JOE LYNN TURNER Collaborates With Russian Singer ANDREY KNYAZEV

Legendary hard rock vocalist Joe Lynn Turner (RAINBOW, DEEP PURPLE) has collaborated with another legend, Russian punk rocker Andrey Knyazev and his band KNYAZZ (КНЯZZ). Joe Lynn Turner and Andrey Knyazev met in 2021 and instantly found common ground, discovering in each other similar personal ideology and unified rock and roll spirit. They both developed a mutual desire for a collaboration on a song that would be a perfect fit.

In August 2023, KNYAZZ released their recent album, from which Joe Lynn Turner truly connected with the song "Stalker". In this particular song, they were able to combine their similar worldviews, current problems, and struggles of humanity and agree on the fact that the destruction of the planet's future is being eradicated by their own hand. Joe Lynn Turner wrote verse and chorus in English, preserving the meaning and message of the original lyric written by Andrey.

This version of the song "Stalker" exemplifies an international unity of not only different generations of rock musicians but also voices in two different languages warning of the inevitable apocalypse by the fault of mankind.

Joe said: "In my opinion, 'Stalker' is about hope... Every day we struggle between good and bad, the light and the dark...A spiritual war between good and evil. 'Stalker' tries to show that humanity is capable of some very, very evil things, but also the hope that as a warrior, you can overcome that. The light always overcomes the darkness. And we must search for that light inside ourselves. So, 'Stalker' is a message of hope, of inspiration, through the desperation of life. We must become that light, for light will always overcome darkness."

Turner broke with most international artists who canceled their live appearances in Russia in response to the global condemnation against the Kremlin and its president, Vladimir Putin, over the war in Ukraine. In addition, major record labels suspended their operations in Russia, while streaming services like Spotify pulled out of the market.

More than two years ago, Joe dropped the hairpiece he had worn since the age of 14 after being diagnosed with alopecia at three years old.

The singer went public with his new look in August 2022 in a series publicity images released to promote his latest solo album, "Belly Of The Beast". In a press release for the LP, Joe said that he started wearing the wig to deal with "emotional and psychological damage from cruel bullying in school."

Joe was the singer of RAINBOW between 1980 and 1984 and he sang on the album "Difficult To Cure", which featured the band's most successful U.K. single, "I Surrender".

During Turner's time with RAINBOW, the band had its first USA chart success and recorded songs that helped define the melodic rock genre.

1990 saw Turner reunited with RAINBOW leader Ritchie Blackmore in a reformed DEEP PURPLE for the "Slaves And Masters" album.

Photo credit: Agata Nigrovskaya