Dionysis Savvopoulos

File:Dionysis Savvopoulos 2007.jpg

Dionysis Savvopoulos, 2007.

Dionysis Savvopoulos (Greek: Διονύσης Σαββόπουλος) (born 2 December 1944) is a prominent Greek singer-songwriter.

Career

Savvopoulos was born in the city of Thessaloniki in Northern Greece (December 1944) in a middle class family. He passed his university entrance exams and enrolled in the Aristotle University to study law, but after his first year of his studies, his passion for music and politics led to an argument with his father and dropped out in 1963. Savvopoulos then hitchhiked on a truck to Athens and took various odd jobs, including working as a nude model for students in the Athens School for Fine Arts and as a journalists in a newspaper. In Athens, he began singing and playing guitar in various night clubs and became closely associated with the so-called Greek New Wave. Although Savvopoulos was not famed for his voice, his talent in song-writing impressed Alekos Patsifas, the director of LYRA record company in Greece which was specializing in artists of the Greek New Wave, and signed him. Savvopoulos remained with this label until 1983.

Savvopoulos debut album To Fortigho ("The truck" alluding to his hitchhiking experience) came out in 1966. Although critically well-received, it failed to chart, allegedly selling only 3,000 copies. Despite this, he was kept on the label's roster and continued with a string of highly successful albums, with self-penned songs combining arrangements reminiscent of early Frank Zappa and politically incisive lyrics in the style of Bob Dylan, with folk tunes from Macedonia, Thrace, and Rebetiko music.

Savvopoulos has been noted for being politically active throughout his career in music. In 1967, Savvopoulos was briefly imprisoned and beaten for his political convictions by the Greek military junta of 1967-1974, led by the dictator George Papadopoulos.

Most of his songs are written by himself (both lyrics and music). He is still singing but no longer composing (since his last CD "The Millennium"). Throughout his career, he has sung Greek rock, Laïko (people's music) and Rebetika.

Personal life

He is married to Aspasia Arapidou. They have two sons, Kornilios and Romanos.

Discography

Studio albums

• 1966 Fortigho (Φορτηγό; Truck)
• 1969 To perivoli tou trelou (Το περιβόλι του τρελού; Τhe Fool's Garden)
• 1970 Ballos (Μπάλλος)
• 1972 Vromiko psomi (Βρόμικο ψωμί; Dirty Bread)
• 1975 Deka chronia kommatia (Δέκα χρόνια κομμάτια; Ten Years' Pieces)
• 1976 Happy day, soundtrack for the eponymous film by Pantelis Voulgaris
• 1977 Acharnaes (Αχαρνείς, Ο Αριστοφάνης που γύρισε από τα θυμαράκια; Acharneis, Aristophanes who came back from the dead)
• 1979 Rezerva (Η Ρεζέρβα; The Spare)
• 1983 Trapezakia exo (Τραπεζάκια έξω; Tables Out)
• 1989 To kourema (Το κούρεμα; The haircut)
• 1994 Mi petaxis tipota (Μη πετάξεις τίποτα; Don't Throw Away Nothing)
• 1996 Parartima A (Παράρτημα Α'; Appendix A)
• 1997 To xenodochio (Το ξενοδοχείο; The Hotel)
• 1999 O chronopios (Ο Xρονοποιός; The time-maker)
• 2008 O Samanos (Ο Σαμάνος; The Shaman), with Thanassis Papakonstantinou

Live recordings

• 1983 Ikosi chronia dromos (Είκοσι χρόνια δρόμος: ζωντανές ηχογραφήσεις; 20 years' Road: Live Recordings)
• 1988 O kyrios Savvopoulos efcharisti ton kyrio Hadjidaki kai tha 'rthi opposdipote (Ο κύριος Σαββόπουλος ευχαριστεί τον κύριο Χατζιδάκι και θα 'ρθει όπωσδηποτε; Mr. Savvopoulos Thanks Mr. Hadjidakis And Will Definitely Attend)
• 1990 Anadromi 63-89 (Αναδρομή 63-89; Retrospective 63-89)
• 2001 Savvorama (Σαββόραμα)
• 2007 O pyrinas (Ο πυρήνας; The Nucleus)

External links

• Official website
• Myspace profile
• Biography, in Greek