Growing Up In Greece

Growing up in Greece during the colonels' years between 1967 and 1973, I got to experience counterculture at its best. From the reefer hippies backpacking through Europe sporting Canadian flags and avoiding the draft, to the packed streets of Plaka and Monastiraki before crass commercialism took over, to the emerging student movement and the subversive, underground art. One such example was to be found, of all places, then on EIRT (now ERT), one of the two TV stations in Greece at the time. It was a half-hour tragi-comedy reminiscent of Becket's "Waiting for Godot" called "Ekeinos kai Ekeinos" or loosely in English as "This One and that One". It followed the musings of two vagabonds, vagrants, street people, call them what you like, mostly farcical but surrealistic, existentialist conversations. Here's an example of Solon and Loukas while waiting for a bus next to a post with a faded sign:

-Σολων, δεν ειναι τοπιο αυτο για να περασουμε εδω ολη μας τη ζωη;
-Προσπαθω να θυμηθω γιατι ηρθαμε εδω. Τι μας εκανε και ηρθαμε εδω; Θυμασαι;
-Δικια σου ιδεα ητανε. Και, δεν ηρθαμε εδω. Καταληξαμε εδω.
-Ισως αν ξεραμε γιατι ηρθαμε εδω, να ξεραμε και το που παμε. Τον προορισμο μας τουλαχιστον,
-Σολων, αντι να ψαχνεις στην τσεπη σου για κανενα τσιγαρο ψαχνεις για τον προορισμο σου.

"Solon, isn't this the ideal place where we can spend the rest of our lives?"
"I am trying to remember why we came here. What made us come here? Do you remember?"
"It was your idea. And we didn't come here, we ended up here."
"Maybe if we knew why we came here, we would find out where we are going. Our destination at least."
"Solon, instead of searching for a cigarette in your pockets, you're searching for your destination?!"

....

The ghosts of my house / Τα φαντασματα του σπιτιου μου

Τα φαντασματα του σπιτιου μου / The ghosts of my house


Μπηκα στο σπιτι μου το παλιο, και βρηκα σκονες και φαντασματα
μαζι μπλεγμενα σε ιστους απο αραχνες ξεχασμενες στο σκοταδι
Το παλιο τραπεζι στου δωματιου τη μεση κι' επανω του μικρα παιδια
σκυμμενα, αμελλα, ζουνε στο παρον
Κλειστα παντζουρια, κουρτινες κρεμασμενες με φροντιδα
ξεχασμενη κι' αυτη τεχνη μιας εποχης

Passing under the door of my old house, I found dust and ghosts
together caught in webs from spiders forgotten in the dark
the old table in the middle of the room, small children bending
over it, without a care living in the present.
Closed shutters, curtains hung with care,
another forgotten art in the past
...

Ανταρα / Tempest (a poem in two languages)

Ανταρα
Η ασφαλτος της πολης με οδηγει μπροστα
και δεν μ' αφηνει πισω ποτε να κοιτω,
μα που και που η ματια την αντανακλαση ψαχνει
μιας ζωης που στη καρδια μου σφιχτα κρατω.

Δεν ειναι οτι θελω σε σενα να γυρισω ξανα,
απλα θυμαμαι εποχες που περασαν σε μια στιγμη,
μια ανασα της νιοτης που κρατησαμε σαν καναμε βουτια
στη θαλασσα και κατεβηκαμε στα βαθη της γρηγορα με οργη.

Ο ανοιξιατικος ηλιος εχει αρχισει να λιωνει τα χιονια,
η ανασα του ανεμου εχει ζεστανει λιγο κι' αυτη.
Kαθισμενος μπροστα στη πορτα περνανε τα χρονια,
μια εικονα ξεθωριασμενη μεσα μονο σε μια στιγμη.

Σηκωνομαι αργα, βαδιζω μουδιασμενα, σιωπηλα
σκεφτοντας τα παλια, το κεφαλι σκυφτο.
Mα σε λιγο το αιμα θα βρασει και ξανα με ανταρα
μεσα στην ασφαλτο της πολης θα χαθω.

