Socrates Drank the Conium

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Socrates Drank the Conium
Polygram
Vertigo
Virgin
MembersLast Lineup (2010)
Antonis Tourkogiorgis
Yannis Spathas
Makis Gioulis
Past membersAsterios Papastamatakis
Markella Panagiotou
Elias Boukouvalas
George Trantalidis
Nikos Antypas
Yiorgos Zikoyiannis
Pavlos Alexiou
Leonidas Alachadamis
Kostas "Gus" Doukakis

Socrates Drank the Conium, known also as Socrates, was a

The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream, the band melded the unorthodox time signatures and orchestration of progressive rock and the intensity of blues and hard rock music, creating a unique sound that distinguished them from other Greek rock acts of that period. Outside Greece, Socrates is best known for Phos, their 1976 landmark collaboration album with Vangelis
.

The group has gone through many lineup changes, but the two core members remained: guitarist Yannis Spathas and bassist/singer Antonis Tourkogiorgis. Spathas died in 2019, aged 68. Nikos Antipas died on January 31, 2022, from complications related to stroke, aged 68.

History

Socrates began its career in the clubs of

Rolling Stones
, however, found its way onto their 1972 album Taste of Conium.

Warwick
Corvette Double Buck bass and sang, while several drummers were used throughout the live shows and recording sessions.

In 1975, Socrates went through a change in stylistic direction with Phos, which featured Vangelis' production and contributions on many tracks.[3] Phos was mostly reworkings of older songs by Socrates. Both LPs On the Wings and Phos were issued in the USA via Neil Kempfer-Stocker's Prog imprint Cosmos.

In 1999, Socrates reunited in an extended form (featuring keyboards and a second singer) to do several shows around Greece.

In 2009 Yannis Spathas, Antonis Tourkogiorgis and Makis Gioulis started making a new album. Recordings ceased due to a serious health issue Antonis Tourkogiorgis faced in 2010. This material was salvaged and released in September 2023 under the title "Last Forever (Neradou)" by EMI/Universal, mixed by Kostas Bigalis.

Yannis Spathas died on 6 July 2019, aged 68.[4]

Band members

Last Lineup (2010)
  • Antonis Tourkogiorgis – lead vocals, bass
  • Yannis Spathas – lead guitar (died on 6th July 2019)
  • Makis Gioulis – drums
Past members
  • Markella Panayiotou – backing vocals (reunion 1999 – 2009)
  • Asterios Papastamatakis – keyboards
  • Elias Boukouvalas – drums
  • Kostas "Gus" Doukakis – guitar
  • George Trantalidis – drums
  • Nikos Antypas – drums
  • Costas Karamitros – drums
  • Costas Triantaphyllou – guitar
  • Yiorgos Zikoyiannis – bass
  • Pavlos Alexiou – keyboards
  • Leonidas Alachadamis – drums

Timeline

Discography

Albums
Singles
  • "My Only Fellow / Friends Blues" – 1971
  • "Live in the Country" – 1972
  • "Starvation / Queen of the Universe" – 1976
  • "Justice (Live)" – 1999
Compilations
  • From Persons to Socrates Drank the Conium – The Singles Collection – 1996
  • The Complete Polydor Years – 1997
  • The Original Singles – 2005
VA
  • Live at Kyttaro – 1971

References

  1. ^ "Albums by Socrates Drank the Conium". RateYourMusic.com. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  2. ^ "Socrates (Drank the Conium)". Matt Barrett's Athens Survival Guide. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  3. ^ "Socrates – Phos". Vangelismovements.com. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  4. ^ Giacheia, Assil. "Greece's Leading Rock Guitarist Yannis Spathas Dies at 69". Greece.greekreporter.com.

External links

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