Sex Pistols were Financed by the USSR to 'Destablize the Western World'

[RevolverRob]

Or the power of Rock and Roll. Or weird things that never cease to amaze me...

Sex Pistols were Financed by the USSR to 'Destablize the Western World' Admits Ex-KGB Agent (http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/sex-pistols-were-financed-by-ussr-to-destabilize-western-world-admits-ex-kgb-agent/)

Oh yea, that's the good stuff right there. This former KGB agent claims that they explicitly financed and influenced the Punk Rock scene in the United States and the UK in an attempt to incite anarchy and anti-establishment philosophy. Which is a weird thing to claim, since Rock 'N Roll is classically anti-establishment at its core and so...and while certainly punk lyrics were decidedly slanted left and often advocated violence...I still have a hard time believing The Clash caused any more violence or unwed mothers than Elvis, The Rolling Stones, Kiss, etc. did.

Anyways - The ultimate irony in my view is that if the USSR specifically attempted to use punk bands in the 1970s to influence western political policy - It backfired (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_rock#Russian_Punk) on them, big time (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_and_roll_and_the_fall_of_communism). If there is one thing the world likes less than pop music, it is oppressive regimes that don't allow you to have any rock and roll...Something tells me the commies never figured out the real message in Footloose.

As an aside - this has long been an interest of my wife, who spent quite a bit of her undergraduate history degree researching the influences of underground rock and roll culture on Czech society under the USSR. For those interested in learning more about rock and roll (particularly as it relates to Czech culture under the USSR) -

Here (http://bygonebureau.com/2007/12/07/czech-republic-rock-%E2%80%98n-roll-revolution-or-how-a-psychedelic-rock-band-freed-a-country-from-the-tyranny-of-communism/) and here (http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/how-a-revolutionary-czech-rock-band-inspired-vaclav-havel-20111219) are nice articles on how The Plastic People of the Universe influenced Czech politics and the fall of communism in former Czechoslovakia. They (a Brit) wrote a play (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_%27n%27_Roll_%28play%29) about it. Finally, here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_punk#East_Germany) is the Wiki article on East German Punk, which was very influential in the 1980s and into the 1990s. Dresden, one of my favorite cities on the planet, still bears not only the scars of WWII, but the unmistakable image of having been heavily influenced by a strong anti-establisment punk scene immediately following the collapse and reunification.

And thus concludes your rock and roll history lesson for the day. Or as I like to think about - learning how the little things influence the big things.

-Rob

[Joe in PNG]

I thought the Sex Pistols were a cynical attempt by a London boutique owner to break into the music scene to make money.

[Tamara]

Something tells me the commies never figured out the real message in Footloose.

Quote of the Day.


Some experts openly admit Punk nihilism, which was expressed in the use of harder, more self-destructive drugs like heroin and methamphetamine, pushed United States President Richard Nixon into the War on Drugs...

How? With a time machine? Geez, these are some pretty credulous reporters. I mean, I get the Russians getting taken in by the alleged retired KGB dude, Russians being only slightly less fond of conspiracy theories than an Alex Jones convention, but you'd think the reporter could have taken two seconds to go to Wikipedia...

"Punk rock (or simply punk) is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia."
"Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974 when he became the only U.S. president to resign the office."


EDITED TO ADD: Speaking of credulous, you'd think I'd have taken a look at the sidebar and noticed that the linked site is obviously a parody news source. Boy, is my face red.

http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/tornado-carries-mobile-home-130-miles-family-inside-unharmed/

http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/david-rockefellers-sixth-heart-transplant-successful-at-age-99/

[LostDuke]

Or as I like to think about - learning how the little things influence the big things.

Wow. That explains almost everything. The get to the bottom of it 100%, I recommend this profile of Mike Huckabee (http://www.theonion.com/graphic/candidate-profile-mike-huckabee-50348). I think he also was on the KGB payroll circa 1958.

[Jeep]

I agree. Knowing that the KGB financed the Sex Pistols is pretty clearly the interpretive key to understanding the past 40 years. Suddenly, the whole Jimmy Carter thing comes into a new light, as does the fall of Betamax and the rise of the Nokia cell phone.

The only question left is what does this say about the genie in "Aladdin?"

[RevolverRob]

So, here's a thought...let's play the reading interpretation game.

What is the keyword in the following statment, "how little things influence big things".

Is it little? Is it big? Or is the keyword in this statment influence?

You might not think Gail Halvorsen had an influence on communism and US-German relations - http://www.hill.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=5979

But he clearly had an influence on some Germans who grew up in the area - http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/11/08/candy-bomber-her-cold-war-hero/18740429/

Does this mean he single handedly sowed the seeds of anti-establishment discontent? No. But little things leave impressions that can have an effect...or you know little things like having a place to express yourself or think freely from governmental oppression can matter.

But you guys are right there is clearly no link. That's why the Czech's burned houses rock concerts were played in, and the Stasi expressly forbid rock and roll and later when relented censored lyrics and later arrested musician and show attendees.

Jeez - next time I find something interesting to share (and yes it starts with Satire, but I tried to write a post that some moght find interesting and informative, because I thought it was entertaining) - I'll run it by you guys to see if it meets your political preferences for history. Or...not.

-Rob

[scott]

Thanks for posting this. I learned that I'm the kind of nerd who, upon seeing a malformed patronymic in a fake news story, spends the next four hours reading about ethnic minorities in the Soviet Union to include digging up copies of the 59, 79, and 89 censuses. It's been a fun way to spend morning

[Tamara]

Thanks for posting this. I learned that I'm the kind of nerd who, upon seeing a malformed patronymic in a fake news story, spends the next four hours reading about ethnic minorities in the Soviet Union to include digging up copies of the 59, 79, and 89 censuses. It's been a fun way to spend morning

I feel your pain. :D

[Totem Polar]

Hell, that's nothing. Read and weep:

http://www.theonion.com/article/cia-admits-role-in-1985-coup-to-oust-david-lee-rot-37570

"As Van Halen’s creative direction became uncertain in the early 1980s, it became increasingly apparent that we would have to take the steps necessary to remove Roth from power,” said former Deputy Director of Central Intelligence John N. McMahon...