One day, while I was making my way to various other leads, I passed by Submarino again. This time, the park caretaker and Imagine shop owner flagged me down, saying that when I returned to Submarino, I must talk to the director. He, they explained, knows all about the subject and is very invested in the Beatles\u2019 history in Cuba. Intrigued, I returned at 2:00 for the matinee, and explained to a waiter what my project was. He too said that I needed to speak to the director, but that he wouldn\u2019t be around until around 5:00. Grateful for the help, I decided to rest and return later.<\/p>\n
At this point, it\u2019s worth mentioning why I haven\u2019t been using names of these interviewees. It\u2019s not that it is unethical for me to do so; at the very least, using first names would do no harm. But it\u2019s about the culture in Cuba. At Submarino, I considered speaking with members of Aire Libre, but thought better of it. Last year, I did an independent project on Cuban music, and I had inquired at Submarino if I could talk to the musicians. The bartenders seemed very hesitant and suggested I talk to their agents. In addition, Angelita was certain that if I tried to look up anything about rock and roll\/Beatles censorship, I\u2019d find nothing on Cuban internet. And I believe her. The reality of living in Cuba is that there is still suspicion, fear, and anxiety associated with anything that contradicts the government or the Revolution. For this reason, I thought it best to not inquire for personal information, out of respect for my interviewees.<\/p>\n
At 5:00 I promptly returned to Submarino and was greeted by the same waiter. I should have known better that being prompt is worth nothing in Cuba. I waited for over an hour before the director showed up \u2013 he then had to introduce the cover band of the night, which took an additional 15 minutes. He wished everyone a Happy New Year, promised \u201cnew themes\u201d in the repertoire of the cover bands, and claimed that the matinee crowd was always special. I really didn\u2019t mind the waiting. I love it there.<\/p>\n
As the band blasted \u201cLove is All You Need,\u201d we chatted outside the bar in the mild Havana air. I was a bit intimidated after being told by several people that he was THE <\/em>person to talk to, so I sputtered, \u201cSo, in the 60s, the Beatles\u2019 music was banned\u2014\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s just a legend,\u201d he replied, in an agreeable tone. I was a little confused, as he proceeded to then go into a history lesson that I had heard time and time again. That the United States had been aggressive towards the Japanese during WWII, establishing concentration camps, and later became aggressive with Cuba as soon as the Revolution succeeded. \u201cIt was the era of the Bay of Pigs, it was the era in which Che and Fidel fled to the mountains.\u201d I didn\u2019t understand where he was going. Eventually, he came to a statement that many in Castellanos\u2019 book made: the Beatles sang in English, and thus they were considered Yankees. Enemies of the state. Nevertheless, he said that at the same time, there was a new understanding, appreciation, and wider conception of culture and art in Cuba. Fewer youth were graduating from university, but it didn\u2019t matter. He himself never graduated but began working for the radio in 1966, and he said he was able to play classic rock songs that would eventually reach television through music videos. Since then, he said, the love of rock music has just grown. In the 90s, after John Lennon was murdered, there were many concerts held to commemorate him with Beatles music. By December 8th<\/sup>, 2000 (20th<\/sup> anniversary of Lennon\u2019s death), when the statue was inaugurated by Fidel, there was a sense of \u201crelaxation.\u201d In general, he thinks that early on, the Cuban public couldn\u2019t fully understand the emotion of the Beatles. Yes, they could listen to their music, but they couldn\u2019t see them perform it live. He claimed many Cubans left Cuba out of curiosity to see rock and roll in person. Perhaps this was\u2026one of many reasons.<\/p>\n He continued to say that rock is no longer perceived as a \u201cpeligro,\u201d or danger, in Cuba. However, it at times seemed to be aggressive as a live show. The trouble nowadays is that though Cubans like this live show, it\u2019s difficult to make a live show happen. Many rock bands want to play in Cuba, but where? And who will pay for it? He thinks there simply needs to be a large agency in Cuba dedicated to making these shows a reality, because \u201cla gente los come\u201d \u2013 the people would eat them up.<\/p>\n I asked him how Submarino was made possible, and he said that in the last decade, there came a project to \u201cpersonalize\u201d night clubs in Havana. Parque John Lennon was right across the street, so it only seemed fitting to have a Beatles club adjacent to it. He has been directing the club for 7 years, since its creation. He was chosen for his eye for details \u2013 not just the music, but the food, ambiance, etc. \u00a0Clearly well-known in the industry (people were greeting and taking pictures with him throughout the night), I wanted to know what his favorite Beatles\u2019 song was. I either missed his answer or never got it, but he did<\/em> go into an elaborate recollection of recently listening to Rubber Soul, and how it was a transition, evolution, from the Beatles\u2019 days of \u2013 as he put it \u2013 \u201chey, baby\u201d to Sergeant Pepper\u2019s complexity. They changed their music chemically, harmonically, he noted. All of them were geniuses, and Ringo, even though he wasn\u2019t as talented, was \u201cel punto de equilibrio,\u201d or \u201cbalancing point\u201d for the band.<\/p>\n They continue to be a point of reference that demonstrates to me that art has to be exemplary.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201cWhy are the Beatles important in Cuba?\u201d I asked. He replied, \u201cThey continue to be a point of reference that demonstrates to me that art has to be exemplary.\u201d Music, he argued, isn\u2019t about marketing \u2013 \u201cI HATE marketing\u201d \u2013 but it\u2019s about doing something that you <\/em>want to do. Letting out your emotions. And that\u2019s what the 18 cover bands that play at Submarino do. In this way, the Beatles have made \u201cuna l\u00ednea muy profunda, diversa, y universal\u201d \u2013 a profound, diverse, and universal path \u2013 for musicians to follow.<\/p>\n The youth listen to the Beatles to\u00a0search out the mystery of the music that continues to live with their parents. So they can be part of its history.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201cAnd why do both the youth and the older Cubans still enjoy the Beatles?\u201d Today, \u201cMusic does not serve the people. There\u2019s so much empty music. It\u2019s all to dance. You\u2019ve heard of reggaet\u00f3n? Yes, reggaet\u00f3n is fun, but it\u2019s rude, aggressive,\u201d he replied. For these reasons, the older Cubans listen to the Beatles out of appreciation for music of high quality that can be shared. The youth, \u201cTo search out the mystery of the music that continues to live with their parents. So they can be part of its history.\u201d<\/p>\n With that, I left extremely content.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" One day, while I was making my way to various other leads, I passed by Submarino again. 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