Former Russian Supporters Speak Openly

Klaus Meine, the vocalist for Scorpions, is in the spotlight. - Former Russian Supporters Speak Openly

In 1990, The Scorpions, with their song "Wind of Change," supplied the perfect soundtrack for the significant political transformation of the time. Until the start of the Ukrainian conflict, the band had a massive following in Russia. At the onset of the conflict, the group declared they would no longer perform in Russia until the end of the war. Their Russian fans were fiercely opposed to this decision.

Klaus Meine, the 76-year-old lead vocalist, expressed his feelings in an interview with the German edition of "Playboy" magazine. He lamented, "I don't want to abandon any fan, but when they say, 'We loved your music, but now you're collaborating with the Nazis,' what should I reply?"

Misunderstanding "Wind of Change"

Before the conflict, these fans had passionately sung "Wind of Change" with great enthusiasm. However, it seems they misunderstood the song's meaning. Saddened by the turn of events, Meine noted that while he wasn't going to condemn Russia entirely, it did have repercussions on his band no longer being able to perform in a huge market such as Russia.

Despite this, he didn't want to "punish" Russia completely. He pointed out that there was still dissent, as seen during the funeral of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny. The issue, in his opinion, isn't with Russia as a country, but the regime.

"We're better at performing than creating a new political song"

Rather than writing a new political song reflecting the current socio-political climate akin to "Wind of Change," Meine prefers to be on stage. He believes, "We're better at performing, where we can instill hope into our fans, assuring them that the world will restore equilibrium." Music cannot change the world. The best one can do is "hope and pray that we'll awaken one day in a peaceful and free world."

Read also:

1. In the interview with German "Playboy," Klaus Meine, the Scorpions singer, discussed the band's decision to cease performing in Russia due to the Ukraine war.
2. Before the conflict, Russian fans of Scorpions enthusiastically sang their hit song "Wind of Change," but Meine believes they may have misunderstood its meaning.
3. Klaus Meine, who criticized being labeled as collaborating with "Nazis," stated that he didn't want to completely abandon the Russian market, acknowledging dissent in Russia, such as during Alexei Navalny's funeral.
4. The Scorpions singer, understanding that music cannot change the world, prefers to focus on performing and instilling hope in his fans, assuring them that the world will return to equilibrium.
5. Despite the controversy, Klaus Meine, the iconic Scorpions vocalist, continues to tour, cementing his legacy as one of the influential figures in the world of rock 'n' roll, particularly during the era of Perestroika.

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