Nikolas Asimos
Encyclopedia
Nikolas Asimos (20 August 1949 – 17 March 1988) was a Greek
composer
and singer. His real surname was Asimopoulos (Ασιμόπουλος). Asimos was a very special case of a counter-culture artist, mostly because of his choice of lifestyle. His behaviour and songs were often received as provocatory by the general public. He was a person with strong political opinions
. Ideologically, he could be categorised as an anarchist
but himself never accepted his categorisation into a specific political ideology
.
. Both his parents were from Kozani
. As a young man he showed great eagerness to learn new things. In 1967 he enrolled in the Philosophical School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
. During his college years he was often involved with the world of the theater and the performance arts whilst writing songs and singing in various boîtes of Thessaloniki.
He often had problems with the police, particularly during the period of military rule — junta
— in Greece and the consequent restriction on civil liberties, i.e., freedom of expression
.
In 1973 he moved to Athens
from Thessaloniki; there he continued to be involved in theatre studies and graduated from a private theatre school. He wrote songs which were not recorded officially, but rather privately and on tapes that he would then sell on the streets of Athens. He performed in boîtes around Plaka
along with Giannis Zouganelis and Sakis Boulas, inter alia. His first official recording effort was in 1974 with the single Romios - Michanismos (Ρωμιός - Μηχανισμός).
In 1976 he had a daughter with Lillian Charitaki with whom he was not married.
In 1977 he was temporarily imprisoned along with 5 other editors and writers. They were all released after an initiative by Dionysis Savvopoulos
. In 1978 he was drafted in the Greek army but did not serve as he was relieved of duty for psychological reasons. He wrote a book titled Anazitontas Krokantropous (Αναζητώντας Κροκανθρώπους) -Looking for yolk-men - which was never officially published, but was circulated by himself in photocopies. In his later years and after his death, the book was also made available by a publishing house. In 1982 he released his long play record titled O Ksanapes (Ο Ξαναπές) -The Say-again-.
In 1987 he was wrongfully accused for the rape
of an ex-girlfriend and was forcibly led to a mental institution. Shortly after he was sent to Korydallos Prison
and was later bail
ed out. He never managed to overcome his bitterness over this unfounded charge. The outstanding trial
along with other personal problems affected his psychological state profoundly. After two failed attempts, he committed suicide
by hanging on 17 March 1988 in his house which he used to call preparation area. It is rumoured that he kept a diary during the last 15 days of his life in which he describes his efforts to find something worth living for in his life. He marked the pages with an "X" which meant that he had not found anything worth living for. The 15th day was also marked with an "X" which is the day he hanged himself.
, as well as 5 compositions for a Vasilis Papakonstantinou
record. The rest of his work was released after he died.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and singer. His real surname was Asimopoulos (Ασιμόπουλος). Asimos was a very special case of a counter-culture artist, mostly because of his choice of lifestyle. His behaviour and songs were often received as provocatory by the general public. He was a person with strong political opinions
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
. Ideologically, he could be categorised as an anarchist
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
but himself never accepted his categorisation into a specific political ideology
Ideology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
.
Biography
Nikolas Asimos was born in ThessalonikiThessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
. Both his parents were from Kozani
Kozani
Kozani is a city in northern Greece, capital of Kozani regional unit and of West Macedonia region. It is located in the western part of Macedonia, in the northern part of the Aliakmonas river valley...
. As a young man he showed great eagerness to learn new things. In 1967 he enrolled in the Philosophical School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki is the largest Greek university, and the largest university in the Balkans. It was named after the philosopher Aristotle, who was born in Stageira, Chalcidice, about 55 km east of Thessaloniki, in Central Macedonia...
. During his college years he was often involved with the world of the theater and the performance arts whilst writing songs and singing in various boîtes of Thessaloniki.
He often had problems with the police, particularly during the period of military rule — junta
Greek military junta of 1967-1974
The Greek military junta of 1967–1974, alternatively "The Regime of the Colonels" , or in Greece "The Junta", and "The Seven Years" are terms used to refer to a series of right-wing military governments that ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974...
— in Greece and the consequent restriction on civil liberties, i.e., freedom of expression
Freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
.
