Alexey Evgenievich Potekhin (b. April 15, 1972 (38 years old) Novokuibyshevsk (Samara region) - Russian musician, producer. Member of the group “Hands Up!” (the group officially broke up in 2006).

Biography

Alexey was born in a very musical family: At home the tape recorder was constantly playing, listening to records. Mom liked it better symphonic music, and for dad - pop music. His older brother got him interested in foreign music. The boy had a lively and cocky character, but his parents insisted that he study at art school and the basketball section.

After graduating from school, Alexey went to study in the regional center, Samara. He entered the river technical school, and now he remembers this time with warmth:

There were other teachers there who, despite their venerable age, joked around like young people. This period in my life was the best because I made great friends.

At home, fresh hits were regularly played, and Alexey began to perceive music with interest, at first he simply listened, and then bought a guitar and began composing himself, even managing to work part-time as a DJ at a disco. His tastes included* Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Def Leppard, Foreigner, The Cult, Metallica* and others in the same spirit. He is still a fan of creativity Jimmy Page And Hendrix.

After graduating from technical school in 1991, he entered the Samara State Technical University - as Alexey himself recalls,

“Mom influenced.”

He graduated from it in 1996 with a specialty* in systems engineering.*

Worked at a radio station "Europa Plus" in Samara, hosted the program "Rhymes from Potekhin". Created a group in Tolyatti "Uncle Ray and Company" together with Sergei Zhukov. This was the beginning of a great future called "Hands up!". But so far these were only hopes that could not even bring income. To earn some money, the duo held a series of discos in Tbilisi.

Then they returned to Moscow and began working at a recording studio "Baboon Records", creating arrangements for other groups for the right to simultaneously record songs for their own. By that time a new name had been chosen - "Hands up!".

With the involvement of a professional producer, the music business began to develop. The group became incredibly popular after the release of their first album. "Breathe evenly", and the musicians began touring around the country and abroad. Since then, countless concerts have been held and many songs have been written. "Hands" many awards were awarded. After the closure of “Ruk” in 2006, Alexey has been producing young performers such as Superboys, J Well(ex-member of the group Discomafia).

During the period 2006/2008, 3 collections were published dance music Potexinstyle, which combines many young performers and hits famous groups, such as Na this moment Alexey is working on his new project TRACK&blues, to which he invited ex-vocalist Gr. Turbomod (Vladimir Luchnikov) and ex-member of the Svoi group Ruslan Achkinadze. In 2007 Alessandro Materazzo, a member of the TV show DOM-2, with whom the group toured in the summer of 2008 in the south of Russia and abroad, was invited to the TRACK&blues group.

Alexey has a hobby:

Alexey has an older brother Andrey, a former member of the gr. T*urbomoda, Boys, Revolvers.* Today Andrey is the manager and organizer of performances of Alexey’s new project TRACK&blues.

Before becoming a musician popular group“Hands up!”, Alexey Potekhin worked at the Samara radio station “Europe Plus”, where he had a humorous program. Their union with fellow DJ Sergei Zhukov in 1991 was the beginning of a long collaboration in a new musical group. Their first song, “Baby,” immediately fell in love with the youth audience and became the key to more than ten years of successful creativity. The duet received many prizes in various categories of Russian competitions and five Golden Gramophone statuettes. Songs of the group “Hands Up!” four times became laureates of the “Song of the Year” award. In 2006, this group broke up and each of the singers went their own way. Alexey became the founder of the new project “TRACK&Blues”, promotes young talents and goes on tour as a performer of songs from the old repertoire. Alexei Potekhin's wife has nothing to do with the stage

Potekhin married twice in his life and his first marriage was directly related to the “Hands Up!” group. At the very peak of their popularity, two singers: Zhukov and Potekhin, were so busy with their creative career what them personal life had no development: due to the lack of wives or more or less permanent girlfriends, they even began to be suspected of a penchant for unconventional love interests. The young guys simply did not immediately cope with the all-Russian success and adoration that fell on their heads, therefore, they devoted themselves entirely to the stage. Then the state of affairs changed: having strengthened themselves in their glory and got used to it, they became simpler and more reasonable: life went on. Zhukov was the first to get married in 2000, and in 2002 his stage partner decided to join the army of “married men”. Moreover, he had no need to go far: Alexey was dating a girl from the group’s backup dancer, Irina Tomilova.

Irina danced and “sang along” to the duet to the soundtrack, creating a decorative background during the performance, and completely satisfied the audience. In April 2002, she and Alexei got married, but this information was hidden among the audience: only initiates and those who found information knew about the wives of the main performers: fans should not be disappointed. This marriage lasted two years and there is no exact information about why it broke up. They said that Irina was expecting a child, then rumors appeared that it could not be saved. Potekhin himself admitted in an interview that he and his wife continue to communicate, but do not live together, and any girl who can make him a father can become a candidate for the role of his wife. However, information that his ex-wife is now married and has a child refutes the version of Irina’s infertility.

