(All photos, captions and songs are courtesy of Dmitry Fedotov.) Riga. March 21st, 1982. «We walked for about 3 hours, including the central street (Brivibas, which was Lenina at the time) and nobody was arrested.»

	Путь пилигрима 05:26  (Pilgrim's Path)

— I was in hippie movement since 1980. In 1983 I started Piligrim. Soon after that I started to become more and more distant from hippie and by approximately 1985 I was totally devoted to Piligrim. In the end of 1990 I left for England. Here in England I joined local band called Bedlam Choir for 3 years until it split up in 1994. Some of Bedlam Choir repertoire consisted of old Piligrim songs. Meanwhile I have completed my Degree in Popular Music at Bretton Hall College (part of Leeds University). After Bedlam Choir split up I joined the band that played old rock covers (everything from the Beatles to Whitesnake) in local clubs, this was just to earn some money. I also did some session work for old pop/disco stars such as Boney M and The Real Thing. In 1997 I decided to end my performance career and went into teaching. Since then I am working in college. My aim is to help young musicians to achieve what they want to achieve. I teach them the skills needed to play in the band, compose music, be creative, promote themselves and other aspects of rock'n'roll life.

My mother was born in Rēzekne, my father was born in the village near Malta, later they both ended up in Rīga where I was born in 1963.

Riga, 1982. Dom Square.

— There was wide variety of people in «Sistema». Artists, musicians, poets, religious people, people who liked to travel, politically minded people, drug users and alcoholics or a combination of few of the above listed categories. What did these people have in common? The common points were: being alternative to Soviet system and its narrow-mindlessness in the way of thinking and in appearance (alternative clothes, long hair etc.). Pot and free love (sex, drugs and rock'n'roll) were there too, but were not accepted by everyone. Many hippies didn't work and travelled across the USSR. It was common to meet someone from other part of the USSR at the Dome Square (in Riga) and offer them to stay with me. My flat was always full of people visiting and staying for a night or more. God bless my parents' tolerance! There were also summer camps such as Gauja, Lilaste, Vitrupe. Hippies tried to take part in the Soviet society as little as possible. Vast majority of hippies didn't serve in Soviet army, consequently they spent some time in mental hospitals as patients. My own experience was only 2 weeks, but many people were locked up there for 4-6 months and sometimes more than once. The music that most of hippies were listening was the same (Janis, Jimmy Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, Cream, Iron Butterfly etc.). Some preferred later rock styles, some Asian music (religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism influenced some hippies).

	Блеск цивилизаций 04:04  (Glitter of Civilizations)

— It was a spontaneous network of people from different parts of the USSR, it was called «Sistema». I can't estimate the size of it. There were several peaks. The last one was soon after I got involved, in 1982. Latvia happened to be one of the major places. There was a camp on the Gauja River (in the forest between Gauja station and the sea) for many years in summer. Lots of people from all over the USSR came there. There were camps in Lilaste and Vitrupe too. Liva Jekabsone does a thorough research on this. I have sent her some comments and pictures, but she knows more about «sistema» in the past because she talks to many key people in hippie movement. She has a wealth of information.

Iecava, 1983. «The the first underground music festival in Latvia was organised by Inguna and Andris Сernovs. Later it resulted in creation of Riga Rock Club. We played under the name «Cherniy Cofe» (Black Coffee). Vladimir Shakul (L), Dmitry Fedotov, Andris Chernovs. Gosha (Igor Grantins) was drumming, but didn't get in to the picture.»

— There were many alternative musicians in the 80's in Latvia. The band called «Tilts» organised an underground festival somewhere near Iecava in 1983. I took part in this festival too. It was organised very quickly so that the KGB couldn't stop it, but they found out later and set up «Klub Sovremennoy Muzyki» (Modern Music Club — dialogi.lv). They wanted to keep alternative music under control, but it was also good for us, because we could perform legally. Our preferred name was Rock Club, but the authorities didn't like the word «Rock», so it had to be Klub Sovremennoy Muzyki.

Riga rock club started in 1983 and organised lots of concerts over many years. However, Piligrim has gradually parted with KSM. As the changes in the country took place, Piligrim has gradually parted with KSM. More relaxed attitude of Soviet authorities to Rock genre and rapidly growing popularity of Piligrim in Latvia and other parts of the USSR  enabled Piligrim to operate independently.

	Город шахт 05:08  (City of Mines)

— Sailors brought records — LPs — and sold them to people. There were gatherings in the forests. Locations were always changing (I remember one was in Imanta). People were selling and swapping the records. The price of one LP was as much as monthly salary. These records were taped. After 6th or 7th taping the quality, particular high frequencies, went down. The first tapes I had were from my upstairs neighbour whose father was an authentic Latvian strelnieks (my school No. 75 was aiming to be named after him). His son was not in to communism at all and he taped Janis Joplin, CCR, Doors and Black Sabbath for me and taught me few chords on guitar too.

Gauja. «People from all over USSR camped there every summer. Lots of people used to come and go, some lived there for several months. It's in the forest between Gauja train station and sea.»

— Two types. Hard Rock (Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin) and Prog Rock (King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, ELP, Gentle Giant).

— Something similar to hippie — may be, but not the same, not in foreseen future. Everything has its beginning and its end. I'm talking about Latvia in particular. Whatever negative aspects of internal politics in Latvia are, it is still a democracy and open-minded society. There is not much space for alternative movements, like hippies were in the 70's and 80's. In my view, hippie movement is a silent protest against the existing system. I don't think that silent protest can be effective in Latvia now. However, this movement is still alive and kicking in Russia and Ukraine (Liva has details of this).

Music is a multi-billion industry, it is based on money, not on music itself. I don't really know how it works in Latvia now. I know that Raimonds Pauls was appointed as a minister of culture many years ago and I also know that he is not in favour of anything alternative. He used to be very good at creating «mass product» pieces.

— I came to the UK for Christmas to visit friends on in December 1990. Three weeks later the tanks were in the streets of Vilnius and then some unrest in Riga too. At the time I believed that everything is going to go back to pre-Gorbachev dictatorship. The friends we were staying with said that they can't let us go back to the USSR, not in current situation. Because I have been in conflict with Soviet authorities in the past I had plenty of material to present to the Home Office in my application form for political asylum, which I have been granted in 3 months time after my application (this was very quick decision, some people I knew had to wait for 5 years before their case was resolved). It was just before Latvia gained independence.

— Very easy. Most of the people here are very friendly. There was plenty of moral and material help from many people. As far as «the system» is concerned, I have never liked the Soviet one, so it was no problem at all. It didn't take me long to feel completely at home here. However, I do miss some Latvian things such as forests, rupjmaize and unique Latvian culture that I can't describe in words.

— First time I have visited in 2000, then in 2002 and 3 times after that. On my first visit I was impressed with transformed look of Vecriga and new modern-style shops in central Riga in general, although those shops seemed to lack customers and plenty of people were begging in the streets. I also took a trip to Imanta to see a friend, this was very much like visiting the past, nothing was changed there since 1990. It was of course nice to witness the disappearance of Lenin's piemineklis and restoration of crosses on Orthodox Cathedral.

Summarising what I have seen and heard from various people in Latvia I felt that many people felt let down. Too little care was given to fight poverty and lots of Soviet legacy was still alive.

My first 4 visits were split between Riga and Melnsils (a village between Roja and Kolka). In my last visit (a month ago) I have skipped Kurzeme and took a trip to Latgale. It was quite an emotional trip, because that's where my family roots are. For example, it was very surprising to discover the memorial stone with my grandfather's name on it in local church in Rezekne.

	Прокажённый 08:24  (The Leper)

— Perhaps I was born to be alternative and creative. I became interested in music in 1974 when I was 11 years old, but I wasn't too keen on Soviet «shirpotreb» (mass produce — dialogi.lv). At that time «Firma Melodija» released some Beatles and Rolling Stones tracks (without mentioning the names of the bands due to copyright concerns, I guess). I then understood that this is the kind of music I can relate to. At the same time I have found radio satations, such as Voice of America and BBC (Seva Novgorodtsev), on my VEF. These stations introduced me to more up to date bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Nazareth, etc. I felt that this is the music I want to be part of, this pushed me to start learning guitar. At the same time I have developed my dissatisfaction with Soviet system. Listening to the above radio stations (and also Radio Liberty that was broadcasting from Germany) I started to understand that the whole system is based on lies. When I reached Komsomol age I refused to join this organisation, which created some problems for me at school. I was the only such person in the whole school (No. 75, on Krasta, next to today's Lido).

Somehow, I have seen playing rock music as a rebellion to Soviet system. It was the best way I could express my opposition. Most of Piligrim lyrics written by myself and other people were political. I have tried to deliver the message that Soviet system is evil. It was also linked with my Christian belief.

Riga Institute of Physical Education, 1985. Igor Osokin (L), Vyacheslav Kadygrob, Egils Grinbergs and Dmitry Fedotov (R).

— I can't give you even an approximate number. Piligrim was going for 8 years. We have played lots of concerts in Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine and Russia. At later stage we played in Poland and Sweden too.

— There were many band members in Piligrim during those 8 years. I keep in touch with Grantins, Oleg Drobin, Boris Stolyarov, Egils, Alex Mosin, Gena Lebedev, Peteris Tils and recently Vyacheslav Kadygrob. I have also an occasional contacts with Vadim Bogdanov, he lives in the USA. Igors Grantins is playing for Ramiros (I'm not sure if I have spelt it right, it's a Latvian band playing Latino music). Oleg Drobin is working as an accountant for «Double Coffee». Egils Grinbergs is developing his church band in Lielvarde. Mosin is working for Riga police, repairing their car fleet. Gena Lebedev is still working with lighting. He provided his services to most big rock stars touring in Latvia. Kadygrob is working in State Musem of Art. Boris is doing OK, but I can't remember what exactly he is doing. Peteris Tils is decorating properties.

— Before Gorbachev's perestroika we knew very little about the West. By the end of the 80's I knew more, but only after my first visit to Sweden I have realised how different the two Europes are. When I moved to England I felt very close to «a dream come true». I have never regretted that I have made this move. By that time I was very tired of Soviet system.

	День гнева 04:57  (Dies Irae)

— First troubles I had were at school. First I refused to join Komsomol. Headteacher (School Director), Iraida Rozenvald, gave me a very hard time. She was a member of Communist Party and was awarded Order of Lenin for her work. She told me in front of other teachers that she has many connections in Communist party of Latvia and in the military and will make sure that I will be sent to the place «otkuda ne vozvrashchyutsya» (where nobody returns from — dialogi.lv) when I reach the conscription age. It was the time when the USSR invaded Afghanistan. Later I refused to serve in the Soviet army and ended up as a mental hospital patient as an alternative.

I have been interrogated by the KGB on several occasions. Most memorable was 8 hours interrogation session in the KGB building itself, but in most cases they took me to militia stations. This tactic was more convenient for them.

— — No, there was no division based on ethnicity or languages within «Sistema».  There were more important issues to rebel against.

— Different parts of the world are heading different directions. I can only say what I wish to happen:

I am aware that this view is idealistic, not realistic.

Gauja. «One day soldiers escorted everyone to train station. An hour later police station in Rigas Central Station was a very busy place. I have managed to escape in the forest and take this picture. I took few hours before getting back to Riga in hope to avoid my arrest, but still ended up in the same police station.»