The Post-Soviet Influx Of Western Culture & Musicians In A Time Of Crisis with David Junk
09/19/24 • 80 min
1 Listener
The fall of the Soviet wall and the opening of the iron curtain presented ample space for hope, optimism and opportunity for westerners eager to share culture, creativity, business and democracy concepts with the citizens of the former Soviet Union. David Junk leapt at the chance to work for Polygram/Universal Records in a country hungry for music and freedom. David’s 15 years in Russia were a unique window of time between Gorbachov’s Glasnost and Putin’s re-consolidation of power.
David stepped into a landscape that he called “the wild, wild, east,” teaming with gangsters and corruption and also talented, enterprising Russians, eager to explore new possibilities. David’s journey is documented in his book, Rockin’ The Kremlin which gives readers an inside look at boots-on-the-ground life and work in Russia from the perspective of a Russian speaking, idealistic American.
David and his co-writer Fred Bronson join us for a fascinating dive into David’s adventures... Contract negations with Polygram which included kidnapping insurance, Russian kids’ obsession with hip hop, discovering and exporting Russian talent including two young girls called t.A.T.u. who kissed on The Tonight Show, wearing “F*** War” tee-shirts which they got past everyone because the words were written in Russian. David says that those tee-shirts are now being worn by kids in Ukraine.
This window in time introduced a generation to a complex intersection of culture and politics which was ultimately snuffed by Putin’s coalition with the Russian Orthodox Church and a renewed, vehement opposition to LGBTQ rights and individual expression. Ultimately, it was David’s deep disappointment in colleagues’ support for the invasion of Ukraine and concerns for his family’s safety which brought him back to the states. But still, so much was learned and exchanged.
All this, plus Fritz and Weezy are recommending The English Teacher on FX (streaming on Hulu) and the making of The Sopranos doc, Wiseguy on HBO Max.
Path Points of Interest:
The English Teacher FX and Hulu
https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/english-teacher
Wiseguy - HBO
https://www.hbo.com/movies/wise-guy-david-chase-and-the-sopranos
The fall of the Soviet wall and the opening of the iron curtain presented ample space for hope, optimism and opportunity for westerners eager to share culture, creativity, business and democracy concepts with the citizens of the former Soviet Union. David Junk leapt at the chance to work for Polygram/Universal Records in a country hungry for music and freedom. David’s 15 years in Russia were a unique window of time between Gorbachov’s Glasnost and Putin’s re-consolidation of power.
David stepped into a landscape that he called “the wild, wild, east,” teaming with gangsters and corruption and also talented, enterprising Russians, eager to explore new possibilities. David’s journey is documented in his book, Rockin’ The Kremlin which gives readers an inside look at boots-on-the-ground life and work in Russia from the perspective of a Russian speaking, idealistic American.
David and his co-writer Fred Bronson join us for a fascinating dive into David’s adventures... Contract negations with Polygram which included kidnapping insurance, Russian kids’ obsession with hip hop, discovering and exporting Russian talent including two young girls called t.A.T.u. who kissed on The Tonight Show, wearing “F*** War” tee-shirts which they got past everyone because the words were written in Russian. David says that those tee-shirts are now being worn by kids in Ukraine.
This window in time introduced a generation to a complex intersection of culture and politics which was ultimately snuffed by Putin’s coalition with the Russian Orthodox Church and a renewed, vehement opposition to LGBTQ rights and individual expression. Ultimately, it was David’s deep disappointment in colleagues’ support for the invasion of Ukraine and concerns for his family’s safety which brought him back to the states. But still, so much was learned and exchanged.
All this, plus Fritz and Weezy are recommending The English Teacher on FX (streaming on Hulu) and the making of The Sopranos doc, Wiseguy on HBO Max.
