About Me
"THE NEWS" was the "BEST ARMENIAN ROCK BAND IN THE 1970'S DECADE"!
They were also known as "THE BEST ROCK BAND IN LEBANON and the entire MIDDLE EAST"...
They had contract offers from over 4 major record labels!
"THE NEWS" also had an offer from legendary Drummer "GINGER BAKER" of "CREAM"
to record for them in his EMI studios in Nigeria.
This site is under construction...So STAY TUNED!!!
THE NEWS was basically the only Armenian band that
played with the legends of British rock when the legends were being created. They were right in the middle of it all. In England THE NEWS played on the same stages and on the same nights with most of the following legends of British rock, and same clubs, different nights with a few others, including a few American bands...
They shared the stages with ARGENT/ ATOMIC ROOSTER/ U.F.O./ GENESIS/ FREE/ HAWKWIND/ JUSAS PRIEST/ KING CRIMSON/ LED ZEPPELIN/ MOTT THE HOOPLE/ NAZARETH/ JUICY LUCY/ PRETTY THINGS/ PROCOL HARUM/ YES/ ROXY MUSIC/ RORY GALLAGHER/ SLADE/ T-REX/ THIN LIZZY/ TEN YEARS AFTER/ URIAH HEEP/ WARHORSE/ THE WHO/ WISHBONE ASH/ ALEXIS KORNER/ ALICE COOPER/ ARMADA/ BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST/ BEE GEES/ BLACK SABBATH/ COLOSSEUM/ CURVED AIR/ DAVID BOWIE/ DEEP PURPLE/ EDGAR BROUGHTON BAND/ FAMILY/ FLEETWOOD MAC/ HUMBLE PIE/ JETHRO TULL/ JOHN MAYALL/ PETER GREEN/ PHIL COLLINS/ PINK FLOYD/ SLADE/ STATUS QUO/ SPOOKY TOOTH ETC...
Imagine this...LEBANON in the 1950's, 60's and 70's, a Paradise to live in,
Former French colony, Cosmopolitan and a Magnet for American and European tourists. A country which produced stars such as (singer "PAUL ANKA"), (actor "DANNY THOMAS"), ("KASEY CASEM", from American Top Twenty Show), ("GEORGINA RIZK", Miss Universe 1971), ("SAMIR BANNOUT", Mr.Olympia 1983), ("GIBRAN KHALIL GIBRAN", World famous Artist, Poet, Writer), (Composers, The Legendary RAHBANI BROTHERS), (the Legendary singer FAIROUZ), and the Legendary singer ("WADI3 AL SAFI"). The city of BEIRUT called by many "THE PARIS OF THE MIDDLE EAST" and LEBANON "THE SWITZERLAND OF THE MIDDLE EAST". During The BRITISH ROCK INVASION of the 60's, rock bands were also flourishing in this beautiful country called LEBANON.
One of these bands was "THE NEWS" who wanted to take success where no one in their country has taken it before, thus paving the way for many other talented great musicians to come from that tiny country, including some of the members of Grammy winning band SYSTEM OF A DOWN, who's parents
were musicians and have played with former members of THE NEWS.
.....................In the late 60's in Beirut, a couple of Armenian kids in their early teens, JOHN TASLAKIAN and ARA HAJIAN formed a band called "THE MONCKS", a few months later they joined forces with two Armenian members of another local band called "THE LAWYERS", MIKE POSTIAN and JACK TAMOUKIAN.
This new band was called "THE NEWS".
All the band members were lead singers as well as played many instruments, they all did vocal harmonies. They wrote all their original songs. Unlike weekend musicians, they took music very very seriously, they played day and night every single day for years and years. They became popular on three continents(Europe, Africa and the Middle East) before video cameras existed and before the age of the internet. They were simply given the name "THE BEST ROCK BAND IN LEBANON AND THE ENTIRE MIDDLE-EAST", they were also called "THE BEST ARMENIAN ROCK BAND IN THE 1970'S DECADE"!From 1968-1969 they had many 1 songs as well as many hit songs on the Beirut Top 20 charts that were played on the radios, starting with very melodic pop love songs such as "BABY YOU'RE ONLY MINE"(sung by MIKE POSTIAN), "I MISS YOU"(MIKE POSTIAN), "IT'S YOU AGAIN"(MIKE POSTIAN), then other Psychedelic songs followed such as "TODAY-TODAY" and "TAKE ME"(sung by JACK TAMOUKIAN), and in 1969 an Apollo 11 tribute song called "WE COME FROM THE MOON"(all 2 lines sung by all four).
