Newcastle University School of Arts and Cultures A Cuban Aleph: Reflections of Contemporary Cuban Identity in the Work of Porno Para Ricardo Thomas David Astley Submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree of PhD February, 2014 Abstract This dissertation focuses primarily on controversial punk band ‘Porno Para Ricardo’, using them as a case study to illuminate some of the complex networks that comprise contemporary Cuban cultural identity. The introduction and conclusion frame each chapter’s close-analysis of songs from the band’s oeuvre with an ethnographic contextualisation of aspects of ‘the everyday’ in contemporary Havana, and gives a brief history of the ways in which the band has been forced by state hegemony to a position ‘outside the Revolution’. Despite this treatment, and despite the band’s often vehement criticisms of Cuban nationalism and socialist dogma, they still share much of the same ‘obsession’ with defining a sense of national identity that pervades Cuban art and culture. This work also proposes viewing Porno Para Ricardo as an ‘Aleph’ of Cuban identity, after the short story of Argentinean writer Jorge Luis Borges. In Borges’ work, the Aleph is a small point in which all of space is condensed and can be seen simultaneously. I tentatively (and aware of the real-world limitations) suggest using a band so ostensibly ‘outside’ of the space of Cuban cultural identity as a point through which to examine the whole. Each chapter then provides a glimpse through this proposed Aleph to examine moments of dialogue between the band and aspects of contemporary Cuban identity construction: uses of remembrance, attachment to place, affiliation to subculture, cover versions, laughter and noise. ii Dedicado a Mariley iii Acknowledgements First and foremost, my sincere thanks and utmost respect needs to be paid to the members of Porno Para Ricardo. I am particularly indebted to Gorki and Ciro for allowing me access to their creative processes and for taking time to share their thoughts and music with me. Without this assistance, this dissertation would not have been possible. Their persistence in making music despite censorship and recrimination, their profound connection to Cuba and their longstanding passion for DIY punk music has been a constant source of inspiration. Porno Para Ricardo’s music has become a central aspect of my own identity, and it has been a pleasure and a privilege to listen to their music so often over these past four years. I own a huge debt of gratitude to my dissertation supervisor, Dr. Nanette de Jong. Her constant enthusiasm, critical reading, attention to detail, and advice above and beyond the words within this thesis have made the writing of this work both much easier and more enjoyable than it might otherwise have been. I have learned a great deal from Nanette, and I am lucky to have had her as a supervisor; I really couldn’t have wished for a more supportive mentor. There has been a significant group of influential and supportive faculty and friends within the Music Department at Newcastle whose additional support has been instrumental in the writing of this PhD. My secondary supervisor, Dr. Ian Biddle, has helped greatly with the theoretical elements of this work, and I am particularly thankful to him for his suggestions on the final chapter. Dr. Richard Elliott’s lectures on ‘Ritual, Remembrance and Recorded Sound’, as well as his work on authenticity and place and Latin American Nueva Canción, have been points of reference, and were key in shaping the structure of my own work. I would also like to thank Professor Agustín Fernández who, in the latter stages of my thesis, has been kind enough to serve as a reference. I have further benefitted from sharing the process of writing with Elodie Roy, and our countless conversations have been another highlight from this experience. Thanks needs to be given to the Arts and Humanities Research Council for funding this work. I am, as always, thankful to my family – the Astleys, the MacDonalds and the Yules – for continuing to provide such a supportive and loving atmosphere. I am particularly thankful for the constant encouragement given by my parents, Dave and Sheila and my brother and sister, William and Charlotte. Since meeting my wife in 2003, I have had the immense fortune to be accepted into a Cuban family that is passionate, immensely creative and loving. Listening to their anecdotes and stories about my wife as a child reminds me that, despite language barriers and cultural differences, there are so many similarities to be found between people. Being part of this family has given me the confidence to write about the Cuban culture I love so much. A special mention must be given to María Leisa Olivera and Luis Batule, who are a second set of parents to me, and to Franklin Reinoso, whose encyclopaedic knowledge of Cuban music and wealth of stories are always a pleasure to listen to. Finally I want to thank my wife, Mariley. It is difficult to write here how important Mariley is to every single aspect of my life; without here immense knowledge of Cuban music, without her intelligence and sociability, without her support, and without her love, this work would not exist. iv Table of Contents Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 Literature Review .............................................................................................................................. 4 Rock Music in Cuba and the Obsession with Identity: A Contextual Overview .................. 12 “Y en eso llegó...” Porno Para Ricardo ........................................................................................ 18 Fragments of an Identity ................................................................................................................ 26 A Cuban Aleph? A Theoretical Framework ................................................................................ 29 Methodology .................................................................................................................................... 39 Layout ............................................................................................................................................... 44 Chapter One: Remembrances ............................................................................................ 49 Introduction: Remembering a National Identity ........................................................................ 49 An ‘Unwaved Flag’ of Cuban Identity ......................................................................................... 50 ‘Te acuerdas de...’ Examples of Unwaved Flags ......................................................................... 57 Remembrance of the Forgotten/ Understanding the Present ................................................. 60 Reflections of Russia, Remembrances of Childhood ................................................................ 62 Artwork ................................................................................................................................... 63 Destroying a Russian Guitar ..................................................................................................... 64 ‘Mi balsa’: Reflections of the Special Period ............................................................................... 66 Chapter Two: Places ........................................................................................................... 72 Introduction: Naming Places in Song .......................................................................................... 72 Placing the ‘Real’ Cuba ................................................................................................................... 75 The Rural-Urban Mapping of Cuban Identity ............................................................................ 77 Singing the City: Urban Cuban Identity ....................................................................................... 81 Porno Para Ricardo’s Havana: Authentic Places? ...................................................................... 84 Reflections of ‘El Patio de María’ .............................................................................................. 85 Vámonos pa G’: Reflections of Parque G .................................................................................. 88 Chapter Three: Subcultures and Institutions ..................................................................... 95 Introduction: An Archipelagic Network of Subcultures? ......................................................... 96 “No Such Thing as a Cuban Rock Scene”: Authenticity and Mimicry ................................... 98 Outside the Revolution... and Outside Subculture ................................................................... 103 ‘Comunista Chivatón’ – ‘Communist Snitch’ ........................................................................... 104 ‘La Agencia del Rock’ – ‘Rock Agency’ ................................................................................. 107 Outside Subculture: ‘Black Metal’ ............................................................................................... 110 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 116 Chapter Four: Cover Versions ..........................................................................................