....
Tempest
The asphalt streets of this city lead me ahead
and never let me look behind.
But once in a while a fleeting glance searches
for the reflection of a life tightly held in my heart.

It’s not that I want to return back to you,
simply that I recall seasons that passed in a moment,
Youth's breath held in as we prepared to plunge
In the ocean and with rage swiftly decent in its depths.

The snow started to melt under the early spring's sun,
the wind's breath has started to warm up as well.
Sitting in front of my door the years pass me by,
a picture's bright colours fading within a moment.

Slowly I rise, stiffly choosing my steps, silently
thinking of the past, the head down.
But soon the blood in tempest will boil,
and in the asphalt streets of this city I will get lost.


...to be continued

hunger moon...

...or Full Snow Moon, so named because of the amount of snow that falls during February. Also observed by the native Americans as the Hunger Moon as it became very difficult to gather food during this month. So this Monday let's pause and think about the full moon when you see it rising in the sky. Let's wonder about the billions that will be spent to fix the economic system and hope they are allocated in the correct way so that we don't experience the Hunger Moon...

Summertime in Prague

Summertime in Prague
when blood was warm
when blood was young
after all those tears
after all those years
I long for

Summertime in Prague
we were so rich
without a dime
when I was your queen
and you were my king
without a palace

We would sleep in cheap hotels
and wake up from the sound of bells on Sundays
we would only drink cheap wine
but I was yours
and you were mine

Summertime in Prague
I was a fool
I could not see
that you were meant to be
the only one for me
now I long for

We would sleep in cheap hotels
and wake up from the sound of bells
on Sundays we would only drink cheap wine
but I was yours
and you were mine

Summertime in Prague
when blood was warm
when blood was young
after all those tears
after all those years
I long for
Summertime in Prague

by Panayotis Kalantzopoulos (with Elli Paspala singing)...is one of those songs that carry few lifetimes in them. Have a listen and let me know what you think.

conversations

At what point in time do our lives become so boring that the most we can manage out of a conversation is the inanity of leafing through a magazine remarking gems such as if so-and-so's kitchen could have used a different kind of patterned tile?

Random snippets, not even random thoughts, just bander innocuous enough to fill in the dead space hanging between two people sitting in a cafe. “Alfa Romeo has this new convertible. I think they've gotten away from basics”. And then bored silence to be broken by yet another similarly existentially vacuous comment.

I'm not looking for profundity in every statement. No life changing aphorisms of an examined life. Perhaps some passive participation in what we know as life. Some indication of awareness that you left the blinders at home today and walked outside beholding the world with some awe. Wonderment at its absurdity, and surreal elements where people feel empowered to spend $1 million on decorating an office, collect billions in bonuses and still let their companies report billions more in losses.

...but when does tomorrow come?

..."tomorrow will be a better day", "save for a rainy day", "tomorrow is another day", "learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow", etc.

You get the drift. Phrases we utter without hesitation, mostly alluding to a time in the future (near or otherwise) different in many aspects from our current situation. But what I want to know is when does tomorrow come? And if it doesn't come then what?

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” - Albert Einstein

barefoot in the sand / ξυπολητοι στην αμμο

Walking, recalling sun-filled afternoons
looking into your eyes, listening to the sea
Softly crushing on the beach, the pebbles I
Tried to skip over the surf, the words left behind
Written in the sand by hand, a fleeting “with love from…”
Only to be washed away,
But still taken and carried as far as the waves
Can bring such words.

You Must Believe in Spring...

