Mor ve Ötesi
Encyclopedia
Mor ve Ötesi is a Turkish
alternative rock
band from Istanbul
. Its four current members are Harun Tekin
(vocals and rhythm guitar), Kerem Kabadayı (drums), Burak Güven
(bass) and Kerem Özyeğen
(lead guitar). Former members include Alper Tekin (no relation to Harun) and Derin Esmer. The band achieved mainstream success with the release of the album Dünya Yalan Söylüyor. In 2008, the band represented Turkey in the Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade with the song "Deli" (Crazy).
. They released their first album Şehir ("The City") in September 1996 and played their first live concert in Ankara
. That year, Burak Güven replaced Alper Tekin on bass.
Bırak Zaman Aksın ("Let Time Flow"), their second album was released in January 1999 to massive success. Just after its release, Derin Esmer moved to the USA and was replaced by prominent guitarist Kerem Özyeğen. After the devastating 1999 Kocaeli earthquake, Mor ve Ötesi started playing more on social and political themes. They were also very active in the opposition against the use of nuclear energy in Turkey.
In August 2001, they released their third album, Gül Kendine ("Smile at Yourself"). With Kerem Özyeğen, there was a noticeable change in the music, and after 17 August there was a noticeable change in lyrics. In October 2002, Mor ve Ötesi's released the Yaz EP
, which included a cover of the Ajda Pekkan
song Yaz Yaz Yaz.
Their fourth album Dünya Yalan Söylüyor ("The World is Lying") was released in March 2004. The album became their most popular album in Turkey, reaching 250.000 sales. Since their previous work was not as well known, many new fans were not aware that they weren't a new band. Although this album has been their best selling album, it is not admired by their old fans as much as their previous work, and some have even seen it as "sell-out". The album contained considerable political criticism against the activities of the USA both in Iraq and the rest of the world. In the same year they received a Golden Orange Award
for their single "Bir Derdim Var", included on the soundtrack of the Çağan Irmak
film Mustafa Hakkında Her Şey.
Their fifth album Büyük Düşler ("Great Hopes") was released on May 9, 2006. This is an album mainly dealing with the political problems of Turkey and the personal problems of the group members, including loss of family members and their relationships. It has a darker sound compared to their previous albums. This album is regarded as a homage to their old fan base and a return to a style closer to their earlier albums. Three singles were released from the album: "Şirket", "Küçük Sevgilim", and "Ayıp Olmaz Mı?". Büyük Düşler was named Best Album of the Year by Rolling Stone Turkey and Best Rock Album of the Year by Blue Jean magazine.
On December 10 2007 TRT
's general manager İbrahim Şahin announced that Mor ve Ötesi were to represent Turkey in Eurovision Song Contest 2008
with the song 'Deli
'. Mor ve Ötesi finished 7th in contest, which was held in Belgrade
on 22 May 2008. During the contest, BBC
commentator Sir Terry Wogan described the lead singer as "a sinister James Bond
".
The band's sixth album, Başıbozuk, was released in late 2008, and included three studio and four live tracks, including their Eurovision entry, as well as remixes.
Their seventh album "Masumiyetin Ziyan Olmaz" ("Your Innocence Won't Go To Waste") came out in 12 May 2010. The first video clip was "Yorma Kendini"
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band from Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
. Its four current members are Harun Tekin
Harun Tekin
Sami Harun Tekin is a singer, musician and poet. He is one of the founding members and the vocalist of the Turkish rock band Mor ve ötesi.-Biography:...
(vocals and rhythm guitar), Kerem Kabadayı (drums), Burak Güven
Burak Güven
Burak Güven is a Turkish musician, bass player and one of the backing singers in the rock band Mor ve Ötesi.- Biography :...
(bass) and Kerem Özyeğen
Kerem Özyegen
Mazhar Kerem Özyeğen — was born on September 26, 1977 in İstanbul, Turkey. Lead guitarist and one of the backing singers in the Turkish rock group Mor ve Ötesi. Previously played and sang in punk-rock group Spark, and later in a jazz-rock group Crusiana....
(lead guitar). Former members include Alper Tekin (no relation to Harun) and Derin Esmer. The band achieved mainstream success with the release of the album Dünya Yalan Söylüyor. In 2008, the band represented Turkey in the Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade with the song "Deli" (Crazy).
History
Mor ve Ötesi was formed in 1995 with the line-up of Kerem Kabadayı (drums), Harun Tekin (vocals & guitar), Derin Esmer (vocals & guitar) and Alper Tekin (bass), who were then students at the Deutsche Schule IstanbulDeutsche Schule Istanbul
Deutsche Schule Istanbul or Özel Istanbul Alman Lisesi or simply Alman Lisesi is one of the most prestigious high schools in Turkey. It was established in May 1868 for the children of German traders, artists, engineers and diplomats living in Istanbul...
. They released their first album Şehir ("The City") in September 1996 and played their first live concert in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
. That year, Burak Güven replaced Alper Tekin on bass.
