Murat Ilkan is the ex-singer of Pentagram, probably the most famous metal band to come out of Turkey and he very recently came out with a lengthy EP of Progressive Metal tunes entitled “Fanus”, that is his first release as a solo artist. Having always enjoyed the eastern melodies of the aforementioned band we were intrigued and decided to investigate further the said release, which was proven to be a rather spectacular and rewarding listen and as an aporia of that we also contacted Murat to get even more details about what has been going on in his world. Here’s what he had to say...
Hello Murat and thanks for doing this interview…
M: Hello, I thank you.
Give us a short intro of who you are, for those who may not be familiar (you know – you can always cut and paste a good chunk of the bio from the website here, haha)
M: Yes there is this autobiography that I wrote, I guess it is enough to tell us the things that we want to know about.
Murat was born in İzmir, in 1971. He was not older than around 3 years old when his family started to notice that Murat was singing all the songs in correct tones and rhythms. It was kind of a major turning point in his life when his school teacher was changed in primary school and his new teacher, who was assigned in place of the former one, had a specialty in music branch. Owing to his new teacher, Şefik Şekeroğlu, Murat being introduced to his first instrument, the flute, also tasted his first chorus experiment at the same period of time.
With the guidance and support of his teacher and his family, Murat began taking his first singing and solmization lessons which would last for 4 years. In the meanwhile, he won the qualification examination for Karşıyaka SporKulübü swimming branch and was a professional swimmer for 8 years in this sports club.
In the years of the junior high school, he was enrolled to İzmir Fatih Koleji. There he attracted attention of the school’s music teacher Ayşegül Sabuncu and thus he found himself attending to the high school chorus where all members were older than himself. It was there where he first achieved solo singing performances.
Afterwards, Murat was encouraged to enter the conservatory by his parents, who were interested in classical music. Thus he won the part-time programme in İzmir Devlet Konservatuarı. There, he was trained for 3 years in singing and solmization by his instructor, Adnan Polge. Later on, he had to move to Istanbul because of domestic reasons, and this decision would be another milestone in his musical career.
In İstanbul, he formed the progressive metal band Sawdust, which was to be his first band, and performed many times with them.
He finished his military service in 1991. On his return he established an acoustic cover band, which grew in short time and became known under the name Cherokee. On the other hand, he took special singing lessons from Belkıs Aran for a year. By the way, Cherokee’s reputation spread in other cities as the band had quickly become one of the most popular club bands in İstanbul. In this manner, he gave many concerts in various cities with Cherokee.
It was in 1995 when Murat received a joining offer from Pentagram (Mezarkabul), one of Turkey’s most renowned and earliest heavy metal bands, and started working with them being the lead singer. He appeared in the following albums of the band: “Anatolia” (1997), “PopçularDışarı” (1998), “Unspoken” (2001) & ”One'”(2002). He performed numerous times as the frontman, both in Turkey and abroad.
In 2004, upon Cem Köksal’s call, he did the vocals in his album, “Set Me Free”.
In 2007, he started touring with Pentagram in ‘20. Anniversary Tour’. They released an audio CD, “1987 (2008)”, and a DVD which included recordings and footage from one of the concerts which took place in this tour.
In 2009, he set up a band with acoustic concept and performed in different cities in Turkey with this new band.
In June 2010 he left Pentagram a.k.a Mezarkabul…
Murat İlkan published his new album “Fanus” in 2013 and he is currently carrying on his musical career focused on his solo project.
Give us some details about “Fanus”, what it means, how it came to be, it’s recordings and what it signifies to you.
M: Actually the process of making “Fanus” was a bit hard for me. I could easily write my songs, but there was a serious health problem which was slowing me down time to time, but as a nature of mine I’m not a person who makes a big deal of even this much big problems. In the end we all die and it wouldn’t change anything If I had died earlier, but I had things piled up in me and I thought that I had to write them in notes and in lyrics and created “Fanus”…
Also include some details about your co-players, as we could not find any solid details anywhere (your site is not updated yet!)
M: Though I had professional musician friends, I tried to chose more amateur but talented musicians at the beginning of the project because I need their energy. Drums were played by the most famous drummer in our country Ayhanİlkan, who is also my brother and worked with Şebnem Ferah. Guitar, bass and keyboard were played by musicians who played in amateur progressive bands in our country. Guitar – Erdem Karaman, bass – Erdem Ulubaş, Klavye – Mesut Uçar.
And can you finally explain what is that thing on the cover is it “signifying” something? Is it meant to represent a “lantern” of life and hope in a barren land?(or something of the like?)
M: The cover of my album represents me. I portrayed myself as a tree that isolated itself from the corrupted and destructed world outside.
