*This interview, conducted by Eylül Aşkın, was first published in Turkish on 11.12.2022 on the online art platform sosyeteart.com. https://sosyeteart.com/index.php/2022/12/11/aseton-herkes-hem-aslinda-gruba-ihtiyaci-olmayacak-kadar-iyi-olup-hem-de-kendini-unutup-grup-olabilmeyi-icsellestirince-buyuyorsunuz/
Today, we stand alongside the influential women’s rock band of the 2000s, “Aseton.”
How did your interest in music begin? How did you first encounter musical instruments?
SELİN: In my early years, my parents would say a word to me, and I would create and sing songs containing that word while rocking back and forth. I remember myself doing this at my grandmother's house; they would laugh and enjoy it, and I liked attracting attention in this way. I used to imitate singers I saw on TV, standing in front of the TV, singing and dancing, saying things like, "Don't watch that, watch me." I had a plastic, pink guitar, a red drum, another red microphone, and a white mini organ. As I transitioned from childhood to adolescence, I preferred using my voice as an instrument.
PELİN: I started with my mother's guitar. My family played a significant role in directing me towards music from my childhood.
MELİS: When I was little, I loved singing both by myself and with others. I still enjoy singing with my mom. Singing together seems like a very organic form of communication for me, whether it's with one or more people. Producing the same sounds together has a unifying power; I believe it has a healing, therapeutic effect on people. As a teacher, I also love singing with my students. My interest in musical instruments began when I started tinkering with my mom's guitar at home, and I never wanted to let go of it. We can say it was love at first sight.
How did the idea of forming a women's rock band come about? How did you come together? How was the process of choosing a name, and why "Aseton"?
MELİS: Creating music is a team effort, so the idea of forming a band has been in my mind since high school. It took me years to understand what matters in deciding who to work with. Forming a music group is akin to marriage or a job interview. It goes beyond just being good friends, having a mental connection, or mastering instruments; it requires a profound artistic fusion to capture a unique style. Dreaming together is no joke; it's a serious business. To create something "beautiful" as a team, there needs to be a natural harmony and the skills developed together over time. Everyone becomes good enough not to need a group and grows when they internalize the ability to forget themselves and be a part of a group.
Regarding the emphasis on a women's group, my childhood heroes were first my mom, then extraordinary women like Xena and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I must have been tired of women being secondary characters in traditional tales worldwide. Now, these narratives are changing, and the era of the princess rescuing the prince has begun. It's refreshing to tell stories that have been told for centuries from a different perspective; humanity needs empathy, a shift in perspective, balance, and justice. While I never had the intention of forming a women's group, a friend planted the idea in my mind, and I wanted to try it. However, we couldn't sacrifice music and perfectionism for sexism. So, we've worked with male musicians from time to time; our drummer Canberk, for example, is male. We don't have a sexist discriminatory attitude, but we are a predominantly female team, hence the frequent "women's group" label. Having successful female musicians as my best friends has been a great blessing. Aseton is, in a way, making a revolution by simply saying, "We exist," against a segment of society. This is valid regardless of gender, and like all other independent rock groups, I count every day we haven't disbanded as a revolution.
The name actually came to mind because I really liked the name of a band called Cyanide. During our adolescence, you can't think healthily. Our encounter with Pelin was through an ad they posted on Garaj.org or in a studio, looking for a bassist and drummer for guitar-vocal. I went, we had a rehearsal with three girls, and I played and sang "Eminem from the Clover with a Broom" as a punk cover. Pelin said, "Let's not meet again with this," and we've been playing together since that day. Selin and I are childhood friends; she used to be in the grade above me in middle school. I remember going to her class with a guitar and playing Hole; she was very impressed by my voice. But the best part was that she never said no. I remember feeling terrible when the school bell rang because it meant putting the guitar down. I wanted to give up everything and just make music. I don't know if it's a reward or a punishment in life, but this desire never came true.
SELİN: I never had the idea of forming a women's rock band; I was just a girl who sang songs on her own. But I enjoyed getting attention while singing, receiving good or bad comments. I liked managing my voice and directing it the way I wanted; I always wanted to be a part of music because I loved it so much. Hole, the band of Courtney Love, who was Kurt Cobain's wife from Nirvana, came into my life because of Nirvana I started listening to in the early years of middle school. I hated it when I first listened, but I somehow fell in love. Then I found myself in the Riot Grrrl movement. My acquaintance with Melis in middle school happened somewhat like this; our curiosity and interest grew, and after meeting Pelin, we found ourselves as dedicated followers of this movement. We were going to perform at Caravan, needed a band name, and when I was sitting in a cafe contemplating Melis's ideas, I suggested Aseton. That concert never happened, but the name stuck.
