Russian rockers ‘anti-Soviet’

Press, 10 November 1983, Page 21

Russian rockers ‘anti-Soviet’

From

PETER MILLAR,

Reuter, in Moscow

Soviet discotheques mostly rock to western music, except when inspectors from the Ministry of Culture pay a visit, according to a Moscow newspaper. It suggests that classes to teach disc jockeys social responsibility might be a good idea. Discos are acceptable recreation but it is a problem that the choice of music is left to people who have no proper training in ideological upbringing of young people, “Moskovskaya Pravda” says. More than 70 per cent of their music is western, except during the inspectors’ visits, it adds. Disco equipment is difficult to obtain and disco organisers often have to resort to the black market. Classes for disc jockeys and stricter controls of loudspeaker and equipment sales — through bank transfer only and not cash — could make discos more acceptable for young people to visit. The Soviet Culture Ministry has increasingly attacked “western decadent influence” on young people through rock music and urged alternatives. Shortage of supplies of Soviet records is a big problem despite

decrees that discotheques should get them quickly. East Germany and Hungary, particularly, among Moscow’s Eastern European allies, have noticeably more discos and dance halls for young people than the Soviet Union. Moscow has 150 for a total population of eight million. “Moskovskaya Pravda” says a major problem for those discos which are well organised and run by respectable groups is that often those in charge have no idea of what their young customers, mostly aged between 14 and 16, want.

Sergei Sergeyev, party chief in the “Red Proletariat” factory, complained that he and his officials had had little success in arranging music for a disco for workers’ families.

“Unfortunately none of them was competent in the question of modern music,” the paper says. “It seems there are no classes to learn how to be a disc jockey.” All sorts of people sit behind a turntable, with little more than glib phrases such as, “and now specially for our friends from sunny Georgia.”