Forbidden freedom: Rock music in the USSR and Soviet Lithuania (Part 3 of 5)

ROCK MUSIC AGAINST THE SOVIET SYSTEM

Katedra in one of Marches of rock, 1989

By years of “Perestroika” (literally: Restructuring. More info here) the bands started setting free from the claws of strict censorship. At that time, underground bands got an opportunity to show themselves in public, play their own songs, which had a lot of hidden messages and criticism for occupants of Soviet Union.

On 1987 Algirdas Kaušpėdas (the frontman of famous rock band “Antis” (“Duck”in English)) came up with idea to hold a tour of rock bands in Lithuania, called as “March of Rock over Lithuania”. The idea came right after success of his band on one of the most successful concert “Kažkas atsitiko” (“Something Happened”) in 1986 which was shot as a film with the same title and shown at cinemas. It was the first time when thousands of people were able to listen to the illegal underground rock music.

Some songs of "Antis" from successful and very famous movie "Kažkas atsitiko" (Something Happened). I remember listening to their songs when I was a child.

This band sneered down Soviet system, typical Soviet life and limitations through their lyrics (if you want, I'll translate the lyrics later). One of examples is the song called Alio, Alio (you can see some clues in the video, too). They shocked people of Soviet age with their Gothic and monstrous image

"Antis"

Next year, after success of the movie, the first “March of Rock” was held and many famous bands were participating this event. It is clear that it was the first experience for both – bands and audience. The idea that it should be not localized and traveling event succeed. New rock phenomenon gained attention even of those people who didn’t like rock music. These “Marches of Rock over Lithuania” encouraged youth to seek freedom of Lithuania. They all lasted until re-establishment of Lithuanian Independence. 

Back then, quoting Algirdas Kaušpėdas, “until then, nobody had made concerts and gigs in open areas or stadiums. We were absolute carriers of freedom. Even Sąjūdis [anticommunist independence movement] hasn’t been formed yet. Later, after it’s been formed, we took our PAZ [brand of soviet bus], raised Lithuania tricolor flags and went driving to villages. People there saw Lithuanian flag for the first time [the tricolor flag, national anthem and coat of arms have been banned by the USSR government until the re-establishment of Lithuanian Independence]. I remember, somewhere in Samogitia [Lithuanian region], an old woman dropped her buckets when she saw us.”

The band Bix, the same as Antis, was one of the main supporters of "Marches of Rock over Lithuania" (1988)

There were three “Marches of Rock” before the independence of Lithuania has been re-established. Every time in those concerts more and more people were talking about Lithuania’s aspiration of independence. In countries, occupied by the Soviet Union, this genre of music was a symbol of struggle against the system and occupant regime. It was a part of the “Singing Revolution”.

If you’re interested, here are the images of PAZ-672 buses (my town has 14 of them which are still in use)