Erkin Koray

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Erkin Koray was the most influential figure in the history of Turkish rock music. Possessed of a crystalline, powerful baritone voice, he was a unique and accomplished guitarist and inventor of the electric baglama (saz), a long-necked lute-like folk instrument whose unique sound (a cross between an oud, sitar, and electric guitar) graced his recordings. His compositions melded oriental and Turkish folk melodies and songs with Middle Eastern themes, along with psych-driven, progressively influenced rock. He fathered the Anatolian rock movement in the '60s. Koray's 1966 debut single "Bir Eylül Aksami"/"It's So Long" blended Turkish folk music and modal rock. 1974's Elektronik Türküler mixed microtonal psychedelic rock to knotty progressive passages, and was cited as a classic of Anatolian rock. 1977's Tutkusu accented primarily progressive, primitive electronic and folk sounds. 1985's charting Ceylan and 1989's Hey Yam-Yam, won popular and critical attention. 1999's Devlerin Nefisi, his final studio album, was composed primarily of revisioned readings of old and obscure classics with contemporary arrangements. After that, Koray toured, emigrated to Canada, wrote his memoirs, and supervised dozens of compilation recordings on labels across the globe, including Sublime Frequencies and Pharaway Sounds. Koray was born Mustafa Erkin Koray in Istanbul in 1941. He started playing piano at five as his mother was a piano instructor. He discovered Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and other early rockers while in high school. Though he didn't abandon the piano, he began to learn guitar, for which he had a natural affinity. He formed a small band with his friends in school. His first concert was on December 29, 1957; the band's set list consisted of covers of songs by his rock & roll heroes. With this very first gig, he became a focal point for attention, and his band Ritimciler became the most popular band in the country. He was cited as a "crazy rocker" in most of the newspapers and magazines even before releasing any music on vinyl. From 1963-1965, Koray fulfilled his mandatory military service in Turkey. He returned in 1965 and then left for Germany, just in time to experience many British bands regularly playing in Hamburg. Upon return to Turkey, he became more than just a musician -- his long hair became his symbol of living the rock & roll lifestyle. In 1966, he issued his debut single, "Bir Eylül Akşamı"/It's So Long," followed by the four-track Bala Bala EP that had covers of the Beatles' "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and Bobby Womack's "It's All Over Now." Both received copious airplay and he continued issuing singles that enjoyed radio success, including "Kizlari da Alin Askere," "Ask Oyunu," and "Kendim Ettim Kendim Buldum." In 1969, Koray formed Yeralti Dörtlüsü (Underground Foursome). Though not a long-lived outfit, Yeralti Dörtlüsü were nonetheless prime movers in establishing the future of Turkish rock. The band's members -- guitarist Ataman Hakman, bassist Aydin Sencan, drummer Sedat Avci, and subsequently, second guitarist Cahit Kukul -- were all deeply attuned to and accepting of Koray's vision. In 1970 the İstanbul Plak label released Erkin Koray, a compilation of early singles, without the artist's knowledge. He responded creatively in 1974 with Elektronik Türküler (Electronic Folk Song) performed by a trio that included Avci and bassist Ahmet Güvenç, with Koray on guitars, electric saz, piano, keys, and lead vocals. The album established his musical rep internationally, and is a hallmark release in the Anatolian Rock movement. Koray released 2 in 1976, an album that reined in psychedelic experiments in favor of a deeper approach to traditional music. He returned to the exploration of psychedelic and progressive music on 1977's smash Tutkusu, recorded by a trio that included Avci and bassist Ahmet Güvenç, with Koray on guitars, electric saz, piano, and lead vocals. Koray and his alternating sidemen hit the road hard in the aftermath of 1980's cassette-only Silinmeyen Hatıralar. He traveled to Germany, France, Spain, and the Netherlands, collaborating with local players and his own bands. In 1980, Koray was working in Germany when the Turkish military executed a coup d'etat and claimed power. He released the truly unusual Benden Sana in 1982; in addition to Koray's voice and saz, the set utilized just two drummers and a tabla player. A year later, İlla Ki was recorded by a full band that included Koray playing oud in addition to piano, guitars, and bass. Further, maestro Özer Şenay played electric saz on the date. Ceylan appeared in 1985. Though the album charted, its success was solely based on the strength of its single "Copculer." The decade was busy for Koray, but also difficult. Though military rule ended after the army was voted out in 1983, Turkey's economy was in shambles. Despite being (almost) a household name in Istanbul, Koray had to take side and lounge piano gigs just to make ends meet. Koray issued the cassette-only Gaddar in 1986. Buoyed by its hit single "Razıyım," the set showcased a darker brand of psychedelia complete with microtuned guitars mixing rock, folk, country, blues, and surf. 1987's Çukulatam Benim/Tiki Tak was a greatest-hits comp, while 1989's Hey-Yam-Yam revealed an array of influences and musical traits ranging from vanguard psychedelia, reggae, and even new wave sounds, thanks to the diversity of analog synths and drum machines that added dimension to Koray's take on progressive Middle Eastern folk music. The set charted in Turkey. 1990's Tamam Artik remains one of Koray's most advanced recordings musically, steeped in Turkish, Middle Eastern, Armenian, and Greek folk traditions woven into pop/rock melodies. 1991's Tek Başına Konser is a classic live album that, in addition to rowdy, good-natured dialogue between artist and audience, remains among his rawest, garage rock-oriented offerings. It stands as an underground classic of Turkish rock and influenced an entire generation of rockers there. 1996's Gün Ola Harman Ola juxtaposed mutations of traditional harmonies, modes, and rhythms against Koray's contemporary melodies and instrumentation, using synths, drum kits, distorted guitar playing, metal vamps, and electric saz. The set included the rock anthems "Öfke" and "Akrebin Gözleri," and the album stands as one of his finest recordings. In 1999, Koray issued his final studio album. Titled Devlerin Nefesi (Breath of the Giants), it wed Gün Ola Harman Ola's hard rock approach to electrified Middle Eastern psychedelia ("Sitem"), pulsing, atmospheric electronics ("Memurum Ben"), and spiky metal ("Çöpçüler"), all framed in pristine, spacious production. Though Koray quit recording, he financed the vast majority of his many recording sessions himself. Despite his fame, he never enjoyed the wealth of his Western peers. That said, Koray remained exceptionally active. He toured the globe several times. Whether a headline guest at an international rock festival, playing a club, or even a street party or cofee house, Koray won over audiences by being completely committed on-stage. Further, he wrote a novel (Illa Ki), made an expressionistic autobiographical documentary, and wrote Mezarlık Gülleri, a book weaving together political polemics, autobiography, and music business indictment. He was also the subject of an episode of director, writer, and journalist Nebil Özgentürk's long-lived Bir Yudum İnsan (Simply Human) TV series. Koray spent his last years in Toronto. He suffered from a variety of health ailments; the most serious of these was a lung condition that worsened over time and claimed his life in August 2023. Koray's influence on Turkish culture and music cannot be overstated. He introduced many new sounds and trends to his country's pop music scene, and almost singlehandedly created the foundation for 21st century Turkish rock music. His songs have been covered by many popular artists in Turkey. Much of Koray's catalog has been remastered and reissued. He will be remembered as one of the most influential musicians in Turkey's history, and as a global psychedelic pioneer.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo