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

LITHUANIAN HARD ROCK

There were some bands who were playing hard rock. Here are some songs:

I really love the guitar riff of the song above which starts at 0:34. It is so catchy! 

By the way, I asked my dad how the things with rock music were in his eyes. He said that he knew one his classmate who was very artistic, played the guitar and was very good person. However, his parent's were drinking alcohol all the time and didn't take care of him. The teachers didn't like him, because he looked like a hippie. My dad also added that all the rock records they had owned back then were smuggled through the USSR customs.

What is more, I've found some old communistic newspapers which contained some articles about 'How Rock Music Makes People Destructive' and so on. I've also found a list of Lithuanian rock bands. I tried to find them on the internet, but there were no traces of them. Too bad that these musicians were forgotten.
Anyway, here's the photo of those magazines:

I'd love to quote the beginning of one article shown in the photo:

'Three broken chairs, one broken window and ten hours of music. This is how this article about the first  hard rock festival 'Hard express-88' in Kaisiadoriai cultural centre should be called'

A MOVIE WORTH THOUSAND WORDS
Back in 1990, Lithuanian film makers released a movie, called Kids From Hotel America. It's about the hard way of rock music in Soviet Lithuania, it shows how hard things were, shows the cruel reality. This movie has English subtitles. Well they aren't that good, but the meaning you will understand. In this movie there are some true facts, for example the man who burned himself was Romas Kalanta

CONCLUSION AND THE END OF SERIES

I had an idea about these posts a long time ago. While I was writing this post and searching for even more information, I started to feel proud that I'm Lithuanian because back then Lithuanians were very eager for freedom, they were all together in bringing forbidden rock music to our country. They didn't care about the penalties, limitations and other stuff. They wanted to be themselves by breaking long lasting Soviet system and laws. They were all dreamers of better life...

Hope you liked these series. I've learnt a lot about my own country. It's strange how people seem to forget this period of time.

But look what we've become. Popculture set its roots very deeply into peoples' lives. Any other different type or style of music, doesn't matter if it's new or very intellectual, if will be forgotten without ability to be heard in public...

Even in 1969 Lithuanians knew what NME is. And now… nobody knows, except those who are interested in British indie or alternative rock music… Those who want to change the rotten order of Lithuania...

Just look what Lithuania has become now: a country of loss and desperation….

Maybe this sounded pessimistic, but I am writing what I personally think.

The End

Forbidden freedom: Rock music in the USSR and Soviet Lithuania (Part 4 of 5)

LITHUANIAN ROCK BANDS, ILLEGAL ROCK FESTIVALS AND ROCK CLUBS

“March of Rock over Lithuania” wasn’t the only festival in Soviet Lithuania. “Lituanica” was famous and very important festival as well. It was held in 1987-1988 in Vilnius and Kaunas.

On 7^th-8^th of March a new rock club in Vilnius was opened. This was very important event; to celebrate it, a brochure about the club was released. There was a lot of information about various bands and concerts as well.

On the opening day of rock club in Vilnius, a lot of bands from many countries were playing.

According to the brochure, the first club of rock was stated in Leningrad (now: Saint Petersburg) in 1981. “Back in those days, everyone was arguing about the need of these clubs, but they all have proven to have the right to exist: musicians participate in concerts, communicate much more, rock musicians don’t feel homeless and needless – they finally felt as a part of cultural life.”

The first rock club in Kaunas was opened officially on 6^th February, 1987. On this year, rock club in Vilnius had already had 28 bands.

cover of the brochure

one page of the brochure

“Today we hear Lithuanian rock again. Started with “Kertukai” (Slashers), “Gintarėlių” (Ambers), “Antanėlių”, “Gėlių Vaikų” (Children of Flowers) and others; rock which was unallowed, oppressed with instructions and limitations, which was hiding in basements and attics, which was burning in our hearts and thoughts, which made rebirth...”
One interesting fact is that all Lithuanian rock bands' names were inspired by old mythological stories, creatures or by pagan gods.

Vocal-instrumental ensemble (the name "band" was forbidden to use in USSR) "Kertukai" (Slashers). They were the first guitar collective officially accepted In Lithuania (1967 )

Lullaby by Kertukai

Kęstutis Ignatavičius, frontman of band "Aitvarai" (Brownies), with
self-made guitar. At that time in Lithuania it was able to get only
seven-stringed guitars in Russian  style.  Musicians were  redoing
or even making own new guitars. (1967)

Nuogi Ant Sleksčio (naked on Treshold) performing. They made covers of  songs by The Doors, Black Sabbath, Emmerson Lake and Palmer, Deep Purple, etc. They were called as avant-garde rock keepers.

