I’m gonna say… I’m gonna say good afternoon. I’m gonna say a few words for my guest, whom I am very happy to host today. Giorgos. Giorgos Paches, a simple guy, simple human, low profile, gentle, willing to hear and have a conversation with the one sitting next to him… eh…. Giorgos is playing from a young age buzuki and when I see and hear him playing, he is not alone. He has for company his buzuki and he is totally focused and sure for what he will play. Hello Giorgo

Hello Mena

So, to begin, I would like first to tell us, some things about yourself. For example, when were you born and where?

So, I was born on 28^th of September in ’99 eh… in Syros. Eh so, my father is from Trikala from a village outside Trikala, Faneromenie and my mother from here. She was raised in Syros. My grandpa is from Crete. Eh and so on like that. I started…

Do you have siblings?

I do, I do. A younger sister. She is studing now… in Rodes anyway… Eh… to continue… I started, at a young age actually, basically a heard a cousin of mine, Dionisis Sarjetakis his name, now he is not playing music. Eh… and he was having lessons at Dakrotsies if you remember, a school with a four string (buzuki), buzukia, guitars… everything. Eh…

He was close to Saint Giorgie wright?

Yes, yes, yes! I wasn’t going. I was listening to my cousin at home

Α! Οκ!

Anyway, and yes, like that i began

With Sartzetakie we were… eh… classmates

A yes, eh?

Yes!

I am saying to you, that, and he was playing four string and he also had a tzura. Afterwards he quit completely

Yes! Here in Syro you grew up?

Yes here mostly, and I was going at Easter and a few summers, I used to go to see grandma at Trikala there at the village. So here mostly

Here Primary School, here Gymnasium, here Lysium. Here in Syro

Yes, here of course, and friends and everything

And… from what age did you start playing? Do you remember?

Yes, what I ‘ve told you. I mean… The thing with my cousin. E… I was listening to him at fiestas or when we had family reunions and… he was going, because Dionisys was shy, he was young, and then… he was going with grandpa in a room, a bedroom and they were playing lots of tracks he was learning, mostly Marko.

Grandpa, what he was playing?

Grandpa was only singing!

A! He was singing

Yes! He enj… He enjoyed singing very much

Οκ

Even now…. Eh…

Your… eh… from Crete that we said

Yes, my mother’s father. So, he began, Dionisies was playing, let’s say, many tracks of Markos, the simplest, Mavra Matia (Black Eyes), Zieliarika (The jealous one) eh… and grandpa was singing and that was the first time, you know, first time. By luck she was classmate with Aristo Vamvakousi. Now he has the school:…. “En hordais ki organis” he heard

Classmates?

Aristos was classmates with my mother back then

A! I see!

And she said: “Hey Giorgo”… because I was telling her constantly: “Don’t you want to start lessons and afterwards you decide” Eh… and I learned that Aristos was in Athens and he was playing with Pappo, he was an active musician. And he was… back and forth Syro – Athens, eh.., and he started coming by my house… you know. He had no school back then, nor classes. Nothing. Aristos…

Yes!

Eh, he was coming to my house once a week, that’s all

So, you began lessons with Aristo!

Yes, yes! He was… eh… that I mean, I learned staff, techinque, everything!

On what age approximately? For example… 8 – 9 years old? 10?

Eh… on the Fifth – Sixth class of primary school I should have been. The first time I began.

Ten years old

Yes, yes

Ten, Eleven

Around there

And how was the lesson? How was he teaching?… Technique? Songs? How did you start? Can you recall the first lesson or?

Eh… Mostly, alright. He taught me how to hold the instrument. How can I say… I mean… I was little child I didn’t know. Everything I had seen from Dionisie I mean. By memory. I held it though. He taught me how to hold it, afterwards, the pick. Basic things… e…. and he didn’t begin with theory. I mean he told me: “Let’ say… do you want to begin?” And he taught me the most simple song. First I think I’ve learned the… Evdokias Zeimpekiko

Ok!

And after that… I learned Fragkosyriani. And I was practising it for months, you know. And we stuck to a few songs. He didn’t move on… you know

And how he… How was he teaching you? Phrase by phrase, detail, note by note? Eh?…

Yes, for example,

Why you were stuck so much in one song. In my opinion it’s good, but yes, why?

Eh… look… repetition I think is fundamental, you know, to learn something in general. It’s fundamental in learning, so with repetition and practice, you know, I was watching how he was playing. I said: “How is he holding the pick?” You know, you are getting in that procedure. He was always sitting opposite to you… and now, I mean, this is happening with his students. And the student is watching how the teacher is playing. If you didn’t watch, he would stop and say: “Stop, again the same”
Eh… and slowly – slowly you know, the song was coming to the end

Watch the pick, watch the melody

Yes, he would stop you immediately and again. For a long time that. And… you know… It was stuck in the head

Yes… at… you were studying home or you were from those who weren’t studing enough? What did you do?

