Interview with Alexey Kortnevoy. Alexey Kortnev: “The rejection of democratic freedoms is terrible, disgusting, but now necessary
Russian rock band "Accident" celebrates its 35th birthday. The group dates its history from September 13, 1983, when the artists of the Moscow State University Student Theater Alexey Kortnev and Valdis Pelsh decided to create a musical duet.
In an anniversary interview with TASS, the frontman of “Accident” Alexey Kortnev told why he does not allow himself to be “separated” from the group on posters, how one of the main hits was born on a bet - “What did you mean?” - and why the musicians did not want to perform their most popular songs at first.
- Alexey Anatolyevich, on the group’s website in the section for concert organizers it is stated that writing “Alexey Kortnev and the group “Accident” on the poster is unacceptable. Otherwise, the organizers must pay two fees. Whose idea, yours personally or other members of the group?
This was our joint decision and feeling, because I feel extremely awkward in such a situation. We absolutely sincerely profess the principles of theatrical studioism, that is, we do almost everything together. I am the frontman of the group, so I am better known, plus television and film activity. But in the ensemble we really work as equals. It’s just that the amount of work done is not always visible to the viewer: the authors of the song can stand on stage, and the soloist collects all the laurels.
What’s the story with “A Special Case”, where you perform with Sergei Chekryzhov? Are the other group members offended?
They join us from time to time: “Special Case” doesn’t always play together, we also have concerts with three or four of us.
In fact, this was a necessary measure, since quite often the venues where we are offered to perform cannot accommodate the entire ensemble. Relatively speaking, if a concert is for 20 people in a small room, then it is possible to stage six people with drums, with sound amplification, but this means tormenting people with excessively loud sounds.
You have very ironic, often sarcastic lyrics. Did the fact that you grew up in a professorial family somehow influence your creativity and poetry?
I think so, because well-educated people - precisely educated in the most different areas knowledge - as a rule, a self-ironic mindset is formed. They know very well that they know little. Those who know a lot also imagine the volume of the unknown. I inherited from my parents a self-critical and self-ironic sense of life. And this, naturally, is then translated into lyrics and even melodies.
I've always wondered under what influence the song "What did you mean?" could be written. Have any of your friends inspired you?
No, but it was a very clear case. I was in the office of my friend and part-time man who released several of our first albums, Andrei Feofanov. Andrey came from the presentation of the group's first album " Ivanushki International" - still with a cassette, not even a disk. And so he inserted it into the tape recorder, turned it on and said: “Listen, this is the future of music.” And there are all these “clouds in the sky” and so on.
I can't say I didn't like it, it was solidly done. I say: this is great, but rock and roll will always be there, because it’s like ditties, like rap, like a criminal song - it’s very easy to compose for any reason. You can’t write the song “There are clouds in the sky” about being pushed on a tram. And you will write rock and roll. At that moment, his secretary, who was sitting one and a half meters away from us, was talking to her friend on the phone and said exactly this phrase: “What did you mean?” And Feofanov immediately stood up and said: “Here, write a song about this.” I argued with him and the next day I brought him the finished song, sang it with a guitar in the same office, in the presence of the same secretary.
The most interesting thing is that the guys from “Accident” and I had a long discussion about whether it was worth recording and releasing it at all.
- Why?
Because it was written in 30 minutes, obviously of cabbage content and mood. A joke that is made with the snap of a finger without the slightest effort. And we said quite sincerely: “Well, why?”
It’s interesting that similar debates broke out around almost all the songs that later became popular.
- For example?
- “Generals of the sand pits”, “If it weren’t for you”, “Song about Moscow”, “Vegetable tango”.
- What didn’t you like about “Generals” and “If You Were Not There”?
Because we didn’t write Sandpit Generals. “If it weren’t for you,” again, because this is the music of Toto Cutugno, this is pop music, French pop music, Joe Dassin. And we - rock and roll - don’t want to sing this. Thank God, every time we didn’t have the brutality to say: “Yes, we won’t publish this - that’s all.” Therefore, we published these songs, which, in general, bring us the main income.
- I wanted to express my respect to you for the concept of the album "Kranty" -"the soundtrack of a movie that won't happen." This is a real audio play. Whose idea was it?