The Sun was a students’ cafeteria and rock club, established in one of hostels in students’ town, in front of Faculty of Automation. There popclub Smūtkeliai was organizing the first discotheques in Kaunas. In fact, those discotheques weren’t as people might think. There even weren’t any discotheques but for some reason people call them exactly like that. Actually, people there analyzed albums and listened to hard artrock, psychedelica and etc. Every evening had its own theme set. The head of discotheque told the history of the album itself, translated lyrics, and when the music started playing, it was allowed to dance. Finding petroleum in my town (which is absurdly impossible) was a lot of easier than getting a ticket to this discotheque. The selection of people was without any compromise. Only reliable and own people got a chance to get in…

a document of acceptance for popclub

This popclub was formed in autumn, 1969 and it was a perfect chance for youth in Soviet era to educate themselves musically. This club in faculty’s foyer publicized the top10 list of Radio Luxenbourg and top20 of NME (New Musical Express). Later, they started arranging discotheques in club The Sun. Shortly, these events caught attention of local hippies and avant-garde youth. This club gained more and more popularity; sometimes people from other towns and cities were attending discotheques. Sadly, The Sun was needed to be shut because national safety caught them in one meeting of hippies. Then, everyone shared out records and walked away on different ways…

We Will Meet Again by Gintarėliai (Ambers)

Mom and Dad Wonder by Gintarėliai (Ambers)

setlist of Gintaeėliai

cassette of Lithuanian punk-rock band Sa-Sa

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)

Forbidden freedom: Rock music in the USSR and Soviet Lithuania (Part 2 of 5)

38 ROCK BANDS BANNED IN THE USSR

Record company/label of USSR

Representatives of government periodically compiled lists of forbidden bands and artists who “harmed” Soviet ideology and were “unacceptable” for values of Soviet people. As a result of this, songs of bands mentioned in those lists were not allowed to be played at youth discotheques to make sure people will live as the Soviet government wanted them to live and that they won’t try to seek for freedom. This document was released in 1985 as a banning order for committee of Komsomol (The Communist Union of Youth. More info about them here) of Nikolayev regional of Ukraine. What is more, this Cold War document below was kept in secret. It is funny how some bands and performers were called as “neofascist” or as “punk violence” acts with detailed reasons why they must be banned. 

I’ve translated this document in English, so did many people around the net.

Here is a part of document which is interesting and eye-catching:

“The following is an approximate list of foreign music groups and artists whose repertoires contain ideologically harmful compositions.

This information is recommended for the purpose of intensifying control over the activities in discotheques.

This information must be also provided to all vocal-instrument ensembles [that’s bands] and youth discotheques in the region”

“Group Name and Type of Propaganda”

1. Sex Pistols - punk, violence

2. B-52s - punk, violence

3. Madness - punk, violence

4. Clash - punk, violence

5. Stranglers - punk, violence

6. Kiss - neofascism, punk, violence

7. Krokus - violence, cult of strong personality

8. Styx - violence, vandalism

9. Iron Maiden - violence, religious obscurantism

10. Judas Priest - anticommunism, racism

11. AC/DC - neofascism, violence

12. Sparks - neofascism, racism

13. Black Sabbath - violence, religious obscurantism

14. Alice Cooper - violence, vandalism

15. Nazareth - violence, religious mysticism

16. Scorpions - violence

17. Genghis Khan - anticommunism, nationalism

18. UFO - violence

19. Pink Floyd - distortion of Soviet foreign policy ("Soviet aggression in Afghanistan")

20. Talking Heads - myth of the Soviet military threat

21. Perron - eroticism

22. Bohannon - eroticism

23. Originals - sex

24. Donna Summer - eroticism

25. Tina Turner - sex

26. Junior English - sex

27. Canned Heat - homosexuality

28. Munich Machine - eroticism

29. Ramones - punk

30. Van Halen - anti-Soviet propaganda

31. Julio Iglesias - neofascism

32. Yazoo - punk, violence

33. Depeche Mode - punk, violence

34. Village People - violence

35. 10cc - neofascism

36. Stooges - violence

37. Boys - punk, violence

38. Blondie - punk, violence

It’s funny how Depeche Mode, the band which I loved listening as a child, was called as ”punk violence” band… And imagine Julio Iglesias as a neofascist…


And recently I remembered the fact i heard a long time ago. Back then, the band from USA called The Beach Boys wanted to have a concert together with Alla Pugacheva (singer who was very popular in the Soviet Union). The concert was announced, tickets were sold immediately. Strangely, the concert was cancelled when people were standing near arena and waiting for the concert. Of course after this announcement, they got really disappointed as most of them came from very far places. What is more, the militia (Soviet police) thought that this might become a protest against the Soviet system, so came up and started expel peacefully minded people with water flushes. It was a hot summer day, so the girls were accused for showing too much body (because the flush of water slopped their shirts). Everything ended up with less than a half of people punished for various reasons.
Why? Because the Beach Boys were Americans and Soviet government hated America...

