35 YEARS

OF
MURAT
BASDOGAN

Published in Istanbul in 2016

(35 Years of Murat Badoan)
Copyright Rya Elise Peltek, 2016
Book cover photo Mete zeren, 2016
The moral right of the author has been asserted
An online version of this book is available on request from the
author/compiler.

CONTENTS
Introduction ......................................................................... 5
Acknowledgements ............................................................. 6
About Murat Badoan ....................................................... 8
Iffet Tzel .......................................................................... 16
Deniz zbey Akyz .......................................................... 17
Deniz Ard ....................................................................... 18
Oktay Ak......................................................................... 20
Ipek Atcan ......................................................................... 21
Cansn Aznevi ................................................................... 22
Ilker-Mihrab Bali ............................................................. 23
Kemal-Yeeren Babu ..................................................... 25
Rya Elise Peltek Badoan .............................................. 26
Sema Badoan ................................................................. 28
Taner Buran ....................................................................... 30
Beste Cesur ........................................................................ 32
Irem etin .......................................................................... 33
Alekos-Smaro Deligiannis ................................................ 35
iek Demirci ................................................................... 36
Irem Ergn ......................................................................... 37
Johan-Sheila Eriksson ....................................................... 38
Zita Redei-Erten ................................................................ 39

Baak Gekinli .................................................................. 40

Alican Gen ....................................................................... 41
Sharon Gorman ................................................................. 42
Evren Gl ..................................................................... 43
Batuhan Glah ................................................................. 45
Leyla Glyurt .................................................................... 47
Berke Hatipolu ................................................................ 49
Ilke Hatipolu .................................................................... 51
Inci zay Hatipolu .......................................................... 52
Zeynep Okan Hatipolu .................................................... 54
Okan-Serra Ik ................................................................. 56
Arda-Ceyda Inceolu ........................................................ 58
Kader Karalar .................................................................... 60
Nil Kutluk .......................................................................... 61
Dilara Matarac .................................................................. 62
Rena zlem Matarac ........................................................ 63
Zeynep Mededi .................................................................. 65
Birol Namolu ................................................................... 67
Orkun Orhon ..................................................................... 69
zgr Can ney ................................................................ 70
Burak zcan ...................................................................... 72
Doruk zer ........................................................................ 74
Mete zeren ...................................................................... 75
Hakan zkan ..................................................................... 76
Cem zsu .......................................................................... 77

Sacit Papak ..................................................................... 78

Enis Mustafa Peltek ........................................................... 79
Julie Lenore Peltek ............................................................ 80
Alexis Pichot ..................................................................... 82
Erhan-Neda Polat .............................................................. 84
Gkhan Poyraz .................................................................. 85
Kerem Sedef ...................................................................... 86
Burin Sel .......................................................................... 87
Selen Sercen ...................................................................... 88
Nabeelah Shabbir- Dominik Osvald ................................. 90
Zeynep Sipahi .................................................................... 91
Evren Sutekin .................................................................... 93
Serra Sutekin ..................................................................... 94
Hma en .......................................................................... 95
Ebru Talib .......................................................................... 97
Emir Tanju......................................................................... 99
Hanife Toker ................................................................... 101
Duygu Yenidoan Uzun .................................................. 103
Tina Vagkou .................................................................... 104
Murat Var ........................................................................ 105
Nurdan Yavuzalp............................................................. 106
Eren-Sveyda Ylmaz ..................................................... 107
Cengiz Zorlu .................................................................... 108
Merve Zorlu..................................................................... 110

INTRODUCTION
A prominent Turkish poet once wrote Ya otuz be! Yolun
yars eder (Age 35! Marks the half the way point). For this
reason, Turks feel the need to celebrate their 35th birthdays with
joy and a touch of melancholy.
In this day and age, we should probably count our blessings if
we ever reach the age of 70, as life can be short and
meaningless. So, whilst Murat still has most of his loved ones
around, why wait until he is 40 or 50?
Our fast-paced lives can sometimes prevent us from showing
emotions or care. Occasionally we just need to stop and create
opportunities for the people around us to express their feelings
and thoughts. This book has served such a purpose, and I know
he will cherish it forever.
Reading through all the memories, proved to me once again, that
Murat is a rare gift. I feel honoured to call him my best friend,
my husband and can only hope he lives for another 70 years, as
this world needs his creativity, humour and kindness.

Rya Elise P. B.
December 2016

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Yes, we are all lucky to have met a person like Murat and we are
blessed to have him in our lives. But Murat, is also extremely
fortunate to be surrounded by such remarkable people. The real
richness in life. Thank you.
The completion of this book would not have been possible
without your heartfelt contributions. This is pure teamwork.
Thank you.
I know how busy you all have been; some of you recently got
married, lost a loved one, became parents, changed jobs, got
divorced. But it did not prevent you from participating in this
book of memoirs. Thank you.
I can imagine some of your faces when you received my e-mail;
here we go again, Rya has a new project for us. Nevertheless,
you joined in, and you are the source of my happiness- and
Murat will be so happy too. Thank you.
I know many of you have searched through old dusty albums,
old smartphones to find memorable photos of Murat. Thank you.
You spent days forcing your archives- brains- to remember and
choose a special memory. Thank you.

Some of you did not have many memories with him but you still
made an amazing effort to join in just because you wanted to be
a part of his 35 years. Thank you.
For most of you, English is not your first language. But some of
you have made a fabulous effort of writing beautifully in
English and have saved me time. Thank you.
Mete zeren, Murats childhood/photographer friend sent me a
beautiful photograph of Murat from a photoshoot they had, and
granted me permission to use it as desired. I decided to use it as
the cover of this book. Thank you.
Julie Lenore Peltek, Murats mother-in-law (and my google),
took on the role of doing late-night proofing. You had the most
boring job, but if only I had your English. Thank you.
Sema Badoan and Kader Karalar, Murats mother and sister,
have been harassed by me continuously, with questions and
requests. Always responded and assisted with enthusiasm and
excitement. Thank you.
Amongst the gratitude, I also owe an apology to the non-Turkish
speakers. Murat is surrounded by such talented and creative
minds that just for this very reason, I had to keep some of the
memories in Turkish as too much would have been lost in
translation. Sorry!
Once and again, I salute you all.
Rya Elise P. B.
December 2016

ABOUT MURAT BADOAN

Murat Badoan was born on December 26th, 1981 at 15:15, in
the German Hospital (Deutsches Krankenhaus), Istanbul. He
lived in their family apartment in Talimhane and started his
education at Papillon before attending ili Terakki School. His
childhood dream of becoming an architect led him to study
Interior Architecture at Mimar Sinan University. After his
graduation, he worked as an architect for several firms and
continued working as a freelancer on specific projects over the
years. In 2016 he established his own design company,
Muntazam.
Throughout his life, music played a vital role. From singing in
the school choir to learning how to play the guitar to impress
girls, Murat was born to be a musician. In 2001 he joined the
band Gripin as the guitarist and has been with them ever since.
He has composed many songs over the years, performed in
several cities within Turkey and around the world. Together
they have won several awards.
In his family life, Murat has been the life and soul of his
household, shared by his parents and his maternal grandparents.
During the summers, he would spend time with his fathers
family in his beloved Aktur (Data).
In 2010, he enlarged his family by marrying Rya Elise Peltek.
They currently reside in Istanbul but hope to start a family in
London one day. To be continued

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The content of the book is in alphabetical order.

Yet, I commence with the memory of Murats beloved
grandmother Iffet. It is the most appropriate one to begin with,
as she has a very special place in Murats life, and as she
deserves to be honoured as our oldest contributor.

15

IFFET TZEL
We received the expected phone call around 19:00 on Christmas
Day 1981, We are going to the German Hospital. Sema was in
labour so we jumped in the car and rushed to the hospital
trudging through the snow. We waited until the evening but no
baby arrived, so we returned home and went back the next
morning. Still no sign of him.
In the afternoon, they finally took Sema to the delivery room.
We were all waiting outside. The excitement was overwhelming
and I could no longer sit still. Then at 15:15 Murat came into the
world.
I remember waiting outside the room where the babies were,
hoping to see Murat. I couldnt see inside the room because of
the curtains. I thought to myself, they must be cleaning him.
Finally the midwife drew the
curtains wide open and I saw two
babies in front of the window. A
baby girl with dark hair, and a
baby boy with golden hair. He
was so fair, a couple of ladies
standing next to me thought he
was a foreigner. At an instance I
shouted out, Thats my boy!
Welcome to our lives.
My golden hearted boy, it was the best day of my life.

16

DENIZ ZBEY AKYZ

Ben hi rahat oturamam. Her ekilde ereti hissederim kendimi.
Kollarm kavuturur, bzlr ve bulabildiim ne varsa ona
sarnmak itibariyle rahatsz bir savunma ierisindeyimdir ortak
oturum durumlarnda. Yaylp oturan duruu huzurlu insanlara
gptayla baktm kskandm gibi gck da olurum.
Ankaraya faland galiba ortak konsere gidiyorduk. Merhabamz
var nceden de tekerlekli bi kutuda 5-6 saat geirmek zere ilk
duraktan binerken, kendimi kdemli hissediimden midir nedir
bacaklarn seksen uzatmak suretiyle olas kralie saklanma
koltuu alternatiflerimin zerinde egemenlii kurmu sar kafal
bu Bonda sinirlenmitim. yle bi yaylmt ki sanal otoritem
sarslmt.
Kulaklarm diktim dinledim yol boyunca. Baktm ar komik,
zeki meki. Dedim ki, lkerle atmalarna kasmadan gbeimi
hoplata hoplata gleceim. Hi kasamam. Kendisinin hi haberi
olmadan bi an kzdm, hemen affettim.

17

DENIZ ARDI
While I am writing these lines to you, I am also trying to
entertain Ali, with various forms of buffoonery (here, the author
refers to her 1 year old son). In return, he is inspiring me by
giggling.
When I think of you and stories, one of the first things that come
to mind is similar to the situation I am in at the moment. The
first album, the first video clip. I was awfully young, but still
found a way to enter the bar where the clip was being filmed. To
remember the video clip precisely, I searched for it on YouTube
just now. Looking at it now, filming it with a toast machine
maybe wasnt a great idea. I watched it till the end to see if I
would see myself, but I hardly saw you guys. That day, although
not quite obvious in the clip, you were supposed to be
performing on stage whilst we (supposedly fans) had to jump up
and down in front of the stage. The director wanted you to have
this serious, charismatic image on stage. I, however, had this
insane desire to sabotage the clip. It was everyones first
experience, the directors and the actors. I started staring at you,
making faces, trying to make you laugh. You, being the person
who cant remain serious for even a minute, started laughing.
Just like Ali. During intervals, you would come up to me and
say Deniz, stop it, I am ruining the clip. But that didnt stop
me. And looking back, the clip would have been way better if
you all smiled.
This is your thing. You have always been the one who smiles or
makes one smile. And I hope you will always be like this. I am

18

so grateful to have met you.

