rock-n-roll

In 1958 the first manifestation of American rock-n-roll penetrated through film documentaries in Slovakian movie theatres. Documentary of the hall demolition during Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry’s concert was shown in movie theatres before the actual movie started and was criticized by journalists as a culture which was inappropriate for socialist youth.Official ideology did not allow the use of terms rock-n-roll or rock in press and media, instead the term variety music show (adopted from the socialist Russian entertainment music) was used for such music. The author describes Slovak popular music status which got mixed with rock-n-roll songs of Billy Haley, Elvis Presley, British hard rock scene (Beatles), in addition to the songs of Paul Robenson, Byrds, Bob Dylan, Yardbirds…The author also presents Czech lyrics of the song See You Later Alligator by Bill Haley, which had been translated by amateur singers-songwriters who sung them around the camp fire. Rock music culture functioned as “double culture”: officially tolerated culture and unofficially played music by amateurs. The process of censorship was usually multi-levelled and the press supervision staff could use it in large. First line of censors were editors and dramaturges of the radio and television, but also concert agencies (KDK), gramophone and music publishers (Bratislava’s branch Supraphone)who censored music either freely or by force. After 1969 the SÚTI – Slovak Office for Press and Information was formed. The purpose of press supervision was not an approval of the scenes and song lyrics before official playing but control of the products. What has been shown in medias was sent with commentaries to Central Communist Committee of Slovakia. If inappropriate scenes or lyrics had been used, consequences would follow.