The first time a group of 'Cafe' has proved itself as a creative unit in 1996. Several talented young people came together to bring the musical life of the country something new and his own. They dreamed of the stage, were filled with creative plans, and then good luck to them for the first time she smiled. Andrew Brizhenyuk invited a group of musician and producer Igor Alexander, who believed in the success of the project and helped with the studio recording their first album. In January 1997, was created and the first a hit – "Comrade Sergeant '(the song was included on the album' Music of the roofs'). The record was attended by Smirnov, Kuzmin and Brizhenyuk, ready to wait for recognition, but they suffered a first disappointment.

Radio stations refused to take a song in rotation, citing the fact that it is not their size, and a group of young, unknown. No assurance that before the radio is the future bosses hit, had no effect. The enthusiasm is almost faded away when, after eight months thanks to the work of producer "Comrade Sergeant 'sounded on radio frequencies. And then there was something not expected radiyschiki and what they only dreamed of the musicians themselves – went to a chain reaction. People broke off all phone Russian stations with the requirement to include favorite track on the air. True, the students even did not know exactly who sings the song – someone thought it was 'Siskin', someone that Leonids.