What is the name of the bottle performer? “Butyrka”: “What’s wrong with the fact that we sing about life on the other side of the fence? Vladimir Zhdamirov now

The work of the Butyrka group is known to all fans of chanson. Their songs are filled with prison lyrics, because most of them were written by the first soloist behind barbed wire. Oleg Simonov and Andrey Bykov sing not only about the camps, but also perform hits about simple stories that are close to many. It was the choice of topics close to the people that became the reason for the high popularity of the group.

Biography of the second soloist

In 1960, Andrei Bykov was born in the city of Berezniki, Perm Territory. His biography as a talented musician began there. His mother was a kindergarten teacher, and his father worked as an artist. Both parents took an active part in amateur artistic performances, which Andrei was introduced to from childhood. Raised by the example of his parents, the musician already had his own repertoire of several dozen folk songs by the age of five.

At the age of 12, the family was shocked by grief - the father of the future musician passed away. His mother raised him alone and encouraged him to study at the Palace of Pioneers, where the first teenage instrumental ensembles were created. When Andrey Bykov picked up the bass guitar, the choice in favor of music was finally made. The teenagers played rock and roll, which was popular at that time. Four years later, the future singer decided to grow professionally, which led him to a music school. True, he was unable to complete the course; according to the musician himself, he lacked perseverance. In addition, the department was a wind section and he learned to play the bassoon, which moved Andrei Bykov away from the stage.

After his studies were abandoned, the future singer began playing with friends on the dance floors of the city, but this career did not last long. In 1978, the musician went to military service, where he spent two years. Upon returning home, he began performing in restaurants. Then there was a period of work at the Philharmonic Society of the city of Ulyanovsk, which was followed by a return to tavern life, first in Abkhazia, and then in his native Berezniki.

Personal life

In 1998, Andrei Bykov decided to radically change his life; he came to Moscow to earn money. However, during this visit the singer was unable to advance his career - his mother was diagnosed with heart problems, which made it necessary for Andrei to be present in Berezniki.

The musician continued to travel to work, thanks to which he met his wife, Alena. They met in one of the restaurants in Sochi, where Andrei Bykov sang, and his chosen one led the dance show program and performed herself. Now they are raising two children: a beautiful daughter and eldest son Daniil, who is now studying in Yekaterinburg.

How Andrey got into the Butyrka group

The first meeting of the future soloist with one of the founders of the group (Oleg Simonov) took place back in 1998. Then the creator of the group highly appreciated Andrei’s professional qualities and even invited him to collaborate, and later recommended Vladimir Zhdamirov to replace Vladimir Zhdamirov, who had left the team, but due to family circumstances the lead singer had to refuse to participate in the group.

For a long time he substituted on album recordings, and in 2015 he began touring with the group. In 2016, he also took part in the anniversary concert in Voronezh, where the audience received the new soloist very cordially. At the moment, the lead singer of the Butyrka group Andrei Bykov is not going to leave the band and will delight the audience with new hits. His vocal qualities are perfect for performing Butyrka’s hits.

Concert activities

Now the group actively performs in cities of Russia and the Near Abroad. In every city, musicians actively communicate with their fans, never refusing autographs, photos or interviews. They are asked a variety of questions, but they try to answer them as honestly as possible.

During his performances, Andrei Bykov performs a variety of songs. At the anniversary concert in Voronezh, for example, he pleased the audience with a hit from the repertoire of Toto Cutugno. However, this is rather an exception to the rule. At concerts, new and legendary hits from Butyrka are most often played.

In every city, the team always visits prisons. Together with the rest of the musicians, Andrei recently visited the place that gave the name to the group. These concerts are absolutely free, and they are held in agreement with the heads of correctional institutions.

Culture

“The dream will definitely come true, you just have to go towards it, don’t listen to anyone and don’t turn on the rear,” says Mikhail Borisov. “When I was told that I had passed the qualifying round in the Russian Chanson company and was being invited to the legendary group Butyrka, I didn’t believe it.”

The information turned out to be correct. And for several months now, Mikhail has been touring with the group in the cities of our Motherland. But who is he, the new lead singer of the Butyrka group?

"The South is in vogue now"

“I am not ashamed to tell the truth. Every person has his own skeletons in his closet, and only the Lord God will judge them,” the musician is sure.

Those who have already attended the Butyrka concert do not know much about it. Young. Cute. The casting passed. From Tuapse. “The South is in fashion now,” jokes the group’s art director Yulia Griboedova. - Grigory Leps, Stas Mikhailov, Mikhail Borisov..."

But first things first.