Later on their style changed again with the times and they had five more hits with a melodic Hard-Rock love songs such as "I DON'T WANT YOU"(sung by JOHN TASLAKIAN), "IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME"(MIKE POSTIAN), "I CAN LOVE YOU"(JOHN TASLAKAIN), "RUNNING HORSE"(instrumental), and their biggest hit "TEARDROPS"(MIKE POSTIAN).
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There were also many other songs like "BABY YOU'VE GOT TO KNOW", and "HAPPINESS IS YOUR LOVE", and the first 1970 version of "I DON'T WANT YOU" all(sung by ARA HAJIAN). There were also some great PROGRESSIVE HARD-ROCK songs recorded in PARIS, songs like "DEAD MAN" sung by(JOHN TASLAKIAN), "ARMENIA", URMIA LAKE", "MASSACRE 1915"(Instrumental) and one of the best songs called "MIGHT IS RIGHT"(sung by JACK TAMOUKIAN).
During 1968-1969 they toured all across the Middle East and Africa. In 1970-71 they toured Europe concentrating on ENGLAND. They played at the most prestigeous clubs and performed at open air concerts for thousands of people in England, clubs like "THE MARQUE", "THE STAIRCASE", "THE TEMPLE", "THE COUNTRY CLUB", "THE HATCHETS", "THE DOCHESTER HOTEL", "THE ROUNDHOUSE", "THE LYCEUM", "THE PALLADIUM", open air concerts like "BATTERSEA PARK" and others, as well as The Universities of "OXFORT" and "CAMBRIDGE".
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"THE NEWS" played on the same stages and on the same nights with some of the best bands at the time, bands
like "UFO", "GENESIS", "HAWKWIND", "JUICY LUCY", "WARHORSE", "ARGENT", "ATOMIC ROOSTER", "SPOOKY TOOTH", "ALEXIS KORNER" and many others. They also had an encounter with Legendary drummer "GINGER BAKER" of "CREAM".
Their last and biggest concert in ENGLAND was at "BATTERSEA PARK" in London with four other bands, headlining at the time was "JUICY LUCY". This was a charity concert organized by the (B.B.C.) for some 300,000. starving people in Biafra, Nigeria. THE NEWS played their original music which was a "HEAVY PROGRESSIVE-ROCK mixed with ARMENIAN TRADITIONAL FOLK MUSIC, they also used ARMENIAN INSTRUMENTS which quite puzzled, entertained and exhilarated the thousands of British fans. During that concert Ara played the Armenian drums("DAVOUL") & used a metalic ("LEBANESE COFFEE GRINGER") as drums to the tunes of Armenian music. During an interview, when ARA HAJIAN the drummer was asked..."what was one of your most memorable moments as a musician"? he replied "The exhilarated roars of the thousands of fans, this great communication between musician and audience".
______________________________________________________In 1971 and 1972 when THE NEWS returned from a tour, they were given THE ROYAL welcome by large masses of fans at Beirut airport who greeted them with posters and flowers, and took them on a limousine ride around Beirut just like they would a football team who won the countries championship or just like they did with GEORGINA RIZK when she won the miss Universe pagent.
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In May 1972 THE NEWS gave their biggest concert in Beirut at the prestigeous "PHOENICIA HOTEL" where some 4,5 other bands opened up for them. On stage they were presented to the audience by the 1 composer in LEBANON Mr. ELIAS RAHBANI. THE NEWS ended up playing twice as long that night due to the encore of the fans. Mr. RAHBANI also recorded with THE NEWS with a full orchestra composed of about 30 musicians.
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THE NEWS were offered contracts by many record labels including "SARAVAH" records, "POLYDOR", "EMI" and "DECCA" records...yes
DECCA records who years earlier refused to sign THE BEATLES! During those times THE NEWS were struggling financially and also taking care of their families overseas, always having Visa problems. During the DECCA record period the drummer ARA HAJIAN'S
father passed away and ARA himself became very ill. THE NEWS tried to salvage the deal by hiring an English drummer on a short notice, but you cannot replace 4 musicians who grew up together, had a strong musical chemistry and could almost read each others minds musically, to suddenly adjust to a new drummer within weeks, so the entire band returned to LEBANON with ARA.
