Chaif (Чайф) is a Russian

rock band ''Rock Band'' is a series of rhythm games first released in 2007 and developed by Harmonix. Based on their previous development work from the Guitar Hero, ''Guitar Hero'' series, the main ''Rock Band'' games have players use game controllers mod ...

formed in 1984 in Sverdlovsk (now

Yekaterinburg Yekaterinburg (, ; ), alternatively Romanization of Russian, romanized as Ekaterinburg and formerly known as Sverdlovsk ( ; 1924–1991), is a city and the administrative centre of Sverdlovsk Oblast and the Ural Federal District, Russia. The ci ...

), Russia, by Vladimir Shakhrin and Vladimir Begunov. Their name is derived from the word ''chai'', meaning tea, and ''kaif'' (slang word), meaning pleasure. The band became known in 1992 with songs such as ''Ne Speshi'' (''Don't Hurry'') and ''17''. By 1997, the popularity of rock music had declined and they were playing smaller venue. They have released several albums. Their musical styles range from rock and roll to Blues and some songs which feature a strong reggae influence. The band in 2008 was still touring and releasing albums occasionally. After the

annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation In February and March 2014, Russia invaded the Crimea, Crimean Peninsula, part of Ukraine, and then annexed it. This took place in the relative power vacuum immediately following the Revolution of Dignity. It marked the beginning of the Russ ...

, Chaif took part in cultural meeting between delegations from

Crimea Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...

and

Sverdlovsk Oblast Sverdlovsk Oblast ( rus, Свердловская область, Sverdlovskaya oblastʹ, p=svʲɪrdˈlofskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ) is a federal subject (an oblast) of Russia located in the Ural Federal District. Its administrative center is the c ...

. The lead singer of the band, Vladimir Shakhrin, was critical of

Andrey Makarevich Andrey Vadimovich Makarevich (; born 11 December 1953) is an Israeli and Soviet-Russian rock musician and the founder of Russia's oldest still active rock band Mashina Vremeni (Time Machine). Personal life Makarevich was born in Moscow to m ...

for supporting

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

's position in the conflict. In 2022, the band released a statement blaming both sides for the

Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...

while providing material support to Russian troops in Ukraine and expressing distaste towards musicians that had left Russia following the start of the conflict.

Discography

Magnitoalbums

Studio albums

The Oranzhevoye Nastroenie series

Live albums

Compilations

References

* *

External links

* {{Authority control Musical groups established in 1985 Russian rock music groups Musical groups from Yekaterinburg Soviet rock music groups Winners of the Golden Gramophone Award