The Last Three and a Half Days in Lenegrad

"I learned very quickly how there wasn't a lot of discussion about things," she says. "You were given the information and that was it, and you had to figure things out." The tour ended in Lenegrad where they tried to find their missing cello player - but could not contact him due to lack of phone service. They finally managed to track down seva who said he would meet them at his hotel five hours later.

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Joanna Stingray was only 23 years old when she first set foot in the USSR and started meeting now-legendary musicians and artists of the Soviet underground. By 1985, she was writing and recording with them, and smuggling their music to the West in order to produce the groundbreaking album Red Wave: 4 Underground Bands from the USSR.

This is her testimony of youthful fortitude and rebellion, her love story, and proof of the power of music and youth culture over stagnancy and oppression.

Details of the book giveaway are here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode198/

Part 2 is here and part 3 here

Joanna’s book, Red Wave written with her singer/songwriter daughter, Madison, includes Stingray’s extensive collection of photographs, artworks, and interviews with the musicians.

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I am delighted to welcome Joanna Stingray to our Cold War conversation…

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0:00 Introduction and Joanna Stingray's journey into the Soviet Underground

1:23 Sponsor: Patreon introduction and shoutout

2:46 Joanna's initial career plans and first visit to Russia