The idea was mine. We won’t do this a second time, of course. Now we are writing a full-fledged play, which will be called “In the city of False Dmitrov”. We release this musical on February 25th. We're starting to rehearse now, and I'm very excited about it.
As for "Krantov", there was very interesting story. It was a challenge for me. The songs were not written as a soundtrack, they were composed separately. Moreover, I first arranged them in the sequence in which they would appear on the record, even if there were no connections between them. The songs on the disc have the same sequence with minimal options: hits that definitely should be heard first, then sagged, then again something stronger. You alternate between lyrical and entertaining numbers, you can’t put two long minor songs in a row... Therefore, the sequence of songs was built without taking into account any plot. And it was terribly interesting to then connect them with some supposed plot. I really liked this job.
As a rule, I focus on concert experience, because I myself don’t understand anything about it - what will work and what won’t. I love a certain kind of music that is quite complex, and I think that songs written that way are good. People usually don't like it very much. Therefore, we have been practicing this sequence for many decades: we write songs, play them at concerts, and depending on what we like and what we don’t, we put them on an album.
- You mentioned “In the city of False Dmitrov”. Can you tell us about the plot?
This is such a phantasmagoric story, which has already appeared many times in literature, cinema, and theater. The story of a man who returns to hometown, which he doesn't remember at all. He finds himself in a sealed town from which he escaped 25 years ago. But he doesn't remember what he ran away from. A musician, he went to work in Moscow... Then he was invited to City Day, and only at that moment he remembered that he was from Lzhedmitrov! He arrives there, and chaos begins, because this city is very, very unusual, and it is no coincidence that he ran away from there.
I won't tell you more. Come and see.
- Is this political or more social history?
It seems to me that it is now impossible to separate the social and the political at all, because politics dictates the laws by which society lives. It is political satire and social satire. I hope it will be spicy enough.
It's almost a hermetic work, because almost only "Accident" will be on stage. Plus two artists.
-Who are you calling?
Seryozha Belogolovtsev and Kristina Babushkina from the Moscow Art Theater. Everyone else dramatic roles musicians will play.
- Are the musicians ready for this?
Yes. Everyone is ready for this, except the audience (laughs).
- You personally have a very successful collaboration with the Moscow Art Theater, which was awarded both the Golden Mask and Turandot. Now some joint projects are they planned?
Unfortunately no. After our collaboration with the Moscow Art Theater, we did two, as it seems to me, very significant works.
This is the play "Akbuzat" at the Ufa Russian drama theater- rock opera based on the Bashkir folk epic.
And the musical play "Generation Mowgli" with Kostya Khabensky and his foundation - a charity story with a bunch of kids on stage. They played there interesting people: Kostya Khabensky himself, Diana Arbenina, Timur Rodriguez. Sasha Kerzhakov played Kaa. In our version he was sports coach, who constantly trained banderlogs. I played Sherkhan in line with Gosha Kutsenko. This performance is not currently on, unfortunately. I think it's temporary.
When I called with a question about an interview, the group seemed to be on Far East. How actively do you tour? Where do you perform most often?
Yes, we were in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. The schedule is incredibly tight, I can list it for you now. After summer holidays Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk was already there, the next day Pavlovsky Posad, then Perm. There will be Barnaul, a day later - Saratov, Chisinau twice, Moscow, Ulyanovsk, Moscow again - three times. The next day Tomsk, Novosibirsk. Flight to Vladivostok. On October 2nd concert in Sochi...
- Is it because of the anniversary year?
In many ways - yes. We give about 15 concerts in different cities in a month.
- If I understood correctly, not a single Crimean city was mentioned?
No. We are not invited to Crimea. We have some strangely complicated relations with both Ukraine and its former territories.
- Does this offend you?
No, it makes me happy. Otherwise, very difficult ethical decisions would have to be made. Thank God, I am freed from making these decisions.
On the poster anniversary concert Valdis Pelsh is pictured with you in Crocus on November 25. Will he finally decide to return to the group for good?
