Agatha Christie

Soviet and Russian rock band formed in 1987 in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg) by Vadim Samoylov, Alexander Kozlov, and Pyotr May. Initially named VIA RTF UPI, the group was renamed "Agatha Christie" in April 1987 and performed under this name for the first time on April 14 at a student amateur competition at the Sverdlovsk Mining Institute. The official founding date is considered February 20, 1988, when the band's first concert took place at Hall No. 2 of the Ural Polytechnic Institute. That same year, Vadim's younger brother, Gleb Samoylov, joined the group, becoming one of the key songwriters. The band's musical style combines elements of gothic rock, post-punk, psychedelic rock, alternative rock, art rock, new wave, glam rock, and hard rock. Their debut album "Second Front" was released in 1988, followed by "Treacherous and Love" (1989), "Decadence" (1991), and "Shameful Star" (1993), solidifying their position in the Russian rock scene. The fifth studio album "Opium" (1995) became the best-selling album in post-Soviet Russia, with over 5 million cassettes and 270,000 CDs sold, earning the band the World Music Awards as the most successfully selling Russian group. In 2001, keyboardist Alexander Kozlov passed away, a significant loss for the band. Despite this, the group continued its activities, releasing albums "Hurricane" (1997), "Miracles" (2000), "Mein Kaif?" (2001), and "Thriller. Part 1" (2007). In 2009, it was announced that the band would cease to exist, and in 2010, a farewell concert was held at the "Nashestvie" festival. After the breakup, Gleb Samoylov formed the band The Matrixx, while Vadim Samoylov pursued a solo career. In 2015, the brothers temporarily reunited for nostalgic concerts, but due to personal differences, further collaboration did not continue.