Beatles Memorial a Reminder of Socialist Past

{mosimage}The Beatles are to be immortalized by the Mongolian government in a new Tg100 million monument – 44 years after the British pop group changed the music world forever.

The Beatles are to be immortalized by the Mongolian government in a new Tg100 million monument – 44 years after the British pop group changed the music world forever.
Prime Minister S.Bayar is leading the charge for the monument, which he said would be a symbol of a period of time when many Mongolians aspired to have the freedom of the west.
While the government has not revealed whether it will contribute to construction costs, Bayar said during a press conference last week that he hopes to gain 100 percent support for the idea.
The remaining band members have not been contacted to gain approval for the monument, which will require a Tg100 million donation for construction to begin.
Later this month a concert will be held to help raise money for the monument. Construction is expected to begin in September.
Bayar praised the Beatles for bring politicians together, using an example of him and Democratic Party member E.Bat-Uul.
“When it comes to talk about politics, Bat-Uul and I may talk for, at most, 30 minutes. After that there’s a clash of political ideologies,” Bayar said.
“When it comes to the Beatles, however, we do really not have enough time and could talk for three days.
“It means that the Beatles can connect us in a way politics can’t.
“They connect me not only with him but also the world,” he said.
The Beatles were the world’s first truly global brand and remain extraordinarily popular in Mongolia.
Bat-Uul, a supporter of the proposal, connected the Beatles with Mongolia’s democratic revolution in an attempt to provide the idea with some historical relevance.
“The people who led and made the historic democratic revolution in 1990 were fans of the band.
“Furthermore, it is said almost all the revolutionists were also fans of the band.
“The really made a historic change and led a historic period,” Bat-Uul said.
The monument to the Fab Four will consist of three different parts located in front of the State Department Store and behind the State Circus in the city center.
The monument will have statues of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, the designers said last Friday.
Standing on the opposite side of a boy with a guitar, the sculpture of the Fab Four will be made of bronze.
B.Ganbat, an official working on the proposal, believes the memorial will be the first in an Asian country.
“After we initiated it we made research on the Internet. As far as we know, the last monument was built in Russia.”
Monument designer B.Denzen said the design aims to represent the historical beginning of modern music in western countries and Mongolia.
“The art work will see three parts – the monuments of the Fab Four, a wall and a boy with a guitar in his hand.”
Sh.Altangerel, another designer, described the monument as also being a “monument to Mongolians themselves.”
“The monument is about three things. The guitar in the boy’s hand is a symbol of the youth’s culture.
“The Beatles were the originators of modern popular music and it will represent their historical achievements.
“The boy is a Mongolian fan in the 60s of western culture,” Altangerel said.
He also said the statue of the boy would remind the older generation of the difficulties during the socialist era, when young people would play guitars in apartment entrances.
“The youth of Mongolia did their best in those difficult socialist times and I want people to feel it’s dedicated to themselves.”
G.Gankhuu is the lead singer of the band Beer and an originator of the idea for the monument and said he also believes the monument will serve as a symbol for the older generation.
“Back in those days, a guitar like that would have cost Tg30 or Tg40.
“There were no electric instruments and an apartment entrance was a good place with acoustics.
“However, because it was the socialist times it was forbidden to play or even listen to their songs. So we used to play secretly,” Gankhuu said.
Ts.Enkhmanlai, leader of Mongolia’s first-ever rock band Kharanga, said he learnt his first guitar grip to the band’s song ‘Girl’.
He said the monument would show foreigners that Mongolians are very “acknowledging”.  
Bayar said the Beatles held particular esteem with the older generation.
“I remember my older brothers and sisters listening to them almost 40 years ago.
“I used to watch them dance with so much interest and I wasn’t even 10 years old,” Bayar said.
Bat-Uul said the Beatles connected the older generation with the world.
“Over 80 or 90 per cent people of my age grew up listening to them. It seems to us like a light is switched on when listening to their songs.”
The PM was unable to explain the significance of the memorial to the younger generation, however.
“It is open to the next generation. We can’t speak on their behalf.
“However, I know that it will bring back memories of people over 50 or 60. It will remind us of our naive childhood,” Bayar said.
Enkhmanlai said that the monument would show young people the success that could be available to them if they worked hard.
“Then they might be immortalized in a foreign country, like the Beatles,” he said.

The UB Post