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Rock Around the Bloc: A History of Rock Music in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, 1954-1988
In February 1987, Mikhail and Raisa Gorbachev personally received Yoko Ono in Moscow. In a surprising revelation, Raisa declared that she and her husband were fans of John Lennon. While Raisa sang lyrics from a Lennon song, the Soviet leader observed solemnly, "John should have been here."
It was a stunning declaration. After three decades of virulent anti-rock rhetoric, a Soviet leader had allied himself with the forces of rock & roll. In the era of glasnost and perestroika, rock & roll has provided, in a very real sense, the soundtrack to the Gorbachev revolution. This stunning
policy shift has fueled the already burgeoning Soviet rock scene and has commanded intense media attention in the West.
But as Timothy W. Ryback demonstrates in this lively and revealing book, Western music, particularly rock & roll, is not new to the Soviet bloc. Indeed, as Mr. Ryback shows, rock music has effected one of the most significant transformations ever in Soviet bloc society. He traces the emergence
of rock culture in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union from 1954 to the present day, where it has become unquestionably the most pervasive form of mass cultural activity in Communist society. Charting this process, Rock Around the Bloc looks at both sides of the thirty-year war between rock fans and
Soviet bloc governments. It takes the reader into the Kremlin for special Central Committee meetings devoted to the "evil" of rock music; into the streets of beleaguered 1968 Prague and 1981 Poland where rock bands and their fans helped spearhead social and political reforms; and into the bedrooms
of young people secretly tuning into rock broadcasts from the BBC and Radio Free Europe.
The reader comes to realize that in some ways, life in the Soviet bloc was surprisingly similar to life in the West. There was the Elvis craze in the late 1950s, Beatlemania in 1964, and the disturbing appearance of punks and skinheads on urban streets in the early 1980s. At the same time,
these similarities make the differences all the more striking. Prague's mid-1960s drug cult relied on analgesics mixed with alcohol to ape western drugs. In 1969 young Moscow musicians seeking to convert their acoustic guitars into electric ones dismantled every public phone in Moscow to pilfer the
electronic parts. And Dean Reed, an expatriate American who became a genuine Soviet bloc superstar selling millions of records, died mysteriously shortly after expressing his desire to return to the United States.
Informed throughout by a deep knowledge and love for the music as well as an understanding of the Soviet bloc's political and social realities, Rock Around the Bloc tells a fascinating story on many the liberalization of communist society, the traumas and triumphs of Soviet bloc youth
culture, the spread of rock's influence in unlikely places, and the surprisingly rich variety of rock & roll in Eastern Europe that keeps its kinship to western music while forging a unique identity all its own. Engagingly written and full of compelling detail, Ryback's definitive account will
delight all rock fans and will fascinate people interested in the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and modern social history.
It was a stunning declaration. After three decades of virulent anti-rock rhetoric, a Soviet leader had allied himself with the forces of rock & roll. In the era of glasnost and perestroika, rock & roll has provided, in a very real sense, the soundtrack to the Gorbachev revolution. This stunning
policy shift has fueled the already burgeoning Soviet rock scene and has commanded intense media attention in the West.
But as Timothy W. Ryback demonstrates in this lively and revealing book, Western music, particularly rock & roll, is not new to the Soviet bloc. Indeed, as Mr. Ryback shows, rock music has effected one of the most significant transformations ever in Soviet bloc society. He traces the emergence
of rock culture in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union from 1954 to the present day, where it has become unquestionably the most pervasive form of mass cultural activity in Communist society. Charting this process, Rock Around the Bloc looks at both sides of the thirty-year war between rock fans and
Soviet bloc governments. It takes the reader into the Kremlin for special Central Committee meetings devoted to the "evil" of rock music; into the streets of beleaguered 1968 Prague and 1981 Poland where rock bands and their fans helped spearhead social and political reforms; and into the bedrooms
of young people secretly tuning into rock broadcasts from the BBC and Radio Free Europe.
The reader comes to realize that in some ways, life in the Soviet bloc was surprisingly similar to life in the West. There was the Elvis craze in the late 1950s, Beatlemania in 1964, and the disturbing appearance of punks and skinheads on urban streets in the early 1980s. At the same time,
these similarities make the differences all the more striking. Prague's mid-1960s drug cult relied on analgesics mixed with alcohol to ape western drugs. In 1969 young Moscow musicians seeking to convert their acoustic guitars into electric ones dismantled every public phone in Moscow to pilfer the
electronic parts. And Dean Reed, an expatriate American who became a genuine Soviet bloc superstar selling millions of records, died mysteriously shortly after expressing his desire to return to the United States.
Informed throughout by a deep knowledge and love for the music as well as an understanding of the Soviet bloc's political and social realities, Rock Around the Bloc tells a fascinating story on many the liberalization of communist society, the traumas and triumphs of Soviet bloc youth
culture, the spread of rock's influence in unlikely places, and the surprisingly rich variety of rock & roll in Eastern Europe that keeps its kinship to western music while forging a unique identity all its own. Engagingly written and full of compelling detail, Ryback's definitive account will
delight all rock fans and will fascinate people interested in the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and modern social history.
- GenresMusicHistoryNonfiction
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1990
About the author
Timothy W. Ryback
11 books74 followersTimothy W. Ryback is an American historian and director of the Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation in The Hague. He previously served as the Deputy-Secretary General of the Académie Diplomatique Internationale in Paris, and Director and Vice President of the Salzburg Global Seminar. Prior to this, he was a lecturer in the Concentration of History and Literature at Harvard University.
Ryback has written on European history, politics and culture for numerous publications, including The Atlantic Monthly, The New Yorker and The New York Times. He is the author of The Last Survivor: Legacies of Dachau, published in 2000. He also wrote Hitler's Private Library: The Books That Shaped His Life, published in 2008. Ryback is also author of Rock Around the Bloc: A History of Rock Music in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, published in 1989.
Ryback has written on European history, politics and culture for numerous publications, including The Atlantic Monthly, The New Yorker and The New York Times. He is the author of The Last Survivor: Legacies of Dachau, published in 2000. He also wrote Hitler's Private Library: The Books That Shaped His Life, published in 2008. Ryback is also author of Rock Around the Bloc: A History of Rock Music in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, published in 1989.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 3, 2019
In Rock Around the Block, Timothy Ryback details the history and development of rock music in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, beginning with the jazz age of the 1940s to the final gasps of the USSR in the late 1980s. At the time of this book’s publication in 1990, Ryback served as a history and literature lecturer at Harvard University and specialized in European culture and politics. Drawing upon his background in these areas, he discusses the political implications of rock behind the Iron Curtain. Due to the private rebellion waged by individuals who turned to this subversive genre, communist officials were alarmed at their inability to control their people, as rock’s insatiable appeal undermined the entire notion that the state could fully regulate its population (5). Based on this premise, Ryback successfully argues that rock ultimately triumphed over the Soviet system in the war of opposing ideologies (6). Despite official warnings that the “ape culture” associated with rock music caused such societal maladies as “juvenile delinquency, alcoholism, vandalism, and sexual assaults (4),” Ryback states that rock proliferated throughout the Eastern Bloc, thus forcing the communist government to capitulate to popular demands and practices (5).
To contextualize his argument, Ryback chronicles the spread of Western rock and the subsequent development of uniquely Eastern European and Soviet rock. Rather than contend that rock is a new phenomenon in the region, Ryback asserts that Western music has long been integral to the popular culture of the Eastern Bloc. Beginning in the post-WWII era, youth spurned the socialist image provided by the state and sought refuge in the appealing sounds of jazz, much to the displeasure of state officials (11). However, Ryback documents that official policies could not counter the proliferation of popular music—especially rock. No longer was rock the faddish retreat of the stiliagi, but rather it became the forbidden pastime of otherwise stalwart communist citizens who found pleasure in listening and dancing to its rhythms (17). Consequently, Ryback argues that the genre spread throughout the region and developed characteristics unique to its home cultures by drawing on national language and social issues (101). In addition to these localized developments, Ryback demonstrates to readers that rock trends evolved behind the Iron Curtain to encompass punk and hard rock movements, thus mirroring the music trends of the West (205).
Beyond rock’s proliferation and evolution, Ryback examines the heart of the sociopolitical clash over rock music waged between fans and their governments. Much like rock music exhibited different forms based on era and country of origin, Ryback maintains that official responses to the genre have varied depending on the era and government in question. Though rock was seldom fully embraced, communist governments’ opinions and subsequent reactions to its prevalence have included irritated denunciations published in official publications, the enforcement of various anti-rock ordinances in the Soviet Union during the 1960s, and violent clashes between Czechoslovakian fans and their nation’s military in 1977 (4). Despite apparent thaws in grudging governmental acceptance of rock throughout the Cold War (4), Ryback provides credible evidence that rock did not gain notable sanction until Mikhail Gorbachev’s implementation of perestroika and glasnost (223).
