First-hand insight into the Czechoslovak underground music scene and the numerous obstacles placed in its way by communist-era security services.

Underground Symphony: The Plastic People traces the history of the rock band The Plastic People of the Universe against the backdrop of political developments in communist Czechoslovakia. It begins with the band’s formation in the 1960s, when psychedelic rock was first introduced to Czechoslovakia, through the emergence of the first concepts of cultural opposition and politically oriented dissent, particularly Charter 77, ending with a detailed account of the band’s breakup in the second half of the 1980s.

The authors rely on primary sources, many of which have not been published; for example, the Plastic People’s chronicles, extensive interviews with band members and friends, and contemporary writings by individual participants (in samizdat publications, private correspondence, diaries, etc.). They also “mine” archival sources from the State Security (Archive of Security Services, National Archives, etc.). The result is an insightful study of the legendary underground band and its era.