Music in all three republics continues to be dominated by those singers and musicians who are subordinate to nationalist or predominant political interests. But rock and rap bands are starting to speak out, especially in Azerbaijan link

Anyway, since both pieces, I’ve spoken to Arsen Hakobyan, a local advocate and promoter of rock music in Armenia.

Are there any bands using their music to sing about social issues in Armenia? If not, have there been?
No, there aren’t, and I don’t think there have been any, except for this all-girl punk band called Incest. They had some songs on social matters, I suppose. Their leader, Tsomak is now involved in activities supporting lgbt and feminist rights and also plays in a band called Inad. Not sure what they sing about, though.
Despite the problems with closed borders, is it possible to think in terms of a Caucasus market for rock music?
I don’t think so, it’s too small and undeveloped and it doesn’t get much interest and attention to be called a market. Another reason is that till recently there was not much awareness and interaction between the countries and the whole rock/metal scene in the region has been disjointed for years.
How do you view the state of rock music in the South Caucasus?
Deep underground, but getting better and more powerful by the day, which I tie to the social, economical and media improvements in the countries of the region. Now that many people’s mind are not solely devoted to the ways of fetching food, they can start playing. Another good thing is that recently we have started to make cultural ties with surrounding countries, Georgia, Iran, Turkey, having their bands play here or the other way around. Being united and working together is the quickest and the most natural way of developing the scene in the region as a whole.
What are the obstacles to the development of rock music in the region?
It’s all obstacles. Not enough people appreciating and respecting the genre, thus a little audience and scarcely filled concert halls, no sponsoring and support by those higher up, refusal of public TV companies to promote anything but armenian and mainstream music, public opinion that rock music is immoral and evil.
There’s the problem with finding rehearsal rooms and paying for them. There’s also the lack of equipment and instruments at decent prices for the musicians. There is no one to teach you what to do or even guide you in making music, playing music or recording it, whatever you do you do it by yourself, often reinventing the wheel over and over again.
There are no major bands touring to this region, and nobody wants to invite a band from here to play abroad. Not because they don’t want to play here or our bands are worse then what they have, but only because we’re too far from Europe and it makes no sense financially. And since there’s no way of digging a tunnel to Europe we must start building the scene right here, so that it spreads until it reaches Europe.
And to build a scene and get rid of the most of the aforementioned obstacles we must make rock music more accessable, popular and in demand.

Rock is spoken from Dalga (Wave) idea.
Dalga-freedom wave…
Dalga-free individual…
Dalga-responsible citizen…
Dalga-without fight victory…

The song can be downloaded at:
http://www.boxca.com/3ykwfxom42bn/Qara_Dervish_-_Dalga.mp3.html

It’s like a lullaby to Azerbaijan. “lay lay” is how lullabies start (like the rocking motion, i guess.) so every line starts with “lay lay,” saying:
Lay lay, my Azerbaijan… Lay lay, my homeland, my motherland… Lay lay, my people, my poor folk, lay lay, close your eyes – sweet dreams to you.
Sleep, sleep your worried, dreamy head, my people – sleep as long as there is no one to turn the light on for you; as long as there is no power behind your words. Sleep as long as you like… […] But my people – my people who beat their hands against their heart; my people who leave everything to tomorrow; my people who love Karabakh while love is still only expressed by words… While bribes are still given without thought. My people who only complain in their sleep, in their dreams. We are only a people in our sleep.
But hush now, the people are sleeping.
etc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQYXLdY8UbM
Anyway, impressive socially and politically conscious rap scene. To date I have not seen or heard anything like it in Armenia. Hopefully, as with an impressive youth movement in Azerbaijan, this could serve as an inspiration for their counterparts here.
It’s certainly what I’d expect from a society trying to push itself forwards.
P.S. As an aside, but connected to music, Leyla’s name is, yes, the same as Eric Clapton’s Layla. It comes from a book, Layla and Majnun, which was the inspiration for the song. More on one of my old blogs.
http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2005/08/30/eric-clapton-leyla-and-an-azeri-tale/