Forget entering the second part of your life, I dont think you
have even reached 1/3. I am confident that you will never be a
grumpy old man.
P.S. Those days you all tortured me. Designing your first album,
jumping up and down in your video clip (and then not even
being featured). During the second album, I even became your
make-up artist. You owe me some foundation cream, an eye
pencil, a concealer and compact powder. Because I used half of
them on you.

19

OKTAY AIK
We heard about his fame before we met him. They told us, for
Ryas birthday he will come down with a parachute. So, we
turned to Turgut Uyar, and started staring at the heavens. And
because he is a rock star, I even expected him to be holding a
flaming guitar.
Did it happen? No, it didnt. Same old, he came with a car. He
didnt come down from the sky with in a woven basket. We
understood then that he cant fly. First day of disappointment, as
we dont have many friends who can fly. There are those who
try to when are drinking though. He did as well, one night at a
rak table. He was very close but ended up in the trunk. If
necessary, we would have piggybacked him. Because even
though he cant fly, he is still a super hero. For us, he is.
Whoever thinks differently can go to hell.
The dialogues began as Will Murat be coming too? which
evolved into Shall we call Murat too? and finalised as Not
without Murat.
Wish you many happy returns
beautiful man. May God allows
us to always have you in our
lives, at our table and right by
our sides.

20

IPEK ATCAN
It is one of those Where do I start tasks, as I am not quite
sure when we met. But for my own sake I will go back in time,
back to the old days. The ex-Bronx days, when I was 3 years
old. I was a big fan and I came to your gigs. Time went by and I
came to Sony Music for an interview with you. And can you
believe it, I was extremely nervous. To have interviews with
musicians you love is another kind of excitement. I will not go
into my admiration for the song Rzgar, but you must know
that is very special for me too. Brazenfaced I ask: Will
there be a Four, and a Five? Haha. You probably must have
thought, what an idiot! But you actually made them.
That day I said to myself, these guys will be your friends. But if
I had known you were such a character I would have wanted to
meet you the day I was born. There are very few people who can
make others laugh constantly, chatting to is a pleasure, who is
grounded as well as being a dreamer. You are all these for me.
Who would have said that throughout the years we would have
adventures in Istanbul, Ankara, Konya, Bodrum, New York,
Philadelphia And who would have said that you would always
be the leading actor! Why does everything happen to you? I will
not write all of them one by one here but I am so glad you are in
my life as a colourful character. Thanks to you I met Rya. Also
thanks to you, there is still music- which keeps us alive. I wish
you an amazing age full of music, Rya, reaching many dreams.
Be very happy. And oh, just be!

21

CANSIN AZNEVI
It was around 07:15 in the morning. The sun had just started
warming up the empty gym. In the background, I could hear
ridiculous bass pumping rhythmic songs playing. While I was
going around the gym cursing, with the pillow mark still on my
face, I saw someone else other than myself. This blond guy
wearing a white t-shirt responded to my grumpy hello with a
warm smile. (I never knew he would bring a woman to me that I
would love so dearly).
Surprised to hear a deep voice from this gentle looking guy, we
enjoyed a morning chat, and proved to be a unique character. He
answered my How did you find the name Gripin for your
band? question with One day we were passing by the Gripin
factory and we said lets call it Gripin.
Then there was this breakfast I was supposed to prepare for
Rya at home but didnt because I couldnt wake up. I jumped
out of bed because there was someone knocking at the door.
Once I saw you standing next to Rya asking for pancakes I
slammed the door in your face because I was wearing the most
grotesque pyjamas ever. Sorry Murat, but apart from my that, if
you had seen my mother standing behind me wearing even
uglier pyjamas, you would thank me for my behaviour.
I am so happy I got to meet you, the Rock Star of our family. I
hope the second half of your life will be better than the first half.

22

ILKER-MIHRAB BALI
When you think of all the memories we have shared with Murat,
it can easily fill a whole series of books. So, we wanted to share
a memory that we never discussed with Murat.
Everyone shares a love for Murats impersonations, and because
my wife Mihrab is Australian, Ive spent countless years trying
to study and copy her Aussie accent. Even though I always
thought I was doing a great job, I never received praise or
approval from her. To add insult to injury, whenever Murat
joked around with her and put on an Aussie accent, she would
turn around and tell him Murat you really do sound like an
Aussie! (Unknowingly breaking her own husbands heart).
Unwilling to admit defeat, I still tried my Aussie accent when a
group of Mihrabs friends from Australia came backstage after a
Gripin concert one night.
Undeterred by Mihrabs cries of Ilx, come on give up, you just
cant do it I still stuck to my guns and spoke with my best
accent to her group of friends. I realised that the more I tried, the
more trouble they were having in understanding me! Just when I
was about to slowly switch to my normal English accent, Murat
came up to us. He just dove right into the conversation with his
Aussie accent. I received a slap in the face when one of the
Aussies turned to Murat and asked So where in Melbourne are
you from mate? Murat continued the conversation as a
Melburnian without anyone knowing the better.

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I dont know if youre aware Murat, but ever since that night I
havent spoken with an Aussie accent. After my wife
discouraging me for so many years, you were the final straw my
friend.
Happy 35th Birthday Murat.
Lots of love.

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KEMAL-YEEREN BABU
Y: Even though the poet once said, like Dante, we are in the
middle of our life span, I can assure you as someone who
turned 35 a couple of years ago, these are the best years. Maybe
I dont have one memory that would shock the readers but so
many images come to mind. I am not sure if anyone could act
the character of an insane person like you did for Gripins video
clip and how it shocked Rya and she said When we go home,
I am thinking of locking Murat up. Or how my son Kerem once
said the lunatic Murat who likes Star Wars when he realised
that adults can like Star Wars too.
One other reason I say that I am grateful to have met you is
because you introduced me to your wife whom I adore. A bridge
to that fantastic woman. Murat and Rya are inseparable for me
so I can only wish you many wonderful years together. Happy
Birthday.
K: Ok, we all know you are handsome. But as your director, I
make you look even better. We shared many sleepless nights
shooting videos for Gripin. We lived imaginary moments and
real moments. I once turned you into an old man, then a lunatic,
then a doctor, then a rock star. You were brilliant at all of them.
I thank your Mum for raising such a man and wish you amazing
years with your family and beautiful wife. If you ever think of
leaving Gripin one day, I know some people in production!
Happy Birthday, I love you.

25

RYA ELISE PELTEK BADOAN

Although we make memories daily, there are some that pop up
in your mind often. The unforgettable ones. But how do you
choose from many unforgettable memories? You probably pick
the one that epitomises Murat the best; the caring, creative,
gentle soul that he is. The one that can still move you to tears.
And the one that will give coverage to a very dear loved one in
this book, my father.
4th November 2003 scarred us for life. The day Ozi was taken
from us. He has been remembered globally every 4th November,
as if he were a statesman or a war hero. Maybe he wasnt, but in
our own little world he was a hero. That said, we will always be
grateful to our relatives and friends around the world, who make
an effort to keep his memory alive.
Then I met Murat in the summer of 2007. A few months passed
and it was 4th November again. I woke up in the usual way, in
tears, hugging my mother, calling my brother, looking at
photographs, a few prayers, commemoration on social media,
beautiful texts from family and friends etc. Towards the
evening, Murat invited me to his family home. He had two
sheets of paper, and two pens on the table. We started making
two little paper boats. We called one of them Osman 1, and the
other one Osman 2. Murat wrote a note to him on the back of
his boat, and I did the same on mine. I peeked over at Murats to
see what he had written. I remember seeing one line you may
rest in peace; your daughter is in good hands.

26

We left his house and drove down to the Bosphorus. It was cold
and dark. Eventually, we found a spot with steps leading to the
sea. Off they go, Osman 1 and Osman 2, floating along the
strait, with the help of the current flowing from the Black Seawhere his roots began.

I felt as if we reached out to him. As if he received our little

boats and read our messages. It might sound simple and
childish. Or even dramatic. But I prefer to remain childlike in a
dramatic world.
Darling Murat, thank you for transforming a day of mourning
into a day of connecting. You are not a man of articulation.
Actually, you fail miserably at it. But then you go and do this
one thing, and nothing remains the same. Who needs words
when actions heal your soul?
I will not write my long list of acknowledgements and gratitude
here. But to sum up, thank you for your never-ending support,
motivation and love. Lets both aim for 105.

27

SEMA BADOAN
Being an "asker annesi" (mother of a soldier) was a feeling out
of this world. A very different experience for me. You have so
many concerns. Where will he end up doing his service? Will it
be long-term or short-term? What job will they give him in the
military? How will he survive in the freezing cold, in the middle
of the night whilst being on guard? Will he be safe? Where will
he hide his money? Did I buy him thermal socks? What should I
put in his bag?
The moment you say Hayrl Teskereler (have a good military
service), you start waiting for the day you will reunite again.
May God protect them all and allow them to come back safely
to their loved ones.
The military send-off is a special, inexpressible feeling. My
Rya arranged this amazing private party for him; a bellydancer, a DJ, a two-tier cake with little musician soldiers on it,
funny posters of him on the walls, military decoration
everywhere etc. With utter pride, I watched my son from afar all
evening, admiring his new military shave. In the morning, when
we went to the airport, his friends had arrived to send him off,
all cheering en byk asker bizim asker (the greatest soldier is
our soldier). I remember how excited I felt but at the same time
anxious.
The only thing that comforted me was that he had his fellow
traveller with him, Rya. She would accompany him to Burdur,
drop him off and come back. We said our goodbyes. I watched

28

his plane fly in the sky as much as I could. It was the first time I
was seeing this side of life.
Then you start waiting for his swearing in ceremony which
would happen in a months time. We all flew to Burdur to watch
him. He was going to be allowed out for a couple of days so we
would all get to spend a nice weekend together.
There he was, he was coming! He was in the military band and
was playing the drums during the ceremonial music. A very
proud moment for a mother.
From day one you start counting the days, but when you come
towards the end, you start counting down from Turkish number
plates. 81 Dzce. Oh, today is Samsun, 55. Tomorrow is
Kastamonu 37. Then comes Istanbul 34.
afak (dawn) 3, 2, 1. Doan gne (the rising sun).
My son, my dear dear son. May you only see good days, and be
surrounded by good people.

