poem by Vosnesenky, while another track, "Tam" (There), adapted lines by Josef Brodsky. Keyboardist Aleksandr Suzdalev departed in 1991, the same year the band tracked its next album, Zhenskoe Serdtzo (A Woman's Heart). A project translating Russian hits into German preceded a February 1992 trip to Germany for concerts and broadcast appearances; drummer Andrei Nadolsky exited that December. In 1993 the group focused on videos, dance remixes, festival slots, and preparations for a self-titled album slated for a German label, which surfaced there in August 1994 and reached Russia the following September.

Drummer Aleksandr Filonenko and guitarist Andrei Kifiyak joined in December, while guitarist Yuriy Matzenov departed in May of the next year. Throughout 1996 the ensemble assembled Groza v Derevne (Rural Threat), recorded in Germany, and created the special video Vizdorablivayte, Boris Nikolaevich! (Get Well Soon, Boris Nikolaevich!) for then-president Boris Yeltsin during his heart surgery; the clip quickly entered rotation on music television. Issued at year's end, the album adopted a lyrical and meditative tone unlike earlier material.

By 1998 Megapolis had solidified its place within Russian rock history. That year saw the release of Malenkaya Istoriya (Short Story), a documentary assembled from a decade of concert footage, archival materials, videos, and interviews, alongside the group's first best-of collection. Co-leaders Gabolaevim and Nesterov began producing acts such as Masha I Medvedi (Masha & the Bears) and Lakmus, then launched their own imprint, Snegeri Music, in 1999; guitarist Maksim Leonov also entered the lineup. Acoustic performances dominated the band's schedule in 2000 alongside new drummer Aleksey Kodlubovich. After a period of reduced visibility, a fresh song emerged in 2006 and, following the band's customary pattern, received a music video in 2007.