P.S. See you in the next posts ;P

Happy b-day to me!

so, I got older again. And that's every year. 17 is not much, isn't it?

This song was playing in my head when I woke up


"Something filled up
my heart with nothing,
Someone told me not to cry."


... and later, I caught myself dancing and laughing like an idiot while listening to the songs of The Wombats... (yay!!)



xxx
Fuzz

Forbidden freedom: Rock music in the USSR and Soviet Lithuania (Part 1 of 5)

This might sound weird to you but in Soviet era music was really censored and rock music was strictly forbidden in Soviet countries in the past. As it was thought that rock music will encourage youth to seek freedom which will break the long lasting order of Soviet Union.

In this post I’ll talk about prohibition of rock music in Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (which had lasted until 1990) and a little about the situation in whole Soviet Union. Also, this year Lithuania celebrates 50 year anniversary of Lithuanian rock music. And I think, this fact encouraged me to write series of posts about Lithuanian rock music.

Lithuanian hippies, 1980's. This style of outfit and lifestyle wasn't tolerated in the Soviet Union. When they were caught by renegades or by militia, hippies were not only "fostered" with rubber sticks; their hair was compulsory cut off. They were discussed at schools, threatened to be thrown out of youth communist organisations, they had notes abut under-achievement in their books of grades.

MUSIC EMBODYING FREE SOUL

Let’s get to the roots of rock music. Although it has its roots set back in 1940s and 1950s, rock music as a style was developed during and after 1960s, particularly in the UK and USA. Firstly it was called as Rock and Roll before it got name as rock.

Rhythmic and energetic music of guitars, lyrics about freedom, love, personal happiness and problems were exactly what youth needed back then: rebellion against laws of society, ways to express their feelings and thoughts. People with traditional creed called this music as “Music of devil” and, because of that, rock music became more and more popular. After years rock became distinctive culture which symbolized a new outlook on life and society.

ROCK MUSIC FINDS THE WAY TO LITHUANIA

Girls' bigbeat band, Lithuania, 1968

When the whole world was crazy and possessed with fever of rock, Soviet Lithuania had only one accepted genre of popular music - the so-called “Soviet stage music” (“Estrada” in Lithuanian). It was music filled with Soviet ideology and totally incompatible with needs of youth. Rock music was forbidden or at least unwanted as a product of “rotten capitalism” which could cause major danger in society. However, in the end of 60’s, rock music reached Lithuania through the humming low quality radio broadcasts of foreign countries and smuggled records of rock music. The records of rock music were spreading from hand to hand; they were often illegally played in discotheques (as long as they were the only way to spend boring days and have fun back then). Shortly, every bigger town had its’ own rock band.

Soviet government realized that it is not possible to stop the spread of rock music, so they tried to control it strongly. As a result, reviews of bands were held on every soviet country. The compulsory repertoire of bands was stated. 75% of repertoire contained songs by Soviet authors, 20% - songs by authors from foreign socialistic countries and only 5% - own written songs. The way to fame and bigger gigs was closed for bands who haven’t come through the review or simply haven’t participated them. 

The band which sell themselves as they were playing songs on 60th anniversary of  LSSR 

Set Me Free...

ahh 60'ties rock'n'roll <3

Set me free, little girl.
All you gotta do is set me free, little girl.
You know you can do it if you try,
All you gotta do is set me free, free,
Free, free.

I don't want no one,
If I can't have you to myself.
I don't need nobody else.
So if I can't have you to myself,

Set me free.
Set me free. 

my new looove

Last Thursday was one of my the luckiest days :D BECAUSE I got my new guitarrr!!! (It's a Washburn WI64 Idol Series guitar)
I was screaming
I was so fucking happy
Everybody heard me laughing and jumping around.
I was just MAD of happiness

That guitar is... EPIC! The sound, design, everything. OHHHH
I fell in love with it...

the other side of music

I love this photo of The Beatles.

THE band which made me feel again

I first heard about the Arcade Fire on the beginning of Summer back in 2010. It was their song 'The Suburbs' which from the first notes became my top favorite song.
Two months ago, my life lost colors and I was like a living dead. I didn't know what I was doing on this Earth. It all changed when I decided to search for their all albums, because I had already fell in love with their musical style.... I was right, they breathed life back into my grey reality... And now, I can't stop listening to their songs. I will be indebted to Arcade Fire until the end of my life.
And Win's voice... ahhh I love it!
They are amazing, unique, they made me feel again. They gave colors into my life again....

This song is like from outer space, makes me feel and believe; it gives very weird feeling inside my heart...