Monday, January 26, 2009

I would rather wait until it's all too late

If there's one time in my life I look back to with a fondness that borders on n*stalgia, it's the early to mid-1990s when Greek indiepop was carrying me around the way that indiepop does now: a huge wave of fun, unstoppable and sincere, part of nothing and connected to everything. I made so many friends back then, exchanged a ridiculous amount of mixed tapes, went to all the popshows, thought it was forever. But it was all over before we knew it and the sparkle didn't just fade away; it evaporated. Hardly anyone remembers what happened back then but when I put a Kissamatic Lovebubbles song on, my heart flutters at the memory of their drunken gigs, Vassilis singing down his microphone as if the end of the world was imminent, and the wonders of Sarah and Heaven Records didn't seem so far away because we had it all there before us. Of course, Greek indiepop didn't suddenly appear in the 90s and things have picked up again in the last few years. But there is something in the sound of those bands I saw back then that makes my sense of having witnessed something special more and more intense as time goes by.

From Fantastic Something to something fantastic. Here's a short Greek indiepop mix. Hope you like it.

Download the mix (zipped mp3s, 41 MB)

One Night Suzan - Until
Impossible Tymes - Dreambrushpaint
The Occassional Flickers - A word of a friend
Starblind - Crush on you
Next Time Passions - Untitled
Kissamatic Lovebubbles - Roxanne
The Happy Balloon - Always you
Fantastic Something - If she doesn't smile
The Jaywalkers - (You can't be) happy all the time
Pillow - Pure pure pure
Raining Pleasure - Capricorn

11 comments:

on_a_sunbeam said...

love it!! some of the best indiepop songs ever :)
I didn't move to Athens until around 1996 so I missed most of it but I sort of also get nostalgic myself when I listen to these songs!

Unknown said...

For this we (I) thank you!

You guys really had one hell of a scene.

Anonymous said...

I would give anything to go back to those days! Ach, Kissamatics, Suzies and Passies! I will never never forget the first greek popfest at An club. It felt like something unique and special happening and Next Time Passions sounded like the best pop band in the world (up there with Blueboy and Field Mice...) Remember the Kissamatics show at Mo Better?!when we handed out the first issue of Chrysalifourfouro! It was like giving something a piece from our hearts away.

Don't ask me why The Jaywalkers aren't as famous as Orange Juice - at least they are for us...Whenever Harvey Williams does a guest dj set there are always two songs in his favourite list: Heavenly Pop Hit and If She doesn't smile!I guess that says it all.

Greek Indiepop of early '90s still helps me stay young and innocent :-)

Anonymous said...

Oh you know I love wallowing in nostalgia! And I love reading others' tales of the good ol' days. :-)

It must have been so exciting to have a pop scene of your own in your own city and country when you were a teenager. I can only imagine what a significant foundation it laid for you then and how it has continued to inspire you in your passions, hobbies, and in how you create and organize pop things today!

That Jaywalkers song was the standout for me. Fabulous uptempo jangle pop that could surely bring people to the dance floor.

Thanks for the report(s) from the frontlines of Greek pop in the early-mid 90s!

Anonymous said...

Stunning mix indeed ! Ahh raining pleasure ! classic stuff ! Many thanks

Shirokuma

Anonymous said...

Hey Marianthi!

τελειο το mix. missing the Sound Devise and Common Sense ;=)
And how can you forget which fanzine kept the spirit going through the early 00s??? (not the eighties!)

Kiss

M.

Marianthi said...

Maki?! Are you coming to see us?

Yay! x

Anonymous said...

Naiiiiiiiii

Still didn't see the quote in your post! Poor fantastic something, unfairly tortured to confession for nothing??

Songs for Girls said...

I'm so glad there's a Marianthi in indiepop xx

Rupert Cook said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rupert Cook said...

If She Doesn't Smile, the perfect summer pop song. One day I hope to find that Jaywalkers mini LP. Tje Greeks have a word for it....