LET'S TALK TURKEY!!!!

As you know, Soulfly recently played with KORN, Gojira, and several other acts in Istanbul, Turkey. Why my interest in the exotic countries and in the Middle East, you may ask. Thanks to opening my Facebook account and making it a must to reply to every private message, I began to learn many things about the world that had mystified me in the past. I learned about the persecution of Metalheads in other countries and even torture. From this information, Forbidden Fire, by Killer Be Killed was born. But let's go back to Istanbul...

Anahid MOP

Personally, I love this city! Ancient architecture whisked in with modern day, museums with antiques that make your eyes pop out, the great Bazaar with its flying carpets, leather stores, harem outfits, and pottery with the tree of life. Mosques rising up through the ocean of buildings and prayers ringing through the air...colorful Istanbul!! Oh...and don't forget the traffic!!!!

Istanbul

Istanbul

Istanbul

I made the concert in Istanbul in order to create a very special and rare appearance of one of the guests on the upcoming Archangel cd. Finding a way to get the beautiful and talented Iranian warrior, Anahid MOP (who guests on the song Max wrote about me titled Mother of Dragons), to perform, was my quest. Growing up persecuted for being Metal in a country where Metal is outlawed takes a lot of courage to stand up to. Young people suffer arrest and even worse for wearing Metal gear, and for playing or even listening to Metal music. These peops really have to search for their heroes!! We take freedom of music as our right and these kids should be able to also!

Being Metal in the forbidden zone

Turkey has a European side of the country and an Asian side to the country. While there are many ancient beliefs strongly held, there is also a modern day leniency in the country, and this allows the people many of the freedoms humans should be naturally given. And that is why Max and I have travelled there many times, sometimes only with each other and sometimes with the band.

The Mamara Hotel was popping that weekend, I will say! We ran into Gojira, Behemoth, Dark Tranquility, Annihilator, and many others chilling withTurkish coffee, teas, icy beers and chatter. To this we added Dave DeeDevil and his beautiful wife Roya, and Meraj and Anahid MOP, our close friends from Iran. It was a dream both ways...them to hang with us and us to be with them!

Group dinner before the show

Roya and Dave

The show was massive and the camaraderie backstage was infecting us all. Great Turkish cuisine was our friend too! I will admit a giant monsoon hit and the stage and backstage area turned into a mud pit the size of Woodstock, but it can't stop Metal! The brotherhood surrounded us! Fieldy, from KORN, is an old friend, from the Days of Dana, and we hung with him, our brains turning back in time together. The past, the present and the future...it is what you make it! Now have a nice summer! Visit Turkey and support Metal Awareness in the Middle East. Let's protect our brothers and sisters....

Meet and greet stage

Class dismissed.....
*PHOTOS OF ISTANBUL SHOPS, AQUEDUCT AND AUTOGRAPH SESSION ARE COURTESY OF AGGY CARNOTA*