PELİN: We didn't specifically aim for a group of women. We were four friends with matching music tastes and minds. We thought we formed a good chemistry and found a name that evokes chemistry.
You had your first concert under the name "Aseton" in 2005. Do you recall the feedback and emotions from that time? When comparing the early days of the band to its current state, what personal and musical changes do you observe?
SELİN: I remember being very nervous and tense; there was so much I wanted to show and convey, but everything was happening so quickly. Although we started a song at its current tempo, towards the end, we would speed up excessively. I struggled to adapt the vocals to the music, and I used to scream excessively to make my voice heard. If I were to compare our first and last performance, nothing has changed in our spirit, but there's the experience gained over the years. I don't scream as much now, and at least I know when my voice will become hoarse.
PELİN: Initially, we were an established but only rehearsing group. Then a friend, insisting that we were tired of rehearsals, arranged a concert for us. Thankfully, he did. It was at Gitar Bar in Beyoğlu. We were found quite different, and we had a lot of fun. Musicians whose songs we grew up with would come and listen to us. At that time, our music had a more depressive atmosphere. We played the music we loved. Now, perhaps due to having many responsibilities to worry about, our music is more cheerful and mocks life a bit.
MELİS: When we had our first concert at Gitar in Beyoğlu, I never thought we would last this long. Over the years, the joy mixed with fatigue, the enthusiasm, and love for our work continue just like the first day. I was surprised by the positive feedback we received then, and I still am surprised because, fundamentally, we are good friends who love music. It's not common to both do what you love and receive positive comments. Feeling happy just by doing the work and then receiving positive reactions... I feel very lucky.
You were featured in Mustafa Altıoklar's TV series "Kız Takımı" with your composition "Dibini Gör." You were captured on film by BBC documentary filmmaker Amanda Burrell. In the MTV-TTNET competition, you secured first place in both music and video categories with the arrangement of Fırat Çavaş for the song "Sen." Despite these achievements, why do you think your voice hasn't been heard enough? Or do you believe you are where you deserve to be? What is the barrier between fame and yourselves?
SELİN: I think this is a beautiful question. I believe those who know us, know us. We've never been a group constantly pushed in front of people, and I don't think we want to be. I always believe that we are where we deserve to be in life. Fame should be a means, not a goal. If you can make a difference in people's lives and leave a mark, then you should be famous. Otherwise, I can sing songs alone at home; fame has never been a goal for me.
PELİN: I don't think our voice has gone unheard. We didn't have a goal to become famous. We didn't work like a company, and we didn't see the band as a product that needed to be sold. We saw it as a platform to share our artistic creations.
MELİS: When I look at the very famous and popular music in Turkey, I take pride in where we stand and our principles.
It's been a whole 11 years since your first album, "Ben Böyle Albümün...", was released in 2011. Why did you take such a long break? Is there a second album on the horizon?
SELİN: The album was an incredibly challenging process for me, and my mental health suffered because nothing turned out the way I wanted. When the album was finally released, regardless of how it turned out, I realized I was on the right path. Wanting it to be exactly as I or the band members desired was a somewhat selfish thought. Even though we appear as three in the forefront, we were a quite large team and found common ground. We're not a fast or pop group; I consider us a heavy group. I don't see the long time that has passed as a break; life goes on, and we continue to live. I don't know when the second album will come; we need to organize and decide. There are many compositions by Melis that haven't fit into the first album and need to be recorded. I think we'll do it at some point, but I don't know when or how.
PELİN: The answer to this question is in the previous response. Finding a publisher willing to accept it becomes harder when you don't see it as a product that needs to be sold. We occasionally release our new recordings independently.
MELİS: Even without an album, we often release new singles. Last year, we released two new tracks, and in the last few years, we re-released five old songs, "Aşk," "Kork," "Rüya," "Alev," and "Dibini Gör," along with three new songs, "Kimse Duymaz," "Aynı Değilsin," and "Uçman Lazım." Performing online and live concerts is more enjoyable than going through a stressful process like giving birth, so perhaps we produce a bit more slowly. However, we want to return to the studio in the coming period. Presenting new songs to our audience sounds wonderful.
If we talk about being a woman in the music industry, what can you say about the challenges of being a female musician in the market? Have you faced difficulties due to your gender in a male-dominated industry?
SELİN: I don't think music has a gender. If you want to use music only as "The Voice of Women," it's up to you. As a woman, I haven't faced any difficulties or problems in this regard. I don't believe the industry is male-dominated.
PELİN: The most challenging expectation is that a female musician must always look beautiful and attractive.
