Mikhail Gorshenev is a true icon of punk rock music in Russia. The musician, better known under the pseudonym Pot, remained at the pinnacle of success for many years, being a constant member of the group King and Jester. No less interesting were the musician’s solo projects, in which Mikhail managed to realize himself not only as a singer, but also as an artist.
At the same time, Mikhail’s personal life was full of shocks, which he never managed to cope with. He led a lifestyle consistent with his image, which brought the musician to his grave at such a young age.
We invite our readers to remember how the life of this outstanding frontman of the punk rock band King and the Jester turned out. You will learn about his spouses, as well as about the musician’s struggle with addictions, which lasted for many years.
Personal life
The stormy youth of Mikhail Gorshenev fell on a difficult time for the entire country. The “dashing nineties” came when the curtain fell and a protracted crisis ensued in the country. This was a time when Russia began to suffer from a lack of money, unemployment and the widespread spread of drugs pouring in from abroad.
Mikhail Gorshenev in his youth
Being a big fan of Western punk rock, Mikhail was introduced to drugs in his youth. At first it was just ordinary nonsense, but very soon Mikhail began to pay attention to much harder drugs.
Potty became addicted to heroin at the very beginning of his career, struggling with his illness in all subsequent years. Despite this addiction, in 1992 Mikhail met his first love. She turned out to be a young girl, Anfisa, who was a big fan of the work of the group King and the Jester.
The young couple had a lot in common. In particular, Anfisa was also partial to heroin, sharing many of the frontman’s hobbies.
Parents of Mikhail Gorshenev. Tatyana Ivanovna and Yuri Mikhailovich Gorshenev.
The future legend of Russian punk rock Mikhail Gorshenev was born into the family of military man Yuri Mikhailovich Gorshenev and his wife Tatyana Ivanovna Gorsheneva. The life of a border troops major involved many moves. The family moved from place to place. Mikhail Gorshenev was born in Pikalevo, Leningrad region, and his younger brother Alexey was born in Birobidzhan in the Khabarovsk region.
Mikhail Gorshenev with his parents. Source: vk.com
Mikhail Gorshenev's mother, Tatyana Ivanovna Gorsheneva, had a musical education and worked as a music director in kindergartens and orphanages. Tatyana Ivanovna recalls that their music was always playing in the house, because At home, Misha and Lesha’s mother often worked on scripts for children’s matinees. Tatyana Ivanovna also says that her sons began working with voices from early childhood.
Mikhail, Alexey, Tatyana Ivanovna Gorshenevs
This was not just a performance of songs, but a kind of treatment: as a child, Mikhail had lung problems, and Alexey suffered from a stutter. Tatyana Ivanovna came up with a therapeutic activity for them that could help.
In the dialogue, mother and children chanted phrases.
The children perceived it as a game, and they eagerly sang.
Indeed, soon the boys’ health problems disappeared without a trace, and the music they listened to from birth apparently influenced their further choice of life path. Although both Mikhail and Alexey went quite far from classical music in their work, they learned to love music as a phenomenon in early childhood.
Tatyana Gorsheneva in her youth
Mikhail Gorshnev's parents used different approaches to raising their children. This was partly due to their professions. From their youth, military people are accustomed to order and discipline, they know how to give orders and obey them when necessary. Therefore, Mikhail Gorshenev’s father, Yuri Mikhailovich Gorshenev, tried to raise his sons to be the same disciplined and responsible people as he himself was.
Mikhail Gorshenev, recalling his childhood, said that his father enjoyed enormous authority in the family, and he was even afraid of him.
Despite this, Mikhail often had conflicts with his father. The musician admitted that he was the complete opposite of his strict father, who always had order both in business and in things. Mikhail's impetuosity, his daydreaming and absent-mindedness worried Yuri Mikhailovich.
“I wasn’t a bully - but I wish I was. A guy like me had even more problems than the bullies. I could think about something of my own for a long time. Everyone writes down the teacher’s words, and I draw my pictures.” — Mikhail Gorshenev
However, it was not possible to overcome these, negative, in the father’s opinion, qualities of his son. Mikhail remained a disorganized and reckless person throughout his life. Apparently it was these traits that brought him into punk rock at the time, and his one hundred percent adherence to the image of punk made Mikhail Gorshenev the idol of an entire generation.
