Soyol Erdene

Soyol Erdene (Mongolian: Соёл Эрдэнэ) is the first rock band of Mongolia.

Name

"Soyol Erdene" is the name of a melodious popular song of 1920s which the band played on an electric guitar. The approximate meaning is "Cultural jewel".

History

The band was established in late 1971. The Minister of Culture of that time, famous novelist Ch. Lodoidamba called four young musicians and said: "England has a band the Beatles of four young men. Why shouldn't we have a similar band?" The four young musicians, who had recently graduated from the School of Music and Dance in Ulaanbaatar (nowadays College of Music and Dance) as yatga (ятга) players, established a rock band. The members were Tserenbat (drums), Erdenekhuyag (guitar), Batsaikhan (guitar) and Naranbaatar (keyboard). Later members were Galsanbat (guitar-solo), Zundari (bass), Bayar (vocal), Damdinsuren (guitar), Jargalsaikhan (drums), Jargalsaikhan (guitar/vocal), B. Tsolmon (drums). Among more recent members were D. Enkhbold (guitar-solo) and Kh. Bulgan (keyboard). Soyol Erdene also performed female singers Rentsenkhand, Nandintsetseg, Dulamsuren, Uranchimeg, Nasantogtokh and Ariunaa.