Eh look. That has too many phases. I went through that. At the beginning I was playing only those, you know the songs he was teaching me. Eh… I was studying in a normal level. I was playing one hour the whole day, I know, that I had to. After that I was playing, I was just a kid

Yes, that’s fine!

When I was at Gymnasium I quit. I didn’t play at all. And it happened that summer that… it was the second year I wasn’t playing and I found Aristo, I was staying at Kini, my friend, at the summer period, and he passed by from Kini with his wife and he told me: “Are you not coming again?” He started a class, one – two years had passed that I was playing and he told me: “Why aren’t you coming to the class to join some more kids if you want to play?” And I started playing again. And from that point I started studying even more. At the gymnasium after that small break, I met Theofilo, Lavrentie, Panteli Russo. He is a kid that he doesn’t play anymore

What made you study more

Eh.…

Or just after the break…

After that…

You rested and…

The company. The company made me. Because you know, when the other is studying you say “I’ll also become better” and… it’s a boost how to say… yes. And you are developing afterwards with the others, you know…

It’s always… When you are playing with others, it’s always more…

Yes. For sure

It gives you a boost to practice, to hear

Yes. Completely different. When you are alone , ok, you will study some things, but do you know, my friend, is it correct? Correct I mean… will you be in tempo with the other? You know… Are you going to have a communication?

No – no, yes!

Yes, it’s something different. Completely different.

Do you remember the first time that you played in front of people?

First – first time no. But I remember that we were having a… fiesta, you know. 25^th of March, 28^th of October at School and… at primary school, let’s say from the first times, yes, I remember some things. A few things

Ok, nice! Are your parents playing any music instruments now? In their life? Did they used to? Do they play now? Are they familiar with it at all?

Nah.. neither my mother nor my father… My father’s grandpa was a Sheperd and he was telling me that … he liked it, my friend… he was playing the recorder, that’s it! Nothing, I haven’t heard anything else from my family to play any instrument

But they hear… the listen to music at home?

Yes! Since I was a child, I would listen to, many things, my friend. My father for example, there was… there was a release ah… a CD with Arvanitaki with many genres. And rebetiko and for pop and for artistic. That’s what I remember the most, as a child

He was listening to it eh?

Often yes, in the car. We were driving by, and he put music on and we listened. Xarhako “Ta oraia kommatia (The nice songs)”. I remember the… Ah a song that says… for a lady with a pirate very famous. Ah, anyway. A very famous one.

From Mikroutsiko pops in my mind

Yes

Poem set to music

Anyway… yes… yes stuff like that

Cavafis set to music

Yes, which?

The “Caradi”

I don’t know it. Send it to learn it if you want

Yes for sure!

To tune it with buzukia and clarinet. To remake it

“The caradi, the caradi will….” What are the lyrics? Eh… yes… it’s a different song the “Caradi” than the “The knife tight”. Yes, I’ll send it to you.

Send it

At your parent’s did you play music at all? Were they telling you to play for them or?

Oh yes! Constantly. Even now

Come on, great!

I bought a violin… I was influenced by Giorgos Hatzigeorgiou

Yes

I was at a tavern in order to hear him playing and I wondered: “Shall I also try the violin?” and I started. Anyway, that is irrelevant. I wanted to say that my parents are constantly listening to me, you know, especially with the violin.

Oh yes, difficult

Without asking me to play for them, they can hear me. But also, at the family meetings they ask me “Won’t you bring it” But I do not play for them. I don’t feel it. But they keep asking me to

Yes, and when you were younger, I mean. For example, Higscool, Lycium

Yes, yes!

They were telling you; will you play for us a little bit?

Yes – yes, all the time! And with my grandpa I told you at the beginning, I was playing with Dionisie together. We were also singing together… singing… you know. We were kids, mostly grandpa. Yes, it was great. It was fun

Alright, and you were also singing but trying to. One introvert question. When eh… on a, let’s say. On a company, at a discussion, was mentioned that you are playing buzuki… how you did you feel? Let’s say, you were feeling well, you were feeling proud that you are playing that instrument?

Ok… eh… look… In general, now… the way I am thinking of it, when I understand that someone is paying attention to me while I am playing whether it is in a friendly enviroment or more official, man I feel, you know, that they respect what is happening at that moment. You know. And then… I will play differently than other times. Not different… I mean that… Because the person from the audience is paying attention, I’ll “give” him something more. It’s easier for me to express myself. I can’t explain it differently.

When… eh… that moment you feel like…. Feel like you owe him.

