Grup Yorum
Grup Yorum | |
---|---|
Origin | Istanbul, Turkey |
Genres | Folk rock, folk, protest music, left, political music, türkü |
Years active | 1985–present |
Labels | Kalan, Cem Müzik Yapım |
Website | grupyorum.net |
Past members | Selma Cicek, Metin Kahraman, Kemal Sahir Gürel, Hilmi Yarayıcı, İlkay Akkaya, Efkan Şeşen, Ufuk Lüker, İnan Altın |
Grup Yorum is a Turkish band known for their political songwriting. Grup Yorum (Yorum means interpretation or comment in Turkish) has released twenty albums since 1987. Some of the group's concerts and albums were banned over the years, and some of the group members were allegedly arrested or tortured.[1] Yorum remains popular and their albums continue to sell well in Turkey and internationally. Yorum has also given concerts in Germany, Austria, Australia, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, United Kingdom, Greece and Syria.[2]
The group publishes an art, culture, literature, and music magazine entitled Tavir, sample issues of which are available on the group's official website, and several group members manage a cultural center in the Okmeydanı neighborhood of Istanbul called İdil Kültür Merkezi.[3]
History
In 1985, 4 friends at Marmara University formed Grup Yorum. Influenced by the Latin American nueva cancion movement, they combined Turkish and Kurdish folk music and topical song with a left-wing often satirical perspective.[4] While the government frequently asserts that the group is tied to the DHKP-C, and it is not uncommon for audience at their concerts to chant DHKP-C slogans, Grup Yorum is not formally affiliated with any other organization and its fans represent a broad range of Turkish and Kurdish left-wing orientations.[5]
They have sung about capitalism, imperialism, anti-Americanism and the Turkish government’s policies, which they say penalise the poor. One track is about the clearing of poor neighbourhoods to make way for expensive skyscrapers. They also sometimes sing in Kurdish, and were the first band in Turkey to sing in Kurdish when the language was banned many years ago. As a result of this, their albums were shot at with real bullets by police during a raid.
The group composition has been in a constant state of change since the group's inception, and its members have continuously experienced political oppression including over 400 arrests and trials (approximately 400). Their albums have been seized by police and their concerts banned, but despite this Grup Yorum has been one of the top selling groups in the history of Turkey. The band gave their 25th anniversary concert on 12 June 2010 in İnönü Stadium, home to sports club Beşiktaş J.K.. The concert was attended by 55,000 fans.[6] Starting in 2011, Grup Yorum began an annual series of free concerts entitled Tam Bağımsız Türkiye, the first two of which attracted 150,000 and 250,000 fans respectively.[7]
In 2017, all the Grup Yorum members in Turkey were arrested and jailed. Towards the end of the year, they released their latest album "İlle Kavga" (meaning “struggle no matter what”), and their album cover shows instruments that were smashed up by police during a raid in 2016 on the cultural centre where the members were once again arrested and jailed.
This year, in 2018, 6 Grup Yorum members were placed on the wanted list of the Turkish government. These 6 members are currently on the grey list, meaning that they have a 300,00 Turkish Lira bounty on their heads.
Members
- Vocals: Selma Altın, Eren Olcay, Ezgi Dilan Balcı, Sultan Gökçek
- Bağlama: İhsan Cibelik, Ayfer Rüzgar
- Guitar: Muharrem Cengiz
- Keyboard: İnan Altın
- Wind instrument: Ali Aracı, Selma Altın, İhsan Cibelik, Bahar Kurt
- Electric guitar: İbrahim Gökçek
- Drums: İnan Altın
Discography
- Albums
- 1987 - Siyrilip Gelen
- 1988 - Haziranda Ölmek Zor / Berivan
- 1989 - Türkülerle
- 1989 - Cemo / Gün Gelir
- 1990 - Gel ki Şafaklar Tutuşsun
- 1991 - Yürek Çağrısı
- 1992 - Cesaret
- 1993 - Hiç Durmadan
- 1995 - İleri
- 1996 - Geliyoruz
- 1997 - Marşlarımız
- 1998 - Boran Fırtınası
- 1999 - Kucaklaşma
- 2000 - Onbeşinci Yıl Seçmeler
- 2001 - Eylül
- 2001 - Feda
- 2003 - Biz Varz
- 2003 - Yürüyüş
- 2006 - Yıldızlar Kuşandık
- 2008 - Başeğmeden
- 2013 - Halkın Elleri
- 2015 - Ruhi Su
- 2017 - İlle Kavga
Songs
Further reading
See also
References
- ↑ "Alleged police torture against music group". Hurriyet Daily News. 19 September 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ↑ http://www.demokrathaber.net/kultur-sanat/grup-yorum-suriyede-konser-verdi-h19910.html Grup Yorum Suriye'de konser verdi
- ↑ "Grup Yorum'a 'Sen misin direnen' davası". Radikal. 19 July 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ↑ Bates, Eliot (2010). Music in Turkey: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- ↑ Bates, Eliot (2014). Oxford Handbook of Mobile Music Studies. Oxford University Press. p. 341 ff.
- ↑ "İnönü'de 'Yorum' devrimi". Radikal. 14 May 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ↑ "Grup Yorum 3. Bağımsız Türkiye Konseri 14 Nisan'da". Milliyet. 12 April 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
External links