29

TANER BURAN
First of all, I would like to wish you amazing, loving years with
your family.
The idea of a book of memoirs is a winner and I am grateful to
Rya for arranging this for you, and for giving me the
opportunity to be a part of it. Be sure and certain, I will be
stealing this idea.
As my friendship with Birol and Arda goes back many years, I
would always hear your name, but we had never been
introduced. We finally met 4-5 years ago, at Big Plate.
When I received the e-mail from Rya, I started thinking of all
our memories and the times we met. I think our most important
memory was our Gripin in the Kitchen project, when you all
arranged a menu, were behind the bar making cocktails and in
the kitchen with the chefs. Even though we came across some
minor problems, it was a great success. All our efforts, before
the event and on the day, paid off.
Your ideas and support in the run up
to the event reduced my anxiety.
Other special memories that come to
mind are, me growing my hair just
because I admired yours, or the day
we turned up wearing the same
clothes.

30

I am so happy to have met you and Rya. The dinners, coffees,

drinks we have from time to time, and the sincere conversations
that accompany them, are precious for us. You both have a
special place in our hearts with ebnem. We can only wish for
more beautiful memories in the near future.
Happy Birthday.

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BESTE CESUR
Yeille sardr okulumun bayra, ilmimiz ykseltir bu anl
sanca dedik. Terakkili olarak medik! Her ey byle
balad. Hikayeler anlatld ak, mek, ayrlk hakknda,
alayacak yer hep bulundu dostlarn omzunda. Bover bover
dedik bovermedik. Saat 3, 4, 5 hi fark etmez, biz sahne
nnden vazgemedik. Yeri geldi yalnzln aresini Murat'la
bulduk. Yeri geldi Murat doldurdu, Data'nn ortasnda, biz itik
raklar kana kana! Belki gidenin dostu olmaz ama Murat hep
dost oldu bize! Zaten biz de hi gitmedik! Koca nar olana
kadar da gitmeye niyetimiz yok!
yi ki dodun Muratcm, iyi ki varsn, iyi ki tandm seni.

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IREM ETIN
Firstly, I would like to thank my dear Rya for allowing me to
be a part of this amazing gift. And secondly, I would like to
thank you Murat, for allowing me to be a part of your life. I
hope we carry on collecting many more memories together.
Murat Badoan- the constituent of the songs that have touched
my soul. I am so lucky that my life crossed paths with the
beautiful people who made these songs, with their special hands
and souls. We spent remarkable years together, working and
entertaining. This way, I got to know you better.
Every moment that has you in it is amusing. Thats why I
struggled to pick a memory. So many moments of laughter and
joy. I especially remember your imitation performances but I
will not write about them here!
In every sense our turning point album M.S. 05.03.2010 and
the beauties it brought us. Our first Harbiye Open Air Concert.
Our Altn Kelebek awards. Other awards. Our birthdays.
Adamik. The pride we shared when you performed the anthem
you composed for Galatasaray. Yalnzln aresini Bulmular.
So many memorable headings and moments.
If we distilled all of them, the words that would be drained
through are; sincerity, trust, friendship, kind heart, joy and much
music.

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In my memory and heart, another moment of happiness for me

is you and Rya being my dream couple. Although I have
declared this a million times before, I would like to have it
written here as well; I am your fan and proud to be one.
I am ending my piece with a photo from our holiday in Bodrum
in 2010. Dont years just fly by? But what matters is how they
passed.
Happy Birthday my friend.

34

ALEKOS-SMARO DELIGIANNIS
We have only met Murat a few times, but all memorable
occasions (our wedding, our visit to the city). Yet our thoughts
and feelings for him, prove that the love and appreciation you
have for someone doesnt depend on the frequency or duration
of the meeting. He is always in our hearts and memories, as the
good-hearted, smiley, wise, hospitable, funny and dreamer
Murat.
He is our Muratoulis, the best student in the "dirty Greek words"
class. He used the phrase "sta arxidia mou" in the best way we
have ever heard and made us all very proud.
Last but not least, since
he is our koumparos,
the one that married us,
he is our family.
Happy Birthday. You
deserve all the best.
We love you.

35

IEK DEMIRCI
It hasnt even been two years since we met each other. Maybe
we dont have our it was such a night..s yet. But just by
having a very special and rare soul in our lives is a breath of
fresh air. This is a long road. Coming across people you can
connect with is decreasing day by day. No doubt, we will have
plenty of time and opportunities to laugh, chat, support one
another, paint the town red, during this long journey.
Happy Birthday Muraz.
Glad you were born and are with us. It might sound cheesy but
this world really needs people like you; crazy, real, proper and
with people like your wife full of compassion towards her loves
ones makes it all worthwhile.

36

IREM ERGN
Sitting at a table with friends in Gelibolu, in my hand my rak, in
the square close to the restaurant a Gripin concert, in the
background Durma Yamur Durma, in my mind Emel Sayn,
and the same song sang with tears under the rain, Bi Byk
Fest concert.
Dear Mister Murat Badoan, you accompany my life by joining
in my best moments.
May your new 365 days pass with joy, health, peace and love.
With love.

37

JOHAN-SHEILA ERIKSSON
We were visiting Istanbul during the summer of 2014 and the
music video Vazgetim Ben Bugn which aired on television
enthralled us totally. Once back at home in Stockholm we
started listening to Gripin without understanding a single word
but felt unconditionally and entirely in love with the magic in
their music.
We later met Murat backstage during a couple of concerts in
Istanbul, and had the chance to have interesting conversations
which allowed us to get to know him better. He managed to
completely charm us with his humble personality, sense of
humour, intelligence and kindness. That night, he took such
good care of us, he made us feel welcome and special! Even
though we dont know him that well and only met him for a
short time on a couple of occasions, he made a great impression
on us. He has a very special place in our hearts. Happy birthday
dearest Murat!

38

ZITA REDEI-ERTEN
Murat is a very special person for me here in Turkey, because he
is one of the first people I met (from Aziz's friends), after
moving to Istanbul.
It was the beginning of 2012, maybe early spring time, I was so
new to the city that Aziz had to accompany me to show me
where the local Migros was. We were walking back to our
apartment, carrying bags, when we came across Murat. Aziz
greeted him, asking what he is up to. Then Murat turns to me
with a big smile on his face and spreads his arms out: "Zita
naslsn?" I was feeling so awkward and embarrassed, because I
had no idea who this guy was, but I still smiled back and hugged
him, saying "iyiyim canm, sen naslsn?" Murat told us he was
trying to sell his car, that's why he was around. He and Aziz
chatted a bit longer, then said goodbye.
We went into the apartment, and called the elevator. I looked at
Aziz and confessed to him that I didn't recognise his friend and
asked who he was. Aziz was surprised and said, "Don't you
remember him? He's Murat."
Me: "Which Murat?"
Aziz: "The Badoan. You know, from Gripin!"
Me: "From Gripin?"
Aziz: "He's Rya's husband!"
Then I remembered, but just to be sure, (I have never told this
bit to Aziz) I secretly googled a picture of Gripin in order to
identify the members, so I never get into such a situation again.

39

BAAK GEKINLI
It was around 15 years ago, when I tried to steal your bro Kerem
from you, so I would stop being the third wheel in your
relationship.
When we met, you were playing at Bronx with Gripin and years
turned your wishes and hard work into reality. From the stage of
Bronx, you made it to many big stages and not only in Turkey
but also around the world. I am so proud of you, Murat! And
now, you are about to hit the mid road. Ok wait, they say 30s are
the new 20s so you might have another decade to make it to the
mid road. No need to freak out yet! You can relax.
You seem to have made it to where you aimed in life and I see
how wonderful these 35 years of your life turned out to be. I
hope the coming 35 years turn out even better. If there are any
unaccomplished things left on your list, I hope you get to cross
them out one by one. I wish you an amazing year and abundant
happiness.
P.S. NYC misses you. Visit us sometime soon.
Happy Birthday Murat.

40

ALICAN GEN
A cold mid-season. Two characters who think they are
youngsters decide to have a single mens evening. When I say
single, I mean that our wives are not with us. The goal was to
go bar hopping after a nice rak-fish feast.
These two men met in my office and without even drinking
became drunk with sentences of longing. Murat called Rya on
FaceTime and his performance to London began.
One of us had the balama and the other one had the
kemene, singing our hearts out. Poor Rya was our audience
or victim more likely, sat watching us from a smartphone in
London. At some point, the telecommunications company ran to
her rescue and the line got cut. But Murat had not finished with
his performance. So, this time they swapped instruments and he
called her back. Me with baglama, Murat with the guitar, we
played a song we composed together that evening. The tune was
great but what was more great was the love Murat had for his
wife. He sat there in the middle of the night playing away to her.
This time the concert was different. His orchestra was his
longing.
I went into the next room and called my wife. Obviously, our
plans of bar hopping failed. It was a memorable evening. But all
moments you spend with Murat are special. Im so glad you
were born, we were introduced and you two found each other.
You deserve another 35 years. And another 35 years is on me.

41

SHARON GORMAN
Winterley Calling!
Happy, happy birthday Murat.
I have known you for many years now, my kind, caring,
generous Nephew... oh forgot handsome!
I once saw you playing your guitar with a hat on, and you
became Mr. Hatman to me.
As you can see...

42

EVREN GLI
Beni iyi tanyanlar bilir. Bundan 3 sene ncesine kadar son
derece huylu, rahatsz, her eyden rahatsz olan, ortamdaki
arlklara dayanamayan, ar doz disiplinli bir adamdm.
Beni az tanyanlar Yaaa ne alakas var, iek gibi adamsn!
ama iyi tanyanlar emil gc n yakndan bilir.
Muraz, benim 3 sene nceki halim neyse onun tam tersi bir
adamdr - az veya ok tanyanlar bilir. Ben kuzeysem o
gneydir. Ben Yldz Tilbeysem, o Orospu Seyhandr. Ben
evrensem o nerve(!)dir.
Neyse efendim Ben artk amm bu olaylar, gerekten iek
gibi bir adam olmuum. Tam bu dnemde caanm Rya ve
Muraz iftiyle Lerosa tatile gitmiiz. Muhteem elenceli bir
tatil geirmiiz. Muraz sarho olup araba camndan Uyann
leaaaannnn diye mi barmam gecenin nde, otelin
lobisindeki bebek masasna oturmaya alrken dikkat
sahabs m gelip yakalamam
Hibirinde gerilmemiim. Ohhh iek
Adadan dnmz saat 16:00. 15:00 itibariyle arabamz
feribot iskelesine yanatrp yemek yemeye karar verdik.
Yemeimizi bitirdik, gittik iskeleye.
Gelen giden yok. Ne yolcu ne feribot. Alacakaranlk Kua
blmnde gibiyiz.

43

Son anda feribotun baka bir iskeleden kalktn reniyoruz.

Feribotu yakalayamazsan s**tk. Bayramn son gn. Ucu
ucuna Kostaki feribota yetiip oradan ucu ucuna stanbula
giden uamza binemezsek kafadan 3 gn daha dnemeyiz.
Dier iskeleye gittik. Feribot kam.
Napcaz? dedik biletiye. Abe atasn bir 300 Avro, ben sizi
zrat motoruyna gtrrm Koza dedi.
Ryayla ikimiz fabrika ayarlarmza geri dndk annda. Panik,
sknt, aceleEmminin srat motoruna arabayla uarak gittik.
Kosa 30 dakikada varamazsak s**tk. Dakikalarla yaryoruz.
Emmi kendinden beklenmeyecek bir atiklikle motoru arabann
arkasndan denize indirdi. Motorun k denize demeden
Ryayla ikimizin gt motorun koltuklarna dedi. Utanmasak
emmiyi arkada brakp Ryayla motoru gazlycaz bascaz
gidicez Kosa.
Ana Bir baktk Murazla Ebru motorda deil. Muraz paam
motorun denize indiriliini videoya kaydediyor sakin
sakin. Pardon, tekneyi bir daha indirebilir miyiz denize? Tam
kaydedemedim gibi bir ey duydum Murazdan.
O an kendime: Ya bir de byle bir insan var u hayatta. Sen
kendini yerken adam u anda bile elenebiliyor. imdi
hangimizin yapt daha doru? diye sordum. Kendim cevap
verdi: S**tirtme felsefeni. Ge kalyoruz.
Muraza bardm. Geldi. stanbula yetitik.

44

BATUHAN GLAH
I have two unforgettable memories with Murat. The first one is
from 2010, the year we started Greek classes at the Greek
Consulate. In those days, their song "Durma Yamur Durma"
was a hit. The problem was, I had not listened to Gripin before.
Actually, I hadn't been listening to any kind of Turkish music. I
cant remember how but we started chatting about Haris Alexiou
and her song "Fevgo" in class. I said "This song is great but
recently I heard a Turkish song that resembles Fevgo. They must
have stolen it. What a shame!" And I actually blurted this out to
Gripins two band members: Birol and Murat, as they were both
students in our class.
Can you imagine my stupidity when I found out that they were
Gripin and they had legally bought the song from Alexiou? I put
my foot in it so nicely! But they were so modest. They could
easily have said "Hey you idiot, this song is ours. What are you
talking about?" They both remained silent with quirky smiles on
their faces.
My second memory is from April 2013. One Saturday night
Gripin was performing at Jolly Joker so we went to watch them
with Hma and Rya. As one can expect, there was some level
of alcohol consumption backstage. After the concert, we started
walking up towards Taksim Square. Murat decided to take us
from the back streets of Taksim. Not the best of places in the
middle of the night. Murat being very merry, was going around
shouting Hello, how are you? to random people. I was already
trying to keep a low profile because people were staring at Rya

45

as if they had seen a woman for the first time in their lives.
When I realised people in the street were looking very oddly at
us, I started preparing myself for a fight. And I knew I would
have to fight alone as Murat was seeing double. I could smell
trouble. I was thinking of all the worst scenarios and how these
people could make scientific experiments with our bodies. The
walk to the square was only 6-7 minutes but for me it seemed
like a life time. Luckily, we safely got home.
Whatever the case, we love you Murat.
Happy Birthday.

46

LEYLA GLYURT
At first, Murat, you were the blond guy with Mickey Blue
Eyes who can play the guitar. You were okay, but you were
just Ryas husband to me. Rya was crazy, loud and
hyperactive and you were her cool husband. After some time,
and several dinners and drinks of course, we started to get to
know each other. Then I realised, you were far, far beyond being
just the blond guy.
First, I discovered your dazzling talent; not just in music but in
everything you touch. I only knew one or two Gripin songs but
suddenly I found myself screaming and jumping at the front row
during your concerts. Then I became fascinated by your
drawings, then your furniture/chair production attempt, then
your perspective and unique taste. You made everything look so
effortless.
As days and months passed, we continued to meet each other
again and again at dinner tables, with just couple of- drinks,
those were the times when I witnessed your incredible imitation
talent! This quiet and shy-looking guy became Muraz, who is
one of the funniest people Ive ever met.
Then we had some bad days. I always appreciate those bad days
as they let me see the true beauty in people. I got the chance to
see the real you. Blond guy bringing sunshine into everyones
lives, kind like a true gentleman, always inspiring, always
supportive and an honest, true friend.

47

At that moment, I realised that you were the power source that
Rya was leaning on, you were the hidden gem. You were the
glue, the rock. Therefore, when Rya asked me to share one of
my memories with you, I couldnt. Because to me, you were the
whole of so many memorable moments.
You were the real talent that inspired me with an amazing
geometric giraffe, you were the shy boy trying to hide his
naughty smile when we were screaming and shouting
Murtazaaa at one of your concerts, you were the one who ran
to me immediately to hold me and share my pain after Mayas
death, you were the one that I felt so close to when I saw you
trying to find consolation by the sea to sooth your pain after
your grandpa passing away, you were the golden boy that
fascinated my precious Rya with unique surprises, the talented
photographer capturing his amazing wife and making us all
jealous, you were the Speedy Gonzales that constantly jumped
into the pool, the one that amazingly imitated , Leyla mou,
before my trip to Greece, the gentle friend whose
honesty can always be felt and know that I can count on. You
were/are many, many more things.
You deserve nothing but good. Wishing you happy,
mesmerising years in the future. Wishing us, to be all together,
enjoying life, love and true friendship. I hope you have many
wonderful years ahead, allowing you to discover yourself more
and more, to create and inspire, and, to reflect your sunshine.
Your grandma was right; Atatrk gibi ocuksun maallah!
Happy Birthday golden boy! We are blessed by your presence.

48

BERKE HATIPOLU
Summer of 2015, August.
Zeynep, Inci, Ilke, Rya, Murat and I made a last-minute plan to
fly to Antalya Sundance for a few days off. In a short space of
time like four days, we had the chance to actually take part in
some genuine Murat stories. As we set foot in Sundance we saw
rose leaves and some weird blanket art all over our bed and of
course, called the others to show and mock (but we later found
out that this was a surprise from Murat to Rya for her birthday,
they accidentally gave the room to us). As well as this, there was
a small suggestion from Murat, "Lets take a walk to the
opposite bay" which turned into a rock climbing adventure in
flipflops. These are just two of the many adventures shared.
One evening, we all took mats to the seaside to lie down and
chill. After a few hours, it got very dark and cold so we got up.
We realised that Rya and Murat were sleeping deeply. We
thought Why not hide and watch their reaction when they wake
up and dont see us around. We waited for about 20 minutes,
got bored and decided to call Murat from his mobile while
secretly watching them. He woke up, took his phone, looked at
the caller, suspended the call with no hesitation, turned around
and continued sleeping. After some time, we gave up with no
satisfaction at all, we approached them and started taking
selfies- (flash on) with this interesting couple sleeping like logs
in the middle of nowhere.

49

And no, there was no surprise at all. After they woke up we all
headed back to our rooms like nothing ever happened!
Of course a stupid prank gone dull shouldnt mislead you. If you
ever want a real memory, which you will never forget (because
it will probably turn into a disaster with a chain of events thats
almost impossible to imagine), just stick with Murat, it will find
you.
Happy Birthday Dude!

50

ILKE HATIPOLU
Generally speaking, Murats funny moments can be divided into
two categories. The first; moments when everyone laughs with
Murat, the second; moments when Murat continues laughing but
Rya doesnt.
The Ka holiday we had during the summer of 2009 sort of falls
into the first category. I say sort of because when Rya
remembers the moment she laughed that day, it might fall into
the second category. In order not to emphasise the alcohol
consumption, from this point onwards I will replace alcoholic
drinks with Coca-Cola.
As a result of consuming excessive amounts of Coca-Cola with
Murat yet again, an innocent foot tapping to music turned into a
kolbast dance competition in the centre of Ka, with drivers
joining in by flashing their headlights at us. I can say with pride
that Murat won by a landslide.
After that day, they never went back to Ka again.

51

INCI ZAY HATIPOLU

It was cold, dark, windy and hailing. Either January or February.
One Monday (at least it felt like Monday), we agreed to meet in
Taksim with Murat, to talk about a propitious job. The
assignment being, whether we can open a breakfast place.
Actually, whether we could turn Murats house in Talimhane
into a breakfast spot.
We had been talking about it for months, but we had to check
out the house together to see if it was a possibility. Me, the
frustrating punctual person arrived in Taksim on time. Murat
didnt. He was going to be coming from Bebek mosque where
the funeral of Mzeyyen Abla was supposed to take place (not
that I knew her in person, but wasnt Mzeyyen Senar an Abla
for us all?)
After keeping me waiting for half an hour (or was it one hour?)
the little rascal turned up full of excitement. Come on, lets go
and see it. I was frozen to the marrow!
It took us 5 minutes to walk from the square. Hmm the house is
great from outside, but a kebap shop had recently opened in the
entrance of the building so how would that work out? Anyway,
lets see the interior. Murat was trying to open the door and then
suddenly, I saw that look (anyone who knows Murat, knows that
look). What happened? I ask. He shows me the broken key.
Half of the key is stuck in the lock. Ok, we say. Never mind!
Instead of hearts, may keys break. I returned to Kadky and
Murat returned to Istinye.

52

(If Murat were a cat, he would look like this one)

53

ZEYNEP OKAN HATIPOLU

Well well... The story of us meeting Murat.
It was summer, in Ka, and we, like most of the time, were on a
holiday with Ilke and Inci. Ka is a small town and we kept on
bumping into an old friend of Ilke's. The friend, Murat, looked
like a nice person to hang out with, but he had this girlfriend
(wearing a sort of daisy tiara) who was definitely not happy to
be introduced to us. Each time we happened to meet, she had
this forced smile on her face and we made fun of how this nice
guy was dating the grumpiest girl on earth. We were sure that
Murat wanted to spend some time with us but couldn't because
of the girl.
Yes, appearances can be misleading. The grumpiest girl turned
out to be the sweetest and that stiff couple turned out to be the
goofiest and craziest I have met. We spent the rest of the
vacation together and that's how the one and only Badoans
became an essential part of our lives!
Murat, happy birthday dear.
Thank you for being one of the kindest, funniest and loving
people in my life. Thank you for making us meet Rya. Looking
forward to many more 'gerzek' days and nights together.

