Cuban Rock

Rock and roll in Cuba began in the late 1950s, with many Cuban artists of the time covering American songs translated into Spanish, as was occurring in Mexico at the same time. Its development was disrupted by the Cuban Revolution. As Joseph Stalin had interfered culturally in the Soviet Union years before, Fidel Castro banned rock music in 1961 as being a corruptive American influence that had no place in the new Communist Cuba (ironically at odds with Marx's own liberal views on art and culture, not to mention the fact that many rock groups have espoused "left-wing" ideas). The ban was eventually lifted in 1966, but rock music adherents were still marginalized by the Communist establishment and looked upon with suspicion as "counter-revolutionaries".

While the ban was eventually lifted, one group called Los Pacificos attempted a rock concert which lasted two hours. They borrowed instruments and performed their concert without previous rehearsal. The concert lasted two hours and was recorded. Los Pacificos paid a heavy price for their performance with one of the performers Carlos Davila dying in Angola in the 1970s. The recording was smuggled out of Cuba in the 1990s and was remixed into an album. The story of Los Pacificos earned the cover for an entry call in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest in New York.

The Castro government's attitude towards rock until recently was quite negative, although it has varied greatly in severity throughout the regime's existence. During the 1960s and 1970s rock was prohibited, although nueva cancion/nueva trova artists like Silvio Rodríguez and Carlos Varela would sometimes perform rock material. In more recent years, with the re-transition to a tourism-based economy, attitudes of the Castro regime towards rock have softened somewhat, not only towards domestic and Latin American artists but also towards foreign Anglophone artists.

In the 80's, a heavy metal band from Municipio Playa were formed by Roberto Armada called Venus with Dionisio as a singer. They generated much success and created a headbanger following among Cuban youth the 80's. Punk Rock was introduced in Cuba in the late 1980's and made a cult-type following among a monority of the youth.

A rock scene in Cuba is usually seen as small and underground due to official disapproval. However since the late 1990s, groups such as Moneda Dura and Los Kent have performed rock music on Cuban TV, and the profile of rock music has risen, with concerts and festivals.

In 2001, the Welsh rock group Manic Street Preachers were invited to perform in Cuba. Their concert was attended by Fidel Castro and others in authority. In 2004, Castro made a speech honouring the birthday of John Lennon (whose music, both with The Beatles and as a solo artist had been banned in Cuba). A bronze statue of John Lennon has been placed in a Havana park. The statue became notorious for being a constant target of vandalism by citizens who would detach and steal the statue's bronze glasses. Rick Wakeman, Sepultura and Audioslave played in Havana.

In December 2007, 7and7is, an indie rock band from Edmonton, Canada became the first foreign band to tour Cuba. They played 7 shows in 5 cities (Sancti Spiritus, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Santa Clara and Havana). The tour was filmed for a documentary entitled 7and7is... Una Vez Por La Vida.