Introduction
The story of "Aphrodite's Child" starts in Greece during
the early sixties, in the time that the local music scene is quickly developing
a new movement, usually referred to as beat or garage music. Many young
musicians and groups emerge in search of a new sound, breaking away from
tradional Greek bouzouki and taking inspiration from similar movements in
Western pop-scenes.
All members of Aphrodite's Child had been playing in different local groups
before moving to Paris. Most notably Vangelis Papathanassiou already formed a
highly successful band during his high school years, The
Forminx (1963 to 1966), while Demis Roussos has been part of bands such as
"The Idols" and "We five".
During 1967 Vangelis and Demis form an ensemble together with Lucas Sideras
(drums) and Argyris Koulouris (guitars), sometimes referred to as "The
Papathanassiou Set". It is during this time that the group plays with local
artists as Ricardo Credi and Vilma
Ladopoulou. Trying to make a name for themselves, they record a demo with
two songs, "Plastics nevermore" and "The other people".
Impressed with the demo, Philips Records in Greece proposes to have the group
try their luck in England...
1968
Early in 1968 Vangelis, Demis and Lucas travel from Greece to England
in search for a better creative environment. Back in Greece a military regime
has
taken over the government, and just as many other Greek artists they decide to leave their
country. The fourth friend, Argyris Koulouris has to stay behind to fulfil his
army duty. Although aiming to travel to England, Vangelis, Demis and Lucas
first get in trouble as they are not allowed to enter the UK due to their work-permits,
and then get stuck in Paris due to a transportation strike. By that time they
decide to stay in Paris, and sign up with the Mercury record label as the
band "Aphrodite's Child", with the help of Philips producer Pierre Sberro.
Their first single "Rain and tears", based on a Canon by Pachelbel
and released in May 1968,
immediately strikes gold and becomes a huge hit. The song plays in
France during the student riots, and is an instant success in France and other
countries in Europe. Due to the success of the single it is time to record their
first album "End of the world". The title song of the album, released
in October 1968, becomes their second single. A third
single "Valley of sadness" is also shortly issued in France, but that
is quickly withdrawn.
1969
To support
their concerts and appearances in Italy, in January the band releases the songs
"Lontano dagli occhi" and "Quando l'amore diventa poesia" as
a single. Both songs are sung in Italian and recorded on occasion of the Italian
San Remo music festival.
Back in Paris Vangelis prepares the release of another single, "I want
to live", an arrangement of the song "Plaisir' d'amour". The
release of the single in June is another big success in Europe, especially in
France and Holland.
The success of the album "End of the world" calls for the
release of another, so Vangelis, Demis and Lucas go back into the studio.
What did not seem possible a year before now finally happens, the three Greeks,
still astonished with their sudden success travel to London to record their next
album "It's five o'clock" in the Trident
Studios.
The first single from this album "Let me love, let me live",
released in October 1969 rises to a number one position in the French charts,
but it is the B-side "Marie Jolie" that is most popular in the rest
of Europe. The title track "It's five o'clock" quickly follows the
same path, released in December 1969 it does well in the charts of many European
countries.
Shortly after the release of the album the band
starts touring in Spain and
Italy, but this time without Vangelis who prefers to stay in the studio. To
replace Vangelis on keyboards fellow Greek Harris Chalkitis enforces the band on
stage. In the meantime Vangelis works on his very first solo project, the score to the Henry Chapier film
"Sex Power"....
1970
While the band is touring to promote their latest album, Vangelis
firmly sets himself in the studio in Paris. He uses his time among others to
prepare for the bands next album, a concept album of which the recording will
start later that year. In the meantime he finds himself composing the theme to
that years "Rose d'or" festival, a theme performed by the orchestra of
Raymond Lefevre. Also Vangelis produced a
single for French single Paul Labbey, and around
this time he probably also composed a song for fellow Greek artist Tassos
Papastamatis.
Before the group would go back into the studio to record their third album,
the record company insists on another single release, which becomes
"Spring, summer, winter and fall". Released in August the epic song
quickly becomes another big hit in Europe. Then the recording of the final
Aphrodite's Child album can finally begin....
1971
By the time Vangelis,
Demis and Lucas start working on the their third album his friend Argyris Koulouris
joins the band after fulfilling his army
duty in Greece. The conceptual album "666" is based on
a part of
the New Testament, The Apocalypse of St. John and is conceived by Vangelis and
Costas Ferris. The entire album takes more than a year to record and complete, and when it
was finally ready for release, the band has already split up and each member
working on solo albums.
Demis records his first solo single "We shall dance" (with Lucas on
drums), and releases his first solo album "On the Greek side of my
mind". Lucas also started working on his first solo album, which he
released the next year titled "One day".
Vangelis in the meantime records the score for "L'apocalypse
des animaux", his first collaborative work with the French director Frédéric
Rossif. He also releases a single with his girlfriend Vilma Ladopoulou,
performing with Arghyris Koulouris using the pseudonym "Alpha
Beta".
Production problems
for "666" are numerous, as the band members were not on very good
terms during the recording sessions. Then Mercury, the band's record label
starts objecting to the specific content of the album, and although Vangelis
refuses to remove offending tracks (such as 'oo' Infinity) the album is
brought back to the released issue of 80 minutes.
1972
One single makes it off the album, "Break/Babylon" is released in
November, but that can not turn the album into a commercial success at the
time. Today however the experimental "666" has received widespread acknowledgement and is regarded as a classic work and milestone in progressive
rock!
