Discussion at the Science Café “Was Rock Music in Soviet Latvia a Counterculture?”

What was the role of rock music in Soviet Latvia — entertainment, protest or silent resistance? In the discussion, we will focus on the development of popular and rock music during the Latvian SSR period, the relationship between musicians and the authorities, and whether rock music truly became a symbol of anti-communist thought and social change. We will also talk about why interest in researching Soviet-era music is growing today and what it reveals about society’s collective memory and identity.

Discussion moderated by: Reinis Jaunais, musician, guitarist

Participants:

• Raimonds Mežaks, DJ, music collector and researcher,
• Kaspars Zellis, Dr. hist., Leading Researcher at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the UL Faculty of Humanities,
• Boriss Avramecs, musicologist and Doctor of Arts (Dr. art.).

The discussion was implemented within the framework of the UL project “Aurora Nexus: Connecting People, Science and Art”, co-funded by the European Commission programme “MSCA and Citizens”. It was organised within the framework of the UL Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art project “‘Primitive and Noisy’ Music in Soviet Latvia (1956–1986): Control Mechanisms and Avoidance Practices under Authoritarian Rule”.