“Glory to Georgia, Fuck Russia”, this phrase has been said by many people at various events, concerts and broadcasts, but for Georgian listeners it is still associated with LOUDspeakers. If you have seen at least one video of the actions held against the Russian law, you probably read this phrase with Levan Loudadze’s intonation – loudly and eloquently.
The millennial listeners know the group from the Tbilisi Open Air newcomers and are fans of “World in my eyes“, while Gen Z is lucky to love their English and Georgian repertoire equally. Active citizens remember them from rallies, whether it was for achondroplasia medication, for Ukrainian solidarity, or against Russian law. Therefore, the popularity of LOUDspeakers, as well as Levan Loudadze, is not determined only by music. Their public positions also cause special respect of listeners.
Aprili Media spoke with Levan Loudadze about current events in the country. In the article, you will find what he thinks about the law of hate and censorship, as well as the nihilism that has arisen after the election results. You will also find out how the career started, when the band’s new song will be released and what it will be about.
Beginning of the Career
I used to not like the question about when I became interested in music, because I was often asked, but this is the first time in many years that you are asking me, and it will be interesting to recall. I became interested in music as a listener probably at the age of 15. A deeper interest in music – at the age of 16. At that time I was graduating, therefore, at the request of my parents, I waited for a year, prepared for the exams, passed and then fulfilled my great desire. I did not think that I would be doing this job until today and I am very lucky.
Perhaps one of the reasons why our music became popular was the heavy dose of keyboards on our first records. To some extent, the sound was still different from the music that was made in our country. It was interesting for listeners the arrangement, sound and harmony that our LOUDspeakers songs had. Plus, I think the main reason is that we try not to stop. Probably, steady work and stable communication with listeners is what has brought us to this day and we can say that listeners have followed us. The main thing is to do things steadily and, as much as possible, focus on development.
Vakho Kareli / Aprili Media
He naturally started singing in English. I still think that many phrases in English sound better than the same phrase if sung in the same rhythm in Georgian, he says. However, in recent years, many things have changed in this direction, and I have also changed my attitude towards the Georgian language. If before, for example, I said that “No, I don’t want to sing in Georgian” or “I don’t know how to do it”… I still think that singing in Georgian, especially in the direction of rock, and writing lyrics in Georgian is difficult, at least, that’s how it is for me. But in recent years, it has changed that we made a cover of Irakli Charkviani and Sisters Ishkhneli , and then Georgian-language “tracks” appeared in original music. We have already released two songs and now we are working on another song in Georgian. We want to put it out before the new year, because the main idea is what corresponds to the current events.
We released the previous song – “How will we survive here?” – during the period when there were protests and it coincided with the current protest. However, perhaps this song is more relevant to our country as a whole, to recent history, to that kind of sadness that follows each of us. Melancholic is the reality we are going through, we were going through. We keep hope and faith that we will have nothing to endure in this country and, on the contrary, we will live happily, where all people can find themselves.
The text is melancholic, it can be pessimistic. One of the main topics is emigration, which is the main problem of our country, but it was the actions at that time that gave us the answer to all of this. How can we survive here? with unity. This word is also depicted on the cover of the song “Together”.
Vakho Kareli / Aprili Media
Civil Position
To our question whether, due to criticism, he considered not to state his positions publicly, he briefly answers – “No” and continues:
I don’t know how much it is that celebrities can have more responsibility in this regard. We, the members of the group, are ordinary citizens, and if it were not for the group, we would have tried to express our position in the same way.
Actually, I imagine art not in the service of the government, but against the current.
Especially rock music, alternative music, which has been successfully created in our country for the last few years, and a very cool Georgian musician is a clear example of this. It’s nice to feel that you can resist something and that you have the strength to do so. If your action, post, statement can become an incentive for someone, that’s good.
We have a certain responsibility, not only because we are a famous band, so to speak, but because we live in this country, and each person has the responsibility not to just go with the flow and not to look only from our point of view – what is happening in our family. Let’s look, in general, for example, what is happening with our neighbor. Not in terms of gossip. I cannot be well in the country if my neighbor has no money for bread.
In general, part of people understand living well in a different way, unfortunately. If they don’t lack anything, they live well. In fact, the good life is when every person has access to quality health care, education, every human right is protected regardless of orientation, race, it doesn’t matter.
Art and every person should preferably be in the opposition of any government, because we hire them, we pay them, and if they make a park before the elections, they really don’t deserve thanks, because they shouldn’t do it before the elections, when they come to power, they should immediately start thinking about the progress of the country. .
Vakho Kareli / Aprili Media
I am addressing people who feel obligated to the government: you are not obligated to serve them, the government is obligated to serve you. If you once try to get out of this shell, overcome discomfort and fear, believe me, you will feel better, physically and morally. Man’s purpose is to be alive and happy, and for that, unfortunately, we have to fight in our country.
I recently wrote a post and troll-bots compared me to “Fake Freddie Mercury”. Actually, come to think of it, that’s a compliment. “Fake Freddy Mercury” is also a compliment to me and, on the contrary, I thank them.
I cannot take their comments seriously. I don’t read much either. Our main concern is to survive and survival does not only mean that we can work and earn daily food for ourselves or our family members. By survival I mean that we should be free, because without freedom no food has any taste. All activities that can bring us pleasure are worthless without freedom. A person is the embodiment of freedom for me, the embodiment of free will, and when a person voluntarily gives up all this, it is very sad.
Russian and Homophobic Laws
I have read the Russian law many times. In general, the main harm of ugly systems, in my opinion, is the radical denial of everything — as if you have not read the Russian law, when you have; As if there is peace in the country, when there is no peace in the country, and I don’t even know when there was peace in Georgia.
When the territories of your country are occupied, when people are fleeing the country, when human rights are not protected, hardships and everything is terrible, how can we say that there is peace in our country. This evil, which the Russian system, the Russian regime, is carrying out, shows us its true face day by day. People, supporters of the government said, “No, why is this law Russian?”, however, months have passed since then and we see that the situation has worsened.
From December 1, certain literature will be restricted, which will be subject to censorship under this government. All this is part of the whole evil, brick by brick, that the government is leading us to, and those of you who still do not understand where you are and what trouble we are facing…
Sometimes I think that such people are worthy to stop, do nothing, put yourself aside for this misfortune and see what they are sacrificing us for by their inaction or by the fact that they colorized 41 in the elections or took part in fraud. But we still try to be humane. Our fight is not just for us, for me or for you, it’s for them too — for their better future, so that they don’t have to sell their votes, live in fear and live in the reality of being in public service and not being allowed to vote because otherwise they have to serve to leave Actually, they don’t realize that we are also fighting for them. I still believe that they will experience the benefits and happiness of living in a normal country.
A homophobic law will not only target the queer community. The queer community, in general, has never been in good shape in our country, unfortunately. They are going through a very difficult time, and all those people who want to live humanly and happily in this country are going through a difficult time with them.
This law is just propaganda so that the system does not lose the favor of those people who believe that Europe and America are “depravity” and this “depravity” comes from the civilized world. This propaganda, this terrible censorship will affect everyone, absolutely everyone, and not even those people who feel more or less calm and think that there is peace in our country will be protected. I really don’t wish for that, but when their family members lose their jobs in the public service, then they have complaints and want to raise their voice, then there will be no point in anything if we don’t fight now, if we don’t understand that this fight belongs to everyone, the whole country.
It doesn’t matter what you are doing now, where you are; It is not necessary that it was in our country, because we saw how much work the immigrants did and how they hindered them – those who stood at the census could not vote to the end. Therefore, this will not be the problem of the queer community alone, it will be the problem of every person who wants to live in a democratic and free Georgia. Anyone will be subject to censorship.
Vakho Kareli / Aprili Media
I don’t know what awaits us if they carry this out, if they carry out their plan to the end – this evil, harmful plan. To tell the truth, I don’t even imagine it, because I don’t allow it, because I think that Georgia has always had the perspective based on its intellectual resources, based on its culture… The real Georgian culture was never built on oppressing others, on the contrary. Our country was not built on oppression of other ethnic groups, because our country has always been multi-ethnic. Centuries ago, our “manhood”, so to speak, was not based on the oppression of women, because it was based on respecting women. However, with the advent of Communism, everything changed, and now a Georgian man has a distorted view that a woman should be in the kitchen and that it is not a woman’s prerogative to do different things or be strong. They want women to be weak, they want people of different orientations to be silent, and they want to keep that power forever. However, unfortunately for them I have to say that everything has an end and their bogeyman in this country will have an end.
I will return to the Russian law. Those who said – “This law is not dangerous, so what, let’s know who and how it is financed” – in fact, these finances have always been transparent, and now we see the result caused by the Russian law. The situation has already worsened and where are we if we let them do what they want.
My solidarity to the queer community and anyone who is oppressed by this regime.
Elections and Nihilism
To be honest, what was there in the spring, that spark is not preserved now, unfortunately. I hope that is just for now. It’s still difficult. In the spring, when there were rallies, the government still adopted the Russian law, and then the main hope remained the elections.
Unfortunately, we Georgians are characterized by a little groundless optimism, and I was one of them. For some reason, I believed that change would be possible through elections, because I could see the activity. I saw people going to the elections who had never been before, even the participation of immigrants… This strengthened my belief that maybe it is possible to cut off our Russian roots through elections, but it does not work that way, of course.
Vakho Kareli / Aprili Media
To a certain extent, it is also logical that the charge has decreased a little, but I want to appeal to those people who are nihilistic towards these processes – we have no right to nihilism. It is not a reality that we just have a bad government, it will change and then good will come. The reality is this — either we will have a country or we won’t have a country.
We try our best to make the protest ways peaceful. If we wanted a revolution, you well remember how many people gathered in Rustaveli this and the previous spring. We don’t want a revolution. We want this country to take a path where change will happen peacefully. For example, in America, Biden and Trump met, shook hands and handed over power. Is it possible that such a time will come in our country? But it will not come by itself, nothing will come by itself.
We have to fight and we have to fight not only to save the country, but also to fight nihilism in ourselves and some thoughts that come from the brain that “there is no point in fighting” or “if I fight, what will happen” etc. Right now is the turning point where we have the chance to make real changes. Otherwise, we may not be given this chance again, so let’s fight now.
At the end of the interview, I asked Levan if he wanted to address the audience in any way. After the answer, we both admitted that we thought he would say “Glory to Georgia, Fuck Russia” again, but this time he wanted to say something else:
Be proud, but really be proud that you were born in Georgia, that you are citizens of Georgia, because this country really deserves to be better than it is now. You too believe, believe yourself that you deserve to be much better. Fight, first of all, for yourself and for the most important thing, to be happy in this country and to be true to yourself.