“Down to Gorky Park”
How a music festival changed the trajectory of a nation and the world . . . on accident.
August 12, 1989, Moscow, U.S.S.R — It was the first night of the Moscow Music Peace Festival. A revolutionary concert in the twilight years of the Soviet Union. 100,000 people came “down to Gorky Park” to watch 6 western rock bands, alongside some local artists. Major players included Bon Jovi, The Scorpions, and Ozzy Osbourne. The musicians jammed across two nights; it was broadcast live to 59 countries including MTV in the U.S.
Rock was the sound of the late 80s. It was at the forefront of western popular culture. The Moscow Music Peace Festival symbolized the first time western culture was allowed into the eastern bloc. This came at a time of political relaxation from Mikhail Gorbachev. He was loosening his grip on parts of the U.S.S.R and experimenting with a more democratic system of government.
Don McGhee, an American music manager jumped at an opportunity to bring big name American artists to the Soviet Union for the first time. He partnered with the “Make a Difference Foundation,” a charity to raise awareness towards drug and alcohol related deaths.
Perhaps the most influential outcome of the Moscow Music Peace Festival was “Wind of Change” by the Scorpions. With 14 million copies sold worldwide, “Wind of Change” was on the pulse of the decade. It was released in January 1991, after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The song describes a wind of change that is in the air on an August night in Moscow. It’s clear to see the song’s inspiration came from the Moscow Music Peace Festival.
Lyrically, “Wind of Change” has a hopeful and inspiring tone indicative of the time. Early in the song, Klauss Meine, lead singer of The Scorpions references “a wind of change,” the transformation of ideologies in the Soviet Union and across the world. In a more literal sense, the wind of change is Klauss Meine’s singing on August 12th at the Moscow Music Peace festival. People can hear him and his hopeful lyrics passing by.
“The world is closing in
Did you ever think
That we could be so close, like brothers”
In more recent times people have designated “Wind of Change” as an anthem for the fall of the Berlin Wall. Given that The Scorpions are a German band, and the proximity of the song’s release to the fall of the Berlin Wall, it’s easy to see why it is often given this label. Underneath the surface, it’s more of a nod to the metamorphosis occurring in people’s thinking across the globe.
It’s hard to say one song or concert directly led to the end of one of the largest political powers ever. However, the themes of the songs played at the Moscow Music Peace Festival seemed to have an impact on the people of The Soviet Union.
It’s in this way that the music played on August 12, 1989, pushed the Soviet Union towards their eventual collapse. “Wind of Change” is simply Klauss Meine recognizing a shift in the balance of the Cold War due to people’s shifting beliefs and writing a triumphant song about it.
Today, “Wind of Change” and its connection to the Moscow Music Peace Festival is seen in a different light given the recent events with Russia and Ukraine.
In February 2022, Russia led by Vladimir Putin invaded parts of Ukraine and war has ensued through today. Klauss Meine’s words describe a world that is about to enter an era of peace throughout the nineties.
On August 30, 2022, Mikhail Gorbachev passed away at the age of 81. Alongside President Reagan, he orchestrated a peaceful end to the cold war. There is a stark difference between his leadership style and Putin’s. Currently Putin attempts to not allow western media and culture to infiltrate his country leading to misinformation and confusion. Gorbachev’s leniency allowed the Russian people to have their own thoughts and ideas.
It’s impossible to listen to Wind of Change through the same upbeat, triumphant attitude as 30 years ago, but it’s important to remember how the world was changed by the Moscow Music Peace Festival and the subsequent release of “Wind of Change.”
