Scorpions guitarist Rudolf Schenker recently joined Metal Hammer for an interview and revealed his thoughts about the rumors that the band collaborated with the CIA for the song ‘Wind Of Change.’
Recorded for Scorpions’ ‘Crazy World’ album, the song ‘Wind Of Change’ was written by Klaus Meine and released in January 1991. The singer decided to write this song after visiting the Soviet Union and seeing the effects of the Cold War.
In 2020, Patrick Radden Keefe, the host of the podcast named ‘Wind Of Change,’ contacted Meine to ask him some questions about the song. In one of the podcast’s episodes, he claimed that he had enough information that the CIA wrote this song with Meine.
Although the band has denied such collaboration with the CIA, it seems the rumors still have believers. In an interview with Metal Hammer, Rudolf Schenker revealed that this is a case of the immense impact music has, and he never gets tired of talking about this song.
Moreover, Schenker said they did shows in Leningrad in 1988 and the Moscow Peace Festival in 1989 because they felt like a part of the most peaceful revolution on Earth, with ‘Wind Of Change’ being its soundtrack.
In the interview, Metal Hammer asked Rudolf Schenker the following:
“Are you tired of people asking if the CIA wrote Winds Of Change?”
As a response, Schenker said:
“I’ll never get tired of talking about that song – it’s a case where you can really see the impact music has. The coin always has two sides, so go and see what’s behind it.
That’s why we booked shows in Leningrad in 1988 and did the [Moscow] Peace festival the following year. We felt we were a part of the most peaceful revolution on Earth, and the soundtrack to that was ‘Wind Of Change.’”
‘Wind Of Change’ was released shortly before the end of the Cold War, and its lyrics contained messages of hope for a peaceful future and celebrated the war’s end. However, it also has made Scorpions deal with rumors that they collaborated with the CIA to stop the Cold War with this song.
