Sharing Global Love

SHARING GLOBAL LOVE

by Katherine Yeske Taylor common ground across nations is also These are impressive accomplishments ambassadors of Mongolia to the world moment. The members are all extremely It’s probably safe to say that most reflected in the band name itself: as for any debut effort, but especially so by our government,” Jaya says. “With well-educated, with each of them holding Americans have never heard anything they explain on their website, considering that The HU are the first this official title comes a lot of at least a university or conservatory quite like the songs The HU play. The thehuofficial.com, “HU is the Mongolian Mongolian group to ever gain extensive responsibility. All we hope and want to degree in music. Gala estimates that band, from Ulaanbaatar—Mongolia’s root word for human being.”) international attention. do is represent Mongolia in a positive they have, on average, studied throat capital city—call themselves “folk-metal,” The Gereg came out in September, Gala and his fellow bandmates— way to the world. We’re representing singing for 10 years and played their but that term doesn’t capture the full though singles from it started being Jaya (jaw harp, flutes, and throat our own country, our tradition and instruments for 20 years or more. scope of their sound, which is an epic released in late 2018. The music has singing), Enkush (lead morin khuur culture, everything about Mongolia.” “Not everyone throat sings in blend of rock music and traditional struck a responsive chord: the singles and throat singing) and Temka (tovshuur, The HU have succeeded so well in this Mongolia,” says Jaya, who spent a Mongolian instrumentation and singing have all attained various degrees of a type of lute)—are calling from a hotel role, in fact, this past May, the President decade teaching at the Mongolian state techniques. It is a fascinating U.S. chart success, most notably when room in Nashville, the latest stop on of Mongolia, Khaltmaagiin Battulga, music conservatory prior to joining The combination, full of elements that will HU. “It takes hard work and time to seem unique to Western listeners, such learn and master. Years of practice as the morin khuur (a two-stringed makes it better and better. And of bowed instrument, also known as the course, you have to have the talent “horsehead fiddle,” which is considered “We’re named as the official cultural ambassadors to start with—if you don’t have the talent, the national instrument of Mongolia) it doesn’t matter how many years you and throat singing (a deep, droning of Mongolia to the world by our government. try, you’re going to go nowhere. So it’s type of vocalization). a very special thing.” The band members know that they With this official title comes a lot of responsibility. While each of the members were are likely the first ones to expose most already demonstrably talented, things people outside of Mongolia to their All we hope and want to do is represent Mongolia really came into focus when the country’s musical components. As lead producer Dashka became involved. throat singer and morin khurr player in a positive way to the world. We’re representing Says Jaya: “Dashka got this idea of Gala explains, “The ‘Gereg’ is the first mixing Mongolian music with Western diplomatic passport introduced to the our own country, our tradition and culture, rock music. He was doing research world by our ancestors, and that’s the about Mongolian poetry, music, and reason we called our [debut] album everything about Mongolia.” musical instruments. We started the The Gereg , because we want it to be band in 2016, the four of us with Dashka. our diplomatic passport to the world, We worked hard and eventually found so we can travel to every nation and our own sound.” Gala agrees. “We share our music.” He says the album the song “Wolf Totem” reached #1 on their extensive North American tour. met with the members to personally worked so hard for this. We had to record is meant to be uplifting, with themes the Billboard “Hard Rock Digital Song Though all members are present, only thank them for representing their some songs two or three times, because of “love, support, and courage.” While Sales” list. The band has also charted Gala and Jaya answer questions (via country. we wanted to make it perfect for our the songs are all sung in Mongolian, in the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, their tour manager and translator, Tuga). While it may seem to audiences own mind.” the band has released several videos Canada, Spain, Australia, and Brazil. They say they take their role as outside of Mongolia that The HU are Gala says this same high work ethic that include English subtitles, in order And as of this writing, the music video Mongolian musical representatives something of an overnight success applied to their music videos, as well. to help people understand their for another single, “Yuve Yuve Yu,” has very seriously. story, the truth is that decades of hard For example, for the video for “Yuve message. (This interest in emphasizing racked up 28 million views on YouTube. “We’re named as the official cultural work were required to reach this Yuve Yu,” he says the band “traveled

THE HU WILL PLAY THE BOWERY BALLROOM IN NEW YORK CITY ON NOVEMBER 17.

8 ARTS WEEKLY NOVEMBER 13, 2019 www.theaquarian.com over 5,000 kilometers off-road to the western we were born to do this,” Jaya says. Hamburg, Germany, on January 15. “Next Mongolian mountainsides, because we “Everywhere we go, we see new faces, and year is going to be so busy—we’ll be on wanted to show the beauty of the nature when we play for them, we see a lot of tour almost the entire year, all around the in Mongolia. There were times we had to encouragement and energy from the people, world,” Gala says, though he promises, “Of hike up with all our gear on, and our [a lot of] love and support. It’s a wonderful course, we are planning to work on our inst ruments, and it was so cold there because feeling to have that. Yes, after the show, we second album. Whenever we have a little it’s so high. Next there would be hot sand are so tired, but because of the successful time at home, we will work on our music.” dunes, burning hot.” But it was worth the concert, our souls are full. We just need to But for now, they are trying to focus on SATURDAY SIRUSXM THE PULSE PRESENTS: THE MIGHTY FALL TOUR 11.16 O.A.R. strain and discomfort, he says, because go to our bus and sleep, and then the next the moment and really enjoy their first time RIKER AND THE BEACHCOMBERS

