[:cs]PIKNIK (RU)[:]

[:cs]Piknik (Picnic, Russian: Пикни́к) is a Russian rock band known for its unique style which is a mixture of art rock, progressive rock and original Russian rock. The band was formed in 1978 in Leningrad by Sergey Omelnichenko, Evgeny Voloschuk, Aleksey Dobychin and Edmund Shklyarskiy. Piknik is considered to be one of the „classic“ Russian rock bands. Originated from the classic rock with huge influence of Jethro Tull and Led Zeppelin, its music progressed into its own style with using symphonic and exotic folk instruments. Also Piknik is considered sometimes to be the first Russian gothic rock band due to its specific sound, stage performances and dark lyrics.

During more than 30 years of its existence the group’s lineup changed many times, and the one and only permanent member and leader of the group is the frontman and lyricist Edmund Shklyarskiy.

The name of the group was created as an allusion to the well-known novel Roadside Picnic written in 1971 by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky.

Some of their early songs are written in Polish language.

In 2016 the band made it to the list of artists barred from performing in Ukraine, due to them performing in Crimea as part of Russia, which is seen as occupied territory by Ukraine.

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