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That is what says on the front cover of SOS' first casette, which was released
in 1994. The reason, they say, for inserting a this was as sort of dedication
to those who raise voice against the type of rock music they make.
SOS, the only professional rock group of North Cyprus, was founded in 1987 by
a group of friends to foster the development of local Turkish Cypriot rock
music. The group, which then consisted of Mehmet Zeyin (the lead singer and
guitar), Mehmet Özçelik (base guitar), Kamil Atik (solo/ rhytm guitar) and
Muhittin Yangin infused their musical philosophy with the local tunes in the
rock style to create their own music which they call Cypriot rock.
According to SOS, rock is a means that signals and stands against the societal
depressions, as well as a means to relieve the society from such ills and express
one's opinions in a stress-free musical level. Rock, which has been the
symbol of protest and dynamic youthful restlessness in the society, is our
means to raise our voice and spread our message to the society in general, the
SOS says.
Since its establishment in 1987, SOS put more emphasis on giving concerts for
its promotion. They say: "the times before the concerts is very stressful for
us, and we camp for a week in the studio, working every day until the concert
day. This helped us a lot, as we realised our potential was far greater than
we previously thought."
SOS, released their first casette in 1987, the year it was established. After
its first success with the Cypriot youth, they intensified their efforts on
a better organised and produced casette album. During this time, one of the
group members started his national service, where he met musician Ersen Sururi,
who was also doing his service and who would be the fifth member of the SOS
in future.
After the completion of their national services and joining to SOS of Kamil
and Ersen Sururi, the goup was strengthened and their music was appreciated
by a wider circle of young fans. So accordingly, during this time they gave
many concerts throughout North Cyprus. In 1989, the group competed in the
Golden Cedar Song Contest in Istanbul which was a success for the SOS, both
in terms of result and experience in Turkey.
SOS's next casette "Kalbimizdeki Prenses'e" (To the Princess of our hearts)
came later in that year, with a message of PEACE. But, thr group says the kind
of peace they tried to explain in their album, was a peace "within one's own
inner self". A peace which stood up to malicious and extreme ideologies which
enslave poison the minds and inner-selves of the millions. Perhaps, the cover
of their casette with a white dove being freed by a hand-shaped guitar with
the emblem of SOS. And the note, this time, on the new casette read:
"If PEACE is our goal for future, then MUSIC must be our key to open the
door of peace"
"Kalbimizdeki Prenses'e" (To the Princess of our hearts) included the
following SOS songs: Prenses'e, Kollarimda, Tut Canim, Düşünen Hayvan, Bolodin'in Kizlari
Dansi,
Bir Dalga Gelse, Dünya Gebe, Savaşlar Inadina, and Kardeşliğimiz
Sürecek.
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