Ep. 64 David Junk

EPISODE SUMMARY: David Junk is a music executive who lived in Russia for 15 years working to fight piracy and grow the legitimate music industry there. He is joined by author Fred Bronson who cowrote Rockin' the Kremlin with David.

On this episode of Chachi Loves Everybody, Chachi talks to David Junk and Fred Bronson about:

1. Growing up in Ohio during the Cold War and listening to rock radio to distract from fears of nuclear war.
2. Traveling to Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall to see Pink Floyd and being inspired by the onset of capitalism to move to Russia.
3. Moving to Moscow and gaining the trust of his Russian coworkers while working at a diamond company.
4. Facing investigation by Russian prosecutors for years for a crime he didn’t commit.
5. Getting his start in the Russian music industry where he witnessed rampant piracy and a lack of copyright protection. Going from accountant to CEO of Universal Music in Russia.
6. Discovering and signing Russian acts like t.A.T.u and Alsou and helping them gain global recognition.
7. Helping Alsou place second at Eurovision and tour Russia and America.
8. Introducing Eminem to Russia and his influence on the hip-hop scene there.
9. The current political situation in Russia, including the invasion of Crimea and the war in Ukraine

And More!

ABOUT THIS EPISODE'S GUEST: After the fall of the Soviet Union, David Junk was one of the first idealistic young Americans to move to Russia to live, work and build a cultural bridge between former superpower enemies. He eventually became the first CEO of Universal Music, based in Moscow. For a decade, he promoted international artists in Russia, including such huge names as Elton John, U2, Sting, and Bon Jovi. He introduced hip-hop music to Russian youth. David also discovered and signed multiple Russian artists to Universal, including t.A.T.u, who would become the biggest-selling Russian act in music industry history. David also did some things that no other music executive in the United States has ever done. Music piracy in Russia was rampant, and the market for cheap, counterfeit compact discs was so pervasive that it threatened the legitimate Russian music industry's ability to gain a foothold. So on behalf of Universal's stable of artists and the Russian music industry, he participated in law enforcement raids of pirate factories and testified in court against the criminal gangs who operated them. David has been extensively interviewed about this subject on television, radio, and print and wrote an editorial about it that appeared in the Wall Street Journal. He also wrote about it for the American Chamber of Commerce and submitted written testimony to the US Congress on the topic of piracy and intellectual property rights in Russia.

David is an authority on this topic because of his deep understanding of Russia. He lived and worked there for fifteen years, and raised a family in Moscow. In addition to starting the record label in Moscow, David opened the first showroom in Russia for the iconic American brand Gibson Guitars. David has extensive knowledge of Russian-Ukrainian relations, having opened the first Universal Music office in Kyiv and having developed music reality shows for Ukrainian TV.

ABOUT THE PODCAST: Chachi Loves Everybody is brought to you by Benztown and hosted by the President of Benztown, Dave “Chachi” Denes. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the myths and legends of the radio industry.

PEOPLE MENTIONED:

• Boris Yeltsin
• Roger Waters
• Mikhail Gorbachev
• Elton John
• Bon Jovi
• Malcolm McLaren
• Julian Lena
• Jimmy Iovine
• Trevor Horn
• Ellen DeGeneres
• Alsou
• Steve Levine
• Simon Napier Bell
• Britney Spears
• Enrique Iglesias
• Julio Iglesias