Perhaps the most important argument raised by Ryback is his assertion that rock music provided individuals living within the communist system a glimpse into the Western world, thus altering their perceptions of cultures beyond the Iron Curtain (234). Instead of turning to official forms of entertainment, Ryback furnishes significant primary source evidence to document that youth tuned into Western artists and groups, such as the Beatles, Elton John, and Iron Maiden, to provide the soundtrack to their lives. Consequently, these youths adopted rock’s message and aesthetic as their own, thus serving as a visual and often audible reminder that communism alone failed to win the hearts of new generations (50). Because of its availability within the Soviet Bloc and the government’s inability to completely control its proliferation (5), Western music provided youths with visions of an alternate “utopia” of consumption that countered the ordered realities of the communist system (10). As a result, Ryback convinces readers that the small acts of personal rebellion waged in the name of rock made possible the opening of communist society through concessions that slowly transformed of socialism (233).
Through his engaging, straightforward prose, Ryback shatters stereotypes surrounding music behind the Iron Curtain and lifts up the appealing ideal of popular demands changing society. Countering the common assumption that music in communist regimes was monolithic, Ryback demonstrates that rock encompassed several forms and reiterations throughout the Eastern Bloc (101). More importantly, Ryback wages a convincing argument that the demands and personal rebellion of three generations of music fans slowly eroded the hardline stance of their communist governments, thus forcing officials to accept rock music (233). In the opinion of this reviewer, Ryback’s chronicle of rock serves to reaffirm the power of passionate citizenry and popular culture in successfully waging a war of ideologies (6).
Despite its strengths and appealing premise, Rock Around the Bloc is not without its faults. Though ambitious, Ryback’s attempt to document the sociopolitical implications of rock throughout the entire Eastern Bloc in one volume fails to provide the depth necessary to fully grasp the subject’s complexity. Indeed, each nation and genre of rock discussed in this book could warrant its own tome. Hence, further research on each nation’s relationship with rock and roll would provide a more complete understanding of this interrelationship. Because of Ryback’s broad approach to the topic, the linkage between rock music and the exact political demands of its fans is ambiguous, as it never asserts whether they desired democracy or simply the ability to freely express themselves within the existing system. Therefore, future scholarship might focus on clarifying this issue.
Additionally, Ryback’s affinity for European history shines through in his rather unconvincing assertion that rock in the Soviet Union never developed the unique, nationalistic qualities that came to represent music in the Central European buffer states. Hence, he fails to fully comprehend the complexity of Soviet rock by dismissing it as not being culturally relevant in this brief statement (101). Although Ryback discusses the overarching political concerns surrounding Russian rock groups in the Soviet Union, a more thoughtful analysis of Soviet rock as a cultural phenomenon is needed to understand the genre’s nuances. Regardless of these small issues, Ryback’s work is an informative and surprisingly entertaining overview of rock music in the Eastern Bloc.
To contextualize his argument, Ryback chronicles the spread of Western rock and the subsequent development of uniquely Eastern European and Soviet rock. Rather than contend that rock is a new phenomenon in the region, Ryback asserts that Western music has long been integral to the popular culture of the Eastern Bloc. Beginning in the post-WWII era, youth spurned the socialist image provided by the state and sought refuge in the appealing sounds of jazz, much to the displeasure of state officials (11). However, Ryback documents that official policies could not counter the proliferation of popular music—especially rock. No longer was rock the faddish retreat of the stiliagi, but rather it became the forbidden pastime of otherwise stalwart communist citizens who found pleasure in listening and dancing to its rhythms (17). Consequently, Ryback argues that the genre spread throughout the region and developed characteristics unique to its home cultures by drawing on national language and social issues (101). In addition to these localized developments, Ryback demonstrates to readers that rock trends evolved behind the Iron Curtain to encompass punk and hard rock movements, thus mirroring the music trends of the West (205).
Beyond rock’s proliferation and evolution, Ryback examines the heart of the sociopolitical clash over rock music waged between fans and their governments. Much like rock music exhibited different forms based on era and country of origin, Ryback maintains that official responses to the genre have varied depending on the era and government in question. Though rock was seldom fully embraced, communist governments’ opinions and subsequent reactions to its prevalence have included irritated denunciations published in official publications, the enforcement of various anti-rock ordinances in the Soviet Union during the 1960s, and violent clashes between Czechoslovakian fans and their nation’s military in 1977 (4). Despite apparent thaws in grudging governmental acceptance of rock throughout the Cold War (4), Ryback provides credible evidence that rock did not gain notable sanction until Mikhail Gorbachev’s implementation of perestroika and glasnost (223).
