As a long-time fan of Korol i Shut, here’s a compact, plain-English bio of “Gorshok” that covers the essentials without the fluff.

Who he was

“Gorshok” (real name: Mikhail Gorsheniov) was the co-founder and unmistakable frontman of the Russian punk band Korol i Shut. Born on August 7, 1973, in Pikalyovo (Leningrad Oblast), he grew into one of the most charismatic figures in Russian-language rock. He passed away on July 19, 2013, in Saint Petersburg, at just 39.

Early life

He grew up in the northwest of Russia and eventually settled in Leningrad/Saint Petersburg. The nickname “Gorshok” (“little pot”) stuck early—partly a playful spin on his surname. He was never a conservatory kid; his “education” was the DIY scene—friends, garages, and tiny clubs where attitude mattered more than polish.

Forming Korol i Shut

In the late 1980s he teamed up with friends—most famously lyricist/singer Andrei “Knyaz” Knyazev—to form what became Korol i Shut (“The King and the Jester”). From day one their recipe was unusual: fast, rough punk energy glued to story-songs that read like dark folktales. Gorshok’s theatrical snarl and Knyaz’s narrative lyrics were the twin engines of the band.

Sound and image

Horror-punk with Slavic DNA is the simplest description. Instead of politics or love songs, they sang about haunted inns, grave-robbers, witchers, and unlucky wanderers. On stage Gorshok leaned all the way into character—ragged coats, grimaces, a wild, slightly feral delivery. The band’s choruses were built to be shouted back at them; live shows felt like rowdy theater where the audience knew every line.

Breakthrough and key records

They worked up from tape-trader cult status in the early–mid 1990s to mainstream rock-festival headliners by the 2000s. Fans will argue forever about the definitive album, but milestones most people point to include:

• “Kamnem po golove” (mid-1990s) – raw energy, the origin of many setlist staples.

• “Bud’ kak doma, putnik” and “Geroi i zlodei” (late ’90s/around 2000) – the band at full creative speed, with the classic fairy-tale rogues’ gallery.

• The “TODD” rock-opera cycle (early 2010s) – an ambitious two-part concept about a descent into madness (their Russian take on the Sweeney Todd myth), where Gorshok pushed himself as a dramatic vocalist and narrator.

Working style and partnership

Gorshok was the heartbeat on stage—the “face” and the rasp—while Knyaz built many of the lyrics and stories. That push-pull defined Korol i Shut’s identity for years. The rhythm section (with long-time bassist Alexander Balunov and rotating guitarists/drummers over the decades) gave the tales teeth: simple, stomping, folk-tinged riffs that felt like pub chants gone spooky.

Personality and presence

He had that rare frontman quality: even when he stood still, you felt motion. Gorshok could make a 5,000-person crowd hush just by leaning into the mic and hissing a line, then snap them back with a barked refrain. Offstage he came across as stubborn, candid, and loyal to the fan community that lifted the band out of basements and into arenas.

Family ties and scene connections

Rock ran in the family—his younger brother Alexey Gorsheniov fronted the band Kukryniksy—so the Petersburg scene often felt like a small village of intertwined projects, shows, and guest spots. Gorshok championed that ecosystem; he wasn’t a lone-wolf star, he was a scene builder.

Struggles

Like many rock lifers, he wrestled with addiction and health issues. Officially, he died of sudden heart failure. Friends and bandmates have spoken openly about how hard the road life hit him. It’s part of the story, but not the whole story.

Death and legacy

Gorshok’s death in July 2013 hit like a lightning bolt. The band chose to honor the material—especially the “TODD” project—onstage, and fans kept the chorus alive. Today, Korol i Shut is one of those groups you pass down: older fans teach the lyrics to younger ones, and there’s always another kid hearing “heroes and villains” for the first time.

His legacy is simple and huge: he made Russian punk feel like folk theater. He proved you could sing fairy tales with a snarl, turn a pit into a campfire, and make thousands of people believe—if only for an hour—that the monsters in the woods were real and that singing with them might set you free.

Quick timeline

• 1973 – Born in Pikalyovo, Leningrad Oblast.

• Late 1980s – Starts band that becomes Korol i Shut with friends in Leningrad.

• 1990s – Underground tapes and club shows; cult following grows fast.

• Late 1990s–2000s – Breakthrough albums and national fame; festival headliner.

• 2011–2012 – Releases the “TODD” rock-opera cycle.

• July 19, 2013 – Dies in Saint Petersburg (age 39).

• After 2013 – Bandmates and fans keep the repertoire alive; the songs become modern folk standards of the Russian rock canon.

If you want, I can also jot down a starter playlist that captures his whole arc—from the scrappy early tales to the full “TODD” drama.