Large family, discipline and order

Mikhail was born in Kazakhstan on February 22, 1981. Soon the family moved to Russia on the Black Sea coast to the city of Tuapse.

“I remember my childhood well, but for some reason in black and white,” says the musician. - We lived in a two-story house that was built by my grandfather Mikhail, after whom I was named. The family was large, 8 people. Grandfather, grandmother, uncle, mother, father, me and two younger brothers. My father worked in Kazakhstan on drilling rigs, extracting oil. Mom was an accountant. Despite the fact that the country had a difficult post-perestroika time, we lived well. Grandfather was a leader and an excellent owner, so discipline and order reigned in the house. My grandmother worked all her life as a paramedic in a first-aid post on the railway. Now she is the last representative of the older generation of my relatives who is alive..."

Loner turned bully

As a child, the future soloist of “Butyrka” was often sick, was withdrawn and felt like a loner. The turning point came during adolescence. “Maybe the new circle of friends influenced me, maybe I believed in myself, or maybe the demon just got the better of my weakness,” says Mikhail. “From an obedient boy, I began to turn into a malicious hooligan. He ran away from home and became interested in the criminal world and thieves. They started being brought to the police and many other problems. Mom tried in every possible way to save me from trouble, but I was deaf and blind. I thought I was living correctly.”

At the age of 14, the young man became interested in the guitar and within a year began to play well. The number of friends grew by leaps and bounds. The guy signed up for boxing. In the evenings I went to training, and at night I spent in the yard with a cheerful company...

And, as they say, you can’t escape fate. At the age of 22 he received a sentence. 5 years.

“Many people ask me the same question: why? For hooliganism with the use of weapons and for fighting, Borisov does not hide. “Everything happened so quickly that I didn’t have time to understand how I ended up in the zone.”

5 years that seemed like a quarter of a century

“My parents died a few months after I was taken to the camp, and later my uncle died. It was a disaster. “I didn’t expect such a turn of events, and I didn’t want to live,” recalls Mikhail. - As luck would have it, I was transported to the Arkhangelsk region for logging. As it turns out, harsh camps are not only in films.”

He spent almost six months in solitary confinement for refusing household work and unwillingness to submit to camp discipline. And while I was sitting in the punishment cell, I came to the conclusion that the main thing in life is not to do harm to people and not to cause pain to relatives.

Borisov served out the rest of his sentence at his place of residence, in the Krasnodar Territory. But 5 years still lasted like 25...

Homecoming

After his release, Misha was met by his brothers. He couldn't hold back his tears. On the way home, he remembered how he promised his mother, leaving for the trial, that he would soon return, how his girlfriend, after the verdict, swore that she would wait until the end...

Soon the young man began to drink and only thanks to his grandmother he did not end up in jail again.

“I didn’t see my future, all my peers and friends already had families, businesses, cars and careers, but they didn’t take me anywhere,” he continues to say. - I worked as a laborer at a construction site. Then he fraudulently got a job as a cook in a decent restaurant, although he didn’t know how to do anything. After some time, together with his colleagues, he took 3rd place in the Krasnodar Territory in the category “Best dish of European cuisine.” Things were looking up. I got married and had a son.”

Dreams Come True!

Once, while at a corporate party, Borisov decided to sing. The guests were delighted, and he himself liked it. He borrowed a large sum of money and bought musical equipment. I learned a small repertoire and got a job in a tavern. It turned out that this was a calling.

“My friend once asked me: what is your goal in life? - says the musician. - I answered that I want to perform on the big stage. And he said: this is not a goal, this is a dream. But they, as a rule, do not come true.”

Mikhail's dreams came true. He met wonderful people and began touring the country with the Butyrka group. In just two months the album “I’ll be back home” was written. The team is currently working on the next album, which is due out at the end of 2014.

“I went through bad times with dignity, and I will go through good times with dignity,” Mikhail Borisov is sure.

Oleg Simonov married his director

A joyful event recently happened in the BUTYRKA group, a popular group working in the Russian chanson genre. Soloist Oleg SIMONOV married the group's concert director, Yulia GRIBOEDOVA.

Olga EMELYANOVA, Dmitry LIFANTSEV

After the death of chanson superstar Mikhail Krug, the Butyrka group became the most popular genre group, but little was known about the personal life of its leaders, Vladimir Zhdamirov and Oleg Simonov.

Although Vladimir and Oleg have long become dollar millionaires, they have no plans to move to Moscow. This is how they live with their loved ones in a village near Voronezh. The main income of musicians, naturally, is fees for concerts. Over the five years of active performances, “Butyrka” has visited all major cities in Russia, near and far abroad, more than once. Considering that a concert of the group costs from $10 thousand, and there are at least a hundred of them a year, Zhdamirov and Simonov should have saved up a decent fortune long ago.