Perhaps the most important argument raised by Ryback is his assertion that rock music provided individuals living within the communist system a glimpse into the Western world, thus altering their perceptions of cultures beyond the Iron Curtain (234). Instead of turning to official forms of entertainment, Ryback furnishes significant primary source evidence to document that youth tuned into Western artists and groups, such as the Beatles, Elton John, and Iron Maiden, to provide the soundtrack to their lives. Consequently, these youths adopted rock’s message and aesthetic as their own, thus serving as a visual and often audible reminder that communism alone failed to win the hearts of new generations (50). Because of its availability within the Soviet Bloc and the government’s inability to completely control its proliferation (5), Western music provided youths with visions of an alternate “utopia” of consumption that countered the ordered realities of the communist system (10). As a result, Ryback convinces readers that the small acts of personal rebellion waged in the name of rock made possible the opening of communist society through concessions that slowly transformed of socialism (233).
Through his engaging, straightforward prose, Ryback shatters stereotypes surrounding music behind the Iron Curtain and lifts up the appealing ideal of popular demands changing society. Countering the common assumption that music in communist regimes was monolithic, Ryback demonstrates that rock encompassed several forms and reiterations throughout the Eastern Bloc (101). More importantly, Ryback wages a convincing argument that the demands and personal rebellion of three generations of music fans slowly eroded the hardline stance of their communist governments, thus forcing officials to accept rock music (233). In the opinion of this reviewer, Ryback’s chronicle of rock serves to reaffirm the power of passionate citizenry and popular culture in successfully waging a war of ideologies (6).
Despite its strengths and appealing premise, Rock Around the Bloc is not without its faults. Though ambitious, Ryback’s attempt to document the sociopolitical implications of rock throughout the entire Eastern Bloc in one volume fails to provide the depth necessary to fully grasp the subject’s complexity. Indeed, each nation and genre of rock discussed in this book could warrant its own tome. Hence, further research on each nation’s relationship with rock and roll would provide a more complete understanding of this interrelationship. Because of Ryback’s broad approach to the topic, the linkage between rock music and the exact political demands of its fans is ambiguous, as it never asserts whether they desired democracy or simply the ability to freely express themselves within the existing system. Therefore, future scholarship might focus on clarifying this issue.
Additionally, Ryback’s affinity for European history shines through in his rather unconvincing assertion that rock in the Soviet Union never developed the unique, nationalistic qualities that came to represent music in the Central European buffer states. Hence, he fails to fully comprehend the complexity of Soviet rock by dismissing it as not being culturally relevant in this brief statement (101). Although Ryback discusses the overarching political concerns surrounding Russian rock groups in the Soviet Union, a more thoughtful analysis of Soviet rock as a cultural phenomenon is needed to understand the genre’s nuances. Regardless of these small issues, Ryback’s work is an informative and surprisingly entertaining overview of rock music in the Eastern Bloc.
August 4, 2022
"Rock Around The Bloc" details the raucous and ribald history of rock music in the former Soviet Union and "Eastern Bloc" countries, ( viz; Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, East Germany) the starkest example of said material being transferred to discarded hospital x-ray film and smuggled samizdat though underground networks.
The Soviet-run "Melodiya" was the state run, officially sanctioned recording company, with its own stable of performer and composers at the time, which became stiff competition in opposition to the above.
Thank goodness that in 2022, one doesn't necessarily hide any deference or difference of opinion in either creation or criticism of art, irregardless of conflicting ideological or cultural norms in an increasingly pluralistic (and nonetheless polarizing) international society.
The Soviet-run "Melodiya" was the state run, officially sanctioned recording company, with its own stable of performer and composers at the time, which became stiff competition in opposition to the above.
Thank goodness that in 2022, one doesn't necessarily hide any deference or difference of opinion in either creation or criticism of art, irregardless of conflicting ideological or cultural norms in an increasingly pluralistic (and nonetheless polarizing) international society.
September 3, 2021
Basically a compilation of information about the venues, bands and official repression accompanying the arrival of Western rock from the 50s to the 80s. A ton of repetition and not much in the way of discernment between different styles of music.
December 5, 2022
Consistently engaging and broad in scope.
December 9, 2023
I would say that the Beatles were a rock and roll phenomenon.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews