Nostradamos (band)
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1971 |
| Founder | Stelios Fotiadis, Ippokratis Exarchopoulos, Chris King |
| Defunct | 1975 |
| Headquarters | Greece |
Area served | Greece |
| Products | Pop music recordings and performances |
Nostradamos () was a Greek pop ensemble established in 1971 by Stelios Fotiadis, Ippokratis Exarchopoulos (known as Charlie), and the English singer Chris King. They were a dominant force in the Greek pop-rock landscape throughout the early to mid-1970s.[1] Before their 1972 appearance at the Thessaloniki Song Festival, Despoina Glezou joined the group. At that festival, they earned accolades for best new composer and performer with the track "Dos Mou to Heri Sou" (Give Me Your Hand), which became a significant hit during the junta period.[1] Glezou was also affiliated with the groundbreaking Greek pop band Poll.[1] Nostradamos secured the ninth position among the most impactful rock bands during the dictatorship.[2] Although they won Greece’s Eurovision selection in 1974, they were ultimately disqualified from participation amid controversy.
Emergence and success
Nostradamos was formed in 1971 by Stelios Fotiadis, Ippokratis Exarchopoulos, and Chris King, rapidly establishing themselves as a leading pop group in Greece during the early to mid-1970s.[1][3] The band took its name from the French seer Nostradamus and rose to prominence when Despoina Glezou became a member for their 1972 Thessaloniki Music Festival performance. Their award-winning song "Dos Mou to Heri Sou" achieved remarkable commercial success, selling 9,000 copies within just one month.[1] By 1973, Nostradamos had reached their zenith through a widely successful nationwide tour across Greece.[1]
Controversy and decline
In 1973, during a Northern Greece tour, Ippokratis Exarchopoulos and the group’s sound engineer were apprehended by police and junta security forces on accusations of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old fan. Exarchopoulos denied these claims, explaining that the girl had secretly followed them without his awareness. The young woman was located and returned to her family, who later proposed dropping charges in exchange for a substantial payment. Lacking sufficient funds, the band raised money from acquaintances to resolve the issue, leading to Charlie’s release. Following this incident, the junta imposed bans on broadcasting Nostradamos’ music and forbade students from attending their concerts.
This scandal severely tarnished the band’s public image and had a profound psychological impact on Charlie. In 1974, despite winning ERT’s national contest to represent Greece at Eurovision, Nostradamos was prohibited from competing due to the controversy; Marinella took their place instead. That same year, Charlie and Chris King departed from the group and were succeeded by Rena Pagrati and Michalis Lambropoulos. The band ultimately dissolved in 1975.
Aftermath
After the group disbanded, Charlie took on various entertainment jobs to repay debts incurred from settling the scandal. He made an attempt at a solo career, with his only notable achievement being "Ο Θάνατος του Kλόουν" (Death of the Clown), performed at the Thessaloniki Music Festival. Later on, Charlie struggled with drug addiction; during the 1990s, he was arrested for heroin possession and trafficking. Authorities discovered large quantities of heroin along with firearms at his residence, marking one of the decade’s most significant heroin seizures.
In his second year in prison, Charlie suffered a fatal overdose and passed away at Tzaneio Hospital near Korydallos Prison on 21 March 2000, shortly before turning 47. Another former member, Rena Pangrati, died in 1998 due to an overdose of pills. In a 2016 interview, Despoina Glezou revealed that her protective attitude towards fellow band members against fans contributed to her decision to leave Nostradamos. The band is recognized as ranking ninth among Greece’s most influential rock groups during the dictatorship era.
Discography
Presented here is the full collection of Nostradamos' works featured on the 2007 compilation Νοστράδαμος – Νοσταλγοί Του Rock 'N' Roll - 20 Μεγάλες Επιτυχίες (Nostradamos – Nostalgic for Rock 'N' Roll – 20 Major Hits), issued by Δίφωνο in CD format. These tracks were initially released during the 1970s as vinyl singles and albums.
| Track No. | Title | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ατλαντίς (Μαγική Πολιτεία) (Atlantis (Magical City)) | 3:42 |
| 2 | Τι Συμβαίνει (What Is Happening) | 2:26 |
| 3 | Του Χωριού Το Πανηγύρι (The Village Fair) | 3:19 |
| 4 | Παιδική Σκηνή (Children's Scene) | 2:48 |
| 5 | Η Ζωή Μου (My Existence) | 3:12 |
| 6 | Δώσ' Μου Το Χέρι Σου (Hand Me Yours) | 2:50 |
| 7 | Ήταν Δώδεκα Παιδιά (There Were Twelve Children) | 2:03 |
| 8 | Μη Μιλάς Γι' Αυτούς (Refrain from Speaking About Them) | 3:03 |
| 9 | Η Αθάνατη Πηγή (The Everlasting Spring) | 3:24 |
| 10 | Something Lost | 3:21 |
| 11 | Τα Παραμύθια Της Γιαγιάς (Grandmother's Stories) | 3:09 |
| 12 | Θέλω Να Σας Τραγουδήσω (I Wish to Sing for You) | 3:49 |
| 13 | Φίλε Δεν Θα 'ρθει (Friend, It Will Not Come) | 2:58 |
| 14 | Το Παιδί (The Child) | 3:32 |
| 15 | Το Όνειρο (The Vision) | 2:30 |
| 16 | Έλα Κοντά Μου (Come Near Me) | 2:13 |
| 17 | Χλωμό Φεγγάρι (Faint Moon) | 4:25 |
| 18 | Και Πρέπει (And It Must Be) | 3:00 |
| 19 | Ο Κόσμος Βουβός (The Silent World) | 2:37 |
| 20 | Δέκα Μέρες Πριν Πεθάνω (Ten Days Before My Death) | 3:15 |