Athena

Internationally recognized Turkish ska/punk rock outfit Athena rose swiftly among the nation’s top-selling rock acts, aided by scant local competition in album production yet propelled equally by skillful Turkish folk adaptations, instrumental proficiency, the easygoing charisma of its frontman, and close ties to sporting events that helped several standout tracks accelerate their ascent.

The group traces its roots to the late 1980s, when brothers Gokhan Ozoguz and Hakan Ozoguz, already captivated by Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth, recorded demos and performed at modest venues before issuing the 1993 thrash release One Last Breath—an effort the band itself does not regard as Athena’s debut. Weekly club shows beginning in 1994 prompted a sharp stylistic pivot toward crowd-oriented material, and the resulting ska sound proved so unfamiliar to Turkish listeners that securing a label proved challenging until Holigan arrived in 1998. The title track became an immediate success, echoing through football stadiums where thousands sang along, while the remainder of the album mixed covers fitted with new lyrics, reworked Turkish folk melodies, and original compositions. Following release, Athena toured numerous Turkish cities and opened for the Rolling Stones in Istanbul.

Tam Zamani Simdi followed in 2000, delivering further crowd favorites alongside darker passages that would deepen on later recordings; among its peaks were “Her Sey Guzel Olacak,” “Yasamak Var Ya,” and “Ask Mesk Yok.” The album drew the attention of Germany’s Popkomm festival, where Athena performed alongside the Beastie Boys and subsequently undertook a three-date German tour supported by local ska act the Fritz. In 2001 Pork Pie Records featured “Devam...Bosver” from the debut on its World of Ska compilation, and the Turkish National Basketball Team commissioned “12 Dev Adam,” a track aired repeatedly throughout group matches and playoffs en route to a second-place finish that year. European press frequently cited the song’s role in energizing the squad, and it later appeared on a reissue of Tam Zamani Simdi.

Her Sey Yolunda, the band’s third album, emerged in 2002; although members later described the writing process as their most arduous, critics responded favorably. Lead single “Opucuk” scored another hit, and both that track and “Beyoglu” were included on the Asian Ska Compilation. Athena joined the 2003 artists’ initiative opposing the U.S. invasion of Iraq while maintaining a schedule of local concerts and appearances at H2000 and Rock’n Coke. Selected to represent Turkey at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2004, the group submitted three songs for public televoting; “For Real” prevailed, ultimately placing fourth. The accompanying maxi-single was issued in Turkey, Greece, and Germany.

Us appeared in Turkey and Germany later that same year, its lead single “Durmaz Insan Hayvan Olunca” already signaling a turn toward more pointed lyrics and occasional departures from the band’s characteristically buoyant tone. The album also incorporated the three Eurovision entries. Athena toured Turkey and Germany, adding festival dates in Holland and Russia, before returning to the studio for the self-titled Athena, released in 2005. With Turkish rock gaining mainstream traction and fresh bands emerging, the harder, faster sound of the new record retained longtime followers while drawing younger listeners; a subsequent Turkish tour included the placement of “Her Sey Yolunda” on Electronic Arts’ FIFA 2006 soundtrack.

The 2006 EP It contained a cover of Nirvana’s “Breed” retitled “Kopek,” while a separate 2007 album celebrated Fenerbahce’s anniversary. That year Pork Pie also featured Athena on its three-disc United Colors of Ska compilation. After sharing a bill with the Exploited in Istanbul, the Ozoguz brothers opted for a hiatus and relocated to London. Athena returned to Popkomm—now relocated to Berlin—in 2008, performing alongside Mogollar and MFÖ.