After the 1972 PHOENICIA hotel concert ARA's health did not improve, THE NEWS were inwardly and psychlogically devastated and as JOHN TASLAKIAN put it "the band imploded in the embrio" and in their own minds this could have been the end of the band.
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Drummer AVO KAYAYAN to the rescue! THE NEWS manager BERJ DAKESSIAN, who was also the manager of the cover band "THE DREAM"(Vache's band), asked AVO KAYAYAN to join THE NEWS so that they may complete their tours. AVO accepted and became the new drummer of THE NEWS from 1972-1975.
AVO had a lot of experience in the studio and had worked with ELIAS RAHBANI. He also played the "LEBANESE DERBAKKE". He was a total PROFESSIONAL and a real nice person. Although AVO was a great drummer and had a unique "power beat"
rich sounding drum beat and a few other "secret" recipies for drumming(Anything he played sounded Hard Rock)...THE NEWS sometimes made him feel like he was NOT one of the original four. AVO KAYAYAN did save THE NEWS from breaking up and recorded 4 songs on the album "Old wine , new bottles" with them and his 4 songs that he recorded remain some of the most popular songs in peoples minds until today("TEARDROPS"), the version you are hearing right now,("I DON'T WANT YOU"), ("IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME") and ("I CAN LOVE YOU"), not to mention a demo instrumental named("RUNNING HORSE").
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One of THE NEWS happiest moments was when they were playing live in NIGERIA and GINGER BAKER( the legendary drummer of CREEM) walked in with a female friend, all dirty, dusty from a rally(Landrover racing in the desert). GINGER liked THE NEWS music very much and they invited him to their apartment after the show to clean up and for some ENGLISH TEA until next morning. GINGER offered the NEWS to come to his EMI studios in Nigeria to record on 24 tracks since THE NEWS recorded on less tracks.
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"THE NEWS" used to make a lot of fashion statements...they used to go to clothing stores and buy unusual clothes and even designed their own clothes which seemed odd to the fashion stores, however they were simply very creative, came up with thier own fashion styles, they wore clothes which no one else wore, they did not look like any other band...as we can see in some of their pictures...
So, since they were that good, creative, unique, had all the breaks, the labels...Were decades ahead of their time...WHAT HAPPENED???
Well with all that good luck they also had some bad luck. Although they were very talented musicians, they were 15-16 years old when they started, and business wise they were inexperienced, immature, specially JOHN TASLAKIAN the leader of the band, a gentle person but a control freak where most dicisions had to go through him. They had a lot of disagreements among themselves, so they blew a few opportunities. The three biggest blows came when 1)- ARA got sick in 1971 suffering from the "Syd Barrett Flu"and so they blew a MAJOR RECORD LABEL contract. 2)-when the legend GINGER BAKER of CREEM offered to record for them in 1973 JOHN TASLAKIAN refused(again John's judgement being distorted by his immaturity and his sense of losing control of a situation, a weak spot JOHN displayed over & over again missing many GOD given opportunities for major success). 3)-They should have gone back to ENGLAND again in 1974-75 to finally explode into world popularity, the 15 year LEBANESE civil war started, shattering many lives and dreams and changing everything. Their career direction was de-railed against their will and the only thing they were thinking about was their survival, both physically and financially and the well being of their families.
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After AVO KAYAYAN left the band in 1975, THE NEWS never recorded again as a group...however because of their popular name they were still in demand
and had many contracts to perform all over the Middle East until 1979.
They started to perform both their ORIGINAL songs and COVERS...
That's when the original members started leaving the band one by one, and it was downhill after that.
From 1975-76 they hired a new drummer by the name of ("KOKO MILOYAN") from a cover band called "PEACE BLIND" (as a session player, who never recorded)and some other musicians, including the popular Armenian singer ("VACHE" from the cover band called "THE DREAM"),
who played Bass Guitar for them for a few months. By 1979 only MIKE POSTIAN remained from the original members.
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In 1979, with civil wars all over the Middle East, THE NEWS broke up and went to the United States, France, England and Australia.
THE NEWS gave us about a dozen SINGLES, TWO ALBUMS and a third album full of Original HARD ROCK/METAL songs(in those days they used to call it UNDERGROUND music), which were never recorded but were played in concerts.
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"They were the only all Armenian Rock band before SYSTEM OF A DOWN to
take rock to higher levels(1968-1979), thus paving the way for all the new generation of Armenian rockers to come", specially under very hard, Rock-n-Roll unfriendly conditions in a place like the Middle East. Specially if you want to succeed in ROCK MUSIC you have to live in a place like ENGLAND or THE UNITED STATES.
After all which Armenian bands can claim that they COMPETED & PLAYED with many LEGENDS OF BRITISH ROCK on the same stages and the same nights, and which Armenian bands can claim that they were welcomed at the airport by masses of fans(almost like The Beatles), and then paraded around the city in limos like heroes?
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW ???
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JOHN TASLAKIAN lives in France(Arist, Drafter, Engineer)...One of the founding members of THE NEWS. after 20 years of absence from music, he returned to it around 1998 as Lead singer and guitarist of the French band called "WANTED". Recorded 1) A "Tribute album" to the great Legends of Hard Rock(DEEP PURPLE, LED ZEPPELIN, BLACK SABBATH and AC/DC), 2) Sang and played guitar on one Original album which he wrote. (Personality traits: John is shy, hides a lot inside himself, he is known to constantly change his telephone number(A gentle paranoid person who sometimes shows signs as if he is scared of success), but when he comes out of his shell...he is a brilliant Songwriter, Guitarist, Flutist, Organist, Harmonica player, Composer, Arranger.
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MIKE POSTIAN lives in Southern California and is into the real estate business. He never stopped playing keyboards and singing. He performs for weddings and parties a few times a month. During his career with THE NEWS he sang a lot of the songs since his voice went to any range. Lately when asked about the difference between his voice back then and now, he replied..."My voice is deeper now". Although when on stage he doesn't seem animated much, however he can excite audiences into a frenzy. MIKE is one of the founding members of the band. Plays keyboards, rhythm guitar, bass pedal, sings and does vocal harmonies. Highly professional musician.
==============================================JACK TAMOUKIAN after living in Australia and Southern California sadly passed away in 2000 at an early age(He ran his own business, he also formed a few bands in Australia and Southern California, including a SOUL band).(Personality traits: JACK was a very nice person, he loved SOUL singers like OTIS REDDING, had great imagination and creativity. The force that glued THE NEWS together, A brilliant Bass player and brilliant singer with "soul". His voice went straight into your heart. JACK also played rhythm guitar. JACK was one of the founding members. Everybody who met him say that he was a highly professional musician and a great, nice, kind person).
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ARA HAJIAN lives in both Southern California and Sweden(runs his own business)...He was the most PROGRESSIVE of "THE news". After THE NEWS he played and toured with a Scandinavian band called "MANY-IS-3" and another band called "MUSTACHE" in the early 80's where ARA was the drummer and main songwriter. After an absence of about 15 years from music, he is back rehearsing drums in Sweden.(Personality traits: He is a deep person, he loves "soul" singers like JAMES BROWN and bands like CREED, however his main influences were musicians like JIMI HENDRIX and JIM MORRISON of the DOORS. ARA is one of the founding members. At the peak of their career in England ARA was the drummer for about 6 years. When THE NEWS first arrived in England ARA was the one who made all the right connections, meeting people like HENRY HADAWAY as well as booking clubs to play with famous English acts. He is highly professional, and hates Bullshit and bullshiters.
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AVEDIS KAYAYAN(second drummer), lives in Liverpool, England(has his own successful hair salon)...After THE NEWS he was in a couple of bands like "CAPRICORN" and in England the "PHIL ELIOT BAND". He played drums, percussions, "Derbakee"(the Lebanese drums) and sang in Armenian, Lebanese and other international languages with his "Capricorn" band. He has stopped playing for 10 years now, but says that music is always in his blood, like a drug, and when a good opportunity arrises he will play drums again in a heartbeat. Avo played drums on THE NEWS album "OLD WINE NEW BOTTLES". In fact the whole album was recorded by, from left to right... (AVO KAYAYAN),(MIKE POSTIAN) & (JOHN TASLAKIAN)only...without the bass player JACK who left the band for a few years to get married). On the CD, Bass was played by JOHN, while during concerts by MIKE(foot pedal). Also about 3 of the songs were performed by THE NEWS accompanied by ELIAS RAHBANI with his 30 piece orchestra. Personality traits of AVEDIS KAYAYAN: nice guy, honest and helps people...when it comes to performing, highly professional).
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..Below, some of "THE NEWS" friends...including (MISS UNIVERSE "GEORGINA RIZK")...
...Below, legendary drummer of "CREEM", "GINGER BAKER", who saw THE NEWS perform in Nigeria. THE NEWS invited GINGER to their apartment where they talked business until next day without sleep.
