Pavlos Sidiropoulos
Encyclopedia
Pavlos Sidiropoulos (Athens
, July 27, 1948 – Athens, 6 December 1990) was a Rock musician, noted for supporting the use of Greek lyrics
in rock music
, at a time when most Greek rock
groups
were using English lyrics.
, where he was studying maths. Together with Pantelis Delleyannidis he founded the rock group “Damon and Phidias”
A song of that era (“Clown”) later came out in the album “Zorba the Freak”. He never finished his studies, and he returned to Athens, disappointed by the revolutionary youth of Thessaloniki at the time, where he worked to his father's factory. They soon met, at "Kittaro" the Greek musician Dionysis Savvopoulos
and his group “Bourboulia”. They joined that group and participated in the album “Damis the tough” (Greek: Ντάμης ο σκληρός). They stayed in this group for two years until 1974. It was through this group that Sidiropoulos first experimented with combining Greek and Rock music
.
Afterward Sidiropoulos collaborated with the Greek composer Yannis Markopoulos
: he sang in his compositions “Oropedio”, “Thessalikos Kiklos” and "Electric Theseus" on lyrics by the poet Dimitris Varos
. In 1976, together with Spiropoulos brothers, he founded the music group “Spiridoula”. They created the album "Flou". It is considered to be the greatest rock album in the greek rock scene ever, as "Flou" inspired many musicians and opened a completely different path to greek audience.
It was during this period that Sidiropoulos made his two film appearances. He had the leading role in the film “O Asymvivastos”, directed by Andreas Thomopoulos. He also sang all of the songs of the soundtrack, written mostly by Thomopoulos, including 'Na m' Agapas'. At the same time, he starred (together with Dimitris Poulikakos
) in another movie by Thomopoulos, “Aldevaran”. Sidiropoulos also made one appearance on TV in a series called “Oikogeneia Zarnti”, directed by Kostas Ferris.
In 1980 Sidiropoulos joined the band “Oi Aprosarmostoi”, where he remained until his death. They released several albums and made numerous live performances. In 1982 the album “En Leyko” was published, of which many of the songs were censored. In 1985, the LP “Zorba the Freak” was released, and in 1989 they released “Without Make-up” (in Greek), which was recorded live at Metro club in Athens.
In the summer of 1990 and after his mother's death, his left hand started getting paralyzed, as a result of his long term drug use that he was trying to overcome for many years. He continued his live performances but the deterioration of his health had serious psychological implications. On December 6, 1990 he died from heart attack, caused by heroin overdose.
with the Greek musical style rebetiko
. In 1994, the album “En Archi In o Logos” came out; it contained recordings from the years 1978-1989 and fragments of an interview of his on the Greek channel ET2. In 2001, the EP "Day after Day" came out; composed by the rocker's friend, Michael Karras, the songs were recorded in 1973 with Sidiropoulos, the band "Bourboulia" and bouzouki
player Thanassis Polykandriotis. After Sidiropoulos's death, Karras discovered the lost recording and orchestrated the release of "Day after Day" through Minos-EMI in 2001.
Pou na girizis (Biography by Akis Ladikos)
To monaxiko mplouz toy prigipa (Biography by Dinos Dimatatis)
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...
, July 27, 1948 – Athens, 6 December 1990) was a Rock musician, noted for supporting the use of Greek lyrics
Greek rock
Rock 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...
in rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, at a time when most Greek rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
groups
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
were using English lyrics.
Art
Sidiropoulos began his career in 1970 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...
, where he was studying maths. Together with Pantelis Delleyannidis he founded the rock group “Damon and Phidias”
Damon and Pythias
In Greek mythology, the legend of Damon and Pythias symbolizes trust and loyalty in a true friendship.- Greek legend :As told by Aristoxenus, and after him Cicero , Diodorus Siculus , and others, around the 4th century BC, Pythias and his friend Damon, both followers of the philosopher...
A song of that era (“Clown”) later came out in the album “Zorba the Freak”. He never finished his studies, and he returned to Athens, disappointed by the revolutionary youth of Thessaloniki at the time, where he worked to his father's factory. They soon met, at "Kittaro" the Greek musician 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...
and his group “Bourboulia”. They joined that group and participated in the album “Damis the tough” (Greek: Ντάμης ο σκληρός). They stayed in this group for two years until 1974. It was through this group that Sidiropoulos first experimented with combining Greek and Rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
.
Afterward Sidiropoulos collaborated with the Greek composer Yannis Markopoulos
Yannis Markopoulos
-Early life and education:Yannis Markopoulos was born in 1939 in Heraklion, Crete. From one of the old families of the island—his father was an attorney and later the Prefect—he spent his childhood in the seaside town of Ierapetra...
: he sang in his compositions “Oropedio”, “Thessalikos Kiklos” and "Electric Theseus" on lyrics by the poet Dimitris Varos
Dimitris Varos
Dimitris Varos was born 1949 on the island of Chios. He is a modern Greek poet, journalist, and photographer.- Career :...
. In 1976, together with Spiropoulos brothers, he founded the music group “Spiridoula”. They created the album "Flou". It is considered to be the greatest rock album in the greek rock scene ever, as "Flou" inspired many musicians and opened a completely different path to greek audience.
It was during this period that Sidiropoulos made his two film appearances. He had the leading role in the film “O Asymvivastos”, directed by Andreas Thomopoulos. He also sang all of the songs of the soundtrack, written mostly by Thomopoulos, including 'Na m' Agapas'. At the same time, he starred (together with Dimitris Poulikakos
Dimitris Poulikakos
Dimitris Poulikakos is a Greek actor and rock singer. He hails from Mani, Greece.- Filmography :Dimitris Poulikakos participated in more than 60 movies*1972: Fonissa, I *1972: Aldevaran*1975: Kelli miden, To...
) in another movie by Thomopoulos, “Aldevaran”. Sidiropoulos also made one appearance on TV in a series called “Oikogeneia Zarnti”, directed by Kostas Ferris.
In 1980 Sidiropoulos joined the band “Oi Aprosarmostoi”, where he remained until his death. They released several albums and made numerous live performances. In 1982 the album “En Leyko” was published, of which many of the songs were censored. In 1985, the LP “Zorba the Freak” was released, and in 1989 they released “Without Make-up” (in Greek), which was recorded live at Metro club in Athens.
In the summer of 1990 and after his mother's death, his left hand started getting paralyzed, as a result of his long term drug use that he was trying to overcome for many years. He continued his live performances but the deterioration of his health had serious psychological implications. On December 6, 1990 he died from heart attack, caused by heroin overdose.
Posthumous releases
In 1991, his band “Oi Aprosarmostoi” released the album “Ante... ke Kali Tichi Maghes”, named after one of his songs (realised in 1985), the title of which can be interpreted as “So long folks”. Some of the songs were sung by Sidiropoulos in earlier recordings; others by various artists. In 1992, the album “The Blues of the Prince” (in Greek) was released. It contained experimental recordings from 1979 to 1981. In this disc, Sidiropoulos combined the bluesBlues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
with the Greek musical style rebetiko
Rebetiko
Rebetiko, plural rebetika, , occasionally transliterated as Rembetiko, is a term used today to designate originally disparate kinds of urban Greek folk music which have come to be grouped together since the so-called rebetika revival, which started in the 1960s and developed further from the early...
. In 1994, the album “En Archi In o Logos” came out; it contained recordings from the years 1978-1989 and fragments of an interview of his on the Greek channel ET2. In 2001, the EP "Day after Day" came out; composed by the rocker's friend, Michael Karras, the songs were recorded in 1973 with Sidiropoulos, the band "Bourboulia" and bouzouki
Bouzouki
The bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
player Thanassis Polykandriotis. After Sidiropoulos's death, Karras discovered the lost recording and orchestrated the release of "Day after Day" through Minos-EMI in 2001.
List of notable songs
- O Babis o Flou
- I Ora tou Stuff
- To '69 me Kapoion Filo
- Stin K
- Rock ΄n΄ Roll sto Krevati
- To Vivlio ton Iroon
- Electric Theseus
- Apokalypsi
- Apogoitefsi
- Tis Ethnikis Simfiliosis
- Horis Etia
- Na m' Agapas
- Ante... ke Kali Tichi Maghes
- Day after Day
Discography
- 1971 To Xespasma/O Kosmos Tous
- 1971 O Gero-Mathios
- 1972 Apogoitefsi/O Ntamis o Skliros
- 1978 Flou
- 1982 En Lefko
- 1985 Zorba the Freak
- 1989 Horis Makigiaz (Live)
- 1991 Ante... ke Kali Tichi Maghes
- 1992 Ta Blues tou Prighipa
- 1994 En Archi In o Logos
- 2001 Day after Day - EP with two unpublished songs
Sources
Adaptation of the corresponding article in the Greek version of Wikipedia.Pou na girizis (Biography by Akis Ladikos)
To monaxiko mplouz toy prigipa (Biography by Dinos Dimatatis)