How did the deal with Sony Music Turkey, come up? What are your expectations from that collaboration? A crossover into more mainstream “waters” maybe? I am not aware of just how popular Pentagram might have been at the height of their career but they were decidedly heavier, than what you present here, so with this softer more prog influenced album do you think more people could embrace you?(Obviously – the softer direction, is not necessarily a conscious decision, but one that has to be maintained for health reasons, but think of it as a dual thing with you growing up – you are also evolving, without completely denying the roots of your past but you’re taking things into a new direction as well)…
M: We already worked with Sony as Pentagram for a long time. Sony published our 5 CDs to the music market again, so Sony was a good choice for me. It is true that my music is different than that of Pentagram but I don’t think It’s more soft and popular, I just think It’s more diverse.
You had to give up your musical career and main band Pentagram/Merzakabul to try and fight again sclerosis... for years you were bound to a wheelchair, barely able to walk etc. but allegedly now you’re doing much better being able to move and from what I’ve seen even doing the occasional show .. can you share with us the detail of your ordeal and tell us how it has affected you?
M: I had some restrictions due to my illness but I was never bound to a wheelchair. The side effects of my illness differs one person to another, though mine was a bit hard at the beginning It is getting better now.
Has music been a help – during your “illness” and how did your friends/fans and people around you react to those news?
M: Music has always been a therapy to me. I spent my days planning my albums and its recordings. The people around me have been very supportive to me.
Was “Fanus” a sort of Cathartic album for you?
M: Yes, Fanus is a totally cathartic album.
Can you explain the lyrical content of each of the songs on the EP? Also, did you have in mind to write more songs or just these?
M: I have some written songs and I want to release my second album as soon as possible. When the lyrics are observed, the main theme is loneliness but also there is hope and a life full of better expectations.
Finally, choosing the Turkish language in all but one songs, may make them more direct for your compatriots who happen to be a good portion of your fan-base, but this very choice, is also a bit restrictive, setting up a language/cultural barrier that is somewhat difficult to transcend, one has either got to translate the lyrics (and the meaning might get lost or altered in the translation) and some people may just dismiss, someone that sings in a foreign language, just as many people (ie a lot of Americans) dismiss foreign films... heck even our people Greeks and Turks – at least most of us, tend to not like each other that much over petty differences – when in reality there’s not so much that the “common folk” out in the street have to split... I suppose, stupidity prevails... over goodwill and human kindness. What do you think?
M: Music is universal, the notes aren’t in the monopoly of one nation. For instance Rammstein makes their music in German, but all the world enjoys it even though they don’t understand.
In growing up, did you always know you wanted to be a musician, or did you have other inclinations too?
M: Since the day I was born I was always about music. My father was the leader of an amateur band called “Miserables” which was one of the first rock bands in İzmir.
Once you decided to do this full time, who inspired you in the rock, genre as a vocalist?
M: Barış Manço…
A friend told me that once you received an invitation from a well-known international guitarist to audition for his band, is that true? Can you give us more details about those circumstances, if you did and why things didn’t work out?
M: Yes it’s true but I was working with another guitarist at the same time, we had such harmony with him in a short period of time, so eventually I worked with him.
M: Hello, I thank you.
Give us a short intro of who you are, for those who may not be familiar (you know – you can always cut and paste a good chunk of the bio from the website here, haha)
M: Yes there is this autobiography that I wrote, I guess it is enough to tell us the things that we want to know about.
Murat was born in İzmir, in 1971. He was not older than around 3 years old when his family started to notice that Murat was singing all the songs in correct tones and rhythms. It was kind of a major turning point in his life when his school teacher was changed in primary school and his new teacher, who was assigned in place of the former one, had a specialty in music branch. Owing to his new teacher, Şefik Şekeroğlu, Murat being introduced to his first instrument, the flute, also tasted his first chorus experiment at the same period of time.
With the guidance and support of his teacher and his family, Murat began taking his first singing and solmization lessons which would last for 4 years. In the meanwhile, he won the qualification examination for Karşıyaka SporKulübü swimming branch and was a professional swimmer for 8 years in this sports club.
In the years of the junior high school, he was enrolled to İzmir Fatih Koleji. There he attracted attention of the school’s music teacher Ayşegül Sabuncu and thus he found himself attending to the high school chorus where all members were older than himself. It was there where he first achieved solo singing performances.
Afterwards, Murat was encouraged to enter the conservatory by his parents, who were interested in classical music. Thus he won the part-time programme in İzmir Devlet Konservatuarı. There, he was trained for 3 years in singing and solmization by his instructor, Adnan Polge. Later on, he had to move to Istanbul because of domestic reasons, and this decision would be another milestone in his musical career.
In İstanbul, he formed the progressive metal band Sawdust, which was to be his first band, and performed many times with them.
