Wind of Change Podcast
In the critically-acclaimed Wind of Change podcast, investigative journalist Patrick Radden Keefe tries to figure out if the Scorpions’ song Wind of Change was actually written by the CIA. Along the way, he speaks to former spies, and travels to Russia, Ukraine, and Germany to try to piece together the truth.
Last Updated: Jun 11th, 2021
1) Wind of Change, coming May 11
A power ballad helped bring down the Soviet Union. Was it written by the CIA? Journalist Patrick Radden Keefe investigates the secret history of Cold War espionage and heavy metal. Wind Of Change is a...Show More
2) 1. My Friend Michael
LANGLEY, VIRGINIA, 2011: The Scorpions’ song “Wind of Change” became the soundtrack to the end of the Cold War. But decades later, New Yorker investigative journalist Patrick Radden Keefe heard a rumo...Show More
3) 2. You Call It An Operation, We Call It A Performance
KYIV, UKRAINE, 2019: Patrick flies to Ukraine and witnesses how fully the political message of “Wind of Change” still resonates with fans at a Scorpions show in Kyiv. Plus: what does the CIA say when ...Show More
2. You Call It An Operation, We Call It A Performance
47:08 | May 18th, 2020
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4) "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" & "Denial"
For our review of "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" I am joined by Mike Vermette and then both Will and Michael Schwartz join me for a review of "Denial." Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please su...Show More
AUDIO REMOVED: The podcast creator has removed the audio for this episode.5) 4. The KGB Rock Club
LENINGRAD, USSR, 1988: Patrick finds another person who has told an eerily similar story about the Scorpions and the CIA. But he won’t answer emails, so Patrick travels to a GI Joe convention in Dayto...Show More
6) 5. I Follow The Moskva
MOSCOW, USSR, 1989: Klaus Meine, the lead singer of the Scorpions, has said for 30 years that the Moscow Music Peace Festival in 1989 inspired him to write “Wind of Change.” Bon Jovi, booze, Ozzy Osbo...Show More
7) 6. The Doctor Is In
CAYMAN ISLANDS, 1982: The Scorpions’ manager Doc McGhee has a secret past: he played a role in one of the largest drug busts in U.S. history, working with a smuggling ring that included CIA asset (and...Show More
8) 7. Rorschach
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 2019: On a boat ride down the Moskva River, Patrick starts to fear that this entire podcast could itself be CIA propaganda. Or worse, Ksenia, his Russian fixer points out: propaganda b...Show More
9) 8. Hello, Klaus
HANOVER, GERMANY, 2020: There is one last person Patrick needs to ask about “Wind of Change.” At a small hotel in sleepy Hanover, Germany, it is time to confront Klaus Meine about his biggest hit. Lea...Show More
10) 3. America’s Secret Weapon
LAGOS, NIGERIA, 1961: One of America’s most beloved singers died without ever knowing that during the Cold War she had been used by the CIA. And a 40-year-old mystery resurfaces: when the Nitty Gritty...Show More