EVREN YAZGAN

Evren Yazgan is a baglama player and an ethnical musician who walks on a different path of music. When the band decided to have ethnical instruments within the songs, Evren, a long time friend of Emrecan and Can, was the first name that came into their minds. As his instrument has different tonalities and approaches, Evren and the band worked on understanding each other’s approach and practiced the songs. In the end, a new spice to give the taste of Reversing Time was ready to be implemented.

How did it feel when you first heard of “Reversing Time” and your invitation as a guest?
When I first heard about it, I sincerely felt excited because this kind of a project was not something common to be done in our own country and I was offered to be a part of it! Of course, one of the most important things was that I had the chance to witness the growth of this project from the start. Lots of hard work has been done. And, regarding my own musical identity, it was joyous for me to be in this kind of a project.

You, as an artist, have an origin of ethnical music and Dreamtone & Iris Mavraki’s Neverland has a metal sound, which differs from your perspective in many ways. How was it to work together? What were the difficulties?
Being an ethnical musician and an instrumentalist in origin was indeed the messenger of certain difficulties when I was first offered to play in this project. However, we are in an era where boundries in between music genres are being removed and if we are to believe the universal feelings of music and the cultural bridges it forms in between people, I asked to myself “why can’t we be another example of it?” and I closed my eyes, dreamt of what can I do, then I did it. Of course, with a will to work real hard.

You are appearing as a guest musician, playing baglama on songs “Mankind is a Lie”, “Reversing Time” and “Black Water”. How was the preparation stage for you?
First of all, I worked with the composers and tried to feel the initial feelings they gave while composing the songs and then, I listened to them numerous times to get into the feeling myself. For such a project with big efforts spent, it was my obligation to work without mistakes and I tried to give my best.

Within the songs you played, which song is your favorite?
Without doubt, all of the songs have their moments and they are all beautiful but Mankind is a Lie has a special place in my heart.

Neverland is a place that children do not grow up and a magical happiness surrounds the world. Can you please describe us your own Neverland?
Because of our, the grown ups mistakes and ambitions, with or without willingly, we are hurting children and giving them irreversible destruction, pain. My Neverland would be, first of all, a place where children can be happy and grow up in a feeling of peace as they are the seeds of our future, waiting their time.

Other Interviews
w/ Hansi Kürsch
w/ Tom Englund
w/ Gary Wehrkamp
w/ Erim Arkman
w/ Ozan Alparslan