54

Photo from the

holiday in Ka now the dear reader
can visualise better
what I was talking
about.

The six of us at
Sundance and yes,
Rya's wearing a
tiara again!

The latest addition to

our family, Ali, with
Uncle Murat.

55

OKAN-SERRA IIK
It is so hard to write about the people you love. You have so
much to say, but dont know where to start. When we think of
all the times we spent with Murat- who joined our lives late but
established a high rank- we envisage splendid dinner parties and
explosions of laughter in weird costumes.
Mimcilik; was an opportunity for us to get to know each other
better, to strengthen our friendship and to escape the normal
world for one night to access a secret place. Your Kalinka dance
at the Russian night, our singing of Ein Prosit during the
Oktoberfest night, your eye make-up for the Thai night are
unforgettable moments.
When we reached the level of close friendship, we were
assured that we had a very special person in our lives. Thats
why you were one of the reasons for our sorrow when we were
moving to Los Angeles. We knew, you would be amongst those
we would miss the most.
May your kind heart, helpfulness, humour, cheerfulness, music
and creativity remain with you, and us. As the Ik family we;
love you a lot, cant believe you are turning 35 and wish many
more beautiful, healthy years with your other half.

56

57

ARDA-CEYDA INCEOLU
Murat is
Seeing each other in a new light.
Murat is
Getting five-star treatment.
Murat is
For always coming rain or shine.
Murat is
Pulling together when things get rough.
Murat is
Sharing a "different" weekend.
Murat is
Doing push-ups in the middle of the street.
Murat is
Swimming in the pool with boxers at night.
Murat is
Starting a song with a swear word in it at a wedding ceremony.
Murat is
Taking care of his drunk friend while having soup.

58

Murat is
The legend that we'll all tell our grandchildren.
Being with Murat is like always finding a different fortune from
a chewing gum.

59

KADER KARALAR
The daily events that occur in ones life can be considered
normal in real-time, but when they become ageing memories
they are precious.
Not everything that Murat does is measurable but he always
makes sure he does something special for his loved ones. A man
of surprises.
The clock struck midnight. It was 1st March 2005. The
beginning of my birthday. Murat was out performing. I would
have waited up for him but I had work early in the morning.
Around 04:00, I woke up to noises in my room. Murat was
kneeling by my bed holding a little chocolate cake with a candle
burning on it, Happy Birthday sister Kader.
What more can one want for special days, other than their loved
ones celebrating in memorable ways? All my best memories are
with him.
My Murat, I love you more
than anything in this world.

60

NIL KUTLUK
Ooh, so he is Rya's husband, is that so? I always thought he
was the waiter who served us tea at Savoy on the day that I was
leaving for a trip around the world. Well, he's good at anything
he does professionally or non-professionally and serving tea is
one of them. Just look at the way he holds that tray!
As the guitar player of a
rock band, I'm probably
supposed to write about
how artistic his musical
performance is. But
instead I must say that I
admire the way he is a
natural role player (hey,
not that you're bad at
playing the guitar). He
becomes the character
instantly and it is so
entertaining that the performing arts society of Turkey should
definitely use his talent somewhere.
It is such fun and a great pleasure knowing Muraz. I only just
realised however that we should have more photos taken
together, since there are absolutely none!
Hope you'll have a wonderful year, full of crazy people and
crazy times- not very difficult to achieve whilst living in
Turkey. Until the next one, very happy birthday! Na zdorvye.

61

DILARA MATARACI
I believe everyone knows that our Rrs amazing husband,
Murat, is hilarious and quite a character. One of those rare
people who are funny by nature. Very recently, we discovered
something that he himself was not aware of. The plot follows;
We were at our place, having a feast again. I had sadly attended
a bit late due to overtime at work. But I joined the evening just
at the right time. Stomachs were full, a couple of bottles had
been emptied. Lulu, my mother, had outdone herself once again,
preparing exquisite Arabic dishes.
Then all of a sudden, we hear Murat speaking Arabic. At first,
we thought he was making fun of us, until native Lulu and
elementary Rya started testing him. They were asking him
simple questions and he was responding. The only part he was
nearly failing at was the question of Are you married? He
started off by saying so-so but once he acknowledged that he
wasnt giving the right answer he nodded and said of course.
After passing the test with success, we spent the rest of the
evening laughing at his quotes like "illaaa muhabbet
Telahhvoleehh; seliyymeahh yeddahkt", which remained with us
ever since. Apparently when Murat drinks, he can speak Arabic.
Then I said to myself, thank God I met such a rock star, ismeek
El Muraaaaaad.
Always Remember: seliyymeah yeddahkt.

62

RENA ZLEM MATARACI

My dearest Mumu (actually, I do wonder if this nickname
bothers you).
For me you have plenty of names and titles; the (poor) hubby of
our crazy sister, the guitarist of Gripin, the great Galatasaray
supporter, my cool rock star bro, my dear boncuk etc. but we are
forgetting one thing- we are colleagues! That said, there is this
great day we experienced together. Quite different from all the
dinners, weddings, birthdays, concerts, parties, hospital visits.
My dearest Aunty Julie, your darling mother-in-law, invited us
to her school as architectural juries. There arent enough words
to describe how excited I was. In the morning, we met outside
the school and started waiting
until the class was ready. We
had actually not forgotten
how pitiless our judges were
back in university days. We
finally entered the classroom,
not having a clue where to
start from. We saw these
little eyes staring at us,
waiting patiently for their
projects to be judged.
Checking them out one by
one, we gave points and
recommendations.

63

From time to time we would look at each other to see if we were

doing the right thing, and wondering What do we say now? It
was such a special experience for me because as a child I always
wanted to be a teacher. And doing this with someone from the
family, made it even more memorable.
I love you Mumu.

64

ZEYNEP MEDEDI
Evvel zaman iinde, kalbur saman iinde, develer tellal iken,
pireler berber iken, karanlk hislerin yakamz brakmad bir
diyarda, peimizde cehennem zebanileri varmasna paamz
bir ondan bir bundan kurtarmaya altmz gnlerden birinde;
bir 7 Haziran gn, bir grup yetikin-bebe bir evde toplanm,
gzler televizyona kitlenmi, kadehlerde araplar, sofrada pizza,
bol sohbet, bol kahkaha, bolca da grmezden geldiimiz
umutsuzlukla, tam tamna 172.687 sandn almasn
beklemitik O gn gerekli astrolojik hesaplamalar yapmadk
ama belliydi; Jpiter, Mars, Urans falan hep bizden yanayd!
Evet ya! Sanki bir eyler deiecekti artk! Biz bylesine bir
gle hep birarada olmalydk! Burdan doacak ne ok umut,
gerekleecek ne ok hayal vard
Masal bu ya, yetikin-bebeler olarak aldk m ordan gaz? Bir
coku, bir inan ki, sorma. Bundan 5 ay sonra alacak 183.518
sandktan da ayn umutlarn kacana inandk hep beraber.
nancmz tam, Urans de bizden yana zaten, toplandk yine, bu
sefer baka bir evde. Yine ald araplar ve getik koltuk
tepelerine, televizyon bana. Grgr, amata, akalar, espriler
derken hayat ne tatlyd. Ne gzeldi umudumuz, ne lezzetliydi
arabm. Bu masala resmen baylyordum Ltfen kimse kt
ihtimallerden bahsetmesindi, hep birarada, hep gl, hep umut
dolu olalmd Masal sper de, geceyi nasl kapattk? Byk
g** olduk tabii Uranse mi kzalm, kime ne diyelim,
bilemeden evlere daldk.

65

imdi doumgn kutlamas sebebiyle umutsuzluk falan, byle

eylerden bahsedilmez aslnda. Ama ben bunu daha da
hayalperest tam bir yetikin-bebe tavryla baka bir noktaya
balayacam ve sana teekkr edeceim.
Hayat bu, umut da var umutsuzluk da. Iyisini de gryoruz,
ktsn de. Bu gereklii insan damarlarnda hissettii her
anda yanndaki arkadalarna kretmeli. Onlar yaknlardaysa
hayat ne kadar kt olabilir ki zaten! Onlar varsa, ne gszz
ne de umutsuzuz. Belki biraz hayalperest ite, ama olsun. Kendi
setiimiz ailemiz. Sandk sandk atmz umutlarmz aslnda
bu ailenin tam da kendisi! Iyisiyle ktsyle geerken yllar, bir
gler yz, bir tatl muhabbet, biraz mzik, biraz da alkol olsun
yeter bana...
Sevgili Muratcm, ite bu yzden teekkr ediyorum sana!
Gleryzn, tatl sohbetini, cana yaknln hi esirgemediin
iin. Ksaca, varln iin ite! yi gnde veya kt gnde
farketmez; muhabbetimiz hi azalmasn ki umutlarmz da
filizlensin, yeersin, sonra da sohbete, kahkahaya, araba,
mzie dnsn!
yi ki domusun Muraz.

66

BIROL NAMOLU
Yes, it is true that we met before we were born. And, that I have
seen you more than anyone in the past 15 years.
There are, of course, other truths. Wildness, happiness, sadness,
and memories. I am at loss, which one do I write about? There
are so many, that actually 80% could be forgotten about.
Should I write about your performance at the wedding, how you
keep me waiting every single time, how you realised you didnt
have a visa one day before the concert, how you nearly blew us
all up at the gas station, or all the jumping up and down in the
snow?
Or should I choose to write about how you cut the electricity at
Bronx, how you were sprinting in the streets of New York in the
middle of the night, or your this is your tone story? The fruit
platter in Ske or our search for a local restaurant, the first time
we went to Trabzon. The way you thought the concert had
ended and suddenly left the stage in Sivas.
I cant seem to decide whether your Emre Knay stage
performance in Bursa was better or your unfortunate You are
doing well, I am keeping track of you quote to Murat Boz.
The fire in the kitchen in Paris. How you quarrelled with the
shops wooden clown decor after Pianos.

67

Or how you cracked your head open in Bodrum, did push-ups

with a cigar.
Ah nope, let me talk about your lion imitation in Kenya or
asking the croupier in Cyprus for tricks.
Actually, maybe the best one is you cursing next to an 80-yearold lady in Naxos and how she turned around and asked Are
you from Istanbul?
The way you called out to Zeus in Athens.
Anyway. I couldnt pick one. It would be disrespectful to all
the others. Especially to the ones that have not been lived yet.
Happy Birthday my brother. See you in the second half.

