One of Cuba’s most notorious bands, Porno para Ricardo is nothing if not controversial. Their unrelenting anti-Castro stance has made them a thorn in the side of that regime and a darling of the Miami exile community, and fellow punk rockers debate the band’s position within the island’s small scene: some applaud their cojones, others call them clowns. Most, however, adamantly defend their right to free expression. In August 2008, PpR frontman Gorki Águila was arrested on the dubious charge of “social dangerousness,” an offense punishable by up to four years in prison. After Generation Y blogger Yoani Sánchez called international attention to the case, these charges were reduced and Águila got off with a fine. The following interview, with Águila and PpR drummer Renay Kairus, took place with the help of a translator in late September 2013, in Havana. In light of the United States’ recent (and long overdue) decision to reestablish diplomatic relations with Cuba, I thought I’d revisit that conversation.
