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Artist
Cem Karaca ve Apaşlar
12+ albums
turkishpsychedelicanatolian rock
about
The musical period of Apaşlar with Cem Karaca (1967–1969/70) was a transformative era where the band transitioned from playing Western rock covers to creating a uniquely Turkish psychedelic sound that dominated the charts. The collaboration began when Cem Karaca, a charismatic theater-trained vocalist, joined the established band Apaşlar. They entered the 1967 Altın Mikrofon (Golden Microphone) contest organized by the newspaper Hürriyet. They performed "Emrah," a poem by the 19th-century folk poet Erzurumlu Emrah, set to a Western beat and electrified guitars. They took second place, but the impact was massive. It proved that Turkish folk poetry could be sung over rock riffs, effectively launching the "Anatolian Rock" movement into the mainstream. "Resimdeki Gözyaşları" (Tears in the Picture): Composed by Apaşlar’s guitarist Mehmet Soyarslan, this song became their biggest hit. It is considered one of the definitive tracks of the 60s, blending melancholic Turkish lyricism with a cinematic, Western rock structure. They released a string of successful 45rpms, including "Bu Son Olsun", "Zeyno", and the instrumental epic "Gılgamış". The partnership eventually dissolved due to a fundamental ideological divide between the two main figures. Cem Karaca wanted to move toward more politicized, socially conscious music (protest rock), reflecting the turbulent political climate of Turkey in the late 60s. Mehmet Soyarslan preferred to stay within the realm of pop-rock and melodic psych,
