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The Red Square Adventure or……
“karaoKen” and three types of jam!!
It is amazing how, after so many years in this
business, all kinds of surprises keep jumping out of the bushes or,
in this case, out of the streets of Moscow! I was invited to
do this show by my friends Richie and Michael and I did it mainly
because it was raising money to assist viral research and to make a
statement against music piracy. That’s right folks… a concert in
Moscow to protest music piracy! And it was filmed and recorded!! HA!
But I love Moscow and it wasn’t too tough so off I went. As usual
Michael and Richie left everything (visas, flights etc.) to the last
minute which only meant that I wouldn’t sleep much for a few days
and I am okay with that.
For a number of reasons (probably the early mornings) Monica decided
not to go with me so, after getting up ridiculously early on
Wednesday I arrived in Moscow only an hour late. My “team” consisted
of me, Dasha (who was managing all the interpretation and
co-ordination) and my old friend Tim who was my welcome “shadow”
during my visit. Checking into the hotel, the only thing I had
noticed that was different was that the traffic had been worse than
usual but I was hungry so I didn’t think about it too much.
On Thursday morning (after my toast and jam) I had to ask the
question because there were so many military and police vehicles in
the streets and no matter where we went the roads were jammed. The
so-called G8 Summit was taking place in St. Petersburg so I couldn’t
help wondering what the big fuss was about… but I would find out!
In the morning we accomplished the most important thing which was to
visit a huge pet shop and buy toys for the dogs. The toys here are
so much cheaper than in Spain. Then it took us nearly two
hours to get to Red Square for sound check which didn’t happen
because they were so far behind schedule and then came a serious
Summer thunderstorm! But I ran into the guys from The
Scorpions and that was cool because I hadn’t seen them for a really
long time! We chatted for a while and then I went back to the
hotel for tea! Then we went to a really old and fancy
restaurant for lunch which was nice but because of the weather and
the delays we were really just killing time.
We decided to head back to the venue and just see what happened.
After yet more laps of the area we arrived and I could hear someone
jamming so there was action!! It was incredible to see the two
stages set up right next to the fabled Kremlin and the view from the
stage was incredible… but I forgot my camera so I can only hope that
we get some pictures from someone!
This was a free concert with lots of big sponsors and because it was
going to be televised we were all either miming or doing partial
playback which made the lack of sound check thing not such a big
deal. But I have never, ever seen such security, so many metal
detectors, police and military vehicles and personnel so I finally
had to ask… why? Basically, they were protecting against
terrorist reprisals following the death of a rebel leader and they
have had plenty of experience of these kinds of attacks which is all
very sad isn’t it. Violence has never been able to stop
violence has it?
As show time got closer I sensed and air of panic creeping in
backstage so I retreated to my dressing tent, waiting for my “band”
to show up. They would be up there so it looked a little more
“real”, if you know what I mean! They finally did show up but
they didn’t make it to the stage due to some mis-interpretation or
other so when the TV presenters (badly dressed and over made-up)
announced my name there I was…… all alone…… and miming! But
the crowd (by now about 30,000 strong) rocked and we had fun anyway
and they still had Lordi and the Atomic Kittens to come!! I
was ready for dinner! (more food?) Yes, more food!!!
I did a few TV interviews after my debut “karaoke” show and the main
question was about music piracy or, rather, my thoughts on the
subject. I replied, as I always do, that if the record
companies weren’t so greedy there would be less need for piracy.
In the 70’s we called it bootlegging and then it was just some
hard-up kids chipping in for an album and some blank cassettes.
In Soviet Russia it was people smuggling vinyl in from Finland (which
cost a whole month’s salary, the vinyl that is, not Finland)
photographing the cover, making copies of that and the music and
selling them cheap to their friends, just to get their money back!!
People love music and they are entitled to hear it. Writers
write music and they are entitled to be paid for it so what do you
do? Well, you could start by pricing things responsibly so
everyone gets what they want. By now we all know that CDs cost
pennies to make so there is absolutely no justification for pricing
them the way they do. If people can’t afford to buy CDs in the
store then they will find another way to enjoy the music and, with
the technology we have now, it’s a piece of cake!
Like drugs and prostitution, the “supply and demand” formula will
always find a way to satisfy itself!
All in all, quite an experience! I was invited to the
after-show party but Richie had me booked on a 07:00 flight to
Munich so I decided to go back to the hotel (again?), eat something
(even more food?) and get some sleep. Just like my invisible
band, the after-show party didn’t happen anyway!
So here I am, writing this on a Pulkovo Airlines Tupolev TU154,
wobbling its way to Munich where I will get on a (hopefully) less
wobbly plane to Alicante… but things keep happening and I think I
have just recorded a new “first”… I just refused food! I was
served a nice piece of meat that had been seasoned just long enough
to pass for shoe leather, accompanied by something that resembled
rice but which could definitely not be trusted! I just said
no, can you believe that?
God bless,
“karaoKen” (this will become my Sumo wrestling name one day!)
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