No, I don't think he'll come back. And the main thing is that I don’t think that he needs it, that we need it. He returns to these anniversary concerts and will travel with us a lot. We filmed a video for these concerts and rejoiced like children. There was a very funny scenario: Valdis and I fought, chased each other... When we meet in these works, we are completely happy. And I don’t want to overshadow this happiness with constant routine work. And then, Valdis has very serious big projects, not related to "Accident". Let's say, after our anniversary concert in Moscow, on the 26th he flies to Antarctica for two months to shoot another documentary film, in which he has clearly found his calling.
I am terribly glad that Vadka and I collaborate from time to time and do something. He and I want to do a conversational performance for two later.
- Without a group?
Probably yes. Just like actors. About life, about some stories that happened to us, about a quarrel. No, not about a quarrel, but about human jealousy, common problems. Because we have not lived a cloudless life. We closest friends who have been together for 35 years. During this time a lot happened.
- Some specific plans Are there any deadlines?
Not yet. First we need to release “False Dmitry”, and then, in about a year, we can do work with Valdis.
- The same anniversary poster promises to tell you what you had in mind. So what did you mean anyway?
To do this, come to the concert, where we try to tell you as clearly as possible.
The most important thing we meant is that free people must be free to express their thoughts and feelings. And if they: a) are not afraid; b) they are not hungry, they will be listened to. In 35 years, we haven’t written a single song at the request of the day to suck up to someone. They didn’t write a single song that glorified any political trends in the country or the world. And at the same time we gather “Crocus” - six and a half thousand people! Without being popular group, which is shown on TV and constantly played on the radio... But people want communication, and for me this is extremely valuable.
This is probably what we meant.
Interviewed Anastasia Silkina
An hour before the performance on stage in Yekaterinburg, after a walk around the Yeltsin Center, the leader of the group “Accident” told the Portal site why you shouldn’t be afraid of wiretapping conversations, what the common ground between British Brexit and the 1917 revolution is, and how Russia will react if something happens suppress separatist sentiments.
Yesterday they adopted the “Yarovaya package”, strict amendments to the law, which will criminalize non-reporting, according to which telecom operators, instant messengers and social networks were obliged to store all information about the content of conversations and correspondence of users. Is it acceptable to violate the foundations of the Constitution under the pretext of protecting society from terrorism?
It's difficult for me to give a definite answer. The whole world is now scared of what is happening around. This is the monstrous height of terrorism! I actively lived in the era of Boris Nikolaevich and Mikhail Sergeevich (Yeltsin and Gorbachev - editor's note). Then we had a lot of different challenges: and Chechen war, and economic devastation, and whatever. But we have never even heard of such rampant terrorism. These convulsive measures, which go against the Constitution, are in tune with what is happening around the world. And almost all countries are making terrible retreats from democratic freedoms. It's horrible. This is very disgusting. But, unfortunately, this is necessary.
- So we just have to hold on?
We need to hold on. Do you understand why I talk about this so easily? I have nothing special to hide from my state. Yes, I don't like being watched. But I know that I am already being watched. Now you are holding this thing in your hand (points to the phone - editor's note) and you are already under close scrutiny. And not even our special services, but international corporations. This is known.
Of course, you can refuse this, unsubscribe. Personally, I have nothing to unsubscribe from. I do not deny access to the location to programs such as Yandex, Google, and so on. Therefore, everyone and everything knows about me. Well, not everything can be. But it's almost there. So do more small step- allowing the KGB to observe me - I don’t consider this something tragic.
- And you played a concert in London the other day?
Yes, I returned the day before yesterday.
- What was the atmosphere like in the city? Why ?
I have no idea. I was there on the eve of the referendum. And we communicated with the Russian diaspora, and this huge amount people, thousands of people. So, not a single person believed that Brexit would happen. Not a single person. All of London was plastered with the “I" m in” campaign, that is, “I stay,” “I’m inside.” Although the fact that all of London was so plastered told many that, most likely, the worst thing was happening. In general, I I must say that this is monstrous.
- Monstrous?
Because the weakening of Europe is very bad for Russia. Because we have foreign policy and geopolitical enemies who are by no means located in Europe. And therefore, every blow to Europe is also a blow to the future of Russia. In terms of the Russian economy, for sure. The greater the yoke that falls on the shoulders of Germany, France and Great Britain, the worse it will be for us. Oh, damn it, this is all really terrible. And most importantly, it’s so unexpected...
