The band was founded by 16-year-old classmates in Moscow, Russia in 1991 under the name of Chetyre Tarakana. Their debut album Duty Free Songs was recorded in 1992, back then, the band performed a lot in punk clubs of Moscow and the other cities.
Second album Best Before... was released in 1995. The band has taken part in the "Learn to Swim" movement of punk and alternative musicians against facism and hard drugs. Chetyre Tarakana often toured through Russia and Baltic countries participating in the festivals "Learn to Swim".
In 1997 Chetyre Tarakana signed by FeeLee records and released third album "Stole? Drunk?!Go in Jail!!!" ("Ukral? Vypil?! V Tiurmu!!!"), which contained songs in Russian and English. Some of the songs were played by local FM radio stations. Chetyre Tarakana changed their name to Tarakany! And began to perform a lot at Russian and international punk and rock festivals, including performing as a support band for English punk legends The Toy Dolls , The Stranglers , Exploited.
The next album "No Entrance" ("Posadki net") was released in 1998 was more varied in style; it was melodic punk with reggae, ska and surf elements. The album got some airplay on radio and the band made their first video.
Tarakany! began to organize punk festivals and released a punk compilations to support young punk, hardcore and ska bands.
In the beginning of 2000, Tarakany! went in their first European tour. The tour included 12 concerts in Switzerland along with Tagtraum , Snitch , Scally and The Monsters.
In 2000 Tarakany! released "Popfodder" ("Popcorm") with a Ramones style pop punk/melodic hardcore. This album was highly rated by such punk zines as Maximum r-n-r, HitList and Punk Planet.
Tarakany! received invitations to play various festivals all over Russia and headlined punk festivals, which were organized by the band itself.
In 2001-2002 band performed shows against youth drug abuse and alcoholism. One of their hits – Foolish Head - became the song of the non-governmental organization "NO To Alcoholism And Drug Abuse". In the fall of 2001 Tarakany! released split-CD with hardcore/punk-band SOBUT from Japan. A full-length studio album “Fear and Hatred†was released in early 2002. The reaction was perfect, two songs from it (I look at ’em and Russian Rock) even became the hits on one of the national radio stations. "Fear and Hatred" was the most successful Tarakany! release to date. During the "Fear and Hatred Tour" the band performed more than 30 times in 1.5 months and traveled 10,000 km from the western to the eastern border of Russia. First shows were made together with famous Japanese band SOBUT.
In April 2002 Tarakany! toured Japan. "Fear and Hatred" was reissued by Old Blood Records, which is run by the members of SOBUT. Again, this record met the positive reviews in big international punk zines. At the end of 2002, Tarakany! released a compilation of the best songs and rarities "The Best is the Enemy of Good".
Whole Russia tour 2003 was ended with three shows in collaboration project with the legendary Marky Ramone under the name Marky Ramone & The Pinhead Army.
In October 2003, Tarakany! began distributing their albums to Europe and other parts of the world with ZCM Records/RoadToRuin distribution.
"The Freedom Street" 2003 album was released in Russia and in Europe, in early 2004 Tarakany! came back in Switzerland to play a few shows.
In September 2004, Tarakany! was organized and co-headlining of international punk festival in Moscow, with Misfits (USA), Mean Idols (Fin) and Scream of the Presidents (Jap).
In 2005, Tarakany! have released new live album, live DVD, new studio album "Rockets from Russia", played a lot in Russia and ex USSR countries, touring in Europe (17 gigs in 8 countries) with Marky Ramone by the Ramones.
Also played some gigs in Finland, incl Ilosaarirock open-air festival with such names as Agnostic Front, Backyard Babies, Skatalites, Anthrax, Monster Magnet, MC 5 and others. Some songs and videos have a part on few international cd and dvd compilations as BLANK the World: a Blank TV DVD compilation (USA), To the Bitter End Vol. 2 (USA), Perkeleen Punkit Vol. 3 (Finland). The last full length cd for a moment – “Vlasteliny vselennoiâ€, 2006.
Also, in 2006 Tarakany! released split album with Moscow ska/punk pioneers Distemper.
For the 16 years of the band’s life, Tarakany! released 14 albums and performed in more then 1000 concerts.
