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Rock ânâ Roll - Destroyer of
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. Hungaryâs ambassador to the United States is coming to the Rock and Roll of Fame [Cleveland, OH] to explain his belief that when rock ânâ 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 Simonyiâs appearance to an invitation-only audience of about 250, planned for Saturday night [tonight] at the hallâs main stage. Simonyi, 51, an economist, is convinced rock music was as key as any political or economic factor involved in the Hungaryâs 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, âListen, we donât like to be separated from Europe, and we donât like this dictatorial system.â 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 2003-11-08 |
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