- There must be some reasons. How did it happen that no one expected it and boom?
This is as crazy to ask as asking why there was a revolution in 1917. It was made by several hundred very active fanatics. Who agitated, convinced, deceived, bribed already a hundred thousand people, who were enough to deceive a hundred million and lead them to disaster. I think the same thing happened with Brexit. A certain group of several thousand people led to this.
Three years ago you said that when oil prices collapse, there will be a revaluation of values in Russia, that there will be big changes. It collapsed and nothing happened.
During this time, thank God, both the country and the economy have adapted. The catastrophe did not occur. There are no food riots, strikes or uprisings and there never will be. Moreover, over the years that have passed, we have been watching Ukraine.
Our country is scared for many decades to come. After all, with the help of the propaganda machine, of which you, for example, are a part, it was explained to the people what would happen. If you blather, there will be a nightmare, the taking away of parts of the country, collapse, civil war. And in essence this is true.
Because if something similar happened here, the severity and speed of suppression would be even higher than in Ukraine. If some Bryansk or Belgorod region suddenly decided to secede, then there would not be a war like in the Donbass, but much worse. Therefore, now no one will even open their mouth. And thank God.
Dear friend,
From the very beginning of the rise in oil prices, which approximately coincided with the advent of Voldemar to the throne, approximately until the rapidly military-Georgian campaign, the Russian Federation had an amazingly extended chance, almost eight years, to begin and even partially implement structural reforms in all major industries And national economy- and mainly at their own expense, without resorting to significant external borrowings. Such a “moment of luck” extended over time does not happen to every country throughout history, and it was not just stupid, it was criminal not to take advantage of it.
As just a small example, I don’t want to give the whole sad list. These are your jobs (i.e., pensions too), your education and health care system - it would be very useful to you when you get old, but it will be at approximately today's level (i.e., very deplorable), and most likely it will be even worse, i.e. Unfortunately, you won’t get modern treatment. I mean this without any malice - I have friends in the Russian Federation, and not everyone can afford paid treatment, and even paid treatment lags significantly behind. The government has already taken measures to create a parallel structure of medical services for the privileged sections (i.e. civil servants), i.e. Even such lagging medicine will not be enough for everyone. How will everyone else be served? And as in Chekhov’s “Aesculapius”: “Give him something!”
In practice this means something like this:
You have grown old and are starting to feel achy. Abroad, new medications have long appeared, new procedures that make life much easier - a doctor who has read a lot of foreign magazines tells you about this (let’s assume you are fabulously lucky and you have an advanced doctor who reads medical literature, and not the standard dull aunt who looks at the monthly report, and not at the patient)... They don’t exist in Russia and won’t appear in your lifetime. For example, in 2014-2015. In Canada, they developed a technique for extracting a blood clot using a probe, after which the stroke patient almost immediately gets up and walks on his own feet, rather than lying for weeks in rehabilitation. The year is 2035, but in your local clinic, no one has heard of this technique.
You have completely lost your health, it is difficult for you to leave the apartment (and you need to see a doctor, for example), you need a stroller or a stick. The entrance, naturally, is not equipped for this. And even if you leave the house, you won’t go further than your own yard, because nothing is equipped anywhere. Who is to blame for this? Who's to blame for everything recent years nothing was invested in development, in the most essential infrastructure, that investors fled like hell from incense, that housing (even “elite”) was built as if only ever-young ancient Greek gods would live in it?
Of course, if you are forever young ancient greek god, then none of this applies to you.
Alexey Kortnev - about his civic position, the upcoming anniversary of “Accident” and the refusal of Channel One.
On February 2, in the capital’s Arena Moscow, the popular Moscow band “Accident” will play a big solo session, which was supposed to take place last year, but fell through due to good reason. Before the concert, Izvestia columnist Mikhail Margolis had a heartfelt conversation with NA leader Alexei Kortnev.
- Last fall, you fell so ill that “Accident” had to cancel a dozen planned performances, including a big Moscow solo album.
