GRAMPLASTNIKI, a big record store. That's me, Andrej, and Misha on the
steps; Andrej and I are each holding a copy of Paul
McCartney's Soviet album (vinyl of course). To buy these records was
kind of a process. First a price had to be negotiated. Then an invoice was
issued, to be taken to the payment window, where a line was waiting. Once
the window is reached, the invoice is paid and vigorously stamped, and the
record turned over to the customer, but without a bag. If a bag is desired,
the process is repeated (another invoice, another window, another line).
For years it was impossible to get this album outside the USSR but now it
can be
ordered
on CD from Amazon.com. However, the cover has been changed (as you can
see, they spelled Paul McCartney with "Cyrillicized" Roman letters
(e.g. backwards N).
Postscript: In Russia today (2013) some pranksters have been hard at work creating the false memory of a 1980s “Soviet Apple Store” in Moscow. As evidence, they offer this photo (courtesy of Иван Потапов):
issued, to be taken to the payment window, where a line was waiting. Once
the window is reached, the invoice is paid and vigorously stamped, and the
record turned over to the customer, but without a bag. If a bag is desired,
the process is repeated (another invoice, another window, another line).
For years it was impossible to get this album outside the USSR but now it
can be
ordered
on CD from Amazon.com. However, the cover has been changed (as you can
see, they spelled Paul McCartney with "Cyrillicized" Roman letters
(e.g. backwards N).
They left СНОВА В СССР – “Back in the USSR” – in Cyrillic but they put Б instead of В). Here are the original cover and labels (click each image to enlarge):
Postscript: In Russia today (2013) some pranksters have been hard at work creating the false memory of a 1980s “Soviet Apple Store” in Moscow. As evidence, they offer this photo (courtesy of Иван Потапов):
