Linguistic and Semiotic Features of Music Clubs and Band Names in Bulgaria After 1989

Abstract

The current club situation in Bulgaria is one that started unfolding in the late 1980s with the gradual fall of communism and the emergence of many alternatives to the official mainstream bands. What followed after the abrupt end of the regime was an emigration wave of musicians followed by the opening of various clubs and bars and the first steps of music business together with the launching of many independent music projects. What the article examines is the way English language has invaded this particular sphere of entertainment influencing band names, bar names, and lyrics. The article is examining the reasons that lie behind this peculiar and persistent Bulgarian identity crisis, the accompanying identity emigration, English language saturation, and how these factors came to shape the current Bulgarian alternative music scene. A semantic and linguistic analysis of the names of the most popular clubs and bands will be provided and a few conclusions as to the reasons behind this overall trend will be offered supported by findings from the science of suggestology, sociology, and anthropology. The methods used are inclusive observation, anthropological interviews, rich ethnographic materials, and other methods.