Interview By Erwin Van Dijk

 

An interview with Özge Özkan from Catafalque.

Catafalque is a gothic metal band from Turkey. I do not know many bands from Turkey so this interview is a rare opportunity to speak with one. Özge Özkan is the female singer of Catafalque, a band has been active since the Nineties.

Did you always want to become a singer?

I always wanted to become a pianist and I studied music many years and now I'm a singer too, thanks to my bandmates' invitation 8 years ego. I’ve never planned it, but I’m really happy. In the beginning, I was so scared about singing but then I saw my talent and capabilities. In course of time I became more confident, passionate and successful.

And to what kind of music do you listen yourself?

I like Classical music, all styles of Rock and Metal, Electronic and Industrial music. Also, when I like to let myself rest, Celtic music.

And who are your favorite bands and musicians?

When I first meet Metal, I listen to bands like Sepultura, Slayer and Testament a lot. Years later, I find My Dying Bride, Opeth, Crematory, Katatonia and Paradise Lost’s styles closer to myself. In this period, I also loved 80’s Goth; The Cure, Sisters of Mercy and 90’s of course, like T.O.T. I still love these names the best. I try to follow new comers and styles however old ones are always my favorites.

Did you have any other bands before Catafalque and / or are you active in any other bands now besides Catafalque?

Besides Catafalque, I have my own solo project now. My first solo album, "In Your Heart" released in 2008 and I’m working on my long play now. Also, I recorded a duet with Dutch band One Bullet Left for their debut, "Armageddon Sunrise".

How do you choose your stage outfit?

What I care about the most is dignity, also quality. It does not mean my clothes must look like taken from a queen’s cupboard, but they should express what I feel inside as a woman and reflect my music. For our first release generally I used fabrics like velvet, satin and lace. Because that’s the way I should and liked to be, it was the image of our my music of that time. Now, I feel more energetic and modern. So, I generally choose latex, which is one of the most feminine material in the world. Me and my producer Arın Baykurt choose clothing together, especially the corsets. The other things that can be made by hand, I make them myself. Skirts, boleros, shirts… I kind a like that stuff.

What are your other passions besides music?

I work as a producer in TV. That means, I create programs. This job actually gives me the opportunity to do what I like; writing. It is my favourite thing besides music.

Is it difficult being a fan of metal or rock oriented music in Turkey?

It depends where you live. In Istanbul or big cities, it is fine to do or to look extreme, but the rest… I don’t think so.

And does Turkey have a large metal scene at all?

Compare to the population we may be few but we rock and we grow. Every year bigger-than-ever festivals, more bands, more fans we got as a community. Our bands also started to be known abroad, the scene is getting larger.

And is it difficult to combine the band with your personal life?

If you fall in love with your producer everything is difficult to combine. He always helps and pushes me to do my best about everything. It makes our lives complicated, but we have the same taste and what we want to create or to change our music into, is the same, Thank God! Our relationship makes the fights bigger but harmless.

Even with the open borders from Bulgaria to Scandinavia there is still a vast distance between Turkey and the rest of Europe. Does the relative isolation of Turkey limit Catafalque's career because I think that outside Greece you can not really go touring in nearby countries and I do not see Catafalque doing a tour in (to name some other neighbouring countries) Syria, Iraq or Iran. You are not even welcome in those countries I guess.

Yes, that is exactly our situation right now. We are not European or Eastern enough. Our place on earth is strange, it affects everything but music knows no boundaries. We’ll go on a tour in the future I believe.

Why did you choose Catafalque as name for the band?

It’s chosen before all of us. No one from the beginning plays in the band now, somehow we have never changed it.

 

And how would you describe your music?

The music of our debut and the second album is totally different. The shortest term for what we do today is Goth Metal or Goth Rock but Ambient Synth Gothic Metal is more true.

And what makes Catafalque different compared to all those other female fronted bands?

Actually, it is a question that the audience should answer but the only thing we can say is that our most important qualification is the style of combining the digital sounds’ atmosphere with gothic metal patterns. That keeps us away from being typical.

According to your bio Catafalque's music is usually written by Arin Baykurt, Serhan Diren and Alper Tabakçilar while the lyrics are done by Metehan Mert Çakir, Alper Tabakçilar and you. How do you guys work together in Catafalque?

Arın Baykurt writes and arranges all our songs. He is a multi-instrumentalist and he brings to the band the final version of the songs. Just for recording session the other members become a part of the activity. Arın also arranges the other member’s songs. That time, he writes the song almost again while Arın is doing his work I do mine; writing lyrics and vocal lines. Then two vocals, we get together and share the lyrics according to my lines. Our song-writing process takes place in our home-studio. Afterwards, Arın calls us to do our recordings in studio then he does the sound-engineering stuff like sound mix etc… and voila!

Can you introduce us to the other members of Catafalque?

Arın Baykurt is our producer, guitarist and he is a sound engineer for one of the biggest film music & jingle company. Alper Tabakçılar, who's not married, is our bass guitarist and in the leather shoe business. Metehan Çakır, that's married too, is our other vocal and works for the Rock Radio. Serhan Diren (just engaged) is our keyboard player and works for a cargo company, Onur Akça (never will marry, I guess) is our drummer, plays with couple of bands in clubs and he is a studio drummer.

Your debut album, "Unique" was released in 2005 and "Dialectique" in 2007. How did the media, and more important, the fans react on the album?

"Unique" was easier to accept for Turkish listeners but "Dialectique" is beyond their expectations. We push even our own limits but that is the point. "Dialectique" has been chosen the best album of the year by many magazines and web sites. Sometimes audience can be addicted to or obsessed with the same thing but our duty is to improve and to change, eventually.

The release of "Dialectique" was three years ago. What have you done since then?

We think about the next album, but Arın and I focused on my solo album. So, it is time for us to sit and create.

And when can we expect a new album?

Hard to tell..

What is your favorite Catafalque song and why?

"Fading Beauty" on "Dialectique". This song musically affects me. It is like water. So fluid… So fluent…

What are for you the highlights with Catafalque so far?

Year of 2007. We played for thousands of people and on the same stage with such greatest bands but I feel the highest point of our career has not come yet.

And what can we expect from Catafalque in the nearby future?

Nowadays, we seriously work on our live performances and live music’s quality. I think, you can expect great shows from us. And if we decide to release something soon, you can expect a totally different music too, as usual.

And the last question: is there anything the reader should know that I have not asked?

Thank you for the interview. Most brilliant questions I have ever answered. Greetings from Turkey.

 

Links

Özge Özkan Official Profile

Özge Özkan Offcial MySpace

Catafalque Official MySpace

 

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