The Armenian Weekly
Changing the Face of Armenian Music—Interview with Gor Mkhitarian
The music scene in Armenia can be paralleled to the emerging and developing identity of the country today. Struggling to preserve the essence of the past and finding a foothold in today's world are the challenges that face all aspects of the Armenian nation.
Singer-songwriter Gor Mkhitarian has characterized this status of the music scene now evolving in Armenia. He is helping to begin this next chapter in Armenia's rich musical history by blending rock, folk, and Armenian traditional music to create a distinct sound
that is both compelling and fresh. He presents the meaningful lyrics, simple arrangements, and melodies of the folk songs with a new full-bodied rejuvenation.
Known as the lead guitarist for one of Armenia's rock bands, Lav Elie, Mkhitarian started a solo career in 2001 with the release of "Yeraz," which was nominated for five music industry awards, features two acoustic guitars, percussion, and a banjo,
and more than half of Mkhitarian own songs, with re-arrangements of two traditional Armenian folk songs.
Mkhitarian's most recent release, "Godfather Tom," highlights his notable musicianship and adds new instruments to the mix as well as exciting tempo changes and artistic arrangements.
A native of Armenia's Vanazor, Mkhitarian now lives in both Vanazor and Yerevan. Some of Mkhitarians musical influences include Simon and Garfunkel, Elliot Smith, The Dave Matthews Band, Rouben Haghverdian, Bob Dylan, and Harout Bezjian.
Recently, Sossi Essajanian was able to contact the busy singer/songwriter and ask him a few questions about his work, life, and ideas about the future of the Armenian music industry. The following is her interview with Gor Mkhitarian.
Sossi Essajanian: What would you call this genre of music that you are playing?
Gor Mkhitarian: First of all, I would thank you for the interview, Sossi. Regarding your question, I never classify my music into a genre because music is what it is. However if pressed for an answer, Armenians in Haiastan like to call my music "folk-rock." To the general listening public and many Armenian Diasporans, it is considered "underground Armenian music" or simply "world music."
SE : You talk about the British rock and American folk genres as forming the basis of your songwriting. Why do you thing you were so drawn to these styles of music?
GM : My brothers have been the reason for that. About 20-30 years ago, during the Communist Era, Soviet Armenia had a great number of "illegal" American and British records. My brothers listened to very "deep underground" music such as the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple. Naturally that influenced the development of my musical taste into something very different from the mainstream taste. I'm lucky they didn't listen to Azeri music, which was very popular at the time. About 70-80 percent of the people would turn on the radio and listen to the AM frequency coming from Baku. Because Armenia was under Communism at the time, the music was force fed to us and limited choices were all that were available. So, people became comfortable with Azeri and Turkish music in Armenia and that has become the basis for much of the "Rabiz" or pop music that is so popular today.
SE : How did you come up with your album title "Godfather Tom?"
GM : First of all, the term "Godfather Tom" is an attempt at dark humor by expressing to my audience that there are good godfathers and bad godfathers. A "godfather" could be people you work for, your relatives, or your real "godfather."
Some may envision "Godfather Tom" being about the mafia in Armenia. It really doesn't really matter. However, it's about an average guy who picks up a girl who happens to be the wife or lover of his "Godfather" and he catches him in bed with her. I can't spoil the rest of the story, but it has an interesting ending. The title itself was funny and catchy, so we decided to go with it. It is a very light and comical song based on a somewhat real and somewhat fictional story. In contrast, "Yeraz," is a much darker and serious piece of work.
SE : If you had to choose one song on "Godfather Tom," which one would be the one which you like to perform the most?
GM : It would certainly be "Armenian Mirror." With a full band and played live, it is a very energetic song. However, lyrically this song means a lot to me. It's about social awareness and asking Armenians to take a good look at themselves in the mirror to see if they are as good as they claim to be. We've had a proud past, but, perhaps we need to focus on the future while not admiring our history. In short, let's not be so vain.
SE : How did you meet Raffi Meneshian who produced "Yeraz" and was the executive producer on "Godfather Tom?"
GM : I met Raffi Meneshian in Armenia through Aram Hajian. Aram, who is from Boston, is a good friend of mine and has been living and working in Armenia for the past three years. Raffi is a childhood friend of his and had come to Armenia in May of 2001 to visit Aram. Over a two week timeframe, Raffi saw me at a few shows playing electric guitar in rock bands in bars and clubs while in Yerevan.
Finally, during the end of his stay, we all got together for an outdoors khorovads feast at Kobayri, 25 minutes away from my native Vanadzor. I had taken my acoustic guitar with me for a little entertainment and started playing some simple tunes for the crowd. After I was done playing, Raffi asked me if I would consider a CD project and that's how the idea of collaboration came about. We have worked together now for almost three years.
