Quoting from their own music video “Breakout the Violins”…
“Ladies and gentle peoples you won’t believe your ears, for tonight we have for you a magical, spectacular performance and sound from the many many many different corners of the world.. it is my pleasure to introduce to you the ONE, the ONLY…VISA…”
(Here is the link to the video, I couldn’t embed it because it didn’t look good on my layout)
Almost half a year ago I’ve been given the link to a website for a Los Angeles based Armenian rock band called “VISA”. Most probably I wouldn’t here about the band if one of the members of the band wasn’t the cousin of the person who gave me the name.
Back then I visited the website (VISA), I’ve listened to some of their music and I admired the band, I even re-played some of their songs (which is what I do when I like a song).
Then time passed and I forgot about Visa and about the re-plays.. but today while I was surfing through my music and youtube I suddenly remembered about this band I’ve been told back then, but I didn’t remember the name. After almost 20 minutes of search I actually did it (like always); I found the name of the band, their website and their music on youtube… and I was happy, I started to listen to every each of their music that are uploaded to youtube, I even re-played :).
But I was wondering why it wasn’t easy for me to find their music, why anybody else around me won’t know about them?
I think it’s a huge problem, because the people who indeed play good music, specially the ones who are on the other side of the ocean, aren’t fairly known here in Armenia, while the ones who give us complete trash yet spend a lot of money actually get to have “fans”…
And I realized that everyone of us has to introduce bands and musicians who are not known here to the others so the people could have the chance to listen to good music and have the chance to make a choice about what they REALLY want to listen.. and not become fans to who the media tells us to become…
Here’s their Bio.
“K’noup – Vocals, 12 String Guitar
Jivan Gasparyan Jr. – Duduk, Zurna
Orbel Babayan – Electric Guitar, Tar, Saz, Vox
Shant Bismejian – Electric Guitar
Andrew Kzirian – Oud
Alex Khatcherian – Bass
Suguru Onaka – Keyboards, Accordian
Chris Daniel – Percussion
Hiram Rosario – Drums
In 2002, members of the band Neurobox, K’noup, and Hiram left New York City due to the stagnant music scene after 9/11. Destiny led them to Los Angeles where Visa was born in 2005. Visa’s grown into a nine-member, global rock phenomena. K’noup is the mastermind and the voice of Visa. His David Bowie like voice is complimented by the sexy drifts of the duduk. Played by the world famous Djivan Gasparyan’s grandson, the duduk is an ancient flute that intensifies and deepens the band’s progressive arrangements. While the percussion and drums create a dramatic and passionate beat.
Visa is an audio passport that integrates differing cultural rhythms with modern rock experimentation. In the De Facto and Eros albums, the music is pervaded by sonorities taken from Arabic, Armenian and Greek traditions blended with elements of rock and dance. In the upcoming album Made in Chernobyl , Russian and Eastern European styles and themes take center stage. K’noup’s original compositions resonate the sounds of past generations taking life in current times. Each band member’s distinct cultural roots and differing musical tastes weave the multi-ethnic sounds. The results are hip shaking and head banging music that is pure pleasure.“
I’m not telling that` what visa gives us is perfection.. but what they play is really good music that everyone of us could enjoy..