Yuri Shevchuk facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yuri Shevchuk
Shevchuk in 2012
Background information
Native name	Юрий Шевчук
Born	(1957-05-16) 16 May 1957 (age 68) Yagodnoye, Magadan Oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Genres	Rock, jazz
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Associated acts	DDT

Yuri Yulianovich Shevchuk (Russian: Юрий Юлианович Шевчук; born 16 May 1957) is a famous Russian rock musician and songwriter. He is the leader of the rock band DDT, which he started with Vladimir Sigachyov in 1980.

People know him for his unique, rough voice. His songs often talk about everyday life in Russia with a clever and kind sense of humor. He is also well-known for not liking pop music, especially when singers pretend to sing (playback). Many people believe he is one of the best songwriters in Russia today.

Yuri's Life Story

Shevchuk in 1999

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Yuri Shevchuk was born in a place called Yagodnoye in Magadan Oblast. He grew up in Ufa, which was part of the Bashkir ASSR back then. Before he started the band DDT, he worked as an art teacher. His mother was from the Tatar people, and his father was Ukrainian.

When his band released their third album, Periferiya (meaning Periphery), Yuri faced problems with the government's rules about what could be published. In 1985, he decided to break up the band for a while. He moved to St. Petersburg with his wife, Elmira. There, he put together a new group of musicians and joined the Leningrad Rock Club. This club was important for rock music in the Soviet Union.

Touring and Personal Challenges

DDT started to become popular outside of Russia. In 1989, they played concerts in Hungary. In 1990, they performed in the United States and even in Japan for the first time.

In 1992, Yuri's wife passed away. He dedicated his album Aktrisa Vesna (Spring the Actress) to her. The album even featured her paintings.

Standing Up for Peace

In January 1995, during the First Chechen War, Yuri Shevchuk went on a special trip to Chechnya to promote peace. He performed 50 concerts for Russian soldiers there.

In 1999, Shevchuk visited Yugoslavia. He gave concerts to support the country and spoke out strongly against the US bombings there. He also took many photos for UNESCO to show the damaged churches in the Serbian region of Kosovo.

Speaking Out for Change

Shevchuk at a discussion about "Power and Culture" in 2008.

In the 2000s, Yuri Shevchuk often spoke about his concerns regarding the government in Russia. He felt it was not democratic enough. He was one of the few famous people who openly shared his concerns directly with Vladimir Putin during a meeting. On March 3, 2008, Shevchuk joined a protest in Saint Petersburg. This protest was against the presidential elections, where many felt there was no real opposition.

On June 8, 2008, Yuri Shevchuk spoke at a meeting called "What is Russia?" He shared information that many historical buildings in St. Petersburg had been torn down since 2003. He also said that it's important to have different ideas and opinions, not just one.

In September 2008, Shevchuk organized two peace concerts in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. These concerts were a protest against the war between Russia and Georgia. The concerts were named "Don't Shoot," after a song he wrote in 1980 about the war in Afghanistan. He performed with musicians from Georgia, Ossetia, and Ukraine. The money raised from these concerts helped people affected by the war, both Georgians and Ossetians.

In May 2010, Shevchuk got a lot of attention when he had a direct conversation with Vladimir Putin on TV. He asked the then-Prime Minister questions about important topics like democracy, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press. Later, in 2017, Shevchuk said that after this TV talk, he was invited to speak in the United States, but he chose to deal with things in Russia. He also mentioned that some of his requests were looked into by the government.

On August 25, 2010, Shevchuk sang the Bob Dylan song "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" with the band U2. This was at U2's first concert ever in Russia, held at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

Shevchuk singing at a protest rally in 2012.

On January 4, 2011, Shevchuk was featured on a radio show in the U.S. called Morning Edition.

On June 18, 2014, during a concert in Moscow, Shevchuk announced that all the money from the concert would go to the Dr. Lisa fund. This fund helps people who were hurt in Donbas.

Yuri Shevchuk has been against the conflict in Ukraine since it started on February 24, 2022. He said that "Our future is being taken from us. We’re being pulled as if through an ice hole into the past."

In May 2022, Shevchuk spoke out against the conflict in Ukraine during a concert in Ufa. He said that "The motherland, my friends, is not the president’s... the motherland is an impoverished old woman at the train station selling potatoes." He also mentioned that people were getting hurt and soldiers were dying because of "some Napoleonic plans." Because of his words, he faced consequences and was fined 50,000 rubles. He tried to appeal this decision, but his appeal was not successful in December 2022. After his statements, a concert for DDT's 40th anniversary in Moscow was canceled.

Since the start of the conflict, Shevchuk has released two new songs that speak out against war: "Motherland, Come Back Home" and "The Burial of War."

Solo Music (without DDT)