In 1973 he moved to Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
from Thessaloniki; there he continued to be involved in theatre studies and graduated from a private theatre school. He wrote songs which were not recorded officially, but rather privately and on tapes that he would then sell on the streets of Athens. He performed in boîtes around Plaka
Plaka
Pláka is the old historical neighborhood of Athens, clustered around the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis, and incorporating labyrinthine streets and neoclassical architecture. Plaka is built on top of the residential areas of the ancient town of Athens...
along with Giannis Zouganelis and Sakis Boulas, inter alia. His first official recording effort was in 1974 with the single Romios - Michanismos (Ρωμιός - Μηχανισμός).
In 1976 he had a daughter with Lillian Charitaki with whom he was not married.
In 1977 he was temporarily imprisoned along with 5 other editors and writers. They were all released after an initiative by Dionysis Savvopoulos
Dionysis Savvopoulos
Dionysis Savvopoulos is a Greek music composer, lyricist and singer.He was born in Thessaloniki. In 1963 he moved to Athens, terminating his law studies in favour of his career in music...
. In 1978 he was drafted in the Greek army but did not serve as he was relieved of duty for psychological reasons. He wrote a book titled Anazitontas Krokantropous (Αναζητώντας Κροκανθρώπους) -Looking for yolk-men - which was never officially published, but was circulated by himself in photocopies. In his later years and after his death, the book was also made available by a publishing house. In 1982 he released his long play record titled O Ksanapes (Ο Ξαναπές) -The Say-again-.
In 1987 he was wrongfully accused for the rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
of an ex-girlfriend and was forcibly led to a mental institution. Shortly after he was sent to Korydallos Prison
Korydallos Prison
Korydallos Prison Complex is the main prison of Greece, housing both maximum-security men and women. It is located in Korydallos, Piraeus. Its most famous detainees are the November 17 terrorist members and Colonel Nikolaos Dertilis, the last surviving member of the military junta. Korydallos...
and was later bail
Bail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
ed out. He never managed to overcome his bitterness over this unfounded charge. The outstanding trial
Trial
A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard.It may refer to:*Trial , the presentation of information in a formal setting, usually a court...
along with other personal problems affected his psychological state profoundly. After two failed attempts, he committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by hanging on 17 March 1988 in his house which he used to call preparation area. It is rumoured that he kept a diary during the last 15 days of his life in which he describes his efforts to find something worth living for in his life. He marked the pages with an "X" which meant that he had not found anything worth living for. The 15th day was also marked with an "X" which is the day he hanged himself.
Discography
His Paranomes Kassetes (illegal tapes), as Asimos liked to call his early work due to its lyrical content, were recorded in friends' houses and other more or less inappropriate (concerning a recording session) locations, with several musicians accompanying him. The tapes had an underground distribution by Asimos himself or his friends, because he wanted to avoid his work being exploited by Record Labels. Apart from the tapes, he produced during his lifetime a 45" single with two songs and a full-length LPLP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
, as well as 5 compositions for a Vasilis Papakonstantinou
Vasilis Papakonstantinou
Vasilis Papakonstantinou is a Greek singer known mostly for his work in Greek rock. Most of his songs have gained considerable popularity, mainly in Greece and Cyprus.- Early life :...
record. The rest of his work was released after he died.
- 1974, Romios - Michanismos (Ρωμιός - Μηχανισμός), single.
- 1978, Kasseta me to Vareli pou gia na Vgei to Spaei - Paranomi Kasseta No.000001 (Kασσέτα με το Βαρέλι που για να Βγει το Σπάει - Παράνομη Κασσέτα No.000001)
- 1979, Eimai Palianthropos - Paranomi Kasseta No.000002 (Είμαι Παλιάνθρωπος - Παράνομη Κασσέτα No.000002)
- part A of trilogyTrilogyA trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...
Tripli Kasseta Mpela me Horis Tampela (Τριπλή Κασσέτα Μπελα με Χωρίς Ταμπέλα)- 1979, Giati Foras Klouvi - Paranomi Kasseta No.000003 (Γιατί Φοράς Κλουβί - Παράνομη Κασσέτα No.000003)
- part Β of trilogyTrilogyA trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...
