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| Europe |
| Rock ’n’ Roll - Destroyer of |
| 2003-11-08 |
| Hat tip: Volokh Conspiracy. Edited for brevity. When not practicing diplomacy, Andras Simonyi practices blues-rock on his guitar, just as he did as a teenager. Hungary’s ambassador to the United States is coming to the Rock and Roll of Fame [Cleveland, OH] to explain his belief that when rock ’n’ roll found its way into his country, it helped spark a yearning for freedom and an eventual end to a communist government. Simonyi contacted Rock Hall Chief Executive Officer Terry Stewart last May and asked whether there might be interest in what he had to say. Stewart was thrilled. He arranged Simonyi’s appearance to an invitation-only audience of about 250, planned for Saturday night [tonight] at the hall’s main stage. Simonyi, 51, an economist, is convinced rock music was as key as any political or economic factor involved in the Hungary’s change. Born in Hungary, Simonyi had lived with his family for a few years in Denmark, where he became acquainted with Western-style music. When the family returned to Hungary, he still wanted the music. He found out he was not alone. "Not only for me but also for other Hungarians of my generation, this became the stuff that really linked us to the free world," he said. "As I listened to this kind of music, I felt I was part of the free world myself." In a nation where the governing party frowned upon rock music, Simonyi said he and his friends always found a way to gather collections. They would trade or borrow tapes and records smuggled into the country. They also would try to listen to Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and other foreign stations. "It was the power of music that was really exciting," Simonyi said. "It was the rock generation of the 1960s that said, ’Listen, we don’t like to be separated from Europe, and we don’t like this dictatorial system.’ That is how I feel about it. Of course, that might not be true for everyone, but for a big part of Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland, this is definitely the case." |
| Posted by:Dar |
| #6 "I think they cut the song as a joke to poke fun of the Beach Boys." -that's true. They also cut "helter skelter" upon hearing the press declare the Who as the worlds heaviest rock band. |
| Posted by: Jarhead 2003-11-8 4:59:52 PM |
| #5 The other week I saw a special on some channel of Paul McCartney playing in Red Square. It was incredible to watch what looked to be a quarter million people singing the words along with him. They even knew the stuff he cut with Wings. There was an interview with the current Russian defense minister who said that his first album was a bootleg of Let It Be. It totally defied McCartney's imagination how powerful songs like Back in the USSR were for these oppressed people. I think they cut the song as a joke to poke fun of the Beach Boys. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2003-11-8 4:49:25 PM |
| #4 "They would trade or borrow tapes and records smuggled into the country." Shhhhhh! The RIAA is everywhere! |
| Posted by: .com (RoPMA) 2003-11-8 3:19:16 PM |
| #3 may there be "no stairway" signs posted all over guitar stores in eastern europe w/in the next 20 years....... |
| Posted by: Jarhead 2003-11-8 3:16:11 PM |
| #2 The Islamists are fairly sure that a similar effect would occur in their countries. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2003-11-8 2:45:47 PM |
| #1 Maybe al this is true and good, but maybe, just maybe George Jones singing "He Stopped Loving Her Today" may have even more quickly hastened the departure of the commies... Naaaaah! |
| Posted by: badanov 2003-11-8 2:32:05 PM |