Σπυριδούλα "14 Μεγάλα Τραγούδια" / Spyridoula "14 Great Songs" rec: 1982 and 1994, this comp: 2007****

This compilation is part of a budget series ("14 Great Songs") re-packaging EMI's Greek catalogue on CD. It contains the greatest part (70% to be precise) of 2 Spyridoula LP's, Νάυλον Ντέφια Και Ψόφια Κέφια (Nylon Tambourines and Fake Fun) (1982) and Ταξίδι Στο Κέντρο Της Πόλης (Journey To The Center of The City) (1994). I will say it up front: the concept, the artwork, the exclusion of some tracks even though both albums could fit in one CD - this is less than ideal. I used to own both albums on vinyl, but they fell victims to the great vinyl purge: Being pressured by the lack of space, and probably heeding the advice of a malevolent inner demon, I sold off most of my vinyl collection almost two decades ago. I kept a lot of American imports, but sold most of the records by local (Greek) bands, thinking they were less valuable. Big mistake! Now that I'm into vinyl again, and have the necessary living space, classic Greek rock LP's cost a fortune, so I have to make do with CD reissues such as this. Not that there's anything wrong with the quality of the music here. Re-listening to it all confirmed my suspicion that I had initially underestimated this band, probably because of the comparison to their historic debut with Pavlos Sidiropoulos. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start at the beginning: Spyridoula were formed in '77 by the brothers Nikos and Vasilis Spyropoulos. I know that year is synonymous of punk for many, but Greece was different: all rock was still an underground phenomenon, exiled from radio (still a monopoly of the State at that point) and carrying negative connotations for the general public. The name Spyridoula was by itself provocative: it is a feminization of the brothers' surname as well as as allusion to a story that had shocked the Greek public some years before: Spyridoula was a 12-year-old village girl who was bound to a wealthy city couple as an indentured servant. When they suspected her of stealing, they tortured her by burning her face and body with a hot iron, a crime that shocked the public opinion and exposed the existence of slavery behind the civilized façade of "modern" bourgeois Athens. The band's musical influences included (by their own admission) West Coast rock, Lou Reed, and The Rolling Stones. I would add Rory Gallagher because I hear echoes of his guitar style in their early records. Some time in late '78 - early '79 they hooked up with legendary rocker Pavlos Sidiropoulos to create the ultimate Greek rock LP Φλου (Flou=Blur). There had been (just a few) Greek rock LP's before, but they were mostly prog-pop with hippy-dippy lyrics. Flou had songs about desperation, heartbreak, drug addiction, and rebellion. Sidiropoulos was the quintessential tortured artist, writing poignant poetry while wallowing in excesses and battling his addiction with heroin. A true original, not unlike his great-grandfather Zorbas who became the subject of a Kazantzakis novel, and of a movie you may have heard of: Oscar-winner Zorba The Greek. Spyridoula, however, were not interested in being a mere backing band for Sidiropoulos. They had a different approach to life, and songs of their own to play.

 

On Νάυλον Ντέφια Και Ψόφια Κέφια (Nylon Tambourines and Fake Fun) they teamed up with another singer, Pavlos Vakatatsis, who also wrote most of the lyrics. Musically, this album is very similar to Flou, another testament to Spyropoulos brothers' underrated input in the making of that album. New Pavlos is OK, but his singing lacks Sidiropoulos' immediacy and emotion. Strangely enough, he sounds more natural when singing in English (with other bands, he used to alternate between Athens and New York and made records at both places). 7 out of Nylon Tambourines...' 10 tracks are included here. The compilation opens with the eponymous song, a fast rocker mocking the contemporary rebetiko revivalists for being fakes. Vakatatsis' sneering vocals fit the song well, which is also true of the punkish "Χούλιγκανς/Hooligans". He doesn't cut it as well on "Μπαλάντα/Ballad", a blues/country tune that reminds me of The Stones' "Wild Horses". "Κίτρινο Φως/Yellow Light" is a mid-tempo piece with bluesy piano, "Όσο Κι Αν Θέλω/As Much As I Want" a rocker with new wave and country influences, and "Αύριο Κανείς Δεν Ξέρει/Tomorrow No-one Knows" an excellent instrumental. Leaving the best for last, breakup rocker "Ούτε Δυο Λέξεις/Not Even Two Words" sounds like a Flou outtake. The vocal delivery is less pompous and speaks from the heart, while the guitar solos are also top notch.

 

It took 12 years for Spyridoula to record a follow-up. Despite the fact that rock music had broken out of its ghetto in Greece, I believe that this was even less successful than their previous one. Ταξίδι Στο Κέντρο Της Πόλης (Journey To The Center of The City) is, sound-wise, the product of a different time: gone are the blues influences, replaced by a more intense, grungy sound similar to Trypes, Greece's most popular (post-punk) band of the 90's. Maybe Spyridoula were going for a harder, more urban, sound or maybe it was the influence of their new singer, Sotiris Theoharis - formerly of punk rockers Adieksodo. In my opinion, his lyrics and vocals are superior to those of the previous album while musically I slightly prefer Nylon... More or less it is a tie between the two. Again, 7 out of 10 songs are included in this compilation. "Μηχανές Του Rock 'N Roll/Rock'N'Roll Machines" is a heavy rocker with a riff that sounds vaguely familiar: Whitesnake, maybe? The vocal, nevertheless, is rawer and more aggressive. "Εποχές Στην Κόλαση/Seasons In Hell" and "Δύσκολες Μέρες/Difficult Days" are intense and angst-ridden but benefit from catchy choruses. "Η Λεωφόρος Της Χαμένης Ελπίδας/Highway Of Lost Hope" is somewhat murkier, while "Δις Εις Θάνατον/Double Death Sentence" is a throwback to their blues rock days, and "Σε Ζητώ/Searching For You" and "Πωλείται Συνείδηση/Conscience For Sale" are a couple of typical 90's guitar-driven alt-rockers. Spyridoula would make two more CD's for a small indie label (in '97, and again in '06). In 2020, Nikos Spyropoulos, aged 63, succumbed to cancer. He didn't leave a big discography behind, considering his 40+ year musical career, but his legacy is well served by the Flou LP and by the two albums anthologized here. Anyone interested in Greek rock would do well to get them. If, on the other hand, you don't speak Greek and aren't a fan of foreign-language rock music, you may not find them that special. Just listen to the youtube samples above and let me know what you think.

**** for Νάυλον Ντέφια Και Ψόφια Κέφια (Nylon Tambourines and Fake Fun), Αύριο Κανείς Δεν Ξέρει (Tomorrow No-one Knows), Εποχές Στην Κόλαση (Seasons In Hell), Σε Ζητώ (Searching For You), Δύσκολες Μέρες (Difficult Days), Ούτε Δυο Λέξεις (Not Even Two Words), Πωλείται Συνείδηση (Conscience For Sale)

*** for Δις Εις Θάνατον (Double Death Sentence), Μηχανές Του Rock 'N Roll (Rock'N'Roll Machines), Κίτρινο Φως (Yellow Light), Μπαλάντα (Ballad), Χούλιγκαν ς,(Hooligans) Η Λεωφόρος Της Χαμένης Ελπίδας (Highway Of Lost Hope), Όσο Κι Αν Θέλω (As Much As I Want)