“Men have big families, they have to feed the kids,” smiles the band’s music producer Alexey Bryantsev. - They only have five offspring between them! Vladimir has three of his own chorus girls and one adopted daughter, and Oleg has a son. Previously, he had another boy - adopted, but he could not appreciate the kindness - he ran away. Seryozha joined the group at one of the concerts somewhere in the Russian outback. His parents either died or drank themselves to death, so Oleg, a kind soul, took pity on the guy. Dressed him, put on his shoes, helped him get documents. So this Seryoga, as soon as he had a brand new passport in his pocket and turned 16 years old, ran away. A free life without the educational edifications of a mentor seemed sweeter to him...

20 years later

Recently, Oleg Simonov got married to the concert director of his group, Yulia Griboedova. They had known each other since school; they studied together. As classmates recall, the guy looked after Yulenka very touchingly. He walked her home after classes, carried her briefcase, gave her bouquets picked along the way from city flower beds, and in the evenings he took her to the cinema and discos. But after school their paths diverged. Oleg ended up in prison, where he served eight years, and upon leaving the prison, he started a family with another woman. By that time Yulia had a husband and daughter.

The wedding took place in one of the cozy restaurants near Voronezh. The stars of Russian chanson - Alexander Dyumin, Mikhail Sheleg, Zheka and many others - also came to congratulate the newlyweds. They handed the newlyweds plump envelopes with money, and they, in turn, treated the guests to ice-cold vodka and Russian cuisine. Oleg and Yulia spent their honeymoon in Anapa, although they unanimously admit that they usually like to relax in their village.

Just a fact

The group got the name “Butyrka” after several prisoners made a daring escape from Butyrka prison on September 3, 2001.

The most famous hits of Butyrka

“It smelled like spring”, “What autumn is it like in the camps”, “Icon”.

Fans of “thieves” lyrics know Vladimir Zhdamirov primarily as a frontman. However, in 2013, the composition of the group changed, and the musician began a solo career. Vladimir was born in the Voronezh region, in the city of Liski, on August 6, 1958. My father served on torpedo boats of the Pacific Fleet. Mom was the life of the party and loved to dance.

According to the musician, his parents did not spoil him. Volodya’s diligence and behavior at school were “lame”, and his favorite subjects were singing and physical education. The student often skipped classes, although he admits that he liked studying. In Zhdamirov’s youthful biography, there were even cases of being brought to the police station for hooliganism.

Life in the outback taught the boy to rely on himself. In 2nd grade, he became the owner of his own moped, which he dealt with on his own - he even repaired it himself. For 11 years in his youth, the future artist worked in a construction crew. Even then the guy sang for the workers to please them a little.

After school, Vladimir served in the army as a radio operator, often competing in competitions as a participant from his company. In his second year of service, he grew his famous mustache - it was considered very stylish among the soldiers.

The musical preferences of young Zhdamirov were far from the music that he later began to perform. The young man dreamed of rock music, listened to... Of the Soviet musicians, he also gave preference to “Blue Bird”. Hooligan behavior did not interfere with creativity. Vladimir learned to play the guitar, began working part-time in vocal and instrumental ensembles, and playing at festivals and dances.

Music

On a professional level, Vladimir took up creativity in 1997, after meeting Oleg Simonov, who had recently been released from prison. Over the years of imprisonment, he accumulated song material, and Zhdamirov possessed the voice and texture necessary for stage work. Having teamed up, Oleg and Vladimir created their first project, “Distant Light”.

In 2001, the group offered their work to the Master Sound company, where they were noticed by producer Alexander Abramov. The name “Butyrka” was proposed for the group - shortly before recording the album, prisoners escaped from Butyrka prison.

In 2002, Vladimir together with the group recorded the “First Album”, which became Butyrka’s creative debut. Success came immediately, and the team began to become a legend of Russian chanson. At the “Worthy Song 2002” festival, “Butyrka” became the winner in the “Discovery of the Year” category, and the first of the group’s videos, “Smell of Spring,” was recognized as the best in the chanson genre.

For the next 13 years, Zhdamirov worked with Butyrka - he was a vocalist and musical director, and wrote music for songs. During this time, the group’s discography has accumulated 8 albums, songs from which are always popular among fans of the genre. The musicians claimed that they do not have songs without backstories, and some characters, for example, Baba Masha, have real prototypes.

Vladimir’s relationship with Oleg Simonov has always been uneven - the musicians happened to quarrel even during the “Distant Light” period. In 2009, disagreements began within the entire group. According to rumors, the main reason for the dispute was financial issues.