68

ORKUN ORHON
The word Muraz means a lot to me, because whenever I see
him, he makes me smile. Muraz means beautiful memories.
Muraz means my youth. Muraz means sincere, unsparing.
Muraz is a place where evil cant grow.
I cant choose one and isolate other memories, because he is
simply present in all beauties.
Happy Birthday Brother.

69

ZGR CAN NEY

I met Murat at the old Bronx, when we were going to perform
just before Gripin. We were leaving the stage for them to begin.
We then questioned why Murat was standing on Yamurs
guitar pedal. We thought he must be asking for a fight. But then
we met him and realised what a genuinely nice guy he is.
Apparently, he didnt see the pedal in the dark.
We have had many concerts together, toured all over the place.
And I actually performed with Gripin on stage when Ilker
couldnt come to Germany for a gig. We had such fun days
together. I especially used to laugh at Murat and Ilker imitating
me in an overdramatic way. Actually, they didnt even need to
imitate me because just him and Ilker being together is a
comedy stand-up. One pisses himself laughing.
I once bought a hi-hat centre table converted from electronic
drum parts. Not sure how I explained this story to them but for
years they made fun of me saying The guys made a flying hihat hahaha.
Murats wedding was a legend. Normally I am the one who
drinks and becomes a total freak out at weddings. But at his
wedding the duty was on me to collect the drunkards from the
sea and put them back in the pool. Even I wont be able to save
you from the sea in the dark was my line for convincing them.
He agreed. And I continued the evening running after them with
a towel. Honestly, what a wedding!

70

Murat is such a king, such a sweet soul. Even though we dont

get to see each other much nowadays, when we do see each
other the fondness is the same. I really love him. I sometimes
think that he is some kind of angel.
Dear friend, I hug you, and expect little Murats from you soon.

71

BURAK ZCAN
1999. Gripin was founded. We start to perform at Bronx, now
called Kk Beyolu. Everything is great. Every Saturday we
have a full house. The most trendy and popular cover songs. An
audience that has dedicated themselves to music.
2001. One evening Birol and I went to Bronx to set up the stage.
We received a message.
- Abi, the guitarist wont be coming tonight.
- What do you mean he wont be coming? Is he ill?
- No Abi. Apparently, it is his girlfriends birthday. So, he is
not coming.
- Is this a joke? It has to be a joke!
This news is shared with the drummer back then. He became
furious and decided that he would not perform either. We had to
do something. So, me, Birol and Evren bought a few bits and
pieces and went to the drummers house to convince him.
People started calling us Where are you? Bronx is waiting for
you!
Failing to have convinced the drummer we left for Bronx. That
evening both the drummer and the guitarist left the band.
Around 23:00 Birol went on stage and said Is there anyone
amongst you who can play the guitar and drums? A regular
comer, Kerem Sedef, bursts out I have a friend called Murat
from school. He lives in Taksim and plays well. I can call him if

72

you want. A guy sitting at the bar shouts out And I can play
the drums.
The amazing night went down in history. And I witnessed it all.
Murat was such a lovely person, it felt as if he had been playing
with us for years. His calmness. His smiling face. His unique
humour. All of these added meaning to Gripin.
Happy Birthday Beautiful Man. Sharing the same stage with you
has been such an honour. And now with another band (Carnaval
Turco) I had the pleasure of sharing the same stage with you
again after all these years.
Love you and wish you many happy returns. Remain you,
always.

73

DORUK ZER
Murat Badoan, 35 yan kutlu olsun,
Uzun yllar hep beraber rak masalarmz olsun.
Ryann kocas olarak tandm seni,
Ama hemen ok sevdirdin kendini;
Taaa 90 yana kadar srecek bir dostluk olsun.
Bu dnyada az bulunur adamlardansn,
Arkadan olmak byk ansm,
arklarn hep srsn adamm.
Doruk der ki, Ey Murat kardeim;
O nndeki yllar sana hep mutluluk getirsin,
ile akrosti olmaz der air;
Ama ok ey var yazlacak sana dair,
Ne zc ki iirimiz bitti, ama dostluumuz bir!

74

METE ZEREN
From high school days in Terakki, to long crazy party nights in
New York, our paths have crossed many times in different
places and times. Im glad you are still in my life after all these
years.
One of the early things I remember from high school is taking a
day trip to Dolmabahe Palace with you. You had an assignment
that was on Dolmabahe Palace and you asked me to
photograph the palace for you. We did a day trip together
photographing the grounds and I believe that was one of my first
assignments as a photographer shooting for someone! I cherish
our adventures and all the things weve done together. I look
forward to making many more memories with you.
This is the year we are both 35 years old. Lets look back at this
photo in another 35 years and remember how we looked at this
age. Have a rockin birthday.

My dear
friend Murat,
Cheers!

75

HAKAN ZKAN
We were introduced to each other at our studio. He had decided
that he wanted to try his musical identity with other forms of
music, had bought DJ equipment and contacted us. And I told
him, it would be my pleasure to help him out. Our planned
meetings turned into friendship. Apart from all the things we
shared, there is this one memory that I will never forget; the first
night he was going to perform as a DJ. As if he wasnt the one
performing on stage with Gripin for years and in many different
places, his first-time stage fear as a DJ was written all over his
face. When I arrived to the venue, I preferred to hang out with
friends instead of going up to him as I didnt want to distract
him. Throughout the evening, I had fun with his friends, we
enjoyed some drinks, danced to his music. From time to time we
criticised him. The rock community is far from electronic
music but Murat found a way to blend them in and managed to
entertain both audiences.
His energy remained high. So, high that after his performance at
Corridor in Nianta, we lost each other. Another memory
comes from Ryas birthday party. Murat made a special
cocktail mix called kaporta.
That night we understood that
Murats mixes are powerful!
My man, happy birthday.

76

CEM ZSU
Our greatest entertainment in the 90s was Aktur (Data) where
we had our family summer house. All winter we would wait for
the day we would go back to Aktur to spend our whole summer
there with Murat. As youngsters, we made our best memories in
Aktur.
One summer night we were returning home without knowing
that the most amazing thing was about to happen to us. We came
home around 03:00 in the morning, hopped off our bikes, and
started walking through our garden towards the main door.
Suddenly, we came across a pair of angry eyes staring at us in
the dark. When we came closer, we realised it was a donkey
chilling in our house and not looking pleased to see us, as if we
were disturbing it in its own house. Unexpectedly, the donkey
started chasing us and we started running for our lives. An
absolute comedy. After that night, neither did we see the donkey
again or enter the house comfortably.

77

SACIT PAPAKI
Instead of writing one single memory with sportmen kiilik
Muraz, I would like to list a few things that come to mind.
o The guy who calls a day before the gig and asks
Abi, when is our next gig? or Abi, what was
happening tomorrow? is called Muraz.
o The guy who, after chatting for an hour backstage,
decides to go the toilet the moment they are
supposed to go on stage is called Muraz.
o The guy who scores goals in the most artistic way
from 30m while playing Fifa is called Muraz.
But besides these, the most special memory I have with him is
when he came to help me out when I was starting my own
business. The guy who painted the walls of the office,
designed/chose the furniture and decor, worked with the
workmen for days is called Muraz.
My brother, I love you a lot. Happy Birthday.

78

ENIS MUSTAFA PELTEK

Where do I begin?
Since my brother-in-law joined our family, we have had many
fond memories. Unfortunately, I don't get to spend as much time
with Murat as I would like to, but I have had the chance to see
what a great sense of humour he has.
This funny memory is from 2015 Christmas Eve food shopping.
In our family, Christmas and its traditions are very important
and it has always been a joyful time. Murat has really joined in
and got into the spirit of
things. One of the most
important parts is Christmas
dinner; turkey, roast potatoes,
sprouts, gravy and so on. So,
we all set off together to the
supermarket to get everything
we would need for our
Christmas dinner. When it
came to choosing the turkey,
we were in two minds. Murat
got a bit carried away and this
is what he came back with:
One of many funny experiences we shared together. Look
forward to many more in the future. Glad you are in our family.
Happy Birthday Enite. Love you.

79

JULIE LENORE PELTEK

Since Murat came into our lives, there have been many
wonderful memories. If you ask me what comes into my mind
when I think of Murat, I would have to answer - Creativity With
a capital C!
Because of that, it is really difficult for me to choose just one
memory because there are so many. Murat has so many talents,
music, song writing, photography, drawing & design. He is truly
Mr. Creativity.
When the inspiration is flowing, he is something else. He
disappears into his own little world & becomes entirely wrapped
up in the project of the moment. Such focus, such dedication. He
has an ability to see things through different eyes which is most
evident in his photography. But the talent which I most admire,
perhaps because I have zero skill in this department, is his
drawing.
This brings me to the memory which I want to share with you. It
is from 2010 and preparations for the wedding are underway and
the creative juices, from both of them, are in full flow.
Murat is quietly drawing. He spends hours, days perfecting
something which will add a unique & special touch. His drawing
is to become a central theme of the wedding. It is a drawing of
him and Rya in their wedding clothes. You can't see their faces
but he manages to capture the essence so well, you know,
without a doubt that it is them.

80

The drawing is used as their invitation and is so poignant and

beautiful.
For me this memory is so special because it represents a period
of great happiness for me. It is also a time when we spent a lot
of time together and I got to know Murat well. Ultimately it led
up to him becoming my son in-law and the beginning of a very
special relationship.
How lucky am I to have you in my life, to have you as a son inlaw and friend. Happy, happy Birthday!
Love, Mummy'cim.

81

ALEXIS PICHOT
A summer evening in Constantinople.
I was carrying out a new mission for my government that sent
me to Turkey in search of the lost light. My fixer, Rya,
welcomed me and told me about the political changes and
difficulties that we would be encountering.
After a few nights of crossing the city and its Bosphorus while
observing the obscure forces that roam, I did not see a clear and
precise track. I had to meet the person to help me.
With Rya we discussed our different contacts and decided to
go on our ways. I jumped in a taxi and showed the driver where
I wanted to go on a map. Yes, I dont speak Turkish. I know for
a spy it is a shame. Cest la vie!
I saw the driver watching me from time to time, certainly
intrigued by my personality. I saw on his taxi card that his name
was Murat and he suddenly started speaking in Turkish to me.
Wooooow I didnt understand a single word. I tried to explain to
him but obviously, he could not get it! And then, I do not know
with what kind of magic but we continued chatting in our own
languages without understanding. We started laughing so
hysterically that the situation became funny and pleasant.
I did not pay any attention to the road. We must have been
driving for a long time when all of a sudden, he stopped the car
and showed me the mosque. What was happening was

82

incredible! The lost light was there, drawing itself in the space
just in front of us.
I jumped out of the taxi with my camera to capture it.
This is how a simple meeting rocked my mission.