He finished his military service in 1991. On his return he established an acoustic cover band, which grew in short time and became known under the name Cherokee. On the other hand, he took special singing lessons from Belkıs Aran for a year. By the way, Cherokee’s reputation spread in other cities as the band had quickly become one of the most popular club bands in İstanbul. In this manner, he gave many concerts in various cities with Cherokee.
It was in 1995 when Murat received a joining offer from Pentagram (Mezarkabul), one of Turkey’s most renowned and earliest heavy metal bands, and started working with them being the lead singer. He appeared in the following albums of the band: “Anatolia” (1997), “PopçularDışarı” (1998), “Unspoken” (2001) & ”One'”(2002). He performed numerous times as the frontman, both in Turkey and abroad.
In 2004, upon Cem Köksal’s call, he did the vocals in his album, “Set Me Free”.
In 2007, he started touring with Pentagram in ‘20. Anniversary Tour’. They released an audio CD, “1987 (2008)”, and a DVD which included recordings and footage from one of the concerts which took place in this tour.
In 2009, he set up a band with acoustic concept and performed in different cities in Turkey with this new band.
In June 2010 he left Pentagram a.k.a Mezarkabul…
Murat İlkan published his new album “Fanus” in 2013 and he is currently carrying on his musical career focused on his solo project.
Give us some details about “Fanus”, what it means, how it came to be, it’s recordings and what it signifies to you.
M: Actually the process of making “Fanus” was a bit hard for me. I could easily write my songs, but there was a serious health problem which was slowing me down time to time, but as a nature of mine I’m not a person who makes a big deal of even this much big problems. In the end we all die and it wouldn’t change anything If I had died earlier, but I had things piled up in me and I thought that I had to write them in notes and in lyrics and created “Fanus”…
Also include some details about your co-players, as we could not find any solid details anywhere (your site is not updated yet!)
M: Though I had professional musician friends, I tried to chose more amateur but talented musicians at the beginning of the project because I need their energy. Drums were played by the most famous drummer in our country Ayhanİlkan, who is also my brother and worked with Şebnem Ferah. Guitar, bass and keyboard were played by musicians who played in amateur progressive bands in our country. Guitar – Erdem Karaman, bass – Erdem Ulubaş, Klavye – Mesut Uçar.
And can you finally explain what is that thing on the cover is it “signifying” something? Is it meant to represent a “lantern” of life and hope in a barren land?(or something of the like?)
M: The cover of my album represents me. I portrayed myself as a tree that isolated itself from the corrupted and destructed world outside.
How did the deal with Sony Music Turkey, come up? What are your expectations from that collaboration? A crossover into more mainstream “waters” maybe? I am not aware of just how popular Pentagram might have been at the height of their career but they were decidedly heavier, than what you present here, so with this softer more prog influenced album do you think more people could embrace you?(Obviously – the softer direction, is not necessarily a conscious decision, but one that has to be maintained for health reasons, but think of it as a dual thing with you growing up – you are also evolving, without completely denying the roots of your past but you’re taking things into a new direction as well)…
M: We already worked with Sony as Pentagram for a long time. Sony published our 5 CDs to the music market again, so Sony was a good choice for me. It is true that my music is different than that of Pentagram but I don’t think It’s more soft and popular, I just think It’s more diverse.
You had to give up your musical career and main band Pentagram/Merzakabul to try and fight again sclerosis... for years you were bound to a wheelchair, barely able to walk etc. but allegedly now you’re doing much better being able to move and from what I’ve seen even doing the occasional show .. can you share with us the detail of your ordeal and tell us how it has affected you?
M: I had some restrictions due to my illness but I was never bound to a wheelchair. The side effects of my illness differs one person to another, though mine was a bit hard at the beginning It is getting better now.
Has music been a help – during your “illness” and how did your friends/fans and people around you react to those news?
M: Music has always been a therapy to me. I spent my days planning my albums and its recordings. The people around me have been very supportive to me.
Was “Fanus” a sort of Cathartic album for you?
M: Yes, Fanus is a totally cathartic album.
Can you explain the lyrical content of each of the songs on the EP? Also, did you have in mind to write more songs or just these?
M: I have some written songs and I want to release my second album as soon as possible. When the lyrics are observed, the main theme is loneliness but also there is hope and a life full of better expectations.
Finally, choosing the Turkish language in all but one songs, may make them more direct for your compatriots who happen to be a good portion of your fan-base, but this very choice, is also a bit restrictive, setting up a language/cultural barrier that is somewhat difficult to transcend, one has either got to translate the lyrics (and the meaning might get lost or altered in the translation) and some people may just dismiss, someone that sings in a foreign language, just as many people (ie a lot of Americans) dismiss foreign films... heck even our people Greeks and Turks – at least most of us, tend to not like each other that much over petty differences – when in reality there’s not so much that the “common folk” out in the street have to split... I suppose, stupidity prevails... over goodwill and human kindness. What do you think?
