video transcript

Power chords... head banging.... cheering crowds. Just a normal rock concert? Look again... this is Afghanistan. Birth place of the Taliban and now, home to several up and coming rock bands. And it's largely thanks to places like this... the Sound Center music school in Kabul. Housed in the back room of a local restaurant, the school caters to all musical interests. Robin Ryczek is the schools' co-founder. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ROBIN RYCZEK ROCK AND ROLL SCHOOL CO- FOUNDER IN KABUL SAYING: " It is name a rock school right now we are diving into blue if somebody comes and they want to learn classical guitar we will teach them classical, flamingo also it is different genres so to facilitate that we have a big group session once a week." For years under the Taliban, secular or non-Islamic pop culture was strictly prohibited. Not to mention segregated. But now, students like 16 year old Sahar can express herself freely and without fear. (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) SAHAR FETRAT, ROCK AND ROLL CLASS STUDENT SAYING: "Its still far away for people in Afghanistan to accept and allow women to learn music. I always wanted to learn to play rock music and tried to learn in other courses, but there were taught by men and had all male students, so they used to harass us." There are currently 20 students enrolled at the school and organizers say that number is going up. A yearly rock festival in Kabul draws hundreds of participants proving that rock and roll is here to stay. Julie Noce, Reuters