83

ERHAN-NEDA POLAT
Everyone has special people in their lives with whom they might
not have loads of memories, but know they will always support
and be with you. For us that is the Badoan family.
Monsieur, Mumu, the rock star of our family, whenever we get
together we know how our evening will end. Moments of
laughter, fun, chit chat, dancing. Your wedding anniversary we
celebrated at Gezi Park, your unforgettable concerts, St.
Patricks Day, Taksim, Cihangir, Nianta
But the most memorable
memory is the last time
we met before we left for
France. We started off by
drinking beer at a venue in
Nianta and continued
by drinking good French
wine in our flat that had
no furniture left. You
were our last guests. We sat on the floor spending hours
listening to music, chatting without judging each other, dancing.
Presumably, this is what matters when you start ageing. Being
with people who you can have quality time with, free from
judgement.
We wish many more joyful hours and days together. So glad we
have you in our lives and family. So glad you were born. As le
petite Polat family; happy 35th birthday Murtaza. We love you.

84

GKHAN POYRAZ
We have a relatively new friendship but even from now I say to
myself I wish I had met him earlier.
Some moments I can highlight from our meetings are:
o The comprehension of what it means to be a rock star in
a tavern
o A camp fire where we burnt kilos of wood and even a
sofa (not to mention a full bottle of deodorant. During
this event, I found out his interest for photography
besides music.
o The evening of house warming
Ours has been a late introduction, therefore, unfortunately I have
not had the chance to collect loads of funny, dramatic, epic
stories about us; me the ex-soldier, you the rock star and our
better halves.
But..
Spending time with Murat and his Rya has given me happiness
and tranquility.
I can only wish for more.

85

KEREM SEDEF
I have hundreds of memories with Murat. Funny, sad, serious
(as serious as we can be). But like I always tell everyone, he is
my brother, my family. And like every brother we have
influence over one another. I always ask for his opinion before I
decide to do anything vital and if he is not around I ask myself
"What would Murat do?"
He is always the first person I talk to whenever something
happens in my life. Trust is something you earn in life. One
must prove his/her trustworthiness repeatedly. And I trust him
with all my life. He knows me better than I know myself and I
always appreciate the fact that he knows what to do with me. As
well as being patient and showing me the right direction.
Yes, this page should be about one memory but like I said we
have hundreds of them. I can only fit one on this page and that
is: "Our story started 25 years ago, still counting
Love you brother
with all my heart.
Happy Birthday.

86

BURIN SEL
One must think well before he/she makes an attempt to explain
Murat Badoan.
It has been three years since I started working with Gripin. Each
member has a special place in my heart and they mean so much
to me. Murat is like the bands mischievous child, as well as
being the architect of our office. The whole office was designed
by him where he fixed everything with his own hands.
The times we spend during concerts or gatherings always end up
with impish plans and funny little sketches. He knows many
important things about me. For days, he had to listen to me talk
about my ex-boyfriend. Years later, he ended up attending his
wedding without him realising. Even this made me laugh
because it is Murat.
Murat Badoan is a unique character and a different brain. You
can discover this just by taking a little tour through his
Instagram account.
Muratcm, I hope
your new age allows
you to travel to and
discover many new
places with your
beautiful wife. To
many toasts
and
laughter.

87

SELEN SERCEN
Tanrlarn sevdii kullarn yollad,
Afroditin kpnden kt zamanlardan kalma;
Denizleri yaran iki aslann koruduu,
Her yaz yeniden doan, Eyllde iek gibi solan,
Japon gl, begonvil, am ve kum dolu,
Rosemarie ve okalipts kokulu, bir yerde
Data yarmadasnda;
Trkiyede sadan vuran liberal rzgarlarn estii,
Hugonun 0900lerle uf uf yapt,
Tarkann kdm oynad,
Ucundan Nirvana ile tantmz,
Modemle Dnyaya balandmz,
Dzenli olarak sinek ilac arabasyla zehirlendiimiz,
Pembe dizi gibi zamanlarda,
Ak-turda...
Chicago Bulls kasketin,
Boyundan hafife kk gitarn,
ve daha sonra sana Intertoydan Murat 1 lakabna sebep
olacak,
krmz yanaklarn ve daimi gln ile,
Tezatn, Balki ve Larryi hatrlatt kuzeninle beraber tandm
seni.
Ben; frncnn kzidim.
Sonra bir yaz, skc oh skc bir Fransa seyahatinden sonra
tantk,
En yaknlarmn arasnda buldum, Balkiyi, Larryyi, Denizi,
Neziiihi !!!
1

Dii versiyonu Intertoydan Tuba olmak suretiyle

88

Doay, Atei ve ilk gitar partnerlerinden Emrah...

Hatrlyorum;
Kayalklarn tepesinde Denizle birbirimize girdiimizde,
Neziiih Amyyi pataklamaya kalktnda,
Emrah, darksiden alkole boduunda,
Vido2de, bilardoda yenildiinde,
Ergenlik bizi hrnlatrdnda... olumlu ve barl, sen
glmeye devam ettin.
Muratcm, u mehur yar yolun bandasn artk. Yolun br
yarsnn da, ocukluumuzdan kalma bu yer ve bu hatralar gibi
renkli, dolu dolu, duygu ykl ve huzurlu olmasn dilerim.
oook uzun zaman oldu, en ksa zamanda eski gnleri yaad
etmek zere...
imdilik; iyi ki dodun eski arkada!

89

NABEELAH SHABBIR-DOMINIK OSVALD

90

ZEYNEP SIPAHI
When I look back in time, I associate Murat with the
unforgettable Bronx days. Our early 20s with our grunge souls,
full of energy and excitement, consuming many drinks in our
own little happy worlds. Ahh ahh. Speaking for myself, besides
the times we had with our own crew back then and the Mimar
Sinan ones, the best days for sure were those at Bronx.
Years have passed and we have all changed quite a bit. But one
thing that hasnt is the little mischievous child within Murat.
If I am not mistaken it is the year 2002 or 2003. The days when
Gripin started playing their own songs amongst Him and Muse
covers. Again, we are at Bronx. I am drinking and sobbing.
Why? Because I broke up with my boyfriend. I am angry and
sad. Birol, who sees this, leans over from stage and says the
next song is for you. The apple vodka and gin tonics in my
blood started partying. Impatiently, I began waiting for the next
song. It was Elalem. Obviously, the very tipsy Zeynep started
singing at the top of her voice. As well as continuing to cry!
When the song ended, I felt shattered and I remember sitting on
the corner of the stage. When I looked up, I saw Murat smiling
down at me, cheekily. Without understanding anything, I smiled
back at him. The next song began and at that point I realised I
was sitting on something. Yes. I was sitting on Murats guitar
pedal. He was waiting for the moment I would realise it, without
saying a word. Like a naughty little boy.

91

This memory might consist of a very small moment, and might

be unimportant. But it is a memory that makes me smile, and
reminds me of why I love him so much.
How many people put a smile on our faces when remembered?
For this very reason, I am grateful to have met you, for your
existence and for a beautiful woman entering your life. How
fortunate! To many more memories together. Cheers!

92

EVREN SUTEKIN
The evening I was introduced to Murat, was a momentous
evening. One of Turkeys most famous guitarists- that I was
dreading meeting- turned out to be the sweetest guy ever. A
boring dinner party at a diplomats house, became a lovely
evening thanks to this man. We spent the whole evening sitting
at the end of a long table, listening to music and chatting about
all sorts.
While I was waiting to listen to a useless and, most probably,
incomprehensible speech from a British official, whose real
occupation is policing, I actually heard one of the most
spontaneous and decent speeches ever. After that beautiful
evening, Murat Badoan- and of course his inseparable wife
Rya- entered into the heart of our lives. Besides his beautiful
eyes- that his fans frequently comment on - he is a very funny,
well-informed, entertaining, loving Rock Star.
Happy Birthday Murat. As the Sutekins, we wish you long,
healthy, Rya years. We will be right by your side with our
laughter.

93

SERRA SUTEKIN
I can't remember a single time that I spent with Murat that
doesn't include laughing until I sprain my sinus! He once made
me laugh so much I almost went into early labour- and I must
admit, I even peed a little.
We met on a rather unorthodox night where most of the
attendees were diplomats talking about how they brought world
peace (My husband Evren Sutekin will go into further detail).
What I remember from that night was Dima's amazingly
delicious salad dressing and how it took us 5 minutes to become
friends with Murat.
I am looking forward to the time when Caniko, our son, grows
up and becomes friends with Murat.
Happy Birthday Murat Abi, you have the most beautiful eyes.

94

HMA EN
My dearest couple,
My best friends,
My brother and sister.
I cannot think of you apart. I know Rya, I can hear you saying
this is a special day for Murat, please focus on him but special
days are nothing without our loved and beloved ones.
I don't want to be the depressed one in this happy, happy book
but my most special memory with you guys is a sad one. I
cannot forget the days in that hospital in Istinye and I cannot
forget the support you gave to me and my family. The first day
you visited us in the hospital, Murat helped us carry my mother
to her bed. It must have been the first time I felt powerful in this
huge city, being away from my hometown. I cannot forget your
entertaining, cheerful, encouraging conversation with my
mother. Maybe you guys were the ones who made her smile for
the last time.
One morning, I woke up at the hospital with Murat barging
through the hospital room with a worried look on his face. It was
during my mothers final days and I wasnt in a state to answer
calls. I didn't want to talk to anybody or see anybody, because
after a long fight with her sickness we finally realised that we
were losing her. We were so desperate, hopeless and sad. Rya
was calling me but speaking on the phone was the hardest thing.
Murat's words "Rya called you a couple of times but didn't get
a response so we were worried and I just wanted to stop by and

95

see you" made my day. I am still writing about this with tears in
my eyes.
Murat, you are my favourite rock star because you rock people's
worlds with your music, with your caring attitude, with your
smiley face and with your crazy wife. I wish you a long, long,
healthy, happy, joyful life with your loved and beloved ones and
of course with your music. As I am a big Gripin fan, I need you
to take care of yourselves!
Elizabeth once told me, "I tell my friends and family that I love
them every chance I have, because in life we never know what
awaits us."
I love you both so much.

96

EBRU TALIB
Unfortunately, I can never start a story with one night we drank
a lot with Murat because the two of us are always the
responsible ones in our group of friends. Since we have to take
care of everyone around us, we always end up saying bir az
tadyla iemedik be!
All jokes aside, last year I was going through a rough time and
was desperately questioning my life. Murat is one of the first
people I think of who showed great support even before those
I call my closest friends. With a simple text message, he would
cheer me up. Maybe he does not know it but he definitely played
a part in setting me on the road to the great place I am in today.
He encouraged me, showing that he was behind me and my
decisions. Isnt that what a friend is for? And isnt life what
happens to you while you are busy making other plans?
Murat, just seeing your face makes me smile. It has been almost
10 years since we met and many pleasant memories come to my
mind - not once have I felt resentful or upset around you. You
have a childish side that suits you just fine which I know that
you will never lose not at 35 not even at 70. You are so pure
at heart that the world would be a much better place if more
people were like you.
I am so lucky to be a part of your life and will be there for you
no matter where life takes us except if it takes us to a movie
theatre like that night at Soho House that I dont want to sit
through ever again but other than that I am here.

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The photo below is of Murat and Fahir - on the day they met actually the day my extremely sociable husband felt the need to
go and introduce himself at Hillside by saying he was my
boyfriend. After figuring out which Ebru this stranger was
talking about and recovering from the shock Murat let him take
this selfie :)
Happy birthday. Love you loads.

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EMIR TANJU
The first time I met Murat was at Bronx, when Gripin was a
band performing cover songs, on that stage under dim lights.
Well I am not sure how long it has been but certainly over 10
years. Then via Birol we became friends.
There are two memories I have with him that I would like to
share.
First one; I was in college in the USA back then, probably a
junior when Birol and Murat (aka Muraz) asked me if I could
bring them a guitar (a white Fender if I remember correctly). We
had purchased the guitar in the USA close to our summer
holiday. We asked the stewardess to keep the guitar safe because
one day the owner of that guitar as well as the tunes provided by
the guitar will be of Muraz and Gripin, and they would become
the best rock band in Turkey. Guess what? It happened just 2
days ago, (13/11/16)- they won another award for best band.
Then we, me and the guitar arrived home safely. It was the next
day after my arrival that Muraz came to our house to collect it.
The look in his eyes was enough to express his joy and his
passion for music. After that Muraz and I became more than
acquaintances. We became friends.
Second one; I was about to propose to my girlfriend Merve. I
wanted to surprise her in the best way I could. So, I planned a
small acoustic performance, with Birol being the singer, and
Muraz with his guitar. She walked in to the place where we held
the surprise proposal (313 Sanayi Maslak) - Muraz started

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playing his soft tune, then Birol sang. Well, my girlfriend Merve
(now my wife of course) started to cry, so did my parents, my
brothers and my friends. That memory will not be forgotten by
anyone who attended the surprise proposal party. Neither us, or
Muraz will ever forget that, and that is what makes that memory
so great. A mutually shared moment of joy.

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HANIFE TOKER
I remember Murat as the little boy he was on his first day at
primary school in 1987. He was holding his fathers hand,
wearing a very smart flat cap, looking around with his little blue
eyes. When me and the other teachers saw him, we all shouted
out I hope this cute little boy is in my class!
The moment I found out that Murat was in my class, I went to
give him a hug, and welcomed him to my class. During the next
five years, Murat was one of the most conspicuous students of
my class. He knew how to make his presence known, with his
witty humour and clever jokes hidden behind his sarcastic smile.

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Even from those days, there were signs of his future success.
Without exception, he was chosen for the school choir each
year, and would sing beautifully right on the very front row.
That was when he started receiving his first flood of applause,
which continued in years to come. The music teacher would
consider him as a crucial member of the choir and would
constantly ask permission from his class teacher, me, to make
sure he doesnt skip any of the rehearsals.
I congratulate dearest Murat, who is now turning 35, for all the
success and art he has exhibited over the years. I wish him many
more achievements, and for him to attain new desires.
I embrace him with love.

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DUYGU YENIDOAN UZUN

To a dear friend, whose voice I never heard (literally, not once)
during high school days.
Thats why I was so shocked to see you on stage for the first
time at Bronx! Years have passed, and every time I meet you,
you still don't say much, yet you are always sincere.
Happy 35 Muratcm, have a wonderful one.

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TINA VAGKOU
A true friend is glad for your happiness and feels sorry for your
sadness.
I dont know what to write about Murat. He is many things
together. He is funny, he is a good person, calm and he doesnt
panic easily. Above all, he is a good friend. A real friend! We
always have great time together, laughing, having fun. But, we
also share our fears and worries.
He once helped me in a very difficult situation. He felt my
worry and this is what makes me consider him as a brother, not
a friend. As a family. Being a foreigner in a foreign city, this is
very important to me.
, thank you for everything. Thank you for
being a quiet power, for always being by my side. This is
enough for me. And thank you for your tolerance when we are
all together. You had a mad person by your side, and now you
have us too!
Be well, healthy and strong! Until our very old age we will be
drinking tsipouro and dancing hasapiko!
!

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MURAT VAR
My Kumpel Murat was not aware of our secret plans. He
informed me weeks ahead that he would be coming to Kln for
a concert. As I live in Frankfurt, I told him I would drive up for
the concert.
Me, Kumpel and cousin Enis would always talk about having a
mens weekend, meeting somewhere in the middle. I thought
this would be a great chance to meet up. I would arrange for
Enis to fly out to Frankfurt so we could surprise Murat. When
the concert ended, we went backstage with Enis. I will never
forget the shock on Murats face and the way they hugged each
other.
Murat extended his stay for the weekend and the three of us had
one of the best times ever.
To many more my Kumpel. Alles Liebe zum Geburtstag!

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NURDAN YAVUZALP
When Rya first told me about you as her new love, my reaction
was the one of a typical Turkish brides side:
Who is he? What does he do for a living? What does he look
like? His family?
As she probably thought that answering all those questions one
by one would be a pain in the neck, she showed me your photo.
OMG! A musician, good looking guy, member of a famous rock
band, lots of concerts, lots of fans, lots of night life etc.,
meaning: he will definitely break her heart!
And then you showed up! The temiz aile ocuu (the clean
family boy) as we would say in Turkish. You were not really
what I had visualised in my prejudiced thoughts. No not really.
The image I would have had of you would be an arrogant guy
with tattoos from top to toe, leather jacket, cowboy boots, some
piercings, earrings (yeah you have one), cigarette... like a kind
of "Marlboro Man and Harley". But you made all my
preconceived thoughts vanish on the spot. Not a single bit of
arrogance, a rock star would most probably have. On the
contrary, a modest and extremely fun guy with lots of humour, a
person whose company you would always enjoy. Needless to
say, what a beautiful couple you two turned out to be!
I wish you many many happy returns and a life full of success.

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EREN-SVEYDA YILMAZ
Ergenlik zamanlar Pendora giderdik, Gripin diye bir grup
duyduk. Sonra hikayeler anlatld, arklarn sevdik. Gelsin biri,
gitsin biri dediimiz zamanlarn sonu tam dalgalanp da
durulduumuz zaman Muratla tantk, ite ondan sonra
canmzn can oldun ve btn 26 Aralklar bir anlam kazand,
biz de o hikayelerinin tan olduk.
Birbirimizin dnlerini grdk, askere bile gnderdik, beraber
doum gnleri kutladk, dnlerde dattk, cenazeler grdk,
lezzetli sofralarda yedik, itik, elendik, dertletik, hastanelerde
bekledik, en k kyafetlerimizle minibse bindik.
Bundan sonra da en gzel, en zel anlarmz paylamak
dileiyle, iyi ki dodun Murat Badoan. Seni seviyoruz.

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CENGIZ ZORLU
Ryann ierik konusunda ngilizce yazmamz istediini
biliyorum ama gerek resimlerimiz, gerekse ngilizce yazdm
metin cinsel tercihlerimiz konusunda tereddtlere yol aabilir
diye dndm.
Kusura bakma Rya; buray soran yabanc dostlar olursa
tercme edersin.
Kardeim, iindeki ocuksu ama bir o kadar da adam
karakterini hi kaybetmeyeceine ok eminim. Bundandr ki
arkam dnmekten korkmayacam birka insandan birisin.
Dnya zerinde bu kadar iyi bir insan olmas beni her zaman
ok artmtr; o adamn dostum olmasnn verdii ayrcalk ise
paha biilemez.
Buraya anlarmza dair bir
eyler
yazmaktansa,
yaadklarmzdan ufak bir
iki paray grselletirmek
istedim. yi ki de yapmm
nk buraya koyamadm
resimlere
ve
videolara
bakarken glmekten ldm.
mr boyu beraber olmak
dileiyle...
Destiny buddies.

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109

MERVE ZORLU
Murat aka My EYEA.
Trying to pick one good memory for the book was the hardest
part of this task. Well obviously! Not only because we have a
ridiculous amount of good memories but also because I couldnt
find the one which described us, or what you are to my life in
that matter.
I looked for a photo of me putting my head on your shoulder. I
was sure I have that photo somewhere. We are sitting outside- in
God knows which city. I am not feeling very well. Not that
anything happened, I was just feeling depressed. Not eating
pancakes kind of depressed (you know very well how I am when
this happens). I put my head on your shoulder. You are trying to
make me feel better. After going through a gazillion photos, I
was convinced there isnt such a photo. I thought it existed
because that is what you are to me. That is what I think of when
I hear your name. 4-5 years ago, we were having dinner at
Jamies in London and we were playing another stupid but yet
entertaining game. What is the one word you think of when
you hear______s name? I remember precisely I said your
name reminds me of the word iyi (good) a short but a very full
word, at least for me. You were not very pleased but I havent
had that many iyi people in my life. And I am always truly
grateful that I have you.
You are the kind of person that makes the world a better place,
that makes me a better person. You were with me when I got

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married, literally in my make-up room, you were with me when

I gave birth to my first child, you were with me when I had the
best times of my life but more importantly you were with me
when I fingered chubby tourists in Gmbet.
Looking for the photo had me going through a memory line
which made me laugh and think thank God we survived. I feel
like weve grown the hell up but looking back at the best years
of my life I couldnt have had it without you.
We have had our ups and downs which sometimes brings us
closer or pulls us apart, but I can promise you one thing you
have your EYKA for life. Or in other words, gristim krizanti
yabasur gestramanu.

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