SE : It seems like you enjoy performing live. Do you and why?
GM : I really do like performing because a great synergy is created between me and the audience. I give them my emotions, and they give me back theirs, and so on, continuously. It's good to know that they've come to hear specifically "my" music, which means that there is something they can take from me.
SE : In what direction do you see your music heading in the next year?
GM : The future continues to look bright. I am currently working on my new songs and hope to start recording some new tunes starting this summer. It's too early yet to be talking about a new recording for now, but the plans are there. I would like to collaborate with some experimental musicians, and hope something good will transpire out of it. Working with musicians with no borders who are not afraid to put their music out to the general public without worry about how "it should be," is where my frame of mind is now with regards to my new stuff.
For example, in my song "Little Boy Who Doesn't Want a Drunken Father," you may notice that at the beginning of the song, I start out with a minor chord. Toward the end of the song, the harmonica kicks in with an improvisational solo in a major blues chord against the backdrop of the minor chord. Not a big deal, but, it's different. And, we weren't afraid to take a chance. I define that as fresh.
SE : Can we get a sneak peak at your next project?
GM: For now, I am concentrating on getting the music from "Godfather Tom" out there via live performances with a touch of the new stuff mixed in. While I can't say much about the next project, in general, I can say that there are going to be rather big surprises for my listeners in store, just like the transition from the albums "Yeraz" to "Godfather Tom." I don't believe in reproducing the same sound from album to album.
SE : As for the future of Armenian music, where do you see it heading?
GM : Today's Armenian music seems to have slipped into an era of recycling previous compositions. Personally, I do not see anything new or fresh being created at this time in Armenia. Take a look at the Armenian music market nowadays—you may see most CD's labeled as "Armenian" having songs that are either rehashed folk songs or attempts at imitating Western music with "dumbed down lyrics." If this trend continues, we may not have much quality music in the near future, just a regurgitation of older music being recorded over and over again.
In my opinion, we really need fresh and progressive musicians who are capable of creating something new and intelligent songwriting and innovative arrangers. Unfortunately, there presently are too few of them in Armenia.
SE : How do you think we can preserve traditional Armenian music, at the same time moving it forward into the 21st century?
GM : Armenian traditional music is preserved regardless, for the simple reason that not much else is produced anyway.
I'd rather talk about how to move into the 21st century, while making new and fresh music. People will always listen to traditional music, so that's not something that I worry about. We just need new musicians who will experiment even with that old music and serve it as new, in a different light. I don't see huge progress right now, but I hope that it will come. I like to be optimistic.
SE : In your interview with Kohar Carapetian, you mentioned that you were working on building a studio in Armenia. How is that project going?
GM : Very slowly. But, my goal is to finish everything by the summer of 2005 in Armenia. We're only taking preparatory steps, for now. My goal is to live and work in Armenia, so I don't have to go elsewhere to do what I love to do—play music. Having a studio will give musicians like myself an opportunity to record and make their art be heard.
SE : How is the music program at schools in Armenia?
GM : We have specialized music schools in Armenia. Classical music has always been at a very high level. There has never been a shortage of specialists or programs. The only problem we have is on the technical side. The irony is that even with our high level of training and interest, the lack of musical instruments, recording gear, etc. is our biggest problem. It's a catch 22. The desire and training is there, but, the resources are not.
SE : What is the music atmosphere like in Armenia for an emerging artist?
GM : Very open, but at the same time it is tough to grab an audience. If your music is outside the mainstream circle or not folk or jazz, you have to really work at capturing a segmented audience, starting from scratch. However, as with a lot of things in Armenia, the field is wide open. All you need to do is pave your own path, and hopefully people will take notice.
SE : What advice would you give someone who is interested in pursuing a career in the music industry?
GM : They can't be just "interested." They have to thoroughly believe in themselves, and then no obstacle will stop them. We all know how difficult it is to establish oneself in the music industry, and only the aforementioned belief can take one to success.
SE : How have non-Armenians responded to your music?
GM : There has been a very positive response from non-Armenian fans and the media alike. It really started back in Armenia when I would befriend Peace Corp volunteers. Once their term ended and they went back to the US, they spread the word. When the first album "Yeraz" came out, there was a tremendous response from non-Armenians who were either former Peace Corp volunteers or their friends.
The circle grows at each show. I am happy to say that many times my non-Armenian friends have even started learning Armenian because of my songs. What could be a bigger compliment than that?
Article by Paul Chaderjian - October. 2004
Article by Gohar Galyan - June, 2004
Article by Aleksandr Gevorkyan - April, 2004
Article by Nency Kalajian - January, 2004
Interview with Ashot Tadevosian - December, 2003
Interview with Aram Hajian - October, 2001
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