Bırak Zaman Aksın ("Let Time Flow"), their second album was released in January 1999 to massive success. Just after its release, Derin Esmer moved to the USA and was replaced by prominent guitarist Kerem Özyeğen. After the devastating 1999 Kocaeli earthquake, Mor ve Ötesi started playing more on social and political themes. They were also very active in the opposition against the use of nuclear energy in Turkey.
In August 2001, they released their third album, Gül Kendine ("Smile at Yourself"). With Kerem Özyeğen, there was a noticeable change in the music, and after 17 August there was a noticeable change in lyrics. In October 2002, Mor ve Ötesi's released the Yaz EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, which included a cover of the Ajda Pekkan
Ajda Pekkan
Ayşe Ajda Pekkan is a Turkish pop singer and actress. Through a career spanning five decades thus far, Pekkan has released more than 20 albums and, with Sezen Aksu, is the most commercially successful female Turkish music artist with the sales of over 30 million copies worldwide. She is nicknamed...
song Yaz Yaz Yaz.
Their fourth album Dünya Yalan Söylüyor ("The World is Lying") was released in March 2004. The album became their most popular album in Turkey, reaching 250.000 sales. Since their previous work was not as well known, many new fans were not aware that they weren't a new band. Although this album has been their best selling album, it is not admired by their old fans as much as their previous work, and some have even seen it as "sell-out". The album contained considerable political criticism against the activities of the USA both in Iraq and the rest of the world. In the same year they received a Golden Orange Award
Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival
The Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival is a film festival, held annually since 1963 in Antalya, is the most important national film festival in Turkey...
for their single "Bir Derdim Var", included on the soundtrack of the Çağan Irmak
Cagan Irmak
Çağan Irmak is a Turkish film and television writer and director, who has managed to attract a large audience in Turkey and is best known for the TV series Çemberimde Gül Oya and Asmalı Konak , and for the hit films Alone and My Father and My Son , for which he received Turkish Cinema Writers...
film Mustafa Hakkında Her Şey.
Their fifth album Büyük Düşler ("Great Hopes") was released on May 9, 2006. This is an album mainly dealing with the political problems of Turkey and the personal problems of the group members, including loss of family members and their relationships. It has a darker sound compared to their previous albums. This album is regarded as a homage to their old fan base and a return to a style closer to their earlier albums. Three singles were released from the album: "Şirket", "Küçük Sevgilim", and "Ayıp Olmaz Mı?". Büyük Düşler was named Best Album of the Year by Rolling Stone Turkey and Best Rock Album of the Year by Blue Jean magazine.
On December 10 2007 TRT
Turkish Radio and Television Corporation
The Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, also known as TRT , is the national public broadcaster of Turkey and was founded in 1964. Around 70% of TRT's funding comes from a tax levied on electricity bills and a sales tax on television and radio receivers...
's general manager İbrahim Şahin announced that Mor ve Ötesi were to represent Turkey in Eurovision Song Contest 2008
Eurovision Song Contest 2008
The Eurovision Song Contest 2008 was the 53rd edition of the Contest. It was hosted in Belgrade, Serbia after Marija Šerifović won the 2007 Contest in Helsinki, Finland. This year was the first contest to have two semi-finals which were held on 20 and 22 May, and the final held on 24 May 2008...
with the song 'Deli
Deli (song)
"Deli" is a song performed by Turkish rock group Mor ve Ötesi. It represented Turkey in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 in Belgrade, Serbia, earning the 7th place in the finals...
'. Mor ve Ötesi finished 7th in contest, which was held in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
on 22 May 2008. During the contest, BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
commentator Sir Terry Wogan described the lead singer as "a sinister James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
".
The band's sixth album, Başıbozuk, was released in late 2008, and included three studio and four live tracks, including their Eurovision entry, as well as remixes.
Their seventh album "Masumiyetin Ziyan Olmaz" ("Your Innocence Won't Go To Waste") came out in 12 May 2010. The first video clip was "Yorma Kendini"
Discography
- Şehir (1996)
- Bırak Zaman Aksın (1999)
- Gül Kendine (2001)
- Yaz (EP) (2002)
- Dünya Yalan SöylüyorDünya Yalan SöylüyorDünya Yalan Söylüyor is the fourth studio album of Turkish Alternative rock band Mor ve Ötesi. It was released in 2004, and it has sold over 250,000 copies in Turkey.-Track listing:# "Yardım Et" Help – 5:35...
(2004) - Büyük DüşlerBüyük DüslerBüyük Düşler is the fifth studio album of Turkish Alternative rock band Mor ve Ötesi. It was released on May 9, 2006. This is an album mainly dealing with the political problems of Turkey and the personal problems of the group members, including loss of family members and relationships. It has...
(2006) - BaşıbozukBaşıbozuk (album)Başıbozuk is the mix album of Turkish Alternative rock band Mor ve Ötesi. It was released on November 24, 2008.-Track listing:# Deli# İddia# Sonbahar# Kış Geliyor # Re # Bir Derdim Var # Parti - Flatliners Killa Remix...
(2008) - Masumiyetin Ziyan OlmazMasumiyetin Ziyan OlmazMasumiyetin Ziyan Olmaz is the sixth studio album of Turkish Alternative rock band Mor ve Ötesi. It was released on May 12, 2010.-Track listing:-External links:...
(2010)