TUESDAY MURRAY & PETER PRESENT now, “I think in the world, people see the morning, we are ready to play again.” Gala experiencing America. They are grateful for 11.19 A DRAG QUEEN CHRISTMAS beauty of it.” agrees, saying “It’s been amazing here in the chance to play their music here, but they THE NAUGHTY TOUR HOSTED BY NINA WEST WEDNESDAY Now that the band is also want to use this 11.27 JASON BONHAM’S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING SATURDAY JOIN REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW YORK STAR FOR HER RECORD-BREAKING CABARET ACT halfway through their first opportunity spread the word 11.30 COUNTESS LUANN & FRIENDS THURSDAY 12.05 BORN: CELEBRATING THE BOSS' 70TH U.S. tour—which has that Mongolian music, overall, FEATURING BRIAN KIRK & THE JIRKS WITH SPECIAL GUESTS FRIDAY A SONIC TEMPLE included numerous sold out deserves our attention. “The 12.06 THE CULT SPIRIT ANIMAL shows so far—they are Mongolian music scene is SATURDAY 12.07 VOYAGE – THE ULTIMATE JOURNEY TRIBUTE BAND FT. HUGO gratified to see first-hand how doing really good,” Gala says. DOUBLE VISION: THE ULTIMATE FOREIGNER EXPERIENCE

THURSDAY enthusiastic their new fans “Ever since we chose the path 12.12 GHOSTFACE KILLAH

FRIDAY THE JOKE’S ON US TOUR really are. The list of dates is of democracy, every genre 12.13 LEWIS BLACK

SATURDAY exhaustive, involving far more and music can be played in 12.14 DUEL OF THE DECADES: 90’S VS. Y2K

FRIDAY shows than most bands our country. We’ve got so 12.20 RATT

SATURDAY usually undertake for their many rock bands and pop 12.21 A DANCEABLE SALSA CONCERT FEAT. ISMAEL MIRANDA, RAY DE LA PAZ & MORE debut trek across this bands—all the genres are THURSDAY TRAPSTAR TURNT POPSTAR TOUR 12.26 PNB ROCK continent. They have also there. The biggest rock band, FRIDAY BRIAN ROSENBERG & FEVER ENTERTAINMENT PRESENT 12.27 FRIDAY NIGHT DISCO FEVER CELEBRATING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF "A NIGHT AT STUDIO 54” found themselves to be the Haranga, just had their 30- THE ALBUM W/ EVELYN "CHAMPAGNE" KING, THE TRAMMPS, AND MORE!

SATURDAY focus of such frenzied fan year anniversary. And now 12.28 CITIZEN COPE encounters that they’ve been we’re here, in America and SUNDAY CONCERT CRAVE PRESENTS: 12.29 LIL TJAY forced to stop doing informal Europe, representing the MONDAY & TUESDAY CELEBRATING THE GRATEFUL DEAD EXPERIENCE 12.30 + 12.31 DARK STAR ORCHESTRA: post-show meet and greets, Mongolian music scene.” COSMIC NEW YEAR’S 2-DAY TICKETS AVAILABLE! SATURDAY TRIBUTES TO U2 & COLDPLAY which were beginning to “Mongolia is a land of rich 01.11 PHOTOS BY E. ALTANKHUYAG WITH UNFORGETTABLE FIRE & FIX YOU infringe on their tight travel history and tradition, and THURSDAY I WANNA THANK ME TOUR 01.23 SNOOP DOGG

FRIDAY schedule (they still meet fans who choose America. Even though it’s our first time, beautiful land,” Jaya says. “As Mongolians, 01.24 SPIN DOCTORS & THE UPROOTED BAND FEAT. MICHAEL GLABICKI OF RUSTED ROOT the VIP package that’s available for select everywhere we go, most of the shows are we love and respect our history and THURSDAY 01.30 ELVIS IN CONCERT – SEEN UNSEEN shows; this option includes entry to watch sold out. And when people chant, ‘ HU, HU ’ ancestors, our parents, and the Mother LIVE ON SCREEN FRIDAY the band’s soundcheck, priority access to with us, all we feel is love and support from Earth. That’s our message to the world. 01.31 CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE - THE WHO - WHO'S NEXT SATURDAY THE GREAT CHEESY MOVIE CIRCUS TOUR the merchandise booth, and a signed CD our American fans. The reactions of the We’re inspiring people with courage, and 03.07 MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 LIVE WITH ORIGINAL HOST JOEL HODGSON

SATURDAY or vinyl copy of The Gereg ). people are priceless.” asking them, ‘Be close to the nature, love 04.04 THE MUSICAL BOX PRESENTS A GENESIS EXTRAVAGANZA VOLUME 2

Exhausting as their tour schedule is, the After this U.S. tour ends on December 10 and protect it, because we live in a big family, FRIDAY DISRAELI GEARS TOUR 04.17 THE MUSIC OF CREAM band members say they are happy to put in Los Angeles, they’ll go home to this big household, Earth, and we have to SATURDAY WHOSE LIVE ANYWAY? in the effort. “Even though there are so many Ulaanbaatar—but they won’t rest for long, take care of it.’ That’s the message we want 04.18 days, we love what we are doing because as they are due to start a European tour in to share with Americans.”

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