... Lav Eli is a rock band from Vanadzor, Armenia that was formed in 1996 by Mher Manoukyan and Gor Mkhitarian. Previously from the band SNACK, they picked up two members from the group ALQ in David Grigoryan and Vahe Terteryan and formed their classic lineup for a demo recording in 1997 entitled "The First Lav Album". This limited edition cassette of two hundred units was printed in Armenia and had twenty-one songs- ten in English and eleven in Armenian. It became a local underground classic in the hands of kids and adults alike who craved an original Western rock sound that was homegrown and Armenian. In 1999, another Lav Eli recording was made in the name of "Essays", this time with the help of a local Armenian rock champion named Artyom Ayvazyan who gave it heavy radio airplay on the influential Yerevan based Radio Burg program on 107.1 FM. Although the recording was never released in any format, burned copies of the "Essay" sessions passed hands within a dedicated rock music listening mass throughout Armenia. Suddenly, the rock quartet was playing in medium sized venues throughout Yerevan in addition to appearances on TV on shows such as the popular "Rubicon" and "Barev". Their frequent radio play yielded hits such as "The Traveler's Song" and "I Found You In Heaven". Even though there still was no widespread commercial outlet to purchase their music, their popularity grew via the live shows, TV appearances, and general media exposure. Suddenly, in December of 1999, it all ended with a difference of opinion between band members on how the group should parlay their success going forward. ... "Notes from Vanazor: Urban Armenian Rock" is the first commercially released CD from the band that music enthusiasts can finally purchase and enjoy. Four years after the first note was recorded, and nearly ten years after the band was formed. -Raffi Meneshian