I heard on the news today that Vangelis has died. I first heard his music when he was a member of the band Aphrodite’s Child. Their psychedelia tinged It’s Five O’Clock I featured here along with their biggest hit, Rain and Tears.
Vangelis will probably be most associated with the theme tune for the film Chariots of Fire, see here.
He collaborated with Yes singer Jon Anderson for four albums and the pair had a couple of hits, this one from 1981.
Jon and Vangelis: I’ll Find My Way Home
Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou (Vangelis:) 29/3/1943 – 17/5/2022. So it goes.
I don’t believe I’d ever heard this song by Aphrodite’s Child until it was on Radio 2’s Sounds Of The Sixties recently. It’s clearly influenced by the mid 1960s British group Nirvana whom I featured some time ago – see my category. (Or perhaps it’s a Greek thing. Nirvana’s composer was Greek as were at least two members of Aphrodite’s Child.) There’s also a touch of Procol Harum’s A Whiter Shade Of Pale in the bass line and the organ.
Aphrodite’s Child: It’s Five O’Clock
The Aphrodite’s Child song I most remember, though, is Rain And Tears. There’s a murky sound quality film/video of them playing it on You Tube but I also came across this crisper version. A hint of Pachelbel’s Canon in the intro methinks. It gets everywhere.
Aphrodite’s Child: Rain and Tears
As I recall (and Wikipedia confirms) Aphrodite’s Child spawned Demis Roussos and Vangelis but I’ll not hold that against them.