Tripli Kasseta Mpela me Horis Tampela (Τριπλή Κασσέτα Μπελα με Χωρίς Ταμπέλα)- 1979, Klaste Eleftheros - Paranomi Kasseta No.000004 (Κλάστε Ελεύθερος - Παράνομη Κασσέτα No.000004)
- part C of trilogyTrilogyA trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...
Tripli Kasseta Mpela me Horis Tampela (Τριπλή Κασσέτα Μπελα με Χωρίς Ταμπέλα)- 1982, O Ksanapes (Ο Ξαναπές). (Vasilis PapakonstantinouVasilis PapakonstantinouVasilis Papakonstantinou is a Greek singer known mostly for his work in Greek rock. Most of his songs have gained considerable popularity, mainly in Greece and Cyprus.- Early life :...
and Haris Aleksiou participated). - 1986, O Saliagkas - Paranomi Kasseta No.000005 (Ο Σάλιαγκας - Παράνομη Κασσέτα No.000005)
- 1986, H Zavolia - Paranomi Kasseta No.000006 (Η Ζαβολιά - Παράνομη Κασσέτα No.000006)
- 1986, Pali stin Kseftila - Paranomi Kasseta No.000007 (Πάλι στην Ξεφτίλα - Παράνομη Κασσέτα No.000007)
- 1987, To Fanari tou Diogeni - Paranomi Kasseta No.000008 (Το Φανάρι του Διογένη - Παράνομη Κασσέτα No.000008)
- 1982, O Ksanapes (Ο Ξαναπές). (Vasilis Papakonstantinou
- This record was re-released in 1989 after Asimos' death, where some songs were excluded due to intervention by the record company. Sotiria Leonardou participated in the record.
- 1987, Asimos contributed 5 songs in Heretismata (Χαιρετίσματα) by Vasilis PapakonstantinouVasilis PapakonstantinouVasilis Papakonstantinou is a Greek singer known mostly for his work in Greek rock. Most of his songs have gained considerable popularity, mainly in Greece and Cyprus.- Early life :...
. - 1992, Sto Falimento tou Kosmou (Στο Φαλημέντο του Κόσμου) Includes a selection from his Paranomes Kassetes. Vasilis PapakonstantinouVasilis PapakonstantinouVasilis Papakonstantinou is a Greek singer known mostly for his work in Greek rock. Most of his songs have gained considerable popularity, mainly in Greece and Cyprus.- Early life :...
participated. - 2002, Viomichania tou Pezodromiou (Βιομηχανία του Πεζοδρομίου) Double CD compilation with songs from Asimos' Paranomes Kassetes.
- 1987, Asimos contributed 5 songs in Heretismata (Χαιρετίσματα) by Vasilis Papakonstantinou
Covers
- 1997, The greek rockGreek rockRock and roll, spread around the world in the 1950s and 60s, entering Greece in the middle of the 60s. Greek rock performers in the field include Jimi Quidd , and Pavlos Sidiropoulos, the most important representative of Greek folk-rock and rock.-1960s:Greek rock , originated in the early 1960s with...
bandBand (music)In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
Magic de Spell released a cover versionCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Mpataria (Μπαταρία) in their CD singleCD singleA CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
O Fovos Ehi Onoma (Ο Φόβος Έχει Όνομα). - 1997, Vasilis PapakonstantinouVasilis PapakonstantinouVasilis Papakonstantinou is a Greek singer known mostly for his work in Greek rock. Most of his songs have gained considerable popularity, mainly in Greece and Cyprus.- Early life :...
used 5 Asimos' songs in his album Pes mou Ena Psema n' Apokoimitho (Πες μου Ένα Ψέμα ν' Αποκοιμηθώ). - 2000, The GreekGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
band Endelexeia released a cover versionCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Mpagasas (Μπαγάσας) in their CD singleCD singleA CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
Kathreftis (Καθρέφτης).
Books
- Anazitontas Krokanthropous (Αναζητώντας Κροκανθρώπους), 2000, Vivliopelagos Publications, ISBN 960-7280-14-8, 380p.