Led Zeppelin and the Soviet Union

[Janvier]

While the Soviet Union closed its doors to much of Western culture (ie. Western rock music) many Russian artists have acknowledged the influence of American and British bands. I suppose that bands like Led Zeppelin had some sort of underground following among the youth of those countries, since foreign cultural products were seen as anathema by the Russian and other Eastern European regimes.

I stumbled upon a brief editorial that Vladimir Sorokin, a Russian dramatist, wrote for the New York Times in early 2010. It’s titled ”On Hearing 'Whole Lotta Love' for the First Time in Moscow”.

The consequences of a musical shock are unpredictable. It can change a person completely — his tastes, sympathies, ethics, speech, dress, politics. This is probably because music is the most perfect of all arts, the “highest obsession” (Pasternak).

For me, the beginnings were rather commonplace — childhood plus piano, the normal Soviet routine: Schumann’s “Merry Peasant,” Bach’s “Rigaudon,” “For Elise,” “Moonlight Sonata Part I”...

Then my pinkie got caught in the chaise longue that my friend had kicked out from under me. With a shortened finger, prospects for the piano vanished. The piano still gave pleasure; keys warmed by the sun gave off a cozy smell and felt good to the touch, as did the yellowed pages of music. But there was no kick.

That happened one pleasant September afternoon in 1972, in the apartment of my classmate Vitya, who that summer became the world student table tennis champion and brought back from unattainable Stockholm three records: Led Zeppelin (“II”), Deep Purple (“Machine Head”) and Uriah Heep (“Look at Yourself”).

I was 18, and not entirely pop-illiterate: the “Beatli,” the “Rollingi” and the Monkees were always seeping out of friends’ tape recorders, opening up new, unknown sounds and spaces. But all that was anticipation; it was as if we were being prepared for something big, something that would make the blood curdle in our veins.

And curdle it did when Vitya pulled the new Zeppelin LP out of what at the time was a mind-blowing sleeve and put it on, and “Whole Lotta Love” rose up with a beckoning howl.

Corks formed of cloying Soviet music flew out of our ears. And a young man’s brain experienced irreversible biochemical change. It was the unforgettable lesson of freedom. It was probably on that very day that I spontaneously became a dissident.

(Sorokin first published this on his website: srkn.ru and was later translated into English. It’s an interesting read, you can find it in its entirity here: http://www.nytimes.c...?pagewanted=all).

Then came Gorbachev, Glasnost, Perestroika. Sorokin’s first publication in the USSR didn’t appear until November 1989 and later in 1992 Russlit published his collected stories (wikipedia). Also in 1989 Jason Bonham was invited to participate in a rock concert in Moscow.

Time heals, the minds of people evolve. The cold war thawed. Although this is debatable, the world in the 1980s was globalised to a greater extent, probably as much as it is today, but the point that I’m trying to make is that politicians, nor borders, couldn’t stop the music of bands like Zeppelin from making an impact in the cultural landscape.

[Jahfin]

Time heals, the minds of people evolve. The cold war thawed. Although this is debatable, the world in the 1980s was globalised to a greater extent, probably as much as it is today, but the point that I’m trying to make is that politicians, nor borders, couldn’t stop the music of bands like Zeppelin from making an impact in the cultural landscape.

No, they couldn't. Try to forbid something and people are only going to try to make that much more of an effort to seek it out. That goes for music as much as it goes for nearly anything else.

[Cookie0024]

This is part of the reason why I like the Melodia (Melodiya?) Stairway To Heaven album. It's cheap and not especially collectable, but it's a nice thing to own.

[Cecil.]

When did the Led Zeppelin albums become available in the former Soviet Union?

[Jahfin]

Ever heard of the Leningrad Cowboys? They first came to my attention several years ago via their cover of Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama".

http://youtu.be/QxzItqgWMDQ

[Janvier]

When did the Led Zeppelin albums become available in the former Soviet Union?

I found this (http://www.musicstack.com/item/9453416) the release date is indicated as 1988.

On Melodiya's wiki it says that:

As of 1973 Melodiya released some 1,200 gramophone records with the total circulation of 190-200 million per year and 1 million compact cassettes per year and was exporting its production into more than 70 countries

[Cecil.]

I found this (http://www.musicstack.com/item/9453416) the release date is indicated as 1988.

Thanks Zemun, is that a official release ?

[Jahfin]

On a somewhat similar note there's also the case of a band called Pussy Riot. If you're so inclined to learn more you can do so here.

[The 4 Runes]

I found this (http://www.musicstack.com/item/9453416) the release date is indicated as 1988.

On Melodiya's wiki it says that:

Saw this album as part of an art exhibit in the Miro Art Gallery in Barcelona, May 2011. I believe I posted the photo in one of the posts.

[Janvier]

Thanks Zemun, is that a official release ?

The track listing is as follows:

Immigrant Song / Gallows Pole / Since I've been loving You / Black Dog / When the leave breaks / Rock and Roll / Stairway to heaven

Since the state had a monopoly on all economic activities, foreign labels like Warner, Virgin, could not operate independently, so the manufacturing, distribution and promotion had to go through the monopoly. On the wiki page it says that Melodiya released stuff by ABBA, Paul McCartney, Boney M., Dave Grusin, Amanda Lear, and Bon Jovi.

Here's an image of the back cover:

[Janvier]

Ever heard of the Leningrad Cowboys? They first came to my attention several years ago via their cover of Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama".

The Leningrad Cowboys are from Finland, but there are quite a few Soviet bands that achieved some recognition in the West. For instance, Pesniary embarked on a tour of the USA in 1976, while Gorky Park's videos were aired on MTV. As for the Pussy Riot incident it's part of the ongoing concern for democracy in Russia, even after the fall of communism and with Mr. Putin perpetuating himself in the Presidency.

Finally just to mention that Jason Bonham was invited to perform at a concert in Moscow that took place in mid-August 1989. This took place against the background of political turmoil and change not only in the Soviet Union but in the entire Eastern bloc (the Berlin wall collapsed that same year). The policies of Glasnost and Perestroika advocated openness towards the West and its culture (its music). The following is from wikipedia:

Each band performed about a 5-song set, however the time lengths for some of the sets, particularly by Bon Jovi, are substantially longer ( including 8 minutes of improv followed by Wanted Dead or Alive by Richie Sambora.) At the end of the concert was a collaboration of musicians, featuring Vince Neil & Sebastian Bach on vocals and Jason Bonham on drums, equally representing the bands performing a rendition of "Rock and Roll" by Led Zeppelin.

The performances were shown on TV and are recapped in a video directed by Wayne Isham. Bootlegged copies of the performances are also available widespread on the Internet.