Chaif

{{short description|Russian rock band}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Chaif (Чайф)

| image = Чайф 2017.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Concert in Toronto (Nov 2017)

| image_size = 220px

| alias =

| origin = Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg), USSR (Russia)

| genre = rock, blues rock, reggae, rock and roll, punk rock(early)

| years_active = {{start date|1985}}–present

| label = Nikitin

| associated_acts =

| website = {{URL|chaif.ru}}

| current_members = Vladimir Shakhrin,
Vladimir Begunov,
Valery Severin,
Vyacheslav Dvinin

| past_members = Vadim Kukushkin,
Silas Warren,
Vladimir Nazimov,
Igor Zlobin,
Alina Nifanteva,
Anton Nifantev,
Vladimir Privalov,
Vladimir Zheltovskih,
Pavel Ustyugov

}}

Chaif (Чайф) is a Russian rock band formed in 1984 in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg), Russia, by Vladimir Shakhrin and Vladimir Begunov. Their name is derived from the word chai, meaning tea, and kaif (slang word), meaning pleasure.{{cite book|last=Beumers|first=Birgit |title=Pop culture Russia!: media, arts, and lifestyle |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hix8AyteLN8C&q=%22Chaif%22+%22Russia%22&pg=PT255 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |location=Santa Barbara, Calif |year=2005 |pages=222 |isbn=978-1-85109-459-2}} The band became known in 1992 with songs such as Ne Speshi (Don't Hurry) and 17. By 1997, the popularity of rock music had declined and they were playing smaller venue.{{cite news |last=Filipov |first=David |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-64628518.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102200050/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-64628518.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 2, 2012 |title=The Soviet Union disintegrated to a rock beat but pop now rules Russia. |date=June 19, 1997 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |accessdate=3 January 2010}}

They have released several albums. Their musical styles range from rock and roll to Blues and some songs which feature a strong reggae influence. The band in 2008 was still touring and releasing albums occasionally.{{cite news|url=http://www.rian.ru/culture/20080801/115415443.html|script-title=ru:Группа ЧАЙФ проедет по России с "Оранжевым настроением"|last=Gordon|first=Irina |date=1 August 2008|publisher=RIA Novosti|quote=Rock Band Chaif go on tour in cities of Russia and the CIS in support of their latest album, "Orange Mood" in the autumn of 2008, group leader Vladimir Shakhrin said in an interview with RIA Novosti. |accessdate=3 January 2010 |language=Russian}}

After the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, Chaif took part in cultural meeting between delegations from Crimea and Sverdlovsk Oblast.{{Cite web|url=http://www.midural.ru/news/list/document54942/|title = Культурное сотрудничество Республики Крым и Свердловской области будет продолжено в 2015 году}} The lead singer of the band, Vladimir Shakhrin, was critical of Andrey Makarevich for supporting Ukraine's position in the conflict.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mk.ru/social/2015/09/07/lider-gruppy-chayf-o-politicheskoy-pozicii-makarevicha-andryushka-bredit.html|title = Лидер группы "Чайф" о политической позиции Макаревича: "Андрюшка бредит!"| date=7 September 2015 }} In 2022, the band released a statement blaming both sides for the Russian invasion of Ukraine{{cite web

| title = 2022-02-27 Chaif Facebook post

| url = https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=498060208554144&id=100050505069106

| date = 27 February 2022

| access-date = 2024-01-01 }} while providing material support to Russian troops in Ukraine and expressing distaste towards musicians that had left Russia following the start of the conflict.{{Citation

| last = Самойлова

| first = Татьяна

| language = ru

| title = Владимир Шахрин: "Спецоперация может закончиться только победой одной из сторон. Мы все хотим, чтобы это была победа России"

| newspaper = Комсомольская Правда

| date = 14 October 2022

| url = https://www.ural.kp.ru/daily/27458.5/4661985/

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221102071203/https://www.ural.kp.ru/daily/27458.5/4661985/

| archive-date = 2022-11-02}}