70s Turkish Psychedelic Rock: The Best of the Decade
Contents
70s Turkish Psychedelic Rock: The Best of the Decade is a blog series that will take you on a musical journey through the best psychedelic rock songs of the 1970s.
History of Turkish Psychedelic Rock
Turkish psychedelic rock, also known as Anatolian rock, developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The genre combined elements of Turkish folk music with Western rock music. The first Turkish psychedelic rock band was Mogollar, who released their debut album in 1968.
Origins in the late 60s
In the late 1960s, Turkish rock music was influenced by Western rock music, particularly that of the British Invasion and American garage bands. Turkish groups began to produce their own brand of rock music, which blended elements of Western rock with traditional Turkish music. One of the earliest and most successful Turkish rock bands was Kurşunlu Elektrik Tarlaları (KEBAP), which formed in 1968. KEBAP’s blend of psychedelic rock and traditional Turkish folk music made them one of the most popular bands in Turkey during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Other successful Turkish psychedelic rock bands from this era include İnce Tabaklar (thin slices), Silüetler (silhouettes), 3 Hür El (3 free hands), Mogollar (the Mongols), and Baris Manço & Kurtalan Ekspres (Baris Manco & Kurtalan Express). These bands combined elements of Western psychedelic rock with traditional Turkish instruments and melodies to create a unique sound that was immensely popular with young Turks.
The golden age of Turkish Psychedelic Rock in the 70s
The golden age of Turkish Psychedelic Rock spanned the late 1960s and early 1970s. The genre’s popularity peaked in the wake of the 1967 Summer of Love, when Western hippies began flocking to Istanbul and other major Turkish cities in search of cheap drugs and exotic experiences. By the early 1970s, Turkish Psychedelic Rock bands were regularly appearing on European and American record labels, and their music was being played on college radio stations across the United States.
The sound of Turkish Psychedelic Rock is often compared to that of American Psychedelic Rock groups such as the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and Santana. However, there are important differences between the two genres. Turkish Psychedelic Rock bands typically make use of traditional Turkish instruments such as the saz (a type of lute), the baglama (a three-stringed instrument), and the darbuka (a type of drum), giving their music a distinctly Middle Eastern flavor. Additionally, while American Psychedelic Rock groups often explore themes of personal liberation and social change, TurkishPsychedelic Rock bands are more likely to sing about love, loss, and nostalgia for a lost homeland.
Despite its popularity in the West, Turkish Psychedelic Rock was largely unknown in Turkey itself until recently. Due to its association with drug use and other forms of deviant behavior, the genre was frequently denounced by the country’s government and media throughout the 1970s and 1980s. In recent years, however, there has been a revival of interest in Turkish Psychedelic Rock, with renewed appreciation for its unique sound and cultural significance.
The Best Turkish Psychedelic Rock Albums of the 70s
Turkish psychedelic rock had its golden age in the 1970s, with a plethora of great bands and albums being produced during this time. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at the best of the best, counting down the top 10 Turkish psychedelic rock albums of the 1970s.
“3 Hür El” by Dervişan
Dervişan’s “3 Hür El” is one of the best Turkish Psychedelic Rock albums of the 70s. The album was released in 1974 and is considered to be one of the first examples of Turkish Psychedelic Rock. The album features a mix of traditional Turkish instrumentation and Western rock influences.
“Anadolu Pop” by Erkin Koray
Turkish psychedelic rock, also known as Anadolu pop, was a musical movement that developed in the late 1960s and continued throughout the 1970s. The style is characterized by its fusion of traditional Turkish music with Western rock and roll.
Turkish psychedelic rock is often compared to the Psychedelic Rock scene in the West. One major difference is that while Western Psychedelic Rock emphasized drug use and experimentation, Anadolu Pop focused more on social and political commentary.
The genre was pioneered by Erkin Koray, who released his self-titled debut album in 1967. Other notable Anadolu Pop albums from the 1970s include “Arap Saçlığı” by Murat Ses, “Dünden Bugüne” by Kardaşlar, and “Yalnız Adam” by Cem Karaca.
“Aşkım Benim” by Barış Manço
“Aşkım Benim” is widely considered to be one of the best Turkish psychedelic rock albums of the 1970s. The album was released in 1974 by Polar Music, and was produced by Fehmi §ahin. It features some of Turkey’s most famous musicians, including Murat Ses, Erkin Koray, and Barış Manço himself.
The album is a mix of Turkish folk music and Western psychedelic rock, and includes such classics as “Sevilen Dostlarım”, “Yağmur”, and “İhtiyar Adam”. It is considered to be one of the most influential Turkish albums of all time, and has been cited as an inspiration by many subsequent Turkish musicians.
The Legacy of Turkish Psychedelic Rock
Turkish psychedelic rock, also known as Anatolian rock, is a fusion of Western rock music and traditional Turkish music. The genre was pioneered in the late 1960s by Turkish musicians such as Erkin Koray and Barış Manço. Turkish psychedelic rock reached the height of its popularity in the 1970s, with bands such as Mogollar, Dervişan, and Atların Sesi.
The influence on modern Turkish music
Modern Turkish music has been heavily influenced by Psychedelic Rock, particularly the music of the 1970s. This genre of music was heavily political and often used as a tool for social change. Many of the bands of this era were inspired by Western bands such as The Doors and Pink Floyd, but they also incorporated traditional Turkish instrumentation and melodies into their sound. This unique blend of styles created a new and exciting form of music that was very popular in Turkey at the time.
Unfortunately, due to the political climate of the time, many of these bands were forced to disbanded or go into exile. However, their legacy has lived on in the form of modern Turkish Psychedelic Rock bands such as Baba Zula and Kutay Karma. These bands have taken the sound of the 1970s and updated it for a new generation, keeping the spirit of Psychedelic Rock alive in Turkey.
The influence on international music
Turkish psychedelic rock had a significant impact on international music, both in terms of its sound and its ethos. The genre blended traditional Turkish musical elements with Western psychedelia, creating a unique and distinctive sound. Turkish psychedelic bands were also known for their wild live shows, which often featured lengthy improvised jams.
The most famous Turkish psychedelic band was probably Erkin Koray, who were active in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Koray were hugely influential on the international psych scene, and their debut album Elektronik Türküler is considered a classic of the genre. Other important Turkish psychedelic bands include Duman, Mogollar, and Baris Manco.
In recent years, there has been a revival of interest in Turkish psychedelic rock, with new bands such as BaBa ZuLa and Les Alaouiains gaining popularity. The legacy of Turkish psychedelia continues to be felt in the 21st century.
