In the mid-20th century, while much of the world was freely enjoying rock and jazz, Soviet citizens were forced to consume music under the watchful eye of state censorship. Western music was seen as a corrupting influence, a threat to Soviet ideology. But where there is suppression, there is also resistance. Enter ‘bone music’—a remarkable underground phenomenon where forbidden songs were secretly recorded onto discarded X-ray films, defying the state’s grip on culture.
The Birth of Bone Music
During the Stalinist era and beyond, the Soviet government strictly controlled music. Jazz, rock, and anything deemed “bourgeois” or “decadent” were banned or heavily censored. However, the hunger for Western sounds—particularly from artists like Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and Duke Ellington—was insatiable.
Enterprising bootleggers found an ingenious way to copy and distribute these forbidden records. Using modified phonographs, they etched sound grooves onto old X-ray films sourced from hospitals. These flimsy, ghostly discs, often showing the faint outlines of broken bones or ribcages, became the carriers of illicit music. They were cheap, disposable, and easy to conceal—making them the perfect tool for music smuggling.
How It Worked
The process of making bone records was both risky and resourceful. Bootleggers, known as “roentgenizdat” (a play on “samizdat,” the term for underground publishing), would acquire X-ray sheets from hospital workers or trash bins. They then used a lathe to cut grooves into the plastic-like material, often pressing copies of smuggled Western records.
Because X-ray film was never intended for audio use, these makeshift records were far from perfect. The sound quality was poor, playback was limited to just a few spins before the material wore out, and each disc could only hold about three minutes of music per side. Yet despite these limitations, bone music provided an electrifying experience for those lucky enough to get their hands on it.
The Risk and the Rebellion
Distributing and listening to bone music was dangerous. Soviet authorities aggressively pursued those involved, sentencing bootleggers to prison or labour camps if caught. Yet the demand for rock and jazz never faded. Young Soviets, eager to connect with the outside world, would secretly trade and sell these records, often risking everything just to hear a few minutes of forbidden sound.
Bone music wasn’t just an act of musical rebellion—it was a statement of cultural resistance. It symbolized the youth’s yearning for freedom, self-expression, and connection to global culture beyond the Iron Curtain.
The Decline and Legacy of Bone Music
By the late 1950s and early 1960s, Soviet authorities cracked down even harder on bootlegging, seizing illegal records and arresting those involved. As technology advanced, cassette tapes and reel-to-reel recordings became the new medium for underground music, rendering bone records obsolete. Yet their impact remained.
Today, bone music has become a symbol of defiance and creativity. Some of these rare X-ray records survive, treasured by collectors and historians. They serve as a haunting yet powerful reminder of how far people were willing to go to keep music alive in the face of oppression.
Bone music stands as a testament to the power of sound and the human spirit’s refusal to be silenced. It was more than just music on X-rays—it was a movement, a rebellion, and a lifeline to the world beyond Soviet censorship. Through these fragile, ghostly records, rock and jazz found a way to thrive in one of history’s most restrictive regimes, proving that music, no matter the barriers, will always find a way to be heard.
–Silviya.Y