Winds of Change

Very moving BBC Radio 4 documentary on Winds of Change how it came to be written, impact on people’s lives, interwoven with East Berlin and fall of Berlin Wall, and hopes of people in Soviet Union.

Checkpoint Charlie #Berlin pic.twitter.com/Gld2ArA7Ee

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) May 11, 2019

Berlin Wall #Berlin pic.twitter.com/eexeMhQhbF

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) May 11, 2019

Meant a lot to me as at Checkpoint Charlie in May, walked along a stretch of the Berlin Wall, was in East Berlin.

Also Rudolf Schenker of Scorpions a friend.

Had me in tears.

A pity BBC did not play song in full, spine chilling.

For me chilling to walk along the Berlin Wall, to visit Checkpoint Charlie.

Inspiration for Winds of Change was a peace concert in Moscow, and Perestroika under Mikhail Gorbachev.

When the Berlin Wall fell, people across Europe had hope.

Now we have a thuggish state in Russia headed by Vladimir Putin, rise of Fascism across Europe, political show trials in Spain.

Scorpions Wind Of Change at Royal Albert Hall

Rudolf Schenker and Paulo Coelho St Joseph's Day party 2011

Rudolf Schenker and Paulo Coelho St Joseph's Day party 2012

Last year Rudolf Schenker played with Paulo Coelho at Paulo Coelho’s St Joseph’s Day party at the Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul.

Eleven days later, the Scorpions performed Winds of Change at the Royal Albert Hall, a special anniversary concert to mark the 80th birthday of Mikhail Gorbachev, who was there as guest of honour.

Last month Rudolf Schenker played with Paulo Coelho at Paulo Coelho’s St Joseph’s Day party at a medieval Venetian castle not far from Bassano del Grappa.

For Mio Baba, meeting, seeing play, was a dream come true.

The Scorpions are currently on a world tour.

– Gorbachev’s 80th birthday bash to bolster charity funds
– Rudolph Schenker talks to Russia Today ahead of Russian tour