Sheena: I hope this got your attention.
When Paul McCartney played at the Red Square, a number of Russian onlookers were interviewed about The Beatles in the 1960s. While perhaps not representative of all of Russia, a number said that they couldn't get Beatles' LPs.
I am wondering if the same situation applied to all Western Artists, including the Searchers?
Searchers' Records In Russia
Searchers' Records In Russia
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
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With other "Western" artists, the situation was even worse, Peter.
But before i go 'deeper' into the subject, i must warn you i was born a bit too late to face it, so most part of the information below wouldn't be 'first-hand' information.
When asked "Was it really so tough to get a 'foreign' artist's record in the 60s?", my dad replied: "It was just impossible."
People got hold of it, however, although it wasn't so easy. It went like this: if somebody's dad or mum had a chance to go 'abroad', they'd buy records for their children. Happy children, in turn, would 'pass it around', which means they'd make a certain amount of copies for their friends or fellow students. They, in turn, would make copies for their friends and fellow students, and so on. At the time, it were mostly bobbin tapes. And if you were lucky enough to be a university student and meet 'right' people, chances were some of your mates would know "of some guy who knows some guy who knows some guy etc who has a copy of the Beatles' new album", that kind of stuff. Thankfully my dad was lucky enough, and he still keeps bobbin tapes with - the Beatles' 'White abum', the Searchers' "Smash hits", the Doors' debut album, two albums by Mindbenders and i think something else - somewhere.
There were no information. Mostly rumors. My dad recalls he has first heard the word "boogie-woogie" whispered by a friend and for some time he was quite sure it actually sounded "pukki-fukki". Many people thought the Beatles were from the States. But in fact, when hiding the fact was impossible, our "Culture commitee" released a film entitled, if i'm not mistaken, "People and mannequins" featuring the Beatles. They said Beatles' music was a "pigs dance" or something and that their hair was far too long for men (?!). They considered their music a real threat for Socialism, dig it: the four nice Liverpool lads were beyond the law in Russia. Later on a vinyl record of the Beatles songs was released, but don't ask me what was on it - i have never seen it!
(to be continued)
But before i go 'deeper' into the subject, i must warn you i was born a bit too late to face it, so most part of the information below wouldn't be 'first-hand' information.
When asked "Was it really so tough to get a 'foreign' artist's record in the 60s?", my dad replied: "It was just impossible."
People got hold of it, however, although it wasn't so easy. It went like this: if somebody's dad or mum had a chance to go 'abroad', they'd buy records for their children. Happy children, in turn, would 'pass it around', which means they'd make a certain amount of copies for their friends or fellow students. They, in turn, would make copies for their friends and fellow students, and so on. At the time, it were mostly bobbin tapes. And if you were lucky enough to be a university student and meet 'right' people, chances were some of your mates would know "of some guy who knows some guy who knows some guy etc who has a copy of the Beatles' new album", that kind of stuff. Thankfully my dad was lucky enough, and he still keeps bobbin tapes with - the Beatles' 'White abum', the Searchers' "Smash hits", the Doors' debut album, two albums by Mindbenders and i think something else - somewhere.
There were no information. Mostly rumors. My dad recalls he has first heard the word "boogie-woogie" whispered by a friend and for some time he was quite sure it actually sounded "pukki-fukki". Many people thought the Beatles were from the States. But in fact, when hiding the fact was impossible, our "Culture commitee" released a film entitled, if i'm not mistaken, "People and mannequins" featuring the Beatles. They said Beatles' music was a "pigs dance" or something and that their hair was far too long for men (?!). They considered their music a real threat for Socialism, dig it: the four nice Liverpool lads were beyond the law in Russia. Later on a vinyl record of the Beatles songs was released, but don't ask me what was on it - i have never seen it!
(to be continued)
Nothing will get you dead quicker than being deadly serious about yourself.
(suite)
But anyway, the Fab Four was really big here, in Russian terms, of course. So big that the other bands from UK, and from Liverpool especially, had virtually no chance. The Searchers, however, were kind of lucky. They've even 'made it' to Russian TV in '64 or '65, as "a band who broke US charts with 'Love Potion #9'". Their version of 'What have they done to the rain' was also featured somewhere, although as "a song by Joan Baez". But most people here, even today, are still sure 'Needles and Pins' is a song by Smokie...
A friend of mine has told me the following.
"It was all out of law. Back in 70s, Beatle fans were kind of reprobates. On the other hand, they were unusual: they wore bell-bottoms, sported long hair and had "private parties", that was all about listening to the Beatles and singing along. I've visited one of them, and it was oh so unreal, there was a feeling of unanimity about it. I found out by chance that a song which accompanied all of "slow dances" in my school was actually done by the Beatles. We never knew who did this or that song. There was a Russian version of one of their songs (the song was actually "Can't buy me love" - SC), the Russian lyrics went:
I won't go to Vietnam,
I won't kill anyone,
I'll bury my gun
And I will scream out loud: (the rest is forgotten)
See, we didn't know what these songs were about, so it became an 'anti-war' song.