τσουχτερο το κρυο και σημερα,
νιφαδες ασπρες παιχνιδιαρικες πεφτουν
και παιζουνε μαζι μας βιαστικα σαν περπατουμε,
σκυφτο το κεφαλι, τα χερια βαθια στις τσεπες.
σε λιγο οι δρομοι σκεπασμενοι
θα'ναι κι' αυτοι, απροσπεραστοι.
σου πιανω το χερι σφιχτα, και τρεχουμε
να προλαβουμε το τραινο μην και τα
γκριζα παλι γινουν φανερα και δεν μπορουμε
να τα κρυψουμε γρηγορα.
κι' εσυ στην αγκαλια σου με κρατας,
ψιθυριζοντας λεξεις στοργικες,
καθως κοιταζοντας απ' το παραθυρο
φευγαλεες εικονες μιας ανοιξης παλιας

Bitterly cold again today,
snow flakes white and playful are falling,
toying with us as we hurry through the city,
heads down, hands deep in our pockets.
Soon the roads will be covered in snow, impassable.
Holding your hand tightly we run to catch the train
before everything turns gray and we cannot hide anymore.
And you, you hold me in your arms,
whispering tender words as I look out the window
fleeting images of a spring gone by.

Lounging the Canadian way...

...in New York's Bryant Park, sipping hot whiskey was definitely the way to go while in the city this past week for the New Year's celebrations.


Also visiting MOMA for the Van Gogh and the Colours of the Night exhibit wasn't bad either!

this new year's eve...

From Bohemian Hearts

...let's make a wish that 2009 will not be as difficult as everything points it will be.
Let's wish that if not all, then at least those that can, do make the choice to bring on a better tomorrow, where deep-seated, age-long hatreds are re-examined and looked upon from a more contemporary and realist point of view.
And let's make a wish that the interests of outsiders do not interfere with local and national interests.

peace, love and understanding

As the events in Greece...

...continue to unfold...

Τα Επεισοδια
Τα δακρυα τρεχουνε, το νεφος μας σκεπαζει
Στη μεση του δρομου,
Η ανασα με κοπο βγαινει απ’ τα χειλια
Τρεχουμε μα ποτε δεν φτανουμε
Γιατι πανω μας καθονται αλλοι,
Μας κρατανε κατω σαν παλαιστες μεσα
Στο στιβο αυτης της μολυβενιας πολης,
Κατι παχυσαρκοι βρικολακες που μας
Ρουφανε το αιμα αχορταγοι.
Και η φωνη μας τωρα εχει αρπαξει φορα
Τρεχει κι’ αυτη μαζι μας αλλα ειναι μπροστα,
Ακουγεται σαν ανεμος στα δενδρα της λεωφορου,
Στα καπνισμενα χτιρια, μεσα στις φλογες που
Θα τις σβυσει, θα ανεβασει και μεσα στα
Παραθυρα θα μπει, θα μπει και στα αυτια τους,
Θα μπει και στο στομα και στο νου

these words, these days...

φτιαχνω καφε αυτο το φθινοπωρινο πρωι,
καφε σαν κι αυτον που πιναμε
σαν νεαρα παιδια των ονειρων
στη καφετερια της πλατειας
σε βλεπω στο απεναντι τραπεζακι
να καθεσαι με τις φιλες σου να συζητας
και καμια φορα ριχνεις μια ματια
προς το μερος μου μη τυχον
σε κοιταζω οπως κι εσυ.
κι οταν το βλεμμα σου επανω
στο δικο μου πεφτει,
κι οι δυο ξαφνικα αλλου κοιταμε.
και το παιχνιδι αυτο συνεχιζεται
σαν τον χορο των μαραμενων φυλλων
στον ανεμο του φθινοπωρου αυτου.

I put the coffee on this autumn morning,
coffee like we drank as dreaming youth
at the cafe in our town square.
I see you across the tables
sitting with your friends, talking,
once in a while glancing towards me
in case I'm looking at you.
And when your fleeting glance meets
mine, we both look away suddenly.
And that game goes on
like falling leaves dancing
in the autumn wind.

what music now?

Matisse's remake of Cindi Lauper's She Bop is an outstanding example of the high quality music that is coming out of Greece these days. Also, Call Me, Call Me shows their talent in creating original quality alternative music...all from their album Toys Up

Transistor is a slightly darker band whose song Living was featured in Dimitris Papaspyropoulos' Blessed and Cursed compilation. Their new CD, Things You Miss When You Blink is out of Shift Records and contains their above-mentioned hit as well as a number of well crafted songs.

