Playing an extraordinary blend of prog, pop and electronic experimentalism, Rodion GA was heard by millions in cold war-era Romania – and unknown everywhere else. He explains how he created a career out of nothing, and how it may be coming to an early end
It wasn’t easy being the biggest record collector in Cluj, says 65-year-old Rodion Rosça. The Romanian authorities would keep files on you, search your mail, make your business their business. Worse still was the suspicion that fell on anyone daring to grow their hair or wear some version of western fashion.
“Romania was a village country, you know what I mean?” he says. “There were a lot of peasants living in villages, who were working in the Securitate and Politia. They did not like the students and the people who were following the fashions like long hair. Also they were very angry against the people in the cities. They only liked folk music. And they were very, very angry against the people who were listening to other kinds of music. A lot of parents made the mistake of cutting the hair of their sons when they were sleeping – a big trauma for young people. This was the reason for lots of crime made by children against their parents. This is a fact. They made a very big mistake cutting the hair of some people. There were people who committed suicide.”
I never wrote lyrics against the regime. Why? Because my mother had already lost two children and I was the only one left for her
It was one of the big mistakes of my life. I stopped playing music when I was the best
Continue reading...by Michael Hann via Electronic music | The Guardian
No comments:
Post a Comment