Frank Zappa is just one of a number of Western rock stars enshrined in Eastern Europe. Singers such as John Lennon and Jim Morrison have also had their fans and memorials: indeed, it is stars from the 1960's and 1970's who seem to have had the biggest impact in the former Soviet Union and its tributary states. To see an enlargement of the Zappa memorial, click here.

Rock musicians have encountered suspicion and hostility in many parts of the world, but in the days of the Cold War (1946-1991) they faced special difficulties in Eastern Europe. As music originating largely in America and Britain, rock was associated with the capitalist West, making it a symbol of a freer life for many young people but also making it a threat for many orthodox Communists. Moreover, rock music heightened fears that traditional singing and dancing would die out, fears found in Communist nations such as Bulgaria but also in non-Communist ones such as Greece.

To find out about the history of Soviet Rock, press here.