It was founded in 1980 by its lead singer and only remaining original member, Yuri Shevchuk (Russian: Юрий Шевчук), in Ufa (Bashkir ASSR, Russia, USSR).

The band was formed in 1980 in Ufa, Bashkir ASSR[1] and originally consisted of five members: In 1982, the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper sponsored a competition for young musicians called Zolotoy Kamerton (lit.

DDT's submission to Zolotoy Kamerton reached the final round of the competition and the group was invited to perform in concert at Moscow's Orlyonok complex, together with the other finalist, Rok-sentyabr ('Rock-September') from Cherepovets.

[4] Sigachyov distanced himself from the group, while Shevchuk recruited new members including Rodin, drummer Sergey Rudoy, guitarist Rustam Rezvanov and keyboard player Vladislav Senchillo.

In May 1983, DDT performed at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, as part of a three-day, sanctioned festival, "Rok za mir" ('Rock for Peace').

Although they never considered themselves political activists, Shevchuk always felt it was his duty as a citizen and songwriter to address both the strengths and weaknesses of the government, a difficult stance to take due to KGB persecution.

After the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991, DDT attracted an even greater following both at home and abroad, as their albums and concerts began to be broadcast and publicized more widely.

During December 1992 and January 1993, DDT presented its first program, Chornyy Pos Peterburg [ru] ('Black Mongrel Petersburg'),[12] and toured widely in CIS countries.

On May 27, 1993, on the anniversary of the founding of Saint Petersburg, the band performed a free concert in Dvortsovaya Square,[2] which was attended by 120,000 people.

On June 25, 1995, DDT performed a 15th anniversary concert in Petrovsky Stadium, attracting an audience of tens of thousands of fans.

In February–March 1996, DDT recorded a new album, Lyubov (Love),[12] at Long View Farm in Massachusetts with two new musicians: bassist I. Tikhomirov (from the group Kino) and keyboard player D. Galitsky.

[12] A new album, Metel' avgusta (Snowstorm of August), contained mostly outtakes from Mir nomer nol as well as more lyrical songs.

The band has reached an ever-growing audience in the US and Europe, and in the first two decades of the 21st century have traveled frequently throughout the world, playing concerts and gaining new fans.

[1] In many respects, Shevchuk's initial years of struggle as an underground musicians shaped his and, by extension, the band's philosophy toward their art.

After the following tour, Vadim Kurilev, the band's guitarist and bassist from its original Saint Petersburg lineup, left the group to begin a solo career.

One of Kurilev's last performances as a DDT member was released on the CD Gorod bez okon (A city without windows).

In 2005, DDT celebrated their 25th anniversary with an extended tour throughout Russia, Europe, and North America, and the release of a new album entitled Propavshiy bez vesti (Vanished without a trace), which received critical acclaim.

According to Shevchuk, the album's central theme is freedom in all its forms and the lyrical hero is a Prince Hamlet of the 21st century which has no doubt regarding the question "To be, or not to be?".

On April 5, 2012, DDT released a film titled Nebo pod serdtsem (The Sky Under the Heart) a compilation of behind-the-scenes and concert footage from the band's performance at the "Olympic Stadium".

The more than 20 albums in DDT's discography not only chronicle the history of a rock group, but also provide poignant narratives that examine many aspects of life in the Soviet Union and Russia during the past 35 years.