M: Music is universal, the notes aren’t in the monopoly of one nation. For instance Rammstein makes their music in German, but all the world enjoys it even though they don’t understand.
In growing up, did you always know you wanted to be a musician, or did you have other inclinations too?
M: Since the day I was born I was always about music. My father was the leader of an amateur band called “Miserables” which was one of the first rock bands in İzmir.
Once you decided to do this full time, who inspired you in the rock, genre as a vocalist?
M: Barış Manço…
A friend told me that once you received an invitation from a well-known international guitarist to audition for his band, is that true? Can you give us more details about those circumstances, if you did and why things didn’t work out?
M: Yes it’s true but I was working with another guitarist at the same time, we had such harmony with him in a short period of time, so eventually I worked with him.
You did one tour with Pentagram to commemorate their 20th anniversary after which you left the band... is there a possibility that you may return to the band? Was it an issue within the band, or just realizing that by staying you were sort of not allowing them, to realize whatever potential they might have had, in case you could not follow up with some more strenuous touring activity and the like that prompted you to exit the band ?
M: No, I’m not going back to Pentagram, and yes I left the band because of my illness. I didn’t want to prevent them from what they are doing.
What is your stance on the online services and piracy and all of that... I’d have to guess that the market in Turkey must be larger than in Greece, but there must be some considerable piracy, what’s your take on all that...
M: Online services provide a cheaper and easier way of listening to music to audience but piracy, of course is a big problem.
Also is there a possibility that we might see ya one day around here in Athens for a show – an Acoustic one?
M: If I will be invited to play in Athens, of course.
Time for some funny/odd questions! Gyros or Kebab (lets go with Kofte or sth that’s not similar to “Doner”)
M: I love them both.
Why should anyone buy “Fanus” and not a nice set of worry-beads if he’s in Turkey? (Sell it to us!)
M: To be honest, I don’t think that I made a touristy album.
If you were a Jin (not saying God – so as not to make this blasphemous in any way and get you in trouble) and you could make things happen what would you change around this world. (it can be in the 3 wishes format too…)
M: I would like to destroy all the politicians because they lead our lives and mostly ruin them.
What or who annoys you a lot in the music biz?
M: Even my illness couldn’t manage to annoy me so no one can…
Can you tell us a funny or weird thing that has happened to you in your professional career as a musician that sticks out in your memory?
M: During a concert with Pentagram I was moving towards a platform in front of the stage to salute the audience with Pentagram. There was a gap between the platform and the stage which I failed to realize, I fell down and they pulled me up. We saluted the audience, and when I was in backstage and guess what happened? The skin of my leg was ripped I had to spent rest of the night in hospital.
If your Wife/GF sold all your records to buy her self-something really expensive like a ring or sth, how would you react?
M: This kind of a person can never be my wife…
Give a message to your Greek & Turkish fans and to anyone that reads this interview!
M: I appreciate those people who never left me lonely and always made their existence felt from past to present.
M: No, I’m not going back to Pentagram, and yes I left the band because of my illness. I didn’t want to prevent them from what they are doing.
What is your stance on the online services and piracy and all of that... I’d have to guess that the market in Turkey must be larger than in Greece, but there must be some considerable piracy, what’s your take on all that...
M: Online services provide a cheaper and easier way of listening to music to audience but piracy, of course is a big problem.
Also is there a possibility that we might see ya one day around here in Athens for a show – an Acoustic one?
M: If I will be invited to play in Athens, of course.
Time for some funny/odd questions! Gyros or Kebab (lets go with Kofte or sth that’s not similar to “Doner”)
M: I love them both.
Why should anyone buy “Fanus” and not a nice set of worry-beads if he’s in Turkey? (Sell it to us!)
M: To be honest, I don’t think that I made a touristy album.
If you were a Jin (not saying God – so as not to make this blasphemous in any way and get you in trouble) and you could make things happen what would you change around this world. (it can be in the 3 wishes format too…)
M: I would like to destroy all the politicians because they lead our lives and mostly ruin them.
What or who annoys you a lot in the music biz?
M: Even my illness couldn’t manage to annoy me so no one can…
Can you tell us a funny or weird thing that has happened to you in your professional career as a musician that sticks out in your memory?
M: During a concert with Pentagram I was moving towards a platform in front of the stage to salute the audience with Pentagram. There was a gap between the platform and the stage which I failed to realize, I fell down and they pulled me up. We saluted the audience, and when I was in backstage and guess what happened? The skin of my leg was ripped I had to spent rest of the night in hospital.
If your Wife/GF sold all your records to buy her self-something really expensive like a ring or sth, how would you react?
M: This kind of a person can never be my wife…
Give a message to your Greek & Turkish fans and to anyone that reads this interview!
M: I appreciate those people who never left me lonely and always made their existence felt from past to present.