Any lover of rock music in Russia will tell you what the abbreviation "Kish" means. So often they shorten the name of one of the successful teams on the domestic stage. The King and the Jester band has become a landmark since its very first album.
Start
In the late 1980s, members of the future well-known ensemble began their musical activity in Leningrad. Andrei Knyazev was fond of writing fabulous stories and imposing music on these subjects. His friend Mikhail Gorshenev brought the compositions to mind and also added his own material.
At first, the group played punk rock, designed to perform in clubs. The first demo recording of “The King and the Jester” appeared in 1994 and brought musicians popularity among the informal youth of St. Petersburg.
The beginning of this recognition was getting on local television. The King and the Jester group recorded several videos on songs from the first album, “A Stone on the Head”. It was released in 1996, and some compositions fell into circulation. An interesting and original concept attracted listeners who have not yet encountered such surroundings.
These were miniature scary tales based on the rhythm of punk rock songs. Gorshenev and Knyazev were vocalists and often performed parallel roles in dialogue format. Most often, the songs had a tie and denouement, which did not prevent them from maintaining a short duration.
Success
The phenomenon became known throughout the country largely thanks to the rotation on Our Radio, where in the late 90s such songs as “Jumping from a Rock”, “Sorcerer's Doll”, etc. were sounded.
The King and the Jester group shot its first full-fledged video in 1999. The material was the song "Ate the meat of men." Videos were often played on the Russian MTV channel, so even people who were far from music learned about the band.
Songs of the King and the Jester group were hits at music festivals where participants staged entire costume shows. Performances at the “Invasion” and “Wings” became regular annual events, where tens of thousands of rock lovers flocked.
In 2001, the King and the Jester group released its most successful album, "Like an Old Tale." By this time, the music of the band has changed a bit. A violinist appeared in the composition, and the songs received a little from the folk. Bright arrangements and company motives became the key to success of the record. It was presented in the Luzhniki Stadium, where after that several more times Kish held sold-out concerts.
In 2002, the album “Sorry, no guns!” Was released, which records “King and the Jester”. The composition of the group offers to the audience such hits as Dead Anarchist and Bear. These songs will become permanent numbers in the collective programs. Then Gorshenev and the company first sent outside the CIS. In America and Israel they are waiting for the most warm welcome.
Career continuation
When violinist Maria Nefedova leaves the band, the remaining members record their hardest album, gravitating towards hardcore. This is "Riot on the ship." He is also successful, but after his release the group takes a break. Members record solo albums. "Pot" releases tribute "Brigade in a row." There are his variations of the songs of the famous punk rock band.
In the future, the group continued to successfully release albums in its usual style. In 2011, Andrei Knyazev left the team, starting a solo career. Mikhail Gorshenev continued to perform under the previous sign. He managed to realize his own dream - he staged an opera as part of the band's concert program.
It was a dilogy called TODD. Her plot was based on the story of serial killer Sweeney Todd. Her last act in the studio version was released in 2012. At that time, numerous concerts took place. The audience accepted the novelty with a bang.
Gorshenev's death
In July 2013, the festival season was in full swing, when KiSh traditionally gave many concerts. Several announcements have already been announced, however, on the 19th of the day, the King and Jester soloist Mikhail Gorshenev, the frontman and team leader, was found dead in his own house.
The event shocked absolutely everyone, since the man had no special health problems. An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was an overdose of drugs, which caused heart failure.
The existence of the group without Gorshenev would be extremely strange, so the participants announced the dissolution of the “King and the Jester”. Some of them created a new project, The Northern Fleet, named after one of Mikhail’s songs. At the same time, Knyazev continues his solo career.