Alexander Vasilievich Novikov (born October 31, 1953, Burevestnik settlement, Iturup Island, Kuril Islands) is a Soviet and Russian singer, poet, bard, composer, and singer-songwriter working in the genres of urban romance and shanson. He is the artistic director of the Ural State Variety Theatre.
Laureate of the Ovation Award (1995), multiple laureate of the “Chanson of the Year” award (2002–2019), and laureate of the international literary prize named after Sergei Yesenin.
Childhood and Youth
Alexander Novikov was born on Iturup Island to the family of a military pilot and a homemaker.
His early years were spent on Sakhalin, and later in:
- the Latvian settlement Vainode,
- the city of Frunze (now Bishkek), where he spent about ten years,
- and from 1969 — in Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg).
He struggled academically and was expelled from the Pioneers. As a teenager he was known for his independent, anti-system views.
Trained in boxing and sambo.
His interest in music began in 1967 after watching the film Vertical with songs by Vladimir Vysotsky.
First Steps in Music
While studying at UPI, he performed in the institute’s VIA “Polymer,” from which he was expelled for performing a song by The Beatles.
In 1971 he received a suspended sentence for a restaurant fight and was sent to “khimiya” — corrective labor at the construction of the House of Everyday Services in Nizhny Tagil.
In the late 1970s he worked for about four years as a restaurant musician and singer, and opened his own workshop-studio where he:
- recorded rock songs,
- built and repaired equipment for culture centers and cinemas,
- collaborated with future members of Chaif, Agatha Christie, and Nautilus Pompilius.
Rock Period
In 1980 he formed the band Rock-Polygon, which worked in styles such as rock’n’roll, reggae, new wave, hard rock, punk, and psychedelic rock.
The band released two tape albums — 1983 and 1984.
In 1981 Novikov founded his own recording studio “Novik-Records”, which became one of Sverdlovsk’s key independent studios.
“Take Me, Cabman” — Breakthrough
On May 3, 1984, he recorded the album “Take Me, Cabman”, which became extremely popular through tape copying and spread across the USSR in huge circulation.
Arrest (1984–1990)
On October 5, 1984, Novikov was arrested.
In 1985 he was sentenced by the Sverdlovsk court to 10 years in prison under Article 93-1 of the RSFSR Criminal Code — “manufacture and distribution of counterfeit electromagnetic equipment.”
In interviews Novikov stated that the real reason was the album “Take Me, Cabman,” as the criminal case began with the document “Expert Examination of the Songs of Alexander Novikov,” where the lyrics were criticized.
While imprisoned, he wrote much of his poetry and the fable-play Komarilja.
Release and Case Review
In 1990 he was released under a decree of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR dated February 27.
In 1992 the Supreme Court of Russia fully overturned the conviction due to lack of corpus delicti.
Return to the Stage
Immediately after his release, Novikov recorded the albums:
- “In Yekaterinburg”
- “The Magadan Necklace”
In May 1990 he performed his first concerts after returning.
From late 1990 he toured across the USSR, and in early 1991 held his first Moscow concerts at the Variety Theatre.
Public Initiatives
- donated proceeds from one concert to the construction of the Church on Blood
- funded and designed bells for the monastery at Ganina Yama
- in the 1990s owned shops, a kolkhoz, a transport company, an airline, and a defibrator stone plant
- publicly opposed the GKChP (1991)
Producer Work
From 1993 for four years he was the producer of singer Natalia Shturm, creating material for two of her albums, including the hit “School Romance”.
Television and Film
- director of the joint film with Kirill Kotelnikov Oh, That Farian!
- author of several music videos, including the unique “Chansonyetka” (1993)
- participant in numerous TV projects
- since 2014 — jury member of the TV show “Three Chords”
2016 Accusation and Rehabilitation
In December 2016 Novikov was charged with fraud (Part 4, Art. 159 of the Russian Criminal Code) in the “Bight of Queens” case and placed under house arrest. In 2019 the case was dismissed for lack of corpus delicti. In 2020 he received compensation for unlawful prosecution.
Recent Years
- artistic director of the Ural State Variety Theatre (since 2010)
- active touring
- recording new albums (including “Handwritten Letter,” 2024)
- named Honorary Citizen of Yekaterinburg in 2023
In 2022 he publicly supported the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Discography
Tape Albums
1983 — Rock-Polygon
1983 — Take Me, Cabman (first version, slower sound)
1984 — Rock-Polygon II
1984 — Take Me, Cabman (18 songs)
1990 — Second Concert After Release
1990 — In Yekaterinburg
1990 — The Magadan Necklace
Vinyl
1991 — Take Me, Cabman
1993 — The Magadan Necklace
1993 — In a Seedy Restaurant
1993 — Urban Romance
Studio Albums
1991 — Take Me, Cabman
1993 — The Magadan Necklace
1994 — Take Me, Cabman (original 1984 recording)
1995 — Urban Romance
1995 — Chansonyetka
1996 — Hugging a Beauty
1996 — In a Seedy Restaurant
1997 — Notes of a Criminal Bard
1997 — Sergei Yesenin
1999 — Burlak
2000 — The Wall
2000 — Beautiful-Eyed
2002 — Cranes over the Camp
2003 — Genuine
2005 — Amur Bluff
2007 — Luali
2008 — I Remember, Darling…
2010 — Pineapples in Champagne
2012 — Break Up with Her
2013 — Yo-Album
2016 — Blatnoy
2018 — Fire Girl
2021 — The Switchman
2021 — The Bomb
2024 — Handwritten Letter
Books
2001 — Take Me, Cabman…
2002 — The Bell Tower
2011 — Street Beauty
2012 — Courtyard Symphonies
2012 — Notes of a Criminal Bard
2016 — Notes of a Criminal Bard (reissue)
2018 — Poems. Songs
Alexander Novikov occupies a notable place in contemporary Russian musical culture as an author and performer whose work spans a wide range of genres — from urban romance and singer-songwriter traditions to pop-variety and theatrical projects. His biography includes complex and controversial periods, yet these experiences shaped the core of his poetic and musical style. After his rehabilitation in the early 1990s, Novikov maintained active touring, continued releasing studio and live albums, participated in cultural and charitable initiatives, and assumed a leadership role at the Ural State Variety Theatre.
Despite differing assessments from critics and audiences, Novikov remains one of the most recognizable representatives of urban romance and singer-songwriter genres. His work has been repeatedly honored with industry awards, and his long-term contribution to the cultural life of the Urals and Russia has secured his status as a significant figure in the national music scene.