And I remember, back in 1983 or so, a group named Bootleg Beatles came here and played a concert. It was a shock. They looked like the Beatles, they sounded like the Beatles and they played their songs."
Meanwhile, i've heard a rumor that the Beatles, back in 1967 or so, had to change the plane in Moscow and almost decided to do a show - it didn't happen, in fact, but still...
In 70s and 80s, the kids who were once 'caught' by 'the virus from abroad', had their own kids, and they wanted them to learn 'the best things in life' as soon as possible. Some of them even went that far: they'd plug the record player and put the baby in front of the speakers...
When i was in 2nd grade, a classmate told me that "the Beatles it's like cats meowing" (ironically, some years later she had become the biggest Beatle fan in our class). It was funny, since i did hear the Beatles and some other bands already (but didn't know 'who is who' in most cases). But i didn't say anything cause i was about to become a 'pioneer' at the time...
I'll try to collect more 'memories' from people here if you want, but it'll take some time...
Cheers,
Sheena.
But anyway, the Fab Four was really big here, in Russian terms, of course. So big that the other bands from UK, and from Liverpool especially, had virtually no chance. The Searchers, however, were kind of lucky. They've even 'made it' to Russian TV in '64 or '65, as "a band who broke US charts with 'Love Potion #9'". Their version of 'What have they done to the rain' was also featured somewhere, although as "a song by Joan Baez". But most people here, even today, are still sure 'Needles and Pins' is a song by Smokie...
A friend of mine has told me the following.
"It was all out of law. Back in 70s, Beatle fans were kind of reprobates. On the other hand, they were unusual: they wore bell-bottoms, sported long hair and had "private parties", that was all about listening to the Beatles and singing along. I've visited one of them, and it was oh so unreal, there was a feeling of unanimity about it. I found out by chance that a song which accompanied all of "slow dances" in my school was actually done by the Beatles. We never knew who did this or that song. There was a Russian version of one of their songs (the song was actually "Can't buy me love" - SC), the Russian lyrics went:
I won't go to Vietnam,
I won't kill anyone,
I'll bury my gun
And I will scream out loud: (the rest is forgotten)
See, we didn't know what these songs were about, so it became an 'anti-war' song.
And I remember, back in 1983 or so, a group named Bootleg Beatles came here and played a concert. It was a shock. They looked like the Beatles, they sounded like the Beatles and they played their songs."
Meanwhile, i've heard a rumor that the Beatles, back in 1967 or so, had to change the plane in Moscow and almost decided to do a show - it didn't happen, in fact, but still...
In 70s and 80s, the kids who were once 'caught' by 'the virus from abroad', had their own kids, and they wanted them to learn 'the best things in life' as soon as possible. Some of them even went that far: they'd plug the record player and put the baby in front of the speakers...
When i was in 2nd grade, a classmate told me that "the Beatles it's like cats meowing" (ironically, some years later she had become the biggest Beatle fan in our class). It was funny, since i did hear the Beatles and some other bands already (but didn't know 'who is who' in most cases). But i didn't say anything cause i was about to become a 'pioneer' at the time...
I'll try to collect more 'memories' from people here if you want, but it'll take some time...
Cheers,
Sheena.
Nothing will get you dead quicker than being deadly serious about yourself.
Sheena: Thanks so much to you, your father and your friend for providing this rich information. In North America, I consider that we simply took the Beatles' music and that of their contemporaries for granted.
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
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Yes, thanks for the reminder Sheena. I apologize. Too many windows open.
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
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Thanks Sheena for sharing. The information that you have provided is not only interesting but it serves to remind us here in the West what we often take for granted. I am speaking about the various facets of freedom that the ordinary person in the street in your native country did not necessarily enjoy.
Again, thank you for taking the time to provide us with this very detailed glimpse of daily life and the music scene in Russia during that moment in history.
Again, thank you for taking the time to provide us with this very detailed glimpse of daily life and the music scene in Russia during that moment in history.
“We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” - Albert Einstein
"You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother" - Albert Einstein
"You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother" - Albert Einstein
"Freedom" was the word they used here to describe wonderful life in USSR, Brian. Like, we Russians were free, while people in the West were living in the "golden cage". Misters Twisters, that's how they put it. Anyway, my 'older' friends say it was funny in a way. Listening to something that was 'forbidden', learning something nobody around knew at the time, sharing records 'in the dark'. An adventure, or kind of.
Cheers,
Sheena.
Cheers,
Sheena.
Nothing will get you dead quicker than being deadly serious about yourself.