But it would be unfair to say that the relationship between father and son was cold. It was the father, who learned about his son’s addiction to alcohol and drugs, who placed Mikhail in hospitals to get rid of his addictions. Also, Mikhail Gorshenev’s father, Yuri Mikhailovich Gorshenev, did everything to ensure that the investigation after Mikhail’s death was not closed. Yuri Mikhailovich did not believe that the cause of his son’s death was solely an overdose of drugs and alcohol. Perhaps Yuri Mikhailovich would have been able to prove that he was right, however, not having survived the loss of his son, he died, outliving Mikhail by only 43 days.
Mikhail Gorshenev's mother, Tatyana Ivanovna Gorsheneva, adhered to other methods of education. She said that she preferred to gently guide her children, not showing them the right path, but following them along the path that they themselves chose. Working with students taught Tatyana Ivanovna flexibility, which sometimes brings better results than authoritarian upbringing. Moreover, according to Mikhail’s mother, she simply had no other choice. If Alexey did not cause any problems for his parents, then Mikhail, with his independent character, required a special approach.
“It was difficult with him, but interesting,” the mother will say after the death of her famous son.
Tatyana Ivanovna recalled more than once that it was impossible to force Mikhail to do something that he did not want. Even while studying at school, during lessons that were not interesting to him, the boy, without formally violating discipline, quietly drew in a notebook, mentally being carried away into the world of his fantasies.
When a passion for music came into Mikhail’s life, Tatyana Ivanovna willingly allowed the children to conduct rehearsals right in the apartment. She preferred to listen to the loud sounds of guitars, but not to send Mikhail and his friends in search of another rehearsal base. The only condition set by my mother: rehearsals must end late in the evening. However, Mikhail often forgot about this condition. He was too passionate about the creative process. In such cases, Tatyana Ivanovna had to go into the room herself and turn off the equipment.
During the period of Mikhail’s rehabilitation from drug addiction, Tatyana Ivanovna was constantly by her son’s side, providing him with moral support. She did it in her own way, in her soft and unobtrusive manner. Mikhail rehearsed Hamlet with his mother. He read the role of the Danish Prince himself, and Tatyana Ivanovna - all the other roles. During these art readings, mother and son talked a lot about Mikhail's life situation. It was his mother’s tactful advice that helped the musician to restore himself over and over again and continue to create.
After the death of Mikhail Gorshenev, Tatyana Ivanovna gave numerous interviews, seeing this as an opportunity to tell people as much as possible about her famous son, to show his loving fans what Mikhail really was. After all, behind the shocking image of the leader of the “King and the Jester” group, there was hidden the reverent and subtle soul of a born musician.
Tatyana Ivanovna at the opening of the monument to Mikhail in Voronezh
He himself recalled that when it was time to go to first grade, his parents decided that a nomadic life would not have the best effect on their son’s academic performance, and sent him to live with his grandmother in the Leningrad region. Soon they themselves moved to Leningrad, receiving an apartment. Mikhail was so happy that he could watch his mother busying herself with housework for hours without uttering a word. He said that although his heart was filled with joy at being reunited with his family, he could not express this joy out loud. Tatyana Ivanovna recalls the endless kindness and generosity of her son, who is always ready to help anyone.
Tatyana Ivanovna was also present at the opening of the monument to her son, and agreed to provide the diaries that she had kept throughout her life to create a script for a film about the personality and creative path of Mikhail.
Mikhail Gorshenev's parents provided their son with tremendous support throughout his life. The difference in their characters and educational manners and unconditional love for their son made the king of Russian punk rock what he was and what he remained, having managed to win the love and devotion of millions of fans.
First marriage
This led to a wedding that took place in 1994. But the couple’s relationship could not be called happy. Problems with heroin made themselves felt almost immediately, turning the life of the husband and wife into a nightmare. All the money was spent on drugs, as a result of which Gorshenev and Anfisa incurred debts.
Mikhail Gorshenev and his ex-wife Anfisa
For the first four years, Mikhail still managed to hide the fact of drug addiction from his loved ones. The truth surfaced only when Anfisa, who was suffering from drug withdrawal, called Mikhail’s father, asking to borrow a large sum of money.
Arriving at the couple's apartment, the parent immediately understood what was happening. The father sent Mikhail and Anfisa for compulsory treatment so that the doctors could return them to a full life. Despite all the torment that heroin brought, the couple continued to shoot up even after being “freed” from the clinic.
According to some reports, the result of their married life together was eight clinical deaths of Pot, who only miraculously continued to remain alive.
Second marriage
Despite his addictions to drugs and alcohol, Mikhail continued his active creative work. Music for him remained the main hobby in life, which allowed him to stay afloat. At the same time, the musician’s appearance corresponded to his music.
Pot often appeared in torn clothes and a leather jacket covered with rock band patches.
His body was decorated with many tattoos, while the number of teeth in his mouth was rapidly moving towards zero.
Mikhail Gorshenev with his wife Olga
Despite his image, Pot still managed to meet his second love. His new chosen one was twenty-year-old Olga, noticeably different from Anfisa. The girl was never interested in the work of the King and the Jester, and was also not a fan of Gorshenev.
The acquaintance happened by chance when the girl was having lunch at a local restaurant in the company of her best friend. Olga was impressed by the openness and good nature that Mikhail possessed. Despite his brutal appearance, he turned out to be an incredibly smart and sociable man.
Soon after meeting, a romance began between Mikhail and Olga, which allowed the musician to settle down. For the first time in many years, Mikhail Gorshenev is giving up his addictions, which almost brought him to the grave.
The couple's wedding took place in 2005. The ceremony took place on the ship, where not a single drop of alcohol could be found. Mikhail changed in just two years, turning from a drug addict into an exemplary husband, ready to do a lot for his wife.
How it all began?
Initially the group was called "Kontora". It was created in 1988 by Mikhail Gorshenev, Alexander Shchigolev and Alexander Balunov. They were all classmates and close friends. Alexander Knyazev, nicknamed Prince, was invited as a second vocalist and creator of lyrics only in 1990. The lyrics were original from the very beginning. They featured fairy-tale motifs and unusual plots. In this regard, the group was renamed “King of the Jesters”, and later - “King and the Jester”. After graduating from school, Mikhail Yuryevich Gorshenev entered the lyceum, where he planned to engage in restoration. However, after three years he was expelled due to the fact that he devoted too much time to music, and this interfered with his successful studies.
Children of Mikhail Gorshenev
Some time later, Mikhail Gorshenev became a father for the first time. Olga gave birth to the rocker’s girl Alexandra, whose care became the most important thing in Mikhail’s life.
Mikhail Gorshenev with his daughter Alexandra
Mikhail also became a father to his daughter, whom Olga gave birth to back in 1999. Gorshenev treated her like family, enveloping her in love and care for the next few years.
Second decade
At the beginning of the second decade of the group's existence, changes in its composition continue. In 2011, “The King and the Jester” organized large-scale tours with the program “King of Eternal Sleep”. The group continues to delight fans with new compositions. In 2012, the musicians were invited to the Evening Urgant program. In 2013, together with new bassist Alexander Kulikov, a program of 30 songs was developed. It was supposed to be played on July 20. But she was not destined to see the light.
Death
It seemed that Olga managed to pull Mikhail out of the hole into which he had driven himself in his youth. The musician held on for several years in a row, forgetting about his heroin withdrawal. The absence of drugs did not prevent Mikhail from continuing his active creative work, which led to new side projects.
In particular, Gorshok recorded his first solo albums, which gained no less fame than the work of the punk rock band King and Jester. Collaborations with other famous rock musicians looked no less interesting, resulting in many new hits. The musician has worked with Pelageya, the groups Alisa, Pilot, NAIV and many others.
Mikhail Gorshenev in the opera TODD
This continued until Mikhail concentrated on working on the production of TODD, in which he played the role of a crazy hairdresser. The new experience became a serious test of strength for the vocalist, which resulted in prolonged depression.
It was decided to deal with it through vodka, which was the beginning of the end.
Following a long alcohol binge, drugs followed. Mikhail is back where he started, becoming a burden to his wife. Her husband's lifeless body was discovered by her on July 19, 2013. At the time of his death, the legendary musician was only 39 years old.
The news of the death of Mikhail Gorshenev came as a shock to the entire country. Despite the fact that the musicians’ drug addiction was well known, few people believed that Pot would leave our world at such a young age.
Monument to Mikhail Gorshenev in Voronezh
The funeral service took place on the territory of Yubileiny three days after the death, after which the ashes of the deceased were scattered. After another 41 days, Michal’s father died.
A year later, a monument to Mikhail Gorshenev was erected in Voronezh, which was visited by thousands of fans from all over our country.
Later, monuments to Pot began to appear in other cities of Russia.
Mikhail Gorshenev and the group “King and Jester”
In high school, in 1988, Mikhail, who by that time had already received the nickname Pot, together with classmates Balu and Lieutenant, created the group “Kontora”. In the same year, the musicians recorded the album “Heresy”, which was released only in 2014, a year after the death of Mikhail. The leitmotif of almost all the songs on the album was the theme of death and alcoholic revelry. Of the 12 compositions, one (“Booze”) later migrated to the album of “The King and the Jester” under the title “It’s a pity there is no gun.”
Mikhail Gorshenev in his youth
After graduating from school, Mikhail entered the school to become a restoration artist. He had no interest in studying - every day he waited for the end of classes to rehearse with his friends. After three years of systematic shirking from school, Gorshka was expelled. But it was at the school that he met the person thanks to whom the Kontor group changed its name and concept.
His classmate Andrei Knyazev, nicknamed Prince, showed interest in the work of the “Kontora”. So, since 1990, the group acquired a second vocalist and, part-time, lyricist.
In 1990, Mikhail Gorshenev became the vocalist of the group “King and Jester”
The prince came up with the group's first fairy-tale-themed lyrics. Nowadays, the songs of “The King and the Jester” (and as an alternative to this name, versions of “The Slaughtered Dandelion”, “Apocalypse” and “Armageddon” were put forward) would be dubbed the fashionable word “storytelling” - each one certainly told a frightening story with an unexpected ending.
The group's first concert took place at the Tam-Tam club. “It was a great concert! We went on stage, I immediately fell and sang lying down the whole way,” Mikhail recalled.
The group gained popularity in the late 90s
The first KiSha songs heard on the radio were “Hunter” and “In the Valley of the Swamps.” The first was about a hunter turning into a werewolf-killer, the second was about a young man who deliberately did not help an old man stuck in a quagmire.
It is interesting that from childhood Pot could not stand fairy tales, until, at the instigation of the Prince, he became acquainted with pagan tales about witches and other evil spirits. At the same time, Pot didn’t like it when his compositions were called “fairy tales.” “Fables are what suits me better,” the musician shared in an interview.
The group took quite a long time to achieve popularity. Things took off in 1998, when the musicians recorded the “Acoustic Album,” which impressed critics with its unusual arrangements. That same year, the group shot their first video in studio quality (“The Men Ate Meat”), which was accepted into MTV rotation.
In 2003, Gorshok became a member of the “conditional” St. Petersburg group “Rock Group”, which also included Andrei Knyazev, Yuri Shevchuk (DDT), Ilya Chert (“Pilot”), Alexander Chernetsky (“Different People”) and Alexey Gorshenev, artist's brother. The group recorded a joint album, “Pops”.
Soon, members of the “King and the Jester” opened the rock club “Old House” in St. Petersburg. The musicians took part in the design of the venue, and held rehearsals and concerts there. However, a couple of years later the club had to be closed due to financial troubles.
In 2005, Gorshenev released his first solo album, “I am an Alcoholic Anarchist,” consisting entirely of cover versions of compositions by the Brigadny Podrak group. Two songs from the album were in the top 100 of the Chart's Dozen 2005 hit parade.
Also during these years, Mikhail often recorded songs with other famous performers and groups - Alexander Ivanov (“NAIV”), the groups “Alice” and “Object of Ridicule”, Pelageya and others.
Mikhail Gorshenev in the musical “TODD”
In 2010, Gorshenev staged a musical about the demon barber Sweeney Todd “TODD”, in which all the musicians of his band took part. Impressed by the successful project, the group released two new albums.
