While everybody’s attention here in Greece was turned to crucial national elections on 25th January, one of the greatest Greek musicians and singers passed away on late Saturday night. Demis Roussos was long hospitalised in ‘Ygeia‘ hospital in Athens where he died with his daughter on his side.
Roussos was born on 1946 in Alexandria, Egypt from Greek parents Giorgos and Olga Roussou. They returned to their homeland after Suez crisis on 1956 and Demis started his music career a few years later with the band The Idols.
He is mostly known as a member of influential progressive rock band of the late ’60s Aphrodite’s Child, along with Loukas Sideras, Argyris “Silver” Koulouris and Academy Award winner Vangelis Papathanasiou for composing the music on the film ‘Chariots Of Fire’ (1981). Demis Roussos also participated in composing the soundtrack of ‘Blade Runner’ the following year.
Aphrodite’s Child recorded three albums in five years, ‘End Of The World’ (1968), ‘It’s Five O’Clock‘ (1969) and ‘666‘ on 1972 and often cooperated with famous Greek actress and singer Irene Papa. He later pursued his solo career which was quite successful all around Europe and in Latin America.
I remember myself spending hours in various second hand record stores around Europe and discovering LPs of the likes of Nana Mouskouri, Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hadjidakis and Demis Roussos or Aphrodite’s Child. He will be remembered as one of the very few Greeks with such an important “international career” in music.
Sunday Freakshow 