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Above...Legendary drummer of "CREEM", GINGER BAKER, one of the more recent photos.
Below...The Number one composer of LEBANON, "MR. ELIAS RAHBANI", who recorded a few songs for "THE NEWS" with his 30 piece orchestra.
Below..."THE NEWS" also worked with the number one recording engineer in LEBANON. "MR. NABIL MUMTAZ", who recorded for some of the best Lebanese, European and American recording artists.
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Above the legendary Lebanese singer and one of the true voices of LEBANON, "FAIRUZ" in concert at BEITEDDINE palace.
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One of the people THE NEWS admire,
World renounded LEBANESE writer/poet Mr. GIBRAN KHALIL GIBRAN.
Above...HENRY HADAWAY as touring agent of THE NEWS. HENRY is the managing director of Hadaway Organization, (one of UK's major independent music companies of today)."THE NEWS" RECORDED IN PARIS IN THE EARLY 70'S. THEY ALSO PLAYED IN CLUBS LIKE THE "GIBUS" CLUB IN PARIS.
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Below...In concert at "THE LYCEUM", with some great bands, like (U.F.O.), (SATISFACTION), (WARHORSE), and other clubs with (SPOOKY TOOTH), (HAWKWIND), and many other British bands...LONDON, UK.
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British band "JUICY LUCY" at Battersea park with "THE NEWS",(London 1971).
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Above...Another great band THE NEWS played with in the early 1970's was ("ATOMIC ROOSTER").
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..."THE NEWS" were getting some great breaks, they played at the prestigeous "MARQUE" with the band "ARGENT" with Legendary keyboard player "ROD ARGENT"...remember the song "HOLD YOUR HEAD UP"???(the 2 pictures above). ROD was also with another legendary band before that, "THE ZOMBIES).
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Another great band THE NEWS admired was...THE EDGAR BROUGHTON BAND who always filled huge parks in England.
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...Below, (A.U.B.) THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT where "THE NEWS"
played many times.
"THE NEWS" also played at the UNIVERSITIES of OXFORD(above) and CAMBRIDGE."JOHN" and "ARA" with thousands of British fans at BATTERSEA PARK, LONDON, for a benefit concert for "BIAFRA"(Nigeria). Over 300,000. people
were starving from wars, something like DARFUR nowdays.
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In early 2005, ROBERT NIGOGHOSSIAN of (www.myspace.com/Rng Productions) produced an hour long Documentary about "THE NEWS" which was aired many times on various Television stations.
Clips from this documentary will be available on this site very soon...
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Above..."THE NEWS" from a magazine. Left to right (JACK, JOHN, MIKE & ARA). This magazine picture was taken before a concert in 1968, below we can see a photo of them with the same clothes.
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_A front view of THE NEWS at Battersea Park LONDON. One of the four other bands who played that day was JUICY LUCY.
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THE NEWS were getting ready for a reunion concert in 2006, however due to
personal reasons the guitarist could not go through with it for now.
The fans and fellow musicians know that when THE NEWS make a comeback,
a lot is expected of them. They know that too...but just recently we learned that THE NEWS are writing brand new songs starting from the summer of 2007...could we see a new CD in 2008??? looks promising.
Some more information about them can be obtained by going to .......THE NEWS (BAND)-WIKIPEDIA, THE FREE ENCYCLOPEDIA.
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Above...A poster of "THE NEWS" from 1969. From top left JOHN, JACK and from bottom left, MIKE and ARA.
Above..."ARA HAJIAN" (MIDDLE), PERFORMING AT AN OPEN AIR CONCERT, U.K.Above..."JOHN TASLAKIAN" far left, and "ARA HAJIAN" far right, barely teenagers at puberty formed the band "The Moncks"(next to JOHN is ARSEN and next to ARA is AVO KERKOUTIAN)...months later...
Above...in Transition, "The Moncks" changed some members and here we see,
a new band emerging..."THE NEWS"...from left we see a teenage kid by the name of "JACK TAMOUKIAN" joining, while next to him "AVO KERKOUTIAN"
leaving the band, to the far right we see a 14 year old "ARA HAJIAN" and next to him a "JOHN TASLAKIAN". (not pictured here, "MIKE POSTIAN", also joined, JACK and MIKE were from a band called THE LAWYERS).
Above...The teenage "THE NEWS" emerge...Above picture is taken before a concert at (CINEMA STARCO in 1968).
From left to right...JOHN / ARA / MIKE / JACK.
