Rudi Stettner at RantRave E-Encyclopedia of Dean Reed...Дин Рид в России:

Link Back in my communist days, many people told me to "go to Russia ". Dean Reed, the subject of the film "American Rebel" did almost the same thing, moving instead to East Germany. In America, Reed achieved a modest success and some critical acclaim with some modest hits such as "I Kissed a Queen" and "Our Summer Romance". He even had a contract with Capitol Records and some walk on television roles. To his frustration, American success eluded him. After spending some time in Latin America, he moved to East Germany. Finally in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, he achieved mega stardom. His American origins and style appealed to those behind the iron curtain who were fond of American music and style. To the communist leadership, he was a propaganda windfall, having left America for a socialist paradise. Far from being apolitical, he enthusiastically espoused Marxist beliefs and incorporated socialist favourites such as "Bella Ciao' and "Venceremos" into his repertoire. He was frequently on tour. He was photographed with Yasir Arafat , defended the building of the Berlin Wall and the invasion of Afghanistan. He professed a love for America and never gave up his American citizenship. He considered himself a Marxist but was never a card carrying party member. Although he generated antagonism with his unpopular views, he was an exotic side show in the United States. The contrast between America's treatment of those who left it and Reed's defense of the Berlin Wall is most ironic and was not brought up in the controlled East German press. In 1986 at the age of 47, Reed was found drowned in a lake in in East Berlin. The death was ruled a drowning although there was widespread rumours of suicide. His family suspected foul play, although he was on good terms with the East German Communist regime at the time of his death. Dean Reed was a talented man with political beliefs that were repugnant to many. From a psychological viewpoint he is fascinating. To common Soviet citizens, he was simply a very popular performer and a household name. It is interesting to speculate how Reed would have reacted to the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, how he would have adjusted psychologically and where he would have lived. His untimely death leaves this and many other unanswered questions. Pete Seeger, a folk singer with known communist sympathies was far more influential in shifting American public opinion than was expatriate Dean Reed. As they say at the New York State Lottery, "You have to be in it to win it." copyright 2008 by Rudistettner.com Please click on the links to view two interesting Dean Reed Video 4 COMMENTS   Hey Rudi!! I met Mr. Reed in 1965, at the home of the richest man in Peru, where he had been booked to sing for his only grandaughter's 15th birthday. A huge fee, he was paid. I was 14 and enjoyed his presentation, although we all found his voice to be too high, and raspy. With that voice, however, he was certainly going nowhere in America. Anyways, he was quite known in Lima, having appeared in several local television programs directly aimed at the high class circles in Peru, so imagine my "disappointment" (LOL) when, less than 8 years later, heard about his having miraculously turned into a leftist. I thought it odd. A bit like being a witness to seeing a young Bob Dylan perform and get a huge fee for playing a gig at the Hyannisportm Kennedy compound on the ocassion of Caroline Kennedy's 15th birthday, only to find out, years later, that that same Dylan has turned communist and moved, not to Paris, to be impressed with the May revolt, like many of us Latin Americans but, of all places, to East Germany, a country which was then, already, the most repressive regime in the then Soviet bloc, and that includes the former Soviet Union. But Dylan never played a gig for the rich. Or did he? Dean Reed was what I would call a socially resentful individual . Seeing that he was becoming an idol in Peru, Chile and Argentina, but also knowing, deep inside, that he had no chance in the States, especially with the advent of the Beatles, he turned Communist, but principally for that reason. That's why I never respected him. In the end, he was big in the Soviet Bloc because, in addition to being extremely good looking, and quite likeable as a a person, and inspite of being an average singer who could, and I give him credit for it, sing much better on stage than he did in a recording studio, because the Soviet and Eastern Bloc people never got to chance to see, live, any of the other American performers of his generation.   Jaime Beltrao Urros   Thank you for the fascinating details. Reed is most interesting to me from a psychological point of view. Your personal anecdote validates what my hunch was already   Rudi Stettner   Rudi, Here are a couple of other Links about Dean that your reader's may find of interest: http://deanreed.de/ and... https://www.createspace.com/Store/ShowEStore.jsp?id=208088 Dean was my friend. I miss him. Warm Respects, Will Roberts, Filmmaker American Rebel Honolulu, HI Howdy, Rudi! I am producer of E-Encyclopedia of Dean Reed at http://deanreed.ru . Now I am creating the book about Dean, which founded at the memory of close people of Dean Reed, and of the shadow at the souls people whom knew Dean personally... At the http://www.deanreed.ru we have Information about Dean at 12 languages, and I can say that there are a lot peoples, which love Dean till now, and make all they can for his memory. Rudi,If you allow me, I put the Information of this page at the Catalog of E-Encyclopedia of Dean Reed. Sincerely yours, Ioly   Iolanta Serzhantova Russia