In addition to the gossip, there was also a message in Express Newspaper that, having heard about the construction of a luxurious mansion in a reserved resort town on the Curonian Spit near Kaliningrad, allegedly started by Alexei Potekhin, meticulous journalists asked him for details. Alexey suggested that this building may mean “Ira’s dad” - ex-wife, living in Kaliningrad. A person, presumably, not poor and influential enough to afford such a luxury. Potekhin himself, according to him, does not have that kind of money. In light of these circumstances, Alexey’s divorce from Irina could have other reasons.

In 2009, Potekhin married a second time, and in March 2010 his daughter was born. Alexey’s new wife’s name is Elena and, according to her husband, she worked in the “field of veterinary medicine.” The lovers dated for two years before they decided to get married, and are absolutely happy that they have a child. For the sake of her daughter, Elena parted with her work, devoting all her attention to her. The girl was named Masha and Potekhina is very pleased with the sound of her name, her middle name is Maria Alekseevna. During the birth, the musician was in Moscow and himself took his wife to the Family Planning Center.

He often has to leave for concerts in the Russian outback and this is due to Zhukov’s ownership of the repertoire of their former duet. Even the name of Alexey’s team is now “Raise your hands up!”, and the stage venues are much more modest than before. But Alexei Potekhin’s wife can be calm: her husband will be able to provide them and their baby with a decent existence, because he works for the benefit of his family.

Alexey was born on April 15, 1972 in Novokuibyshevsk (Samara region). In the Potekhin family it was customary to constantly listen to music. Moreover, the boy’s mother was fond of symphonic music, and his father was into pop music. The older brother instilled in Alyosha a love of foreign music.

As a child, the boy had a cocky character. His parents decided to enroll him in the basketball section and art school. After 11th grade, Potekhin left for Samara, where he entered the river technical school. Alyosha remembers the period of study at this institution with warmth. There were teachers there who, even at their advanced age, loved to joke just like the young ones.

Potekhin liked to follow the latest hits. At first he just listened to songs, and then he bought a guitar and began to try to compose himself. The young man even got a job as a DJ at discos.

After graduating from technical school in 1911, Potekhin (not without the influence of his mother) again became a student, now at Samara State Technical University. In 1996, he received a diploma in the specialty “systems engineer”.

In Samara, Alexey worked at the radio station “Europe-plus” as the host of the program “Poteshki from Potekhin”. Having moved to Togliatti, together with Sergei Zhukov he founded the group “Uncle Ray and Company”. This was the beginning of a stellar future called “Hands Up!” But at that time the project was not profitable. To stabilize financial condition the duo organized several discos in Tbilisi.

Arriving in Moscow, Alexey and Sergey got a job at the Pabian Records recording studio. They created arrangements for other groups for the opportunity to record their own songs. It was during this period that the duo renamed themselves “Hands Up!”

The music business took off after attracting a professional producer. After the release of their first album, “Breathe Evenly,” the group gained overwhelming popularity. The musicians began touring throughout Russia and abroad. During the existence of the group, an impressive number of songs were written and many concerts were held. The duo received many awards.

After the breakup of the group in 2006, Potekhin began producing young talents (Superboys, J Well, etc.). Over the course of two years, 3 collections of dance music Potexinstyle were released. They combined young performers and hits famous bands(Turbo mode, Demo, etc.).

Currently, Alexey Potekhin is working on his project TREC&blues. The manager and organizer of the performances is his brother Andrei Potekhin, a former member of such groups as Boys, Turbomoda, Revolvers.

Personal life of Potekhin

Alexey was married twice. His first wife was Irina Tolmilova, whom he met as part of the “Hands Up!” group. The girl was their backup dancer. Within two years after legalization of relations married couple unsuccessfully tried to have a child. Before the final separation, the couple decided to live separately for a while. However, the “pause” taken could not save the marriage, and the young people divorced.

In September 2009, Potekhin married again. His chosen one this time was the girl Elena, who has nothing to do with show business. Before meeting Alexey, she worked as a veterinarian. In March 2010, Potekhin became a happy dad. His wife gave birth to his daughter Maria. Elena left work for the sake of the baby. Nevertheless, she does not sit idle. The young mother works part-time as a makeup artist and periodically takes part in professional photo shoots.

Ex-soloist of “Hands Up!”

Alexey Potekhin is a former member of the group “Hands Up!” – has not appeared on TV screens for a long time. He doesn't go to social events and does not receive awards at music awards. While his ex best friend and group partner Sergei Zhukov, after the collapse of the group, continues to maintain his position in show business. Correspondents for the site tracked down Potekhin and found out what the singer was doing now.

"All the girls were ours"

“Yes, I left show business for some time,” Alexey confirmed our speculations. “But I didn’t stop making music.” Recently I wrote a song for “Buranovskie Babushki”. It will be timed to coincide with the FIFA World Cup.

Immediately after the collapse of the group “Hands Up!” in 2006, Alexey Potekhin, together with his friend Vladimir Luchnikov, created a project called “Raise Your Hands Up.”

– We are often invited to go on tour. But we are not traveling major cities, and most often in villages,” admits Potekhin. – Sergei Zhukov will not go there, for example. Like most of the people you see on TV. All they know is to walk on red carpets, wear masks, dance on skates and receive various awards in the form of plates, which are of little use.

Alexey Potekhin complained to our correspondents that during the enormous popularity of the group “Hands Up!” he earned practically nothing.

“Serega and I were just doing what we really loved to do, music was everything to us,” the artist says nostalgically. “And many people envied us: we came to any city and all the girls were ours.” The most interesting thing is that of all the two hundred and thirty songs that we wrote, everyone was only interested in the simplest ones. “La-la-la-la, I sing all day long” - we became famous with such songs. Every girl in the country had “Hands Up!” cassettes. But this did not affect our financial situation in any way. Our producers fucked everything. They had apartments, cars, wives. We have nothing. If you ask how much Andrei Cherkasov, who managed us, and the ARS-Records company earned for us, I will answer you: one hundred and forty million rubles. Be sure to write about it!

Group "Hands Up!" / Global Look Press

“You’re unlikely to get through to him. He's a VIP"

On the sidelines after the collapse of the group “Hands Up!” there were many rumors about difficult relationship Alexey Potekhin and Sergey Zhukov. They said that former friends don’t even greet each other in front of chance encounters. But in 2016, at a concert dedicated to the group’s twentieth anniversary, Potekhin and Zhukov reunited on stage again. However, during a conversation with our correspondents, Alexey made it clear that he does not communicate with Sergei.

- Everyone asks me why I left “Hands Up!” I’ll answer you: because we have all become adults,” says the singer. – But Sergei didn’t think so, he was comfortable. He is comfortable now. He always wanted fame, but I didn't. Are we communicating? Ask him that. Although you are unlikely to get through to him. He's a VIP.

Despite the cheerfulness at the beginning of the interview, at the end of the conversation Potekhin still admitted that he did not indulge himself in vain illusions. The musician understands that the time of former popularity cannot be returned. There are, of course, loyal fans of whom Alexey is very proud, but there are not many of them left.

– Our fans already have several children. One day one of them told me: “Lyokha, look at my children! It's all yours - everything love stories in my life we ​​passed to your songs! Thank you!" - Alexey boasts. – Well, in general, to be honest, I’m very surprised that you wanted to interview me. I haven't been popular for a long time. I'm surfing the Internet and there's silence there. Nobody writes. Although I am ready to answer everyone!

Recently the group "Hands Up!" won the MUZ-TV award in the category "Best Song of the Fifteenth Anniversary". The award for the composition “My Baby” was taken by Sergei Zhukov, who appeared on stage without Alexei Potekhin. But once the guys were inseparable.

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Journalists contacted the former member of the team and found out why he was no longer visible. “Yes, I left show business for a while, but I didn’t stop making music,” said Potekhin. “I recently wrote a song for “Buranovskie Babushki.” It will be dedicated to the World Cup.”

The artist did not say anything nasty about his former colleague. “Everyone asks me why I left “Hands Up!” I’ll answer you: because we all became adults, but Sergei didn’t think so, he was comfortable. He’s comfortable now. He always wanted fame, but I didn’t.” ,” Alexey spread his hands.

Apparently, the musicians do not maintain relationships after the breakup of the band. “Are we communicating? Ask him. Although you’re unlikely to get through to him. He’s a VIP,” the performer answered evasively.

If Zhukov continues to be active social life and occasionally appear in the news (for example, in connection with sensational), then Potekhin’s sharks of his pen were forgotten. “Honestly, I’m very surprised that you wanted to interview me. I haven’t been popular for a long time. I’m on the Internet - there’s silence. Nobody writes. Although I’m ready to answer everyone!” – the website “Interlocutor” quotes the artist.

Alexey admitted that even though the whole country sang his compositions, he did not get rich. “The most interesting thing is that out of all the two hundred and thirty songs that we wrote, everyone was interested only in the simplest ones. “La-la-la-la, I hum all day long” - we became famous with such songs. Every girl in the country had cassette tapes." Hands up!”, but this did not affect our financial situation in any way,” Potekhin complained.

According to former member group "Ruki Verkh!", all the money went to other people. “Our producers had everything. They had apartments, cars, wives. We had nothing. If you ask how much Andrei Cherkasov, who managed us, and the ARS Records company earned for us, I will answer you: one hundred and forty million rubles. Be sure to write about it!” – the artist asked.