The Strange Story Of Soviet X-Ray Records
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During the Cold War, the Soviet Union banned Western Music to avoid the influence of the West on their culture. Any form of artistic expression that did not align with Soviet ideals was considered unfit for mass consumption.
However, this move did not stop Soviet music enthusiasts from listening to their favourite artists. Soon, the bootleggers found a way to record and sell records on discarded X-Ray images. The reason to pick X-rays was simple, it was found in abundance and it was durable enough to have grooves on their surface.
Just like any illicit product, these records would be sold behind closed doors, in dark allies and corners. The bootleggers would fill their sleeves with these records and sell them to the customers.
For a lot of the audience, it was their first time listening to the music of the artist they "believed" they bought.
Fraud and fake records were in full circulation. Additionally, the quality of the records was extremely inconsistent, but such was the demand, these records would get sold anyways! ,
These X-Rays (or Bone Records) became so popular in the Soviet Union that the authorities started taking interest in them.
The distribution of such records was widely considered an act of rebellion against the state. The punishments were harsh. But they were released soon after the government collapsed.
Today, Bone Records remain highly collectible in the vinyl market, symbolic of the oppressed times under the Soviet Union.
Read more: The Rise Of Bollywood In Soviet Union
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