VasilisP
Member
I do not know if I am in the right section for this but, I want to introduce you as the title says the most popular and timeless greek rock artist, Vasilis Papakonstantinou
First I think I should give some information about him I guess
Information was taken from wikipedia
Vasilis was born in Vastas,Arcadia on June 21 1950 (65 years old right now) and he is still active
His first musical encounter was with Mikis Theodorakis in the summer of 1974, in Paris - their collaboration commenced two years later. In 1974, Vasilis returned to Greece following the fall of the dictatorship and embarked on a professional singing career, singing in clubs, and also recorded a 45 rpm gramophone record. That same year he collaborated on the recording of "Ta Tragoudia tou Dromou" (Road Songs) by Manos Loïzos.
In 1975, he recorded "Ta Agrotika" (Rural Songs) by Thomas Bakalako and met with two composers with whom he was going to work closely for many years: Manos Loïzos and Thanos Mikroutsikos, two composers that were bearing a fresh new sound to Greek music
In 1976 his much anticipated collaboration with Mikis Theodorakis took place in the recording of "Tis Exorias" (Songs of Exile), and in 1978 the composer included Vassilis in the singers who took part in his international tour of Europe, the Americas and Australia. At home Papakonstantinou actively took part in youth and worker movement rallies, singing at strikes, meetings, anti-racist and anti-fascist concerts
From that time on, just before the 1980s, Papakonstantinou began demonstrating influences from the international rock movement. He performed songs which had an obviously more thick sound and more acute and intervening lyrics
He met Nikolas Asimos and took part in his first record "Xanapes" (Say it again) by singing two songs. Assimos became the second person after Loizos, who influenced him a lot with his peculiar personality. In 1984 with his record "Dieresi" (Division) his new sound was finally established. In 1987 he reconfirmed it in "Heretismata" (Greetings) including songs by Nikolas Asimos, Aphrodite Manou, and Christos Tolios and by the mid-1980s Vassilis Papakonstantinou was considered one of Greeces most popular concert performers
In April 1985, a 16,000 audience attended his first major personal concert at the Peace and Friendship Stadium and again in June 1988 at the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium on Alexandras Avenue. Vasilis, never received any support from the media; even though his era was eroting away as many suggested 8 years ago, however in the 19th festival of EDON (new democratic youth of CYPRUS- or as many would suggest the Communist youth) Vasilis managed to attract a 20,000 tickets-sold out audience, many managed to enter the concert by jumping over the walls and fences rasing the sum of those who attended to around 23,000. Making it probably the biggest sold out concert ever made on the island.
He united three generations of fans including a strong following of "educated" adolescent fans. At the end of the 1980s, he interpreted "difficult" songs with lyrics written by Kostas Tripolitis and music by Thanos Mikroutsikos. In between he sang "Chorevo" (I am Dancing)
Although his songs of the last years follow the sound of "popular" culture he hasn't hesitated to record LP albums on the verses of two of the most celebrated Greek poets. In 1984 he sang poetry by Kostas Karyotakis in a record named after the poet, and in 1993 "Fissai" (It is Blowing) had verses by Tassos Livaditis and music by Giorgos Tsegaris. He interpreted Nikolas Asimos again in 1992 in "Falimento tou Kosmou" (The end of the World) and in the last decade he made "Sfedona" (Sling). In 1995 he made "The Shikoni" (Impossible)
Vasilis was active during 2000s and he is still giving live concerts and making albums the last one was 2013 winter
Many great artists have said that Vasilis was both lucky and unlucky to be born in greece because if he was born in an English speaking country he would propably be world famous now
Despite his rock nature he has also many ballads
Sorry for the long post but that was just an introductionary post
First I think I should give some information about him I guess
Information was taken from wikipedia
Vasilis was born in Vastas,Arcadia on June 21 1950 (65 years old right now) and he is still active
His first musical encounter was with Mikis Theodorakis in the summer of 1974, in Paris - their collaboration commenced two years later. In 1974, Vasilis returned to Greece following the fall of the dictatorship and embarked on a professional singing career, singing in clubs, and also recorded a 45 rpm gramophone record. That same year he collaborated on the recording of "Ta Tragoudia tou Dromou" (Road Songs) by Manos Loïzos.
In 1975, he recorded "Ta Agrotika" (Rural Songs) by Thomas Bakalako and met with two composers with whom he was going to work closely for many years: Manos Loïzos and Thanos Mikroutsikos, two composers that were bearing a fresh new sound to Greek music
In 1976 his much anticipated collaboration with Mikis Theodorakis took place in the recording of "Tis Exorias" (Songs of Exile), and in 1978 the composer included Vassilis in the singers who took part in his international tour of Europe, the Americas and Australia. At home Papakonstantinou actively took part in youth and worker movement rallies, singing at strikes, meetings, anti-racist and anti-fascist concerts
From that time on, just before the 1980s, Papakonstantinou began demonstrating influences from the international rock movement. He performed songs which had an obviously more thick sound and more acute and intervening lyrics
He met Nikolas Asimos and took part in his first record "Xanapes" (Say it again) by singing two songs. Assimos became the second person after Loizos, who influenced him a lot with his peculiar personality. In 1984 with his record "Dieresi" (Division) his new sound was finally established. In 1987 he reconfirmed it in "Heretismata" (Greetings) including songs by Nikolas Asimos, Aphrodite Manou, and Christos Tolios and by the mid-1980s Vassilis Papakonstantinou was considered one of Greeces most popular concert performers
In April 1985, a 16,000 audience attended his first major personal concert at the Peace and Friendship Stadium and again in June 1988 at the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium on Alexandras Avenue. Vasilis, never received any support from the media; even though his era was eroting away as many suggested 8 years ago, however in the 19th festival of EDON (new democratic youth of CYPRUS- or as many would suggest the Communist youth) Vasilis managed to attract a 20,000 tickets-sold out audience, many managed to enter the concert by jumping over the walls and fences rasing the sum of those who attended to around 23,000. Making it probably the biggest sold out concert ever made on the island.
He united three generations of fans including a strong following of "educated" adolescent fans. At the end of the 1980s, he interpreted "difficult" songs with lyrics written by Kostas Tripolitis and music by Thanos Mikroutsikos. In between he sang "Chorevo" (I am Dancing)
Although his songs of the last years follow the sound of "popular" culture he hasn't hesitated to record LP albums on the verses of two of the most celebrated Greek poets. In 1984 he sang poetry by Kostas Karyotakis in a record named after the poet, and in 1993 "Fissai" (It is Blowing) had verses by Tassos Livaditis and music by Giorgos Tsegaris. He interpreted Nikolas Asimos again in 1992 in "Falimento tou Kosmou" (The end of the World) and in the last decade he made "Sfedona" (Sling). In 1995 he made "The Shikoni" (Impossible)
Vasilis was active during 2000s and he is still giving live concerts and making albums the last one was 2013 winter
Many great artists have said that Vasilis was both lucky and unlucky to be born in greece because if he was born in an English speaking country he would propably be world famous now
Despite his rock nature he has also many ballads
Sorry for the long post but that was just an introductionary post
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