Grup Yorum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Grup Yorum
Grup Yorum, 1991
Background information
Origin	Istanbul, Turkey
Genre(s)	Halk Müziği, Protest music
Years active	1985–present
Label(s)	Kalan
Former members
Metin Kahraman, Kemal Sahir Gürel, Hilmi Yarayıcı
Notable instrument(s)
bağlama, davul, zurna, flute

Grup Yorum is a Turkish/Kurdish band known for their political songwriting. Grup Yorum (Yorum means interpretation or comment in Turkish) has released nineteen albums since 1987. Many of the group members were arrested and tortured. Some of their concerts and albums were banned, but Yorum remains popular and their albums continue to sell well in Turkey and internationally. Yorum has also given concerts in Germany, Austria, Australia, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, United Kingdom, and Greece.

The group publishes an art, culture, literature, and music magazine entitled Tavir, sample issues of which are available on the group's official website.

[edit] History

In 1985, 4 friends at Marmara Üniversitesi formed Grup Yorum. The group composition has been in a constant state of change since the group's inception, and throughout history Grup Yorum has experienced political oppression. Group members have been arrested many times, and countless trials (approximately 400) have been opened for the members. Their albums have been seized by police and their concerts banned, but despite this Grup Yorum has been one of the top selling groups in the history of Turkey. The band was inspired by Inti Illimani in early 1980s and socialist movements in Turkey and abroad.