The group's success and a contract with a record company kept Butyrka from breaking up, but during tours the musicians could even demand separate dressing rooms. When Simonov brought in a second vocalist in 2013, a split became inevitable. In January 2014, Vladimir Zhdamirov officially announced that he was leaving Butyrka.

After parting with the group, the singer was prohibited from performing “Butyrka” hits from the stage. Initially, they were going to ban even the use of the words “ex-soloist of Butyrka” on posters, but Vladimir defended this right. In 2014, having started a solo career, the singer recorded the album “Spring Behind the Fence,” which included 13 songs. The author of most of the texts was Dmitry Avdyukhov, a poet from Ryazan. All music was written by Zhdamirov himself.

In February 2016, due to a misunderstanding of the context, a funny thing happened to Vladimir, which almost turned into a scandal. A video has appeared on the Internet in which Zhdamirov, surrounded by festively dressed children, sings the song “Certificate”, and the children sing along. Internet users instantly decided that the singer was performing criminal songs at a children's party and reacted negatively to this news.

Zhdamirov was surprised by these conclusions and clarified the situation: firstly, the video is old, when the musician still performed as part of Butyrka. Secondly, this is a recording from a private event where the group was invited to perform. The fact that children were present at the celebration did not depend on the artist in any way, and responsibility for this lies with the parents.

Although in one of his interviews, Vladimir confirmed that sometimes parents came to Butyrka concerts with their children, and this did not bother him. The singer believes that if children like the songs, it means that the performers have positive energy, and they give listeners bright emotions that will not harm.

Vladimir’s “crown” voice, which provided the flavor of “Butyrka” and became his calling card, is actually made on purpose. Initially, Zhdamirov’s voice was clear, and the artist began to use it in his solo work.

Personal life

Little is known about the singer’s personal life, and photos from home archives are difficult to find on the Internet. Zhdamirov’s cousin is Sergei Rudnev, a people’s artist who worked in the Krasnoyarsk dance ensemble of Siberia.

Vladimir has a wife and 4 children - three natural daughters and one adopted daughter, family means a lot to him. Zhdamirov’s own sister died at the age of 47, and the artist took in his niece. The singer loves children and is glad that one of his daughters gave him a grandson, Ilya. Vladimir promises to teach the boy to play the guitar when he grows up.

Granddaughter Karina entered the 8th grade in 2018. The girl is also a creative person and choreographs dances. At the same time, she tries not to mention the famous grandfather - she wants to achieve everything herself.

When it comes to music, the artist prefers to listen to classics - he says that this helps him find inspiration for writing his own melodies. In a 2018 interview for radio “Chanson”, the singer unexpectedly admitted that he considers one of the most iconic figures in music. According to Vladimir, he was a great performer and choreographer.

Vladimir Zhdamirov now

Now the artist tours a lot around Russia with the group “Volny Veter”. As in the days of Butyrka, Vladimir continues to give charity concerts in correctional institutions.

Another new move by Vladimir is songs outside of the thieves theme. The singer says that he is a lyricist by nature and has long wanted to try himself in this role.

Vladimir Zhdamirov’s discography as a solo artist currently includes one album, but the singer is not going to stop there.

The history of the Butyrka group begins in September 2001. By this time, several songs had been recorded, but the group still did not have a name. The name of the group, “Butyrka,” appeared completely by accident, after on September 3, 2001, several prisoners made a daring escape from Butyrka prison.

The debut album (“First Album”, 2002) was a stunning success, and “Butyrka” became one of the most popular groups and performers of “Russian chanson”. And this success was not accidental - fans of this genre could not help but note the original sound and arrangements, the memorable voice of Vladimir Zhdamirov, as well as the honesty and sincerity of Oleg Simonov’s poems. This is explained by the fact that everything that “Butyrka” sings about is true! Oleg, unlike many authors and performers, is familiar first-hand with life behind barbed wire. The themes of his poems are not only about prison and camps, but primarily about the destinies of people and stories from his life.

“The second album” was released in the same 2002. It became a worthy continuation of the successful debut and strengthened the success of the group. At the presentation of the public music award "Worthy Song 2002", held in St. Petersburg, at the Oktyabrsky Concert Hall, the group won in the "Discovery of the Year" nomination and was awarded the prize for the best video in the "Russian chanson" genre (clip for the song " It smelled like spring" directed by A. Tumandeev). The group's songs are on the first lines of the sales charts and charts of Russian radio stations.

In January 2004, the third album entitled “News” was released.

The band is currently working on their fourth album. "Butyrka" conducts active concert activities both in Russia and abroad.

Composition of the group:

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