Group “Hands Up!”: the first lineup, which now includes Sergey Zhukov and Alexey Potekhin. What happened to Alexey Potekhin from the group “Hands Up!” Soloists of the group hands up Alexey Potekhin

Recently the group "Hands Up!" won the MUZ-TV award in the category " Best Song fifteen years." 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,” Potekhin said. “I recently wrote a song for “Buranovskie Babushki.” It will be dedicated to the World Cup.”

About yours former colleague the artist did not say any nasty things. “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 cassettes." Hands Up!", but on our financial situation this was not reflected 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!” - asked the artist.

Group "Hands Up!" was at the height of fame 15 years ago. The first line-up, represented by Sergei Zhukov and Alexey Potekhin, won many prestigious awards and music awards. All Russian youth knew their songs “Alyoshka”, “Student” and others by heart. Today the group continues to perform, albeit with a different lineup.

What the group “Hands Up!” used to be like: photos of the old lineup

The leader of the group was initially Sergei Zhukov. In June 1993, he met on a radio show with promising musician Alexey Potekhin. They decided to create a group with interesting name"Uncle Ray and Company"

Young and early “Hands Up!”

The compositions were dominated by “techno” and “dance” elements. Young people wrote songs and sang in the streets for several years, but “made their way” to big stage did not work. In December 1995, they recorded several new tracks and sent them to radio.

The caption on the tape read: "This will make everyone raise their hands in the air."

One of the compositions was played in live, and the audience really liked it. Since then, this name has been assigned to the group - “Hands Up!”

That's how they were

Real success came in 1997, when the group began to be invited to various international festivals. People really liked their simple songs and images of two carefree guys.

"Hands up!" at the dawn of glory

Sergey and Alexey recorded the first studio album, tracks from which became hits on long years. In just 9 years of collaboration, Zhukov and Potekhin recorded dozens of video clips and songs.

"Hands up!" now: Sergei Zhukov is left alone

In August 2006, the founder of the group, Sergei Zhukov, was left alone.

Sergey Zhukov now

He still performs, mostly in Russia, performing old favorites.

Sergei Zhukov was left alone

The musician is happy, they have three children. The family owns it. Business is going well.

Family and business of Sergei Zhukov

In 2012, Sergei released an album of 14 songs, “Open the Door for Me.” It was received quite well by critics.

"Hands up!" represented by Sergei Zhukov

In 2013, the single “Wings” was released, which Zhukov recorded together with the Azerbaijani singer Bahh Tee. He continues to give concerts, and recently finished another tour.

Remember old songs

Some time ago the musicians united and gave several joint concerts, but that was only once. The group no longer exists in its original composition.

What is Alexey Potekhin doing today?

In 2006 Alexey started a new music project called “Track&Blues”, but failed to achieve widespread fame. The young man produced the musicians Superboys and JWell. Under his leadership, 3 large collections of dance music were recorded. A few years later he created the group “Raise Your Hands Up,” with which he still tours.

Alexey Potekhin now

The musician is now 46 years old. He doesn’t like to talk about his departure from the popular team: “I get asked this question all the time, which is a little annoying. I left because I outgrew this project. I, an adult man, began to feel uncomfortable singing youth songs.”

Alexey has his own team

According to Alexei, Sergei was happy with everything. They hardly communicate with each other: “Try to call him yourself, he’s a VIP.”

Potekhin and Zhukov today

Group "Hands Up!" - one of the most famous and successful projects on Russian stage. Loud glory remains in the past, but their compositions are still heard on various competitions and festivals.

At the end of the 1990s. “Hands Up” have become one of the most successful and popular pop groups. Bye music critics branded simple songs and accused their performers of vulgarity and lack of taste, Sergei Zhukov and Alexey Potekhin filled stadiums and forced tens of thousands of fans to dance.

In 2006, the group broke up, but Sergei Zhukov still performs solo, using the same group name. “Hands Up” no longer has its former popularity, but at concerts there are still a lot of young people dancing under everything famous hits“Student”, “My Baby”, “And He Kisses You”, “Alien Lips”, etc.




Group *Hands up*


The leaders and founders of the group, Sergei Zhukov and Alexey Potekhin, met in 1993, when both worked at the Europe Plus radio station. Samara". They decided to create their own Music band, and a year later Uncle Ray and Company was the most popular group in Samara and Tolyatti. But this scale quickly ceased to satisfy their needs, and in 1995 they moved to Moscow. Sergei Zhukov in interviews always calls this year the beginning of his musical career, since it was then that they began serious work to promote their songs.




Group *Hands up*
At first, nothing worked - without the support of the producer it was impossible to attract attention in the capital, and only rich women “over 50” were called to help them for certain services. They found another way: on pirated music cassettes famous performers they wrote three of their songs at the end. Soon, all the stalls in the markets began to play hits that were remembered from the first note. One day producer Andrei Malikov heard them and offered Zhukov and Potekhin cooperation. Since then, a rapid rise in their musical career. The group received the name “Hands Up” and released the first songs “Kid” and “Student”, which very quickly became mega-hits.

Founders and leaders of the group *Hands up*


Sergey Zhukov


Founders and leaders of the group *Hands up*
Since 1997, the group has been actively touring the country and then abroad, performing at dance music festivals. Thanks to the huge number of albums sold in next year“Hands Up” became multiple winners of silver, gold and one platinum disc. In 1999, the group became a laureate of the annual Russian recording industry award in several categories: “Russian radio hit”, “Album of the year”, “Golden Gramophone” award and “Best love song”.

Sergey Zhukov and Alexey Potekhin


Sergey Zhukov
However for a long time Zhukov and Potekhin received nothing but public recognition and love letters from the girls. They lived in a rented apartment and dressed at the market. Most The producer took the profits. Then Zhukov and Potekhin decided to go on an independent voyage. They terminated their contract and became an independent group. So many people gathered at their concerts that people often tore down barriers and injured each other in the crush. Popularity turned out to be a different side for them: obsessed fans sent them poisoned food and letters written in blood, several girls committed suicide, demolished chairs and stands at concerts, and trampled on each other. Artists could not appear on the streets; they had to often change phone numbers and hide from persecution by fans. In order to get out unharmed after the concert, they often had to change into riot police uniforms and run out with them wearing helmets and masks.

Group *Hands up*


Alexey Potekhin


Alexey Potekhin and Sergey Zhukov
By 2001, the band members were tired of the frantic schedule of concerts, and from the harassment of fans, and from each other. In the early 2000s, their popularity began to decline, although albums continued to be released with enviable regularity. The producers had a certain strategy, which remained quite effective for some time: “Within the “Hands Up” group, the clear implementation of a certain super task was required. Every May, when school ended, we had to release an album so that people would take it with them on vacation - to the south, to the country. It was dance music, creating a mood appropriate for summer. And I admit, we were experienced psychologists, we specifically thought about what topic to write the lyrics on so that the song would become popular.”

Concert in Moscow, October 2011
In 2005, the 13th album “Hands Up” was released. In the same year, the group broke up, but Sergei Zhukov continued to record solo songs, released the album “In Search of Tenderness” and shot several videos. Alexey Potekhin took up producing, and Sergey Zhukov still packs houses in the wake of the popularity of music of the 1990s.

Alexey Potekhin and Sergey Zhukov have not communicated for a long time.

In the 90s, the group “Hands Up!” was incredibly popular. Sergei Zhukov and Alexey Potekhin toured the country, their songs “My Baby”, “I’m Already 18”, “He Kisses You” were known and loved by many. After the breakup of the group, the participants divided the entire repertoire among themselves. Sergei Zhukov continued to tour the country with hits, and Alexey Potekhin, together with Vladimir Luchnikov, created the group “Raise Your Hands Up”. According to the musician, he does not draw crowds of thousands of fans, but he is not worried about it either.

“We are not traveling along major cities, and most often to villages, Sergei Zhukov will not go there, for example. Like most of the people you see on TV. All they know is to walk along red carpets, put on masks, dance on skates and receive various awards in the form of plates, which are of little use,” admits Potekhin. When asked by journalists why the once popular “Hands Up!” team actually broke up, the man replies that the reason was disagreements between the participants.

“Everyone asks me why I left “Hands Up!” I will answer you: because we have all become adults. 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,” the publication quotes the artist as saying.

The generation of the 90s are still fans of songs legendary group. Perhaps this is the music closest to the people, which at one time created a colossal sensation and won millions of hearts. Despite the rapid emergence of new idols, people do not forget their favorites and remember with pleasure old times. Why did the group "Hands Up" break up?

The history of the legendary group

Sergei Zhukov and Alexey Potekhin met by chance in 1991 at the radio station where each worked. They decided to broadcast a cassette with their compositions. At that time, they didn’t even think about the name of the group, nor did they even think about whether such creativity would be interesting to anyone. The only thing that was done was attach a sticker that said "This music will make you raise your hands in the air." The DJs played a new song during the program and announced that this composition was by the young group “Hands Up”. Thus, the name appeared by itself and became firmly entrenched in the world of pop music. The very first song “Baby” was received by the public with incredible dedication and was loved by many. After another hit song “Student”, the group began touring cities, giving a huge number of young girls the opportunity to meet their beloved group. In 1999, the album sold an incredible 12 million copies. All the songs suited the mentality of those listening so well that they instantly became hits. But many are still perplexed as to why the “Hands Up” group broke up.

Who is guilty?

In 2006, a decision was made to discontinue the group's activities. A big farewell concert was planned in Moscow, but the artists failed to raise enough money to organize it. In August 2006, the “Hands Up” group simply ceased to exist. The reason for the breakup is not indicated by the musicians, although in various interviews they still admit that everyone has experienced changes in their lives that are incompatible with their future activities. If you ask who is to blame for the collapse of the “Hands Up” group, you can get the answer: “Nobody.”

Creative differences

Sergey Zhukov switched to managing new projects and solo career, and Alexey Potekhin became interested in producing. It was no longer interesting to develop joint creativity. In addition, as young people grew older, more and more disagreements arose. The guys grew up and wanted something more, especially since the audience was mostly screaming teenagers. We decided that at the age of 30 it was no longer serious. There is also an opinion that the project has simply exhausted itself. The group no longer had its former popularity due to the emergence of new young artists, with whom it became more difficult to compete.

Sergei Zhukov tours with the repertoire of the group "Hands Up", performing under the same name

When the group "Hands Up" broke up, the musicians divided the entire repertoire they had developed among themselves. Sergei has since recorded two solo album, and then began traveling around the country with the show ballet Street Jazz, which had previously collaborated with “Hands”. It brings together full houses and provides an opportunity to plunge into nostalgia. Everyone, young and old, knows the old hit repertoire. Today Zhukov is one of the most touring artists. Married, has 4 children.

Bar "Hands Up"

Sergei Zhukov, in parallel with his creativity, opens bars with the name of the legendary group. Business is booming, and cozy, intimate places are opening in many cities. This is not a place for worshiping idols and discussing why the group "Hands Up" broke up. There was even a ban on listening to “Ruk” hits around the clock. People come here to feel nostalgic, eat delicious food, meet friends, and see performances by celebrity guests.

The life of Alexey Potekhin after the breakup of the group

During one of the interviews, the musician admitted that he does not maintain a relationship with Sergei Zhukov. He doesn’t like to answer the question of why the “Hands Up” group broke up. Alexey, together with Vladimir Luchnikov (Turbomoda group, musician of the Hands Up group), tours with a solo program in small towns. They attract with their sincerity and sincerity, although they do not receive large fees. He believes that the success of the songs lies in their natural provinciality, in which every resident of a small town recognizes himself. Alexey Potekhin devotes himself to producing new projects. He married a second time and has a daughter.