La dictadura argentina y el rock: enemigos íntimos

During the last military dictatorship in Argentina (1976-1983) Argentine national rock grew to cover a space –previously owned by Anglo rock– it still maintains. This sudden growth was directly linked to the way censorship operated and to a military discourse based on a fight against a supposed ‘enemy’. Interestingly, the first enemy created by the military Junta was the ‘youth’ who, because of their addiction to rock music –they said– would become subversive. Therefore, rock was affected by censorship. However, when the military regime declared war against England in 1982, there was a new external enemy to fight against. The military authorities understood that they needed the support of the youth, who were now displaced to a different role: they were called to collaborate with the regime. They were given public spaces to perform their music so as to persuade the general public, through their songs, to support the war. Though the regime seemed to be aware of the important social and political function of music they failed to count on the fact that the young rockers would use that same space as an opportunity to resist, dissent and express their solidarity towards their fellow English rockers and citizens.