In the summer of 1989, rock-stars gathered at London Metropolis Studios to record all-star version of Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water” hit to help Armenia after the Spitak earthquake (1988). 

The recording, organized by the charity project Rock Aid Armenia, involved members of Queen, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Rush, Yes, Iron Maiden, ELP, Free and Bryan Adams.

Mediamax presents the special project dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Rock Aid Armenia to reveal previously undisclosed details. The project is implemented with support from the British Council in Armenia.

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On 5 June 2019, Yerevan will host a gala night to mark the 30th anniversary of Rock Aid Armenia. Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan, Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi and organizer of Rock Aid Armenia Jon Dee will attend the gala. The visit and celebration of the anniversary are organized by Mediamax Media Company and DoSomething (Australia).

The sponsor of Rock Aid Armenia’s 30th anniversary celebrations and the rock stars’ visit is IDBank. Koor Wines is the partner of the event.

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Russian paper Komsomolskaya Pravda covered Rock Aid Armenia in the article “Rock and Mercy”, published on November 19, 1989. You can read it below.

“A note appears on two screens: “On December 7, 1988, at 11:41 local time, Richter magnitude scale 6.9-point earthquake took place in the Northern part of Armenia… 

Houses razed to the ground, heaps of ruins, faces full of suffering and grief. Mournful chronicles of the tragedy… and suddenly, sounds of music can be heard from the darkness. Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple is on.

This is the presentation of “Rock Aid Armenia” album at London Metropolis Studios. Famous singers and musicians are on the screen. 

Here is Ian Gillan, the first to perform “Smoke on the Water”, holding the microphone. Then comes Brian May from Queen, one of the leading guitarists in the world. Then, more and more stars come up: guitarists Dave Gilmour from Pink Floyd, Tony Iommi from Black Sabbath, Keith Emerson from Emerson, Lake & Palmer… “Live Aid Armenia” organization, founded by Jon Dee, is realizing the Rock Aid Armenia project. 

Besides the single with the record of two songs (the second one is Paranoid by Black Sabbath), it will also issue an LP disk of famous bands and a video tape with fragments of concerts by the most popular bands in the West. All these records were provided to “Live Aid Armenia” free of charge.

“We have gathered the best of the best, not only musicians, but also professionals: lawyers, consultants, all to raise as much funding as possible,” Jon Dee stated at the news conference. “Our sponsor, Harp Dagger, donated USD 150,000. There is not a single album for sale yet, but we already have orders worth USD 250,000.”

Only after the news conference, we, journalists from the Soviet Union, got the chance to talk to the stars tête-à-tête.

Ian Gillan at the Rock Aid Armenia recording session

Photo: Michael Putland/Rock Aid Armenia

Our first interlocutor was Ian Gillan. A millionaire, an idol, he was dressed in a simple shirt, tapered leg trousers, and sneakers that looked just like Soviet ones.

“I believe it is a great idea to help the Armenian people,” Gillan said. “Besides, it is always interesting to work with the likes of top musicians who participated in the recording of the album. In general, the matter is not money. We live in a surprising period. The barriers and obstacles collapse. Now we need more understanding, more humanity. And music is what can help here. Music, as I understand, rises above language, cultural and national barriers that separate people.”

“Why did you choose “Smoke on the Water” for the record?”

“This song was created under the impressions from a catastrophe, a strong fire. It was welcomed with a triumph. We would like success to accompany now the Armenian people as well.”

Gillan also revealed he was going to give guest performances in the Soviet Union soon.

Keith Emerson knows first-hand what an earthquake is. He was in San Francisco, when there was trouble.

“It is really scary. God forbid anyone to experience anything of that kind…”

Just like his colleague, Keith does not mind to visit our country either. 

“With great pleasure I would accept such a proposal,” he admitted. 

That is strange. Stars want to visit us, but only second-rate bands actually come…

Jon Dee told us about how the idea of organizing a campaign to collect means to help Armenia was born: 

“After the direct satellite report from Armenia was broadcasted in the USA, I realized: on the one hand, people are shocked by the tragedy in Armenia, andon the other, they do not fully realize the volumes of this disaster. At that time I had been involved in philanthropic activities for already five years and I decided that we should help. We are not going to stop at what has been accomplished. We have plans to record another album next year. The means from the album will be spend to help Armenia. In general, we want to render such assistance constantly.”

Jon Dee

 

“Will the singers receive anything for that?”

“Absolutely nothing; everything is done without any compensation. Now we are in the process of talks with Soviet representatives and we hope that “Rock Aid Armenia” will be issued in your country.”

Black Sabbath also intended to make guest performances in Moscow and Leningrad.

The band’s leading guitarist Tony Iommi said: “I am ready to do everything possible to help Armenia.”

“Are you going to visit Armenia?”

“I would very much like to do that. By the way, we have already discussed the issue with Gillan.”

David Gilmour at the Rock Aid Armenia recording session

Photo: Michael Putland/Rock Aid Armenia

Dave Gilmour, whose art the Soviet fans of Pink Floyd could witness with their own eyes this year, said in response to the question on why he participated in recording of “Rock Aid Armenia” album:

“My stance is the following: if there is any helpful thing one can do, one should necessarily participate in it. This was the case. Aid for the Armenian people was a holy matter. I have a few friends from Armenia, who now live in England. And when people asked me if I was going to participate in album recording, I said: of course.”

And in conclusion, Sam Johns, anchor of “Grandma’s Trunk” program in the Russian service of BBC, said:

“On November 30, Ian Gillan and Dave Gilmor will visit our studio to directly talk to the Soviet audience on the radio. At the same time, we will establish connection with Black Sabbath band, which at that moment will be performing in Leningrad. The one, who manages to call to the London studio of BBC that evening, will get “Rock Aid Armenia” album with the signatures of all participants. We hope that representatives from Armenia will also participate in the program.”

A. Biryukov, A. Sisnev, TASS correspondents for Komsomolskaya Pravda

Rock Aid Armenia special project is supported by the British Council