Rockin' the Kremlin

"David Junk delivers the goods... a jaunty, picaresque memoir" - The Washington Post The true story of Universal Music Russia's first CEO and his quest to bring Western popular music to post-Soviet Russia. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Russia opened its borders, and Russian audiences were hungry for Western popular music and the values it espoused. David Junk was one of the first idealistic, young Americans to seize this opportunity. Rockin' the Kremlin is the thrilling true story of how David became the first CEO of Universal Music Russia and built impactful cultural bridges with music - but also how that would all shatter with the rise of Vladimir Putin and invasions of Ukraine. There was no proper music industry in the USSR, and creating a modern music industry in Russia would be far more challenging than anyone had anticipated. David assembled a team of young and talented Russians, and they navigated a terrain filled with political chaos, organized crime, powerful oligarchs, bombings, and violence - with cultural clashes tinting many aspects. They captivated millions by bringing superstar acts to Russia for the first time ever, including Metallica, Mariah Carey, Sting, Eminem, and Enrique Iglesias, while developing local talent such as Alsou and t.A.T.u. - Russia's greatest selling pop act of all time. Eventually, David would even build a music industry in Ukraine and other countries in Eastern Europe. While Russia's descent into authoritarianism and two invasions of Ukraine have tarnished this, the industry that David shepherded has birthed a newer generation of Russian musicians who are speaking out against the war and Putin. Filled with unique insights as well as gripping - and sometimes humorous - stories, this book reveals how it all happened.

David Junk was the first CEO of Universal Music in Moscow, and for a decade he promoted international artists in Russia, including stars like Mariah Carey, Elton John, U2, Sting, and Bon Jovi. He also signed many Russian artists to Universal, including t.A.T.u and Alsou. He was vice-president Eastern Europe at Universal Music in 2003, opened the first Universal Music office in Kyiv, Ukraine, and developed music reality shows for Ukrainian TV. He is a founding member of the Russian Music Industry Association and the US Ambassadors Task Force on Intellectual Property Rights. Fred Bronson is the bestselling author of six books including The Jacksons: Legacy, The Sound of Music Family Scrapbook, Dick Clark's American Bandstand, and three Billboard charts books. For over three decades, he has been reporting on the music industry for Billboard magazine, covering many topics including American Idol, the Eurovision Song Contest, ABBA, and Motown. His articles have also appeared in The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and the Los Angeles Times. He is a four-time guest on American Idol and a writer of three Star Trek episodes. Fredbronson.com.

Introduction Part One: My Strange Path to Russia 1. Cold War Kid 2. Tear Down This Wall 3. Diamonds Are Forever.Or Are They? Part Two: My Music Career Begins 4. Ketchup Or Music? 5. Breaking News Part Three: Pop Stars and Oligarchs 6. The Oligarch's Daughter 7. It's In The Bag 8. Enrique In The Kremlin 9. Did We Have Fun At The After-Party? Part Four: The Most Dangerous Band 10. The Kiss Heard 'Round The World 11. Fifty-Fifty 12. Broadcast Standards 13. "Get Them Out Of Monaco!" a. Interlude: Building The Russian Music Industry Part Five: The Building Project 14. Pirate Battle 15. I Want My MTV (On Red Square) 16. Mariah Makes It Happen In Moscow Part Six: The Golden Years 17. The Russian Wham! 18. Smashed!! 19. Meeting The Maestro 20. At The Ballet/Jazzman 21. 54 And Above 22. Comebacks 23. Peak Performance in Eastern Europe Part Seven: Dark Days 24. Band Troubles 25. Not Guilty 26. The Underworld 27. On Dangerous Ground Part Eight: Ukraine and Russia 28. An American In Ukraine 29. An American Chance In Ukraine 30. An Unexpected Return 31. Putting It Together 32. Sochi 33. Crimea 34. A Brave Rock Star Epilogue Acknowledgments