ROCK THE USSR (with Tom Garza)

The Slavic Connexion

Returning to the studio, Tom Garza joins us to discuss not vampires but Russian rock, from the years prior to the fall of the USSR to today itself. And this is not just an academic subject for him, it's his lived experience. Featuring snippets with legendary music critic Artemy Troitsky, who launched the first discotheque in Soviet Russia, this episode (not to overstate the theme) truly ROCKS.

For more on the impact of rock and roll on the USSR, see a feature from PRI:
https://www.pri.org/stories/2011-05-19/how-rock-and-roll-brought-soviet-union-down
To read about Joanna Stingray, see: https://www.rbth.com/arts/330211-joanna-stingray

And check out the book Troitsky mentions: How the Beatles Rocked the Kremlin by Leslie Woodhead https://www.amazon.com/How-Beatles-Rocked-Kremlin-Revolution-ebook/dp/B009SJZKFY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1WXAE8411Y28M&keywords=how+the+beatles+rocked+the+kremlin&qid=1572282790&sprefix=the+beatles+rocked%2Caps%2C175&sr=8-1
Also, as mentioned by Tom Garza, Artemy Troitsky's famous book BACK IN THE USSR: THE TRUE STORY OF RUSSIAN ROCK is available here: https://www.amazon.com/Back-USSR-True-Story-Russia/dp/0571129978/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=artemy+troitsky&qid=1572282885&sr=8-3

Along similar lines, Troitsky in recent years released a new book on Soviet subculture, called (aptly enough) Subkultura: Stories of Youth and Resistance in Russia. https://www.cornerhousepublications.org/publications/artemy-troitsky-subkultura-stories-of-youth-and-resistance-in-russia-1815-2017/

(Below) A picture of Garza and Troitsky taken this summer in Moscow at the Russian language release of Subkultura.

Music credits:
Clips of rock songs included for educational purposes from YouTube recordings of Aquarium, Viktor Tsoi/Kino, Vladimir Vysotsky, Okujawa, Boston, Zemfira, Basta, and Alla Pugacheva.

RECORDING NOTE: Episode recorded October 11th, 2019 at the University of Texas at Austin. Clips with Artemy Troitsky recorded on July 2019 in Moscow, Russia.

CREDITS
Co-Producer: Matthew Orr (Connect: facebook.com/orrrmatthew)
Co-Producer: Tom Rehnquist (Connect: facebook.com/thomas.rehnquist)
Associate Producer: Lera Toropin
Supervising Producer: Kathryn Yegorov-Crate
Music Producer: Charlie Harper (Connect: facebook.com/charlie.harper.1485 Instagram: @charlieharpermusic Visit him on the web: www.charlieharpermusic.com)
(original background music from Carl Phaser, Computer Music All Stars, Kai Engel, David Hilowitz, Hiro, Byzance, Christian Bjoerklund, Semaphore, and Scott Holmes)
Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (Connect: facebook.com/mdanielgeraci Instagram: @michelledaniel86) www.msdaniel.com

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Special Guest: Thomas Garza.