How The Beatles inspired me to rock against Cuba’s regime
On his tenth birthday, Nilo Nuñez heard his first original Beatles’ song, and it changed his life forever. He set up a band which defied Cuba’s censorship with their rock music.
Nilo Nuñez was born in Castro's Cuba, where English-language rock music, considered a decadent symbol of capitalism, was marginalised by the state-run radio broadcasters. Miraculously, however, on his tenth birthday, Nilo managed to catch an original version of The Beatles song ‘Birthday’ on the airwaves. The sound inspired him to study at music school, and form the rock band ‘Rhodas’. After graduating, Nilo and the band started recording songs in secret and stealthily acquired their own musical instruments. They were eventually authorised as a professional group by the authorities, and played to screaming crowds across the island. However, a run-in with the police and an opportunity to leave Cuba would see Nilo starting out from scratch once again, thousands of miles from home.
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com
Presenter: Emily Webb
Producer: June Christie and Olivia Lynch-Kelly
(Photo: Photograph of Nilo Nunez holding his guitar. Credit: Juan Miguel Larmart)
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