I met Tolga on Facebook and was happy to hear we had a couple friends in common the fabulous Ozgur Cokyuce and Gokham Tuncisler. They both did a scene report on the music scene in Turkey for Punk Globe, Here is the interview please enjoy.

Thanks so much for the interview. Give us some background on Reptilians From Andromeda?

Pleasure for us. RFA is a love child.We got married and then later we formedthe band.

I was always into rock music and my all friends were about rock music but I couldn't recognize difference between musicians and artists. Tolga helped me to figure it out.Because he is greatest artist I've ever known.

Where are you located in Turkey?

We are based in Istanbul.

When did you form Reptilians From Andromeda?

In 2013 We began as "Solar chaos" more like a experimental and instrumental band with postpunk elements in it. We were making home recordings and video art collages in that time. By the time we are recording our stuff, sound has been changed into more punk/garage/no wave and than lyrics came in. So we decided to change the name to Reptilians from Andromeda (aka. RFA)

Tell us who is in the band and what they do?

Aybike Celik Ozbey is lead singer of the band and writes lyrics. Tolga Ozbey is on guitar/bass. We are produced and recording our stuff together. And we are making album cover arts together.


Have there ever more than two members in the band?

Yes, just we have no constant drummer yet. People are changing and we named all of them is simply "Johnny The Tramp" :) And mostly we are using drum programming in our recordings.

How did you come up with the band name Reptilians From Andromeda?

In fact we decided the name first as "Reptilians" when just watching The Reptile (1966) movie. But we've always been in conspiracy theories so it's just a real fun for us. Modern life is just a fictional joke. You cant believe the media. Everything is manipulated and controlled by them. Everything in the mainstream media is fake so you can unite all the theories under Reptilians and they came from Andromeda anyway! Believe it or not, you can find it crazy but anyway what can you believe in?

Who are some of your influences?

Musically we influenced by too many things. 60's garage, 77 punk, UK/DK, New wave, hardcore, surf, grunge, no wave, protopunks,riot girl etc. Shortly from velvets, bowie and stooges, new york dolls to Napalm death.

Lou Reed, Iggy pop, David Bowie, Johnny Thunders, Johnny Lydon, Ramones, Joan Jett, Blondie, The Cramps, Sonic Youth, The Breeders, Hole, Babes in Toyland, and too many others. In fact almost all 70's rock n roll and 90's grunge and riot girl is inspired me. I found too many groupies as a Rock Star also .They inspired me with their attitudes well maybe they are not musicians but they just wanted to be rock stars and they did it.

Do you have any releases out?

Our latest releases are (some of them are on production in these days)
Reptilians from Andromeda self-titled K7 Cassette Ep released by Dead Plant Records (US)
https://deadplantrecords.bandcamp.com/album/reptilians-from-andromeda
Reptilians from Andromeda "Jungle Highness" Ep by Subruckus Collective (US) on CD only
http://subruck.us/
Reptilians from Andromeda self-titled Ep by Spirit Goth records (US) on itunes/spotify only
Reptilians from Andromeda "Loves gonna destroy us" Ep by Spirit Goth records (US) on itunes/spotify only
http://www.spiritgothrecords.com/

Tolga you have been in a popular Turkish band called Rashit.. Tell us about that.

I formed Rashit in 1993. And it's alive till 2013 as a part of Turkish punk scene. We have released first official Turkish Punk rock album "Telasa mahal yok" by Kod music. For people who wants to learn about Turkish punk, they can take a look at "An Interrupted History of Punk and Underground Resources in Turkey 1978-1999" book. but I must warn you, it's like a giant history book. For me being a part of that is a great thing.


You know I am friends with Gokhan on Facebook. Do you know Ozgur Cokyuce? They are pals. Oz writes for Punk Globe.

Yeah Gokhan is my childhood friend. He was the first drummer of the Rashit (1993-2000). He is still in music bussiness as booking/organization. i just know Ozgur. Yeah i remember they wrote a cool Turkish scene report for Punk Globe magazine.

It looks like Rashit stayed together for a long time.. However you were the only consistent band member. How many releases did you have?

We have released too many stuff, 5 tapes, 5 Albums (cd/casette), 3 split tapes w/active minds-3rd world planet-flagrants d'eli, a split 7" with ask it why a 7" Ep, a LP album called "kapak Guzelleri" and we have gave too many songs to compilaiton albums also.

What made you decide to end doing Rashit?

After 20 years we decided to make a break, world is changed, music is changed. Attitudes are just fashions now. People dont give any attention to concerts anymore. There is no something we can call it scene nowadays. So its getting bitter to play normal people not punks. People coming to our shows just looking at us, I am getting depressed in the concerts at the end. There is no point to making music like that.

Any chances of a reunion?

Its not in the horizon.

Tell us about the punk scene in Turkey?

Nowadays there're just a few bands. Like Tampon, The Ayilar, Cemiyette Pisiyorum, Poster iti. Others are morely hipster indie shit.

Are there alot of places to play?

Not so much places are anymore, Turkey is getting more radical islam day by day. Government makes a prohibition to sponsorship of the alcohol firms. and places are geting closed. But still living concert places are Kadikoy Karga, Peyote, Arkaoda, Pendor. You can get in touch with them if you want to play in Istanbul. After occupying Gezi in Taksim Square, pressure on alternative people is getting harder.

Government is trying to changing youth in Turkey by their Islamic ideals. Occupy Gezi was a cultural unite to save a park and trees there in the middle of the city. all the alternative people were together there, but after occupy all of them are spitted out. People are horrified so, many people were killed. And still is going on... And Taksim Square is not center of musical movement in Istanbul anymore. Now People are like us getting more abused at Taksim


That sounds horrible for everyone... Tell us about your favorite venues

If you are not interested in mainstream music, Kadikoy Karga, Peyote, Arkaoda,Pendor are gonna help you. Underground live music is going on these places.

Do you have any favorite bands that you play shows with?

Tampon is our friend band and still going on from the 90's.

Tell us what is in store for Reptilians From Andromeda in 2016.

We are preparing on an Lp. Making new songs and we have a idea to make only one gig in this year. We're shooting a video in these days and its gonna be ready soon.

Do you have any Internet addresses you would like to share with Punk Globe readers?

https://soundcloud.com/andromedareptilians
https://facebook.com/reptiliansfromandromeda