Red Wave

An American in the Soviet Music Underground

By: Joanna Stingray, Madison Stingray

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Length: 16 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

Stingray’s memoir vividly shows how the energy of youth culture and an international love affair with rock ‘n’ roll forged alliances among a new generation who brought an end to the U.S.S.R.

Stingray’s personal account of being the first producer of Russian rock ‘n’ roll takes place in the 1980s and the early 1990s, set amongst an unforgettable cast of characters. Drawing from her enormous archive of recordings, interviews and photographs, their voices mix with hers to dramatize this tale of remarkable bravery, romance, and rock ‘n’ roll. At a time when the U.S. and Russia have now hurtled into a new Cold War, this incredible story of faith in individuals rather than governments gives hope for future solidarity among all peace-loving people.

Joanna Stingray is the unlikeliest of Cold War heroes. Her contributions to rock history and to diplomacy are undeniable, and her story is more timely than ever.

“Wild and vivid—a rollicking memoir of romance and rock ‘n’ roll in an era of upheaval and transition. From Los Angeles to Leningrad and back again, Joanna’s story is borne along by her infectious, headlong enthusiasm. It’s quite a ride”.

–Patrick Radden Keefe, award winning staff writer at The New Yorker

As one of the first American musicians to break through the Soviet scene, and one of the few women to be seen as an equal amongst Leningrad’s pantheon of rock superstars, Stingray’s perspective on the development of late Soviet rock is truly one of a kind. This memoir is probably the single most important source for those who want a birds-eye view of late Soviet youth culture, and Stingray’s stories are as entertaining as they are relevant and illuminating. Stingray has managed to capture both the atmosphere of the final decade of the U.S.S.R. & provide a lively contrast to the Western music industry. The importance of this work cannot be stressed enough.

–Alexander Herbert, historian/author

Narrated by award-winning narrator Cassandra Campbell

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2020 Joanna Stingray (P)2023 Joanna Stingray

Red Wave is wonderful…

I highly recommend this audio book! So many interesting stories within a story… The book is filled with Russian History, it’s a Spy drama and a love story wrapped up in one. It's easy to see why the FBI might have suspected Joanna Stingray was a Russian spy. Her memoirs is like a Cold War espionage thriller: clandestine meetings, tapped phone lines, interrogations, smuggled tapes, and shadowy KGB agents hiding around every corner.
Red Wave is a beautiful account of Russian rock history, as well as a fascinating revelation of Cold War politics through the eyes of a twenty-something Los Angeles girl who becomes enamored with a group of Russian underground musician… and more specifically falls in love with one special artist.
It’s a must listen.

A must listen!

If you care at all for music, diplomacy, history and creativity - it would be saddening to miss out on this autobiographical journey of a well to do American girl who does anything but fit the profile of the image that may already be developing in your mind. Rather than putz around shopping in LA, Joanna Stingray takes a stab at smuggling underground Russian music to the US on several occasions and basically acting as a conduit for the spread of a variety of music regardless of the law in an act to expose Russian life and engage both countries. I'm still in awe of this woman since finishing, but moreso regretful that I never once heard of her until now. She is a music pioneer and her own music and creativity in making music videos still stands today. I spent the majority of this book looking up songs and videos and photos and news of her. She paints a vibrant cast of characters that greatly impacted her life and we hear some familiar names like Molly Ringwald, David Bowie and MTV along the way. Make sure you get to know the most important name in this novel, though, Joanna Stingray.