- Is this the same specialist who treats Valery Kipelov and Pelageya?
You are apparently talking about Lev Borisovich Rudin. He is a first-class therapist, and in his office we actually often meet with the same Pelageya. He referred me to Ivanchenko, since my problem could not be solved with therapeutic methods. In the summer, apparently, I quail, and also caught a serious cold under the air conditioning and finished off my voice at the London Olympics, where I screamed in the stands like a real fan.
- Is the concert at the Arena essentially your “repayment of debts”?
Yes, and for those who were going to see it in November, the tickets purchased then are valid. We want to show a few new songs, but not much. In my opinion, arrange premieres in big hall not quite right. Here you need to play what people already know.
- While you were being treated, a series of events took place in our country, the “Dima Yakovlev Law” was adopted, for example. Could the moods and customs of this winter be reflected in your upcoming works?
You know, I realized that I cannot react so quickly to current circumstances. For the performance, to make some tough couplets and insert them, say, into the song “Snowflake” - that’s welcome. Soon we will have regular shows of Radio Day, and there I will definitely write something about the State Duma, its activities and laws. This is a feuilleton genre. But I can’t quickly compose serious songs. I really envy the ability of Vasya Oblomov or Dima Bykov to instantly and efficiently respond to events.
- But I’m talking not so much about feuilleton essays, but about your recognizable sad philosophicalness. The one that, for example, again manifested itself in volume in the latest NS album “Tunnel at the End of the World.” Relatively speaking, are you ready for the songs “Sasha Walked Along Highway 2” or “Tears of Men 2”?
Yes, I'm working on such a thing. Let's just say it accumulates in me like an avalanche. Because the level of idiocy in the country, unfortunately, is growing every month.
- Your wife, multiple world champion in rhythmic gymnastics Amina Zaripova, does she agree with you or doesn’t she care? Let's say she can go to an opposition rally?
She understands everything perfectly. Although initially Musya was quite neutral about my “civic activity.” However, what kind of special activity do I have there... I’m not an organizer of a protest movement, but a sluggish person in it. But Musya already went with me to the recent march on January 13 against the “law of scoundrels.” About 30 people gathered in our company, and in fact half of them came to the rally for the first time, while seven of them were my friends who are specifically involved in the topic of orphanages and charity. They were simply shocked by what the Duma deputies did.
- Sergei Nikitin, as you probably know, refused to participate in anniversary party Yuri Bashmet after certain public statements of the famous violist. Are you ready to react in a similar way in a similar situation?
Yes. For example, just an hour ago I refused an offer to try myself as a host of one of the popular information programs on Channel One. True, they told me that “we have a completely apolitical program.” But I answered: sorry, guys, I can’t. Appearing on “First” as a grimacing artist is welcome. But becoming a repeater of the opinion of the channel’s management goes against my principles. That’s what I wrote in a letter to those who invited me, and emphasized that my attitude towards this TV does not apply to them specifically.
- Has anyone already told you: “Well, that’s it, Lesha, after such an answer you burned all your “bridges” to “First”?
But no one knows yet. I'm telling you first. Morally, I am, in principle, ready to part with Channel One if they react jealously to this refusal of mine. I won’t say that I will suffer much, although, of course, I will be a little sorry for some of the big glamor programs in which you can take part there from time to time. But everything, as they say, has a cost. And I’m not ready to pay such a high moral price to remain in the “Channel One” circle.
- But now you are playing in the musical “Embezzlers”, created based on the work of the notorious conformist of his time Valentin Kataev, in the theater of the now successful cultural official Mikhail Shvydkoy.
I started collaborating with Shvydky a couple of years ago and became quite close with him, but exclusively on theatrical grounds. I really don’t know anything about his life outside the theater and have never been interested in it. Therefore, I have an absolutely positive attitude towards Mikhail Efimovich.
- He wasn’t curious: why did you, Mikhail Efimovich, “eat Gorbushka”?
It was not he who ate it, but the enterprise to which it belongs - the Khrunichev plant. And this happened long before Shvydkoy agreed to set up his own theater there. “Gorbushka” was empty for several years. At some point I was even offered to become artistic director of this DC.
- What mission?