MELİS: I believe there is a deep power struggle between genders, unfortunately stemming more from selfishness than from looking out for others and protection, especially in the codes of women. Of course, what I'm talking about as "femininity" is not applicable to everyone; I don't think anyone carries one hundred percent feminine or masculine traits. We exhibit mixed characteristics within a spectrum. If everyone were given the right to redefine themselves as a woman or a man, I think the majority would lean towards men. Due to the lack of gender equality, just like in every sector, if you are a woman in music, you must be even better because your mistakes won't be overlooked or forgiven. You'll face more criticism and be judged against higher standards. We might have some unpleasant memories, but since we won't give up being women or doing this job, we don't like to dwell on this issue too much.
In your opinion, what does "Aseton" represent as a 'girl band'? What is your musical philosophy? Are you driven by a desire to convey a social message, or do you create your compositions instinctively, merely to express your emotions?
SELİN: We are not a gender-specific group. We represent what we have lived through, experienced, and accumulated. I haven't thought about Aseton's philosophy; we try to reflect our emotions as they are, without pretense. We are not trying to convey a social message; in other words, our music does not serve a purpose. It's more about sharing emotions and states of mind.
PELİN: Although we weren't initially formed with the ambition of being a girl band, it gradually became a suitable label for us. Living in Turkey, we don't have the luxury of not advocating for feminism and social organizations. I believe we represent women who love each other, protect each other, always support each other, and are productive and collaborative.
MELİS: Messages that the audience takes from this are very personal; I cannot interfere with that. After all, everyone perceiving us will filter and interpret it according to their own experience. So, I can't say, "We want to say this" in a single dimension. For me, Aseton mostly represents the concept of "freedom" because the work I most want to do might express the pains of love for someone else or something entirely different. Seray Sever asked us "what are you erasing" in an interview, so apparently, she received such a bold message from our name. Recently, our late sister Billur Kalkavan said "brave girls' group," although if you think about it, Aseton could be a cosmetic material, very feminine, depending on the person. Perception can vary greatly from person to person based on their own experience. We tell what we experience; the listener finds their own social message or emotional expression within it. For example, at the beginning of the song "Kimse Duymaz," there is the sound of the Ankara Train Station explosion. This makes it a completely different song from our perspective, but for the listener, it could be something entirely different.
What inspires you during the songwriting process? Which musicians/groups influence your style?
SELİN: When I compose, I draw inspiration from my own imagination or events I've experienced and deeply affected me. I'm not really prolific in this regard; I'm more inclined to sing songs than compose them. I'm particularly a fan of Melis's Turkish lyrics and compositions. In the last few years, I've been quite influenced by Die Antwoord and Grimes.
PELİN: Stories of urban women, their conflicts with themselves, mocking, loves, intoxication, emotional imbalances, etc. Ella Fitzgerald and Tori Amos are musicians who have greatly influenced me.
MELİS: The artists I'm influenced by and nourished by don't quite resemble what I produce. I love IAMX. In the songwriting process, I actually draw the most inspiration from silence. When I haven't done anything for a long time, I start hearing things in the silence and begin singing songs in my mind; lyrics come to me, and I immediately grab the guitar to play them. Something just happens out of nowhere.
Do you also engage in other forms of art besides music?
SELİN: I graduated in Visual Arts and Visual Communication Design, and I absolutely love distorting photos and videos. I have a soft spot for charcoal drawings and pastel colors. Although not as frequent as before, I still draw and paint occasionally.
PELİN: In Turkey, we have numerous talents that are undervalued.
MELİS: Pelin and Selin have been modest. Selin is, in fact, a fantastic visual artist. I was initially captivated by her drawings, and she beautifully designed our album cover, creating stunning illustrations for each song. Unfortunately, due to commercial concerns, we couldn't convince others to publish it in that manner, and it still irks me. Pelin is skilled in various visual arts, she creates drawings, and she's exceptionally good at knitting. Personally, I'm more into sports than art.
What projects are you currently working on? What are your future goals?
SELİN: Currently, I'm not working on anything outside Aseton. I don't make plans for the future; I try to steer my existing life in a way that feels good.
PELİN: Surviving the next 6 months like every Istanbulite.
MELİS: Devoting as much time as possible to the band, performing more concerts, recording new songs. Pelin has some fantastic compositions; previously, Aseton's songs were mainly by Selin and Melis. We want to bring Pelin's hidden treasures to light.
Musically, what is your most utopian dream?
SELİN: It might be to perform a piece that will shock everyone and leave a long-lasting impact. I don't think I have the ability to create such a composition; maybe Melis does.
PELİN: Performing concerts as fabulous 80-year-old grandmothers 🙂
MELİS: Quitting everything and just making music.
Where can our readers follow you on social media?
You can follow Aseton on social media at the following addresses:
- Instagram: @asetonofficial
- Twitter: @AsetonBand
- Facebook: /AsetonBand
- YouTube: Aseton YouTube Channel
Additionally, even though we don't update frequently, readers can find all our social media links on our website: https://asetonband.wordpress.com
Comments
Post a Comment