The Secret History of Rock

Rock Is Resurrected in Afghanistan

Alan Cross 1 Comment

When the Taliban thugs took over Afghanistan, any music other than religious chanting was banned.  It was even illegal to play or own any musical instruments.

That has all changed.  On October 1, 2011, Kabul saw its first rock festival in 36 years.

It featured a series of local bands with names like District Unknown, White Page and Eklektika who played a mixture of original material and cover songs.  Like what?  Green Day, System of a Down, Linkin Park, Radiohead, Blur and Korn.  

It’ll take a while before it’s safe for everyone, but rock is coming out of hiding in Afghanistan.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

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One thought on “Rock Is Resurrected in Afghanistan”

  • Check out 'Kabul Dreams' they are an indi-punk rock band in Afghanistan and sound very much like early Arctic Monkeys!

    http://kabuldreams.com/

    Reply

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