Both of the bands above sing in English whereas Joanna Drigo sings in both English and Greek in her new CD, Καποιες Ωρες Γεννιουντε τα Ονειρα loosely translated as Some Hours the Dreams are Born. Her voice resembles slightly that of A Girl Called Eddy in some songs like Vicky (in two versions on the CD, Greek and English). Another influence is PJ Harvey and she has covered her song, Rid of Me. Αλλεργια Στης Δεσμευσεις, or Allergy to Commitments is another of the highlights in this CD.

new Jem CD!

Down to Earth is the name of the long-awaited, some may say hotly anticipated, second full release by Jem. Good first impressions. A number of tracks such as "Keep on Walking", "It's Amazing", "On Top of The World", "And So I Pray" keep the CD going, while "Aciid" shows Jem's earlier influences such as Basement Jaxx and Tom Tom Club.

I'll have a more in-depth review in a bit. In the meantime, you can catch a live glimpse of Jen at imeem

price gouging?

The price of unleaded gasoline for October delivery at the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) on Thursday, 11 September 2008 was trading at $2.670/gal. The price of premium gasoline that I fill up with was at $3.67 at this particular Sunoco station on Route 9. The price of unleaded gasoline at the NYMEX for October delivery on Friday, when the threat from Ike to the coast of Texas and the refineries and chemical plants region was getting worse, ended the day trading 6 cents higher at $2.72. At the pumps, meanwhile, premium gasoline was about $3.89. Fair enough, so far. However, today (or more specifically tonight), unleaded gasoline is trading about 10 cents lower at $2.62/gal while at the pumps premium gas is being sold for over $4.00/gal. Short supply maybe? Price gouging maybe? What do you think?

new blog layout, new post...

It has been quite a while but I think it's time I started posting again. For now, let's just say that I'm just peeking through the curtained window to see what's going on out there and very, very soon I will follow up with news, books, music, movies, reviews and other random postings. I hope you join me.

Respect!

when there's nothing left to burn...

...you have to set yourself on fire...

Thus starts Stars' CD from last year, "Set Yourself On Fire". The line is taken from the song "Your Ex-Lover is Dead", which contains another line that always floor me when I hear it: "This scar is a fleck on my porcelain skin". It must be the haunting quality of Amy Millan's (guitarist and singer) delivery. There are a number of outstanding songs in the CD such as "The Big Fight", an interplay between lead singer Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan recounting a breakup (something we all can relate to), "One More Night" and "Ageless Beauty". Not your average rocker, like their fellow Canadians Arcade Fire, but rather one of last year's top electro-pop bands combining synths, strumming guitars and romantic duet vocals to produce a rather eclectic sound.

some of the time...

"Some of the time the future comes right round to haunt me / Some of the time the future comes round just to see / that all is as it should be / all is there to remind me, we've got to wait and see / We've got to let it be,"

I wish I could remember where I heard these lyrics and the reason I put them here. Now I have to sit down and contemplate the reason. I think I'll need a strong drink for that. It was sometime in February and I was listening to some new - at the time - music.

There isn't much to say about new music so far this year - few noteworthy releases such as Arctic Monkeys, Belle and Sebastian, Beth Orton and a new collection by Greek DJ Dimitris Papaspyropoulos come to mind. I will post their reviews shortly. Mainly I've been listening again to some CDs released late last year.

Going back to those lyrics posted above, I get a sense of optimism out of them. A hopeful sense that no matter what the future will bring, in the end everything will be alright. It may be youthful naivite that is prompting the singer to sing these lyrics, or maybe some form of resignation to the notion that the future (whatever it is) it will always bring what it's supposed to and we cannot change that.

chasing you...

Love,
I spent so many sleepless nights for you,
I spent so many days chasing you,
Trying to find a way to reach you.

Love,
My hair was dark like the night when first
I laid eyes on you as we crossed paths, but
Now has slowly turned to salt and pepper.

Love,
My hair is more salt than pepper these days,
And still I chase after you in hidden pathways.
Across the continents and over the seas.