Armenian rock

Armenian Rock
Stylistic origins	Hard rock,Heavy metal,Folk rock,rock and roll,British Invasion,Progressive rock
Cultural origins	Mid 1960s,Soviet Armenia
Other topics
Armenian Jazz–Armenian music–Soviet music–Russian rock

Armenian rockdescribes a wide variety of forms ofrock musicmade inArmeniaor by artists of Armenian descent.

Among the most recognized groups of Soviet era wereArthur Meschian's "Arakyalner", "1+2", "Kaleidoscope", and "Bliki". Following the loosening of state control in the early 1980s, a number of Armenian rock bands gained followers inWestern Europe,such asAsparezandAyas.Asparez was the only Armenian rock act to release an LP on the iconic Soviet labelMelodiya.The bandsTarerk,Tessilk,36.6andMaximumhad strong followings at home.

History

Soviet Era

Rock was greatly restricted for most of the period Armenia was underSovietrule, being viewed by theCPSUas a Westernanti-socialistinfluence. Yet, by the early 1970s, there were a range of popular bands in the capital city ofYerevanstrong enough to compete with their Soviet counterparts -Arthur Meschian's "Arakyalner", "1+2", "Kaleidoscope" and "Bliki".

By the eighties, combining Armenian folk music with rock, the Armenian folk-rock groups were founded with notable, and popular even in 2000's, representatives -Bambir,founded 1978 inLeninakanandVostan Hayots,founded in 1986 in Yerevan. In 1982Bambirwon the "Folk Music Award" at the International Festival in Lida,Belarus.Other more obscure groups were also founded in the same time period likeZartonga short-lived Armenian folk group from France.

As the Soviet rock scene grew larger in the late 1980s, bands like Asparez and Ayas attracted international audiences due to the new popularity oforiental rockthese two bands were among original contributors, that was described first time inMelodie und Rhythmusmagazine.Ayaswas formed in 1986 by aconservatorygraduate Artur Mitinyan, and a year later wonBest Song of the Yearaward at Yerevan's "Rock, Rock, Rock Festival". Later they won the "Sisian Rock Festival" award as well.Elipswas another important band of the era formed in 1986. In summer 1986 “Elips” went on tour to Latvia, where they played together with a Riga-based group “Pilligrim”. Simultaneously with the fame, the group gained the hatred of the Soviet Communist party nomenclature and was prohibited as an anti-Soviet group. Their most popular song - "Patkeratsrek" (Imagine) remains as one of the hymns of Armenian rock.

Post-Soviet Era

In the early 1990s, an Armenianprogressive rockscene developed. Dumbarton Oaks was one of the first bands trying to combine rock with classical music, an example of this is "Once Upon a Time There Lived a Cadence". The psychedelic side ofprog-rockwas represented in the much heavier works of MDP. Though only in the 2000sArtsruniandOaksenhamreleased their albums with the leading French label, Musea,being the pioneers among local bands releasing albums beyond sentimental market. Both bands boast presence of their albums oniTunesand Allmusic.Other popular Armenian rock bands of this era includedBreeze,Ambehr,The Kings' Cross,Alter Ego,IFbyHayk F. Gyolchanyan,Lav Eli andEmpyray.Beerdingungs Lauten was the only representative ofgrindcorestyle. Former "Lav Eli" guitaristGor Mkhitarianis currently involved with thefolk rockscene in the United States regularly releasing his albums there.

A notable example is Deti Picaso a Russia-based folk prog-band consisted of mostly Armenians was noticed and appreciated in Armeniaand revived interest towards folk music.

In the same early 1990s the Armenian rock bands got to have a fanzine -Mark's Gazette, self-published byArman Padaryan(aka Mark) for the next 10 years.

Expatriate Armenian rock

Expatriate Armenian rock musicians in the US during the 1990s were few, with fewer venues for them to perform. Tigran Mousoian, president of The Armenian Musicians & Artists Center, had organized two festivals in Yerevan, and then planned Armenian Rock Festival inGlendale, California.

Audience in Armenia

The audience in Armenia remains exceedingly small for local rock groups,playing in local clubs inYerevanandGyumri.Although "SARD", "Bambir 2", "Vordan Karmir", "Reincarnation" and speed-metal band Aramazd started to receive media attention, especially after their videos were televised nationally. "Roxygeen" was heading the scene of cover-bands, while STRYFE and Sworn are prog-metal bands. The revived MDP andOaksenhamin addition to Bambir 2, Blood Covenant, STRYFE, Sworn andEmpyrayled the vanguard of quality made native rock in the newmillennium. Arthur Meschian had sold-out concerts in Yerevan Opera Theatre andComplex Sports and Concerts Complex. Also the most popularalternative rockband in the world fromArmeniaisThe Beautified Project.The band has played concerts inArmenia,UK,Austria,Germany,France,RussiaandGeorgia.

Music awards

Since 2004 International Armenian Music Awardannounces winners in various rock categories. Among laureates and nominees there were Bambir 2, Empyray, Oaksenham, Hexen, Gor Mkhitaryan,Red Snowand others. In 2009 Lebanese Armenian, Eileen Khatchadourian's albumMidanreceived the award of the Best Rock Album of the year. Another ceremony is Armenia's National Music Awardsshowcase of the Armenian Television 1st Channel,which claims best performers of the year in Armenia. At the 6th ceremony, which took place on March 27, 2010, the best rock group was announcedDorians,a group featuring a singer Gor Sujyan.

Unfortunately both awards has not gained authority, and are often boycotted by more intransigent Armenian rock musicians.

Rock festivals

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, festivals organized by the ACCEA (Armenian Center for Contemporary Experimental Art) signaled a rebirth of the Armenian rock music scene, with many new bands and musicians coming from the heartland region ofVanadzor.Among the most popular bands at that time there were "Vostan Hayots", "Angels", and punk rockers "Ass Kissers". There was a splash of interest in very heavy acts such as "Beerdigungs Läuten" playing quality grindcore metal.

In September 2007Rock4Peacefestival concerts organized with participation of Germans fromKultur Aktiv e.V.and Vibrographus were held in Yerevan, Gyumri andStepanakert. The reunion of Ayas took place after the meeting of the band's core musicians in Moscow, whilst Vostan Hayots continued irregularly appear with club concerts in Yerevan. Armenian rock started to live another wave of revival and yet local rock music does not have an industrial sense, though Armenian rock musicians started to participate in the commercially and politically biased projects such as two "Rock-and-Dram" festivals were held, on April 13 and November 23, 2007.

Tigran Mousoian, president of The Armenian Musicians & Artists Center, organized two festivals in Yerevan, and planned Armenian Rock Festival inGlendale, California.

Concerts by outside groups

A range of top-class concerts featuring legendary rock groups has been organized in Armenia by Vibrgraphus in 2009 and 2010 including visits ofJethro Tull,Uriah Heep,John McLaughlinandDeep Purple.

Other activity

Harutyun Ayvazyan (Artyom) was the first Armenian journalist, who published a rock encyclopedia in St. Petersburg in Russian language at Avgust Publishing House. The rock groupVarafeatures an Armenianlead singer.