
Free Daily Podcast Summary
by Pineapple Street Studios / Crooked Media / Spotify
It’s 1990. The Berlin Wall just fell. The Soviet Union is on the verge of collapse. And the soundtrack to the revolution is one of the best selling songs of all time, the metal ballad “Wind of Change,” by the Scorpions. Decades later, journalist Patrick Radden Keefe heard a rumor: the song wasn’t written by the Scorpions. It was written by the CIA. This is his journey to find the truth.
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
Patrick has a new book coming out April 7, a true story about Zac Brettler, a London teenager who died under mysterious circumstances in 2019. After Zac's death, his parents, Rachelle and Matthew, made a shocking discovery: Zac had been leading a secret double life, posing as the son of a Russian oligarch. "London Falling" is the story of two grieving parents who set out to investigate their own son's death, a journey that pulled them into a side of their city they had never known before, a murky underworld of power, money, danger, and deceit. This exclusive preview for "Wind of Change" listeners is the prologue from the Penguin Random House audiobook, read by Patrick. "London Falling" is available for pre-order wherever books are sold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Chapter 1: Bug’s Plan. It’s 2014. Adelanto is a bankrupt city in the California desert known for its massive detention centers and not much else. Then, a stranger comes to town with a wild idea to make Adelanto great again: Become the first city in Southern California to legalize commercial weed cultivation. Subscribe to Dreamtown to hear episode two right now, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
When Patrick Radden Keefe heard that the Scorpions were coming to town last month, he knew he had to go to the show. So he called his friend Michael, his source for the original CIA conspiracy theory, and they headed to UBS Arena on Long Island, microphones in hand. Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine earlier this year, the song Wind of Change has taken on new meaning -- and new lyrics, courtesy of lead-singer Klaus Meine. Patrick wanted to feel first hand how the powerful ballad of hope sounded in this new context of Russian aggression. We're also raising funds for medical supplies in Ukraine and encourage you to join us in giving to United24. The link is here: https://u24.gov.ua/ This episode was recorded in late September. Given the recent attacks in Ukraine we especially encourage you to donate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Patrick has a new book that's just out, Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks. It's twelve strange but true stories of skulduggery and intrigue. Listen to an exclusive excerpt from the audiobook, narrated by Patrick, about the flamboyant, un-catchable arms trafficker known as the Prince of Marbella. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Everything was going great for Jason Rezaian. He was The Washington Post’s correspondent in Tehran. He had just gotten married. Then, in July of 2014, Jason and his wife were arrested and thrown in Iran’s notorious Evin prison. This is the first episode of 544 Days, a new podcast from Gimlet, Crooked Media, and A24. Find the rest of story for free at gimlet.media/544days. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Thanks for listening to Wind of Change. We’ve made two additional episodes of the show — a pair of stories that we couldn’t fit into the main season of the podcast, but are so wild we had to share them with you. Both episodes are only available exclusively on Spotify. The first one is available right now. It’s called "The Love Song of Joanna Stingray." And next Monday, July 13, we’ll drop another episode, called "Rocking Venezuela." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
HANOVER, GERMANY, 2020: There is one last person Patrick needs to ask about “Wind of Change.” At a small hotel in sleepy Hanover, Germany, it is time to confront Klaus Meine about his biggest hit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 2019: On a boat ride down the Moskva River, Patrick starts to fear that this entire podcast could itself be CIA propaganda. Or worse, Ksenia, his Russian fixer points out: propaganda by the successors to the KGB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Listeners also like.

Professor of Rock
Music historian Adam Reader examines the origins and stories of classic rock songs through interviews and detailed episode explorations.

Conspiracy Theories
Examines conspiracy theories surrounding major historical events and cultural phenomena, exploring their origins and influence.

It Could Happen Here
A daily chronicle of societal collapse and the search for a better future amid the ruins of the old world.

Windfall
Three orphaned brothers navigate love, crime, and loyalty in a stratified city beneath a mysterious floating castle.

Music Not Diving with Scuba
A musician interviews key figures in electronic music about their lives and careers in the industry.

D-Day: The Tide Turns
Follows real individuals involved in the 1944 Normandy Landings through personal stories and historical detail.

The Rise and Fall of ...
Explores the dramatic rise and fall of major music industry stories.

The Coming Storm
A journalist investigates the roots and rise of American conspiracy theories, from Cold War paranoia to modern claims of a Deep State.

The Soundtrack Show
A deep dive into film, TV, video game, and theater soundtracks and scores.

Swindled
Explores white-collar crime and corporate misconduct through immersive storytelling and archival audio.

The Spy Who
Stories of secret operatives and the covert missions of global intelligence agencies, revealing the true cost of espionage.

One Decision
Former intelligence leaders and journalists examine high-stakes decisions that shaped global events.
It’s 1990. The Berlin Wall just fell. The Soviet Union is on the verge of collapse. And the soundtrack to the revolution is one of the best selling songs of all time, the metal ballad “Wind of Change,” by the Scorpions. Decades later, journalist Patrick Radden Keefe heard a rumor: the song wasn’t written by the Scorpions. It was written by the CIA. This is his journey to find the truth.
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Get key takeaways from Wind of Change in a 5-minute read.
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Wind of Change as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Pineapple Street Studios / Crooked Media / Spotify.
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts. Upgrade to Pro for 15, or Premium for 50. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
Wind of Change publishes weekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
Wind of Change covers topics including Music, Documentary, Culture, Society & Culture. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.