An extract from the book “My incredible ‘journey’ with Ian Gillan and Tony Iommi”

Munich Security Conference (MSC) had an impressive list of speakers in February 2009. The new chair, former German Ambassador to the U.S. Wolfgang Ischinger managed to get French and Afghan presidents, the vice president of the United States Joe Biden, German chancellor, and Polish Prime Minister to participate.

Ten years ago, on 6 February 2009, I was sitting in the MSC press center with colleagues from Armenian president’s press pool, as the type of our accreditation did not allow for wandering beyond the center. A couple of hours were left before the panel titled “Managing Instability: Transcaucasian Region and Eastern Balkans”, which Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan were supposed to attend.

We were doing this and that, while waiting. I was browsing YouTube; video after video, song after song. Suddenly “Smoke on the Water” came up in the right corner of the screen, the versionn that British rock stars recorded for disaster relief after the Spitak earthquake in Armenia in 1988. I hadn’t listened to it for a long time, so I ran the song once, then again. I noticed the date – 1989, and I thought, it was 2009 then. Exactly 20 years had passed!

When we were done with the reports about the speeches of Sargsyan and Babacan, we went back to the hotel. I could not stop thinking about the 20th anniversary of Rock Aid Armenia, which I discovered by accident. The idea was not fully formed yet in my mind, but I already knew who to share it with, so I texted Vigen Sargsyan, the Assistant to Armenian president: “I have an idea I need to discuss with you. Can we meet up today?”

Vigen texted back: “Call on in an hour, let’s have beer and talk.”

I would be exaggerating if I said I had a plan ready by the time I was to see Vigen. As we drank the beer, I told him uncertainly:

“These people helped us 20 years ago. We have to express our gratitude in some way, invite them to Armenia, award them, maybe, organize a special jubilee concert.”

Vigen relied in his typical reserved manner:

“I can see you’re very eager about this, but let’s return to Yerevan first. Think it over, write down a one-page plan and send me. We will decide then.”

At that moment, Vigen did not know he was going to become one of the three people, without whom the project would not become a reality.

No sooner said than done: a few days later I sent Vigen a “roadmap”, saying we needed to find the Rock Aid Armenia organizers and through them – the rock stars.

He called me several hours later, and there was no trace of reserve left in his voice:

“I love it! I’m in! Start working on this and keep me updated.”

A project of that scale simply needed green light from the government. When I had the state support, it was time to act. The idea should cease floating around and get down to earth, become flesh and blood. There was fear, but excitement was stronger.

I sifted through everything that the web had about Rock Aid Armenia (it wasn’t much). I knew that the project was organized by an Englishman Jon Dee, who was 24 years old in 1989. I found out that a couple of years after Rock Aid Armenia he moved to Australia, where he founded Planet Ark together with Wimbledon champion Pat Cash. I did not receive an answer to any of the letters I sent to Planet Ark website with the request to share with me Jon Dee’s contacts. Two days later I found Jon on Facebook, which I did not know much about in February 2009. I created an account, figured out how things worked and sent the following message:

“Dear Mr Dee!

My name is Ara Tadevosyan, I am the Director of Armenian Mediamax news agency.

We are now implementing a project, devoted to the 20th anniversary of the Rock Aid Armenia Project that was initiated by you and I was wondering if you can provide me with your e-mail address, so I can present you the details.”

Thank God Facebook did not have the message filter option back then, because otherwise Jon could have missed my letter, as we were not friends.

Only a pal of mine, Karen, knew about that idea until then. His initial reaction was cautious.

“You have no idea how hard it’s going to be and how much time it will take.”

I replied:

“Yes, but it will make our life so much fun.”

I went for a lunch with friends after sending the message to Jon. I was so eager to get an answer, that I had a premonition that I would, and quite soon. We were waiting for the ordered food, when my hands grabbed the phone on their own. I almost dropped it when I looked at the screen and realized that I did get an answer from Jon.

“Guys, he replied!” I exclaimed.

This is what Jon wrote to me:

“Hi Ara,

I can tell you confidentially that I am currently organising a 20th anniversary remix of the 'Smoke on the Water' track and would be very interested in talking to you about this.

I have been gathering pictures and videos for a web site and am looking to release the 'Smoke on the Water' track on iTunes to raise money for Armenia and would be keen to get your feedback as to where this money would be best spent in the earthquake affected areas.

With best regards,

Jon Dee”

That was the birth of the project that changed my life drastically, a project that resulted in the opening of a new building for Musical School N5 in Gyumri in September 2013.

I tell this story and many others in the book “My incredible ‘journey with’ Ian Gillan and Tony Iommi”, which I hope I will finish writing this year, finally.

Ara Tadevosyan is Director of Mediamax