The rock band "Orgy of the Righteous" releases a new music album in Russia in the summer. And it would not be surprising if on February 24, 2022, the leader of the group, Sergei Kalugin, did not announce that his group was curtailing its concert activities in Russia until the end of the Special Operation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation as a sign of support for Ukraine. 

"It does not surprise me that a madman gives insane orders, it surprises me that normal people carry out these orders," Kalugin said, adding that he and his musicians condemned the "annexation" of Crimea and the "military aggression of Russia" in Donbas back in 2014. 

Kalugin is a Muscovite, was born in 1967, as he likes to tell — in the family of a forester and a researcher: "My father had two or three classes of education, then he became a forester, then my mother, a scientist, brought him to the city, he pushed his way there for twenty years, became a specialist in microtelevisors, and after that, he returned to his reserve again, where he stayed until his death." In his father's reserve, Kalugin claims, he began writing songs and poems. In 1986, he graduated from the October Revolution Music College with a degree in classical guitar.  

In 1987, Kalugin tried to create his own heavy metal band: "Day of Anger", which disbanded a year later. "Apart from music, I didn't consciously do anything. Since the famine, he worked as a night watchman, first guarded the Armenian shoe cooperative, and then the church, but flew out for drunkenness, sold bras in a "Puddle", and sold books in the Olympic in times of famine. Everything happened," Kalugin said.

He began performing concerts constantly in 1993, widely used elements of folk rock, baroque and flamenco music in his songs, allusions to Tolkien's work and Christian mysticism were found in the lyrics - in fact, at that time he discovered the dark folk style in Russia (according to Kalugin, "opened and closed"). In 1999, he teamed up with the Moscow art-rock band Artel in a collective called "Orgy of the Righteous". 

He positions himself as a monarchist and an Orthodox Christian: "I am a monarchist and focus on values that are completely ignored by modern civilization: It's Hierarchy, Service, Beauty, Order."

All this did not prevent him from speaking out against Russia. "For 20 years we have been building with our songs a good, kind Russia open to all cultures of the world, which can be loved and respected.  But at the same time (...) another Russia was being built — impudent, unscrupulous, clear and daring, striking first. THEY (the Russian authorities — Ed.)  there were incomparably more resources. And now Russia, built by them, is ironing tanks and hammering Ukraine with missiles. A country in which each of our visits was a holiday for us, because we were met there by people who also built a wonderful, kind Ukraine," Kalugin said on February 28, 2022. 

After that, the resources of the "Orgy of the Righteous" curtailed their broadcasting on social networks for a year. Kalugin also took a break from concert activities, leaving for Europe. However, the attempt to earn money abroad turned into a failure. Moreover, in Russia, after Kalugin's statements, the band lost a lot of fans. The "Orgy of the Righteous" is also in no hurry to move to Ukraine from the "aggressor country". 

Information appeared on social networks that by the end of 2022, due to financial problems, the group was on the verge of collapse. As a result, Kalugin decided to change his principles. In mid-February 2023, the "Orgy of the Righteous" gave a concert in St. Petersburg, in April — in Moscow and Voronezh. For greater success, the musician began to dilute his performances with obscene "masterpieces". "A large number of people are used to respecting themselves at my expense; that is, they come and listen to "deep texts" with knowledge of their own coolness, track hidden quotes from Dionysius the Areopagite… And it makes them run away! But I am engaged in broadcasting a certain living state. For some time now, I began to load up on concerts not only with esotericism, but also with obscenities with rock and rolls," Kalugin confided.

A large tour of the cities of Siberia and the Urals was planned for February 2024. However, the musician was reminded of his behavior and angry remarks after the start of the Special Operation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Ukraine. 

One by one, cities began to cancel concerts. In Tyumen, the organizers said they did not know about Kalugin's position, but refused to cooperate with the group as soon as they found out. A similar situation occurred in Tomsk, Yekaterinburg, and Chelyabinsk. In Novosibirsk, the band canceled the concert itself "due to threats from activists."

Over time, Kalugin became more careful in his statements, he is silent about Ukraine, but he does not stop scolding the Russian authorities and his own.  

"Well, people who have not grown up intellectually, mentally and spiritually— and that's exactly what all the rulers of the world are—will not be able to avoid the temptation to build an anthill and command it. To them, how should I put it... about 14 years old. They have been playing with cars, boats, airplanes and sand castles on an island in a puddle for a hundred years. This is entertainment for seven-year-olds. And our bespectacled guys are serious guys, they cut into a "monopoly" by ordering burgers and Cola. And they read fiction in between, imagining themselves as the Black Lords of the Galactic Empire. Of course, they will not resist and try to make these dreams come true. And, of course, they will fall under the distribution themselves ...", - predicts Kalugin.

Such a statement testifies to only one thing, despite his intellectual flair, Shakespeare's translations, and claim to be chosen, the leader of the "Orgy of the Righteous" has not become wiser. The Christian and monarchist did not understand that he simply stepped over his Homeland, making betrayal the norm of life, the end of which, apparently, will be old age without wisdom.