Path Points of Interest:
The English Teacher FX and Hulu
https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/english-teacher
Wiseguy - HBO
https://www.hbo.com/movies/wise-guy-david-chase-and-the-sopranos
Previous Episode
Generations of a Showbiz Family & The Classic Age of Action Films with Lorenzo Lamas
1 RecommendationsGolden Globe-nominated actor, action movie star, martial artist, helicopter pilot, heartthrob, thrill seeker and Hollywood royalty, Lorenzo Lamas joins us for an exhilarating ride through decades of entertainment history, from the Golden Age through the non-stop 1990's and beyond! Lorenzo is the son of classic era movie-making duo Arlene Dahl and Fernando Lamas. Lorenzo came into his own playing the grandson of Jane Wyman's character on the legendary prime-time soap, Falcon Crest, and then earned lifelong fans in action and martial arts TV and film, including Renegade and Snake Eater. Lorenzo joins us to talk about life lessons learned in military school, on the set and through fatherhood.
A child of Hollywood, Lorenzo’s parents divorced when he was two and he often felt like a guest in either home. His mother Arlene Dahl was a starlet in the 1940s and 50s, and a businesswoman, who married six times, disrupting Lorenzo’s childhood with moves around the world. Lorenzo later learned to appreciate his mother’s love for him and her groundbreaking achievements. As a child, he yearned deeply for the attention and validation of his father, larger-than- life film star, Fernando Lamas who married Esther Williams when Lorenzo was 11 and was often either living in another city or away on location. Summers with his dad meant everything. His father died in his sixties but lived to see his son’s success and even directed an episode of Falcon Crest!
Lorenzo gives us behind the scenes insights that he learned from Burt Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Wyman and Charlton Heston. He fills us in on the un-aired final episode of Renegade. And on the values he has imparted to his own children of show business. Plus, Lorenzo takes on a challenging round of IMDB Roulette!
In recommendations, Weezy is bingeingThe Perfect Couple on Netflix and Fritz enjoyed Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes on Max.
Next Episode
The Great American Supergroup & The Making Of A Music Family with Sean Kelly & Peter Holsapple
1 RecommendationsIn the '90s, a group of legendary rock and pop artists banded together, blending inspirations, genres, influences and styles to form a uniquely collaborative sound. The Bangles, The Cowsills, REM, The dBs, and Hootie And The Blowfish were all represented in The Continental Drifters.
Author and musician Sean Kelly has written the definitive Drifters tomb, White Noise & Lightning: The Continental Drifters Story and he joins us this week, along with iconic Drifter Peter Holsapple, to take us on a journey from Hollywood to New Orleans, in the late 90s, through the rich layers of alternative, folk, California pop and Americana that shaped the remarkable story of this legacy mega-group.
We kick off the show with comedian and Emmy winning comedy writer Brian Kiley, who shares his experiences in the writing trenches with Conan O’Brien and Ellen DeGeneres. Brian joins us fresh from his experiences performing overseas for the U.S. military and recording his Dry Bar Comedy special. Brian will be opening soon for Fritz at The El Portal Theater in North Hollywood!
Sean and Peter then offer a Continental Drifters deep dive into their origin story, their musical heritages and their founding members, including New Orleans legend, Carlo Nuccio who inspired the band’s move from a weekly residency at Raji’s in Hollywood to one at Howlin’ Wolf in New Orleans. The Drifters quickly ascended from a supergroup to a force of nature.
Peter talks about his time with R.E.M. and Hootie and the Blowfish, Sean and Peter give us an in depth look at the band’s inner wiring and how their on-stage chemistry met with conflicting ingredients in the studio. The beating heart of The Drifters was always the personal bonds and when the romantic energy within the group began to shift, just like within any family, the entire group was thrown off balance.
Sean and Peter relay their frustration with their record label's confusion as to how to market The Drifters, what members were seeking in contrast to their previous industry experiences, what inspired Sean to write the book, why Vermillion is Peter's favorite Drifters album and details about the brand new tribute album featuring Drifters songs performed by 25 artists including Marshall Crenshaw, Debbi Peterson and John Cowsill!
Plus, Weezy is recommending, the MSNBC doc, From Russia With Lev and Fritz is looking ahead with 'What's Next? The Future With Bill Gates' on Netflix.
Path Points of Interest:
Brian Kiley at Fritz Coleman's Unassisted Residency
White Noise & Lightening by Sean Kelly on Amazon
Continental Drifters on Wikipedia
Continental Drifters on YouTube
Continental Drifters on Facebook
Continental Drifters on Instagram
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