Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin Become Russian Cultural Ambassadors

This past week, Andrew W.K.'s cultural ambassadorship to Bahrain was cancelled by the U.S. State Department. Despite the buzz kill, the rocker still intends to get over to the Middle East to spread his message of positive partying.

But W.K. isn't the only artist reaching out to other countries through music. Springfield, Mo.'s Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin is making a trip to Mother Russia.

Last summer, the band was invited by a Russian festival promoter to play in Yekaterinburg, and to visit a Russian school as cultural ambassadors. Here's the email:

The key moment that we discussed with the USA consulate in Yekaterinburg was -- organizing a social activity. And idea was to make a meeting with the group SSLYBY or 1-2 person from the band as Ambassadors of the United States, the meeting for talking and playing some songs). And this meeting must be only a gesture of goodwill of the band.

Our General partners - Boris Yeltsin Foundation - support a school № 202 in Yekaterinburg. It's an English learning school where pupil are very talented, they are interested in learning more about USA. And the meeting with the band from the United States that play nice music can be a nice present for Christmas and New Year). The meeting will show them that culture and music has no boundaries, that famous artists from foreign country can easily come, talk and become friends with them!

Singer Phil Dickey tells Spinner the band's main goal of their upcoming journey is to "meet someone related to Boris Yeltsin. And our friend Brook Linder is going with us to make a short movie."

"I guess it pays to party in moderation. But also, it's a completely different thing than Andrew W.K.'s trip," Dickey adds.

"He was dealing with the U.S. State Department and we're just partnering with the U.S. Consulate in Yekaterinburg. We've only heard from the consulate and the Yeltsin Foundation. I doubt the U.S. State Department knows we exist."

Russia's history with punk bands (Pussy Riot) hasn't been a good one. The outspoken art group has been jailed and silenced by the Putin Regime. Dickey could neither "confirm nor deny" that he would speak with local musicians about Pussy Riot's plight.

This will be SSLYBY's second trip to The Russian Federation. In 2007, the band played Moscow a month after Yeltsin passed away. According to Old New Rock Festival's website, the band will play Jan. 13 at the Yekaterinburg festival.