Yes, yes

That he is here to hear you playing so…

Yes, something like that

To pay him back in a way

Yes, because…. Not because he is listening to me playing. He is also paying attention. It also crosses my mind that he likes… you know, he seems happy after that everything is on auto pilot. You know… he likes it, I like it also and things are happening after that. After those live performances I am wondering “Oh… great playing!” or “’How did that happened?” That, that situation is… When the audience is happy it is automatic

You find freedom

Yes, exactly

In a way, right

You are not thinking: “What will we play now, what will we do?”

Great! Eh… so there is… there is influence between the music and the audience. Yes for sure.

An interaction is in place

What is your opinion, how does music reflect at the audience? The listener… not only you when… for instance, when you are playing, tell us. It makes him, let’s say, it makes him happy?

Yes, eh…

It makes him sad? Why someone is going to a venue with live music?

This is a good opportunity to talk about eh… do you remember Marino’s sore up to Ano Syro?

At Ano Syro, yes!

Very good at understanding people is Kostas Doumouliakas. I mean, I was going to hear him back then, I can recall, so many years back. I think it has been 4 or 5 years since Marino’s tavern closed. That man is, ok… he is what we call rebetis. He was communicating with the audience, with the musicians. He was also capable of playing, a virtuozo… eh.… taxims, everything. He can, he could manipulate the audience. I mean, sometimes he was playing only happy songs, I mean… Maggiore

Yes, yes!

Other times he was playing downbeat songs. But always… I mean everyone was paying attention to Doumouliakas, how can I say it? It’s what is said: “Ultimately…’’

I see!

“ Ultimately you have to… understand the audience to bring them with you” This is great. This is very professional.

And difficult

Yes, yes, yes, yes. I recognize that in Doumouliakas. He is great!

Doumouliakas… eh… he came here in Syros for two – three years eh? Every summer as I can recall

Yes! He must, he must have come. Every year I think.

Now that I mentioned… summer… eh… I would like from… from your point of view to tell us if you can, if someone can live in Syros… only… only as a musician. To live as a musician. Tell as your opinion.

I believe that, the venues that organize live music events in Syros, the kind of music I play, rebetiko. Fot the kind of songs I play, I think they don’t exist. In order for the musicians to live now, this days on the island, man, to live in dignity. It can’t, it can not support it the island. Unfortunately! Unfortunately because some of those are closed.

How many of those, yes, tell us

All in Ano Syros are closed, for example. That is the place Markos was born, I mean, you say Markos and you hear it at the edge of the world, I mean, his name. They don’t, they don’t have a venue with live rebetiko. Not only rebetiko, even traditional, my friend. Island’s songs. It’s a shame. I mean, I believe that…

Not even in Summer?

In Summer there is something down at the port. There are still 2 – 3 venues. “Lautari”, “Maritsa’s”. There was one more with live… which is… Two or three of those exist. “Volikaki”, “E Nisiotisa” I mean. I don’t know if you know the place?

Yes, yes I know

Yes

“Volikakis” … eh…. In summer they have more live music as I know. And “Petrino” some times

An “Petrino” has live music yes

Eh…

It is one more at the alley, at the old market

“To mikraki”…. No “To mikraki”

Where is “Seven”? The previous one. There are “Seven”, “Giorgies” and one more. The last one has live music in the summer

Yes

At the old market. I also can not remember the name

“Sti Mario”, “Stis Maritsas” no “Maritsa’s” is another

Yes it is another

Eh… ok… next to “Sokaki tis Eftichias”

Exactly yes

That place, yes. The important thing is that this place, when it has live music is full, is full of people. Full

Yes I believe so

I mean, having live music… eh… usually more people will come.

Yes

Usually

Yes and in that place is narrow, you know, very narrow. So the sound is not spreading and it is more… regarding other place, my friend, so I believe that that is the reason that people go there. The sound is more compact so. It’s good a deal

So it’s somehow difficult to live from music here in Syros.

For now, I believe yes. But I think if we try together all the musicians. To do something… let’s say, demand, how can I say?… at the municipality. So, there is, my friend, a support, so that we could play either at concerts or at venues. Whatever. Because it is a shame. There are lots of musicians on the island and I believe it will continue like that

It needs, it needs lots of patience. What is your second job in order to live here?

Eh… Sometimes I work a season job. The year before I was a waiter at a restaurant. Eh.. and now this. If I have a daily pay as a musician. I will soon finish my university slowly – slowly here in Syros, and I am thinking of going to Athens one day. I have to finish my military also. I haven’t done that yet

You are moving to Athens? I wish you for the best. You’ll move to Athens permanently or?

Permanently I mean to gain more experiences. There are great musicians there, my friend, to attend. Eh… For sure I will be visiting Syros and in the future I am coming back. In the future I am thinking of staying here. But now I want to travel around

It’s nice here on the island. It’s very nice. