Homage to Milan Hlavsa, Plastic Person

Subject: Homage to Milan Hlavsa, Plastic Person
From: Peter T.
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 10:29 AM

Little known in the West, Milan, who died on Friday at age 49, was, with his colleagues Josef Janacek and Ivan Jirous, among the most important musicians as revolutionaries in the 20th century. Founder of the Plastic People of the Universe, the Czech band, in 1968, just after the tanks rolled into Prague, Hlavsa and his band persisted in developing what the PP called the "second culture" -- which was the seed for Vaclav Havel's theories of alternative development within a Communist regime. Band members were interrogated, jailed, fans beaten up, a recording studio burnt down. Their jailing in 1977 was the springboard for the "Charter 77" movement -- the coalition of artists and dissidents that would eventually bring down the Czech government. After endless arrests, interrogations, and threats -- at least one band member fled to Canada -- they won.

I confess that I could not stand their music, but what a bunch of heroes. I often wonder how many Western so-called political musicians would have lasted through 5 minutes of what Plastic People had to go through for 15 years.

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Homage to Milan Hlavsa, Plastic Person
From: Noreen
Date: 09 Jan 01 - 08:07 AM

Thanks for this, Peter.

Milan Hlavsa R.I.P.