60's
Most probably after some time all the information collected by KGB was gathered altogether and lots of hundreds of youngsters were later inviteded for questioning, many of them were thrown out of schools, colleges, institutes, jobs etc. Besides that, each one of them was offered to become a KGB agent, promising them forgiveness and different kinds of wellness.
 
Soon after this event, around 1966-1967 “Makers” disbanded, because three members of the band were drafted to serve in the army. Pete had to move to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, the most free, most West-oriented republic in Soviet Union. Pete rapidly learns out Estonian and for almost two years he shuffles between Riga and Tallinn playing and singing with a local band called „Optimistid” – the very first Estonian rock’n’roll band led by Pete’s friend Heigo Mirka. “Optimistid” played only in Estonia (Estonian rock musicians were not allowed to play in other Soviet republics – authorities were afraid of “spreading out the infection”) and were extremely popular. Lots of youngsters from Riga came to Tallinn just to hear the group. However once “Optimistid” managed to get a concert tour to Georgia. The group had a huge success during this one-month tour, although somewhere in the middle of it, so-called “manager” of the group Andris N. ran away with all the money that belonged to the band. They were pressed to stay in Georgia and play for two months more to earn enough money for their return tickets home. But this case gave the band an opportunity to become enormously popular and beloved in all Southern Georgia regions such as Adjaria and Abkhasia. The band lived at homes of their Georgian friends and enjoyed their legendary hospitality.

In 1968 Pete returned back to Riga. In a few weeks a newly-formed controversial band „Natural Product” was formed together with Valery "Seisky" Saifudinov, Kostja "Cat" Dmitriyev, Juris Seleckis, Boris Tarasov and Edvins Sirmbardis. The band rapidly became the real „hot stuff”. Two concerts took place outside of Latvia: one in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, where there was a real riot and the other one in Pskov (Russia).
Again after both concerts a lot of young people were arrested, oppressed  and got another page or two added to their dossiers. Pete was constantly brought to KGB for threats and questionings. The first question from KGB officers to any detained young person in Latvia at that time was: „Do you know Pete and Seisky?”

Nevertheless personal freedom and rock’n’roll were all the time above everything.
That’s the reason for many sad things to come including open threats from KGB to fabricate a criminal case.




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Photoalbum
Pete "Shtatnik"
1963
Artemy Troitsky, Back in the USSR, Omnibus Press, 1987
From the Book Back in the USSR, Artemy Troitsky, "Melody Makers", 1964
"Melody Makers"
"Melody Makers"
Melody Makers Session
"Melody Makers" in Tallinn
"Melody Makers", Tallinn, 1965 (from left to right - E.Vinnik, Pete, Z. Lorenc)
"Melody Makers" Concert - "Demonstration" on te Stairs of "Planetarium", Riga, 1965
"Melody Makers" Concert - "Demonstration" "Freedom to Guitar" on the Stairs of "Planetarium", Riga, 1965
"Melody Makers" Concert Supressed by "ÁÝÎ" ("State Bureau of Etsrada Orchestras") and hold on the Stairs of "Planetarium", Riga, 1965
"Melody Makers" Concert - "Demonstration" on the Stairs of "Planetarium", Riga, 1965
"Melody Makers" placards, exposed during the concert on the stairs of "Planetarium", Riga, 1965
People on "Melody Makers" Concert - "Demonstration" on the Stairs of "Planetarium", Riga, 1965
Placards "Äîëîé ÁÝÎ" - "Off with State Bureau of Estrade Orchestras - ", during "Melody Makers" Concert on the Stairs of "Planetarium", Riga, 1965
"Melody Makers" Concert on the Stairs of "Planetarium", Riga, 1965
"Bits" - what's left of "Melody Makers" after 1965
"Bits"
""Optimistid"
Optimistid Rehearsal
"Optimistid", the First Estonian Rock'n'Roll Band
Optimistid
Optimistid, Georgia, Batumi
Drawing from one Finn, Leningrad, 1967
  
 
Photos from tours, with fans, friends, musicians etc.
 
CD's recorded, mp3 samples
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