Washington’s views were so blinkered by the free-market dogma that, as Russians cast their ballots in the election, Vice President Al Gore and Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott flew to Moscow, expecting to throw a party at the embassy celebrating Gaidar’s victory.

This just became the latest in a series of controversies that had marred his term: the year before, he had fired his son who was employed as his executive secretary after it emerged that he had misused his position to throw a party at a prime ministerial residence.

With two new albums involving both styles arriving imminently, he arranged to throw a party, and invited dozens of friends and colleagues to play.

"One of my biggest dreams is to be able to go back and throw a party in Tehran!" she says.

Contemplating some anniversary festivities, the siblings realized that with all the crew from over the decades and the legions of devoted patrons, there wasn’t a way to throw a party big enough.