To do whatever I think of there. And the owners of Gorbushka were ready to invest money in new lighting and sound equipment, refurbish the dilapidated hall, etc. But everything remained at the level of talk.
- This year will be a great year for you. to a greater extent the year of your independent projects: in the theater, cinema, on TV, or still the year of “Accident”?
Of course, the second one. Because this year the National Assembly celebrates its 30th anniversary, for which we are slowly beginning to prepare now. I’m not sure that I will be able to write some new bright songs just for the anniversary, but maybe they are not required for such a holiday. It’s better to go back to the roots, to bring up something forgotten or unpublished.
- I remember your duet etude with Andrei Makarevich “They beat with crowbars.” A popular feature today for high-profile speeches or videos on the Internet? Don't you want to try again? The same Vasya Oblomov sings with Noise and Shnur, with Ksenia Sobchak and Leonid Parfenov.
For the 30th anniversary of the National Assembly, we planned to make a bunch of funny duets in the spirit of the “They Beat With Crowbars” you mentioned. God willing, this will turn into a skit for about forty minutes at the beginning of our anniversary concert. Max Leonidov, Tanya Lazareva, Nonna Grishaeva, Andryusha Makarevich promise to take part in it. It will be original story, and not a reworking in the Kavehan spirit of our old songs. Maybe there will be a musical a la the form, reminiscent of our “Last Days in Paradise.” If it turns out talented, perhaps later it will be distributed into independent short numbers.
I would like to believe. Shortly after the release of Tunnel at the End of the World, I would probably proudly agree: “Oh, yes, yes! I feel that way too.” But now I am very worried that two and a half years have passed since the release of this album, and I have not yet composed anything comparable to it. Of course, any scribbler is haunted by the fear of losing the gift of writing. But right now it’s literally choking me. I hope to overcome it.
The singer, musician and host of the show “Through the Mouth of a Baby” spoke about creativity, family and midlife crisis.
– Alexey, with your comedic roles and “light” songs, you give the impression of a person who does not get hung up on problems, endures life’s hardships effortlessly, like a Buddhist. Is this true or is the impression deceptive?
Deceptively. I can’t say that I tolerate problems easily, but I do. With a certain tenacity. Believe me, the gap between a person and his stage image is great. I don’t want to say at all that I’m gloomy and withdrawn, but I’m definitely very reflective and worried. My apparent superficiality is an optical illusion.
– Have you ever felt discouraged when it seemed like you hadn’t done anything special in your profession and you wanted to give up everything? How did you get out of the situation?
Crises happened about once every five years. As a rule, they are connected with the fact that you exhaust some idea and realize that there is no point in doing anything further in this direction. I saved myself by changing the vector of movement, that’s how they appeared musical performances group “Accident” together with the theater “Quartet I”, rock operas, or I completely went into translating musicals. The best way in this situation, it seems to me, you shouldn’t give up everything and become a taxi driver, but change the direction somewhat, remaining true to your business.
– You are the host of the program “Through the Mouth of a Baby.” Remember one of your children's funny sayings.
My favorite is the work of my son Afanasy (Alexey has five children: Artemy (29 years old), Nikita (19 years old), in his current third marriage with Amina Zaripova, Arseny (14 years old), Afanasy (11 years old), Aksinya (6 years old). - Note “Antennas”). He had a lot of family “drivers” - iPhone, Ananasy, and Fantomasy. But somehow, reflecting on his transformable name, Afonya asked: “And if there was no “o” in my name, would my name be Afnya?” From that moment on, he became Afnya and has been in this position for several years.
– Are you a frivolous person by nature, do you let things take their course, or do you prefer to strictly follow the plan?
I prefer to calculate the consequences in advance as much as possible. I don’t like it when they try to force me into a situation that I have no control over: they say, let’s get involved and then we’ll see.
– Have you ever been on a diet?
– I don’t follow diets, but twice a year my wife and I cleanse our bodies. We drink a course of herbs and roots for 10 days, trying to get by with a minimum of food, and healthy food, after which intestinal function improves. After such a unique detox we feel very good.
– Why did you decide to shave your head at one time?
– I started going bald when I was 25, receding hairline and bald patches appeared, but I didn’t want to cover my bald spot with backcombing. As soon as I realized that my hair wouldn’t come back, I shaved with ease and pleasure. I was about 30 years old then.
– You wear a ring in your ear. How long ago? Do you change your accessory or is it the only one you have?
– Just recently I was forced to change it. I had to take it off during filming, and I safely lost it. Then a bag with spare rings was taken out of the bins. I wore the previous one for about 10 years. I really don’t care what kind of ring is in my ear. The first one appeared for me in 1987. And now it is rather a symbol of a bygone era.
– Your wife Amina Zaripova is a famous gymnast in the past. Is it easy to live under the same roof with a strong-willed, purposeful woman?
We are both capable of compromise, although, of course, we occasionally squabble and even swear sometimes, but this is all superficial. In fact, our views coincide 95 percent; we don’t really have anything to argue about. There are some issues that Amina decides, and there are things that I am responsible for. And we don't go into each other's territory. Amina takes care of our travels, although we decide where to go together. She deals with tickets and hotels easily; this is a common thing for her. As for leisure, where to go with children, what to do on vacation, what sports - this is more my territory, although it is nice to discuss this together. But the reading is entirely up to me, since I am a big book lover, in this regard my authority is indisputable. As for education, we are of the opinion that the best thing in this sense is personal example. We don’t particularly theorize on this topic, we just live in love and harmony in front of our children.
– In September, you and your wife will celebrate their 15th anniversary of marriage. This is your third marriage. Have you ever gone through a crisis, what helped you survive?
– Yes, it was about seven years ago, but we overcame it safely. A crisis, in my opinion, is always a loss of purpose. Creative or family have the same origin. When you don’t understand how to develop relationships further, disasters happen. We got through them safely, because we both understood that this was a midlife crisis. That is, the thing is almost chemical. You just need to survive it, go through this time.
– You once said that for long-term family happiness it is necessary for a “fresh” child to appear in the family every three years. Do you still think so?
– And I think so, and Amina, we make plans, but it doesn’t always work out clearly, like in mathematics. But I hope that we will have more children.
– Amina had her birthday on August 10th. How did you please your loved one? What did you give?
– We were on vacation in Bulgaria at that time. big company. And the gift was a joint one - we bought her a bunch of things at the golf store.
– How do you feel about money? Do you make spontaneous purchases or distribute your budget, counting every penny?
Of course, we don’t count pennies, and spontaneous purchases do happen. So a few years ago Amina bought me own initiative very expensive car. But she had to save a year for it. I was touched, but we agreed that we would not do this again. As a rule, our requests do not exceed our capabilities. Therefore, even with unexpected purchases, we do not go beyond the budget. We do not plan it, but we look at the dynamics of our earnings and try to understand whether we have enough, say, to move to new apartment or not. In a couple of weeks we are just about to move into the new walls.
– In the “Through the Baby’s Mouth” program you help adults better understand their children. Do you always manage to find a common language with your own children?
– So far it’s working. I hope no unpleasant surprises await me. But these are people, and complex ones, albeit small ones. Although next to me is my 14-year-old son Arseny, it’s hard to call him small, he’s quite a mature person. Sometimes it's harder to understand. What helps me? My son gives me a hint: intuition.
– How does Aksinya’s upbringing differ from the upbringing of her brothers?
– Aksinya was born when I was already an adult (now Kortnev is 50 years old. – Note “Antennas”). She is the smallest, so we spoil her more. The only girl, of course, also gets more gingerbread. And, of course, when a girl realizes that she is a girl, she begins to hug more and show tenderness, but I can’t say that this allows her to get more things for herself. But she doesn’t have any big requests. Sometimes he will ask for a doll, but nothing more.
– Did you sing to children when they were little and what songs? Folk, from their repertoire or specially composed something. Are they currently interested in music?
- And this, and the other, and the third. And I’m glad that children now have a versatile musical taste. Senka, let’s say, listens to rock from the 70s and 80s, despite the fact that I never forced him to listen to it, he came on his own. The bands Electric Light Orchestra, Queen, but at the same time are on his playlist and contemporary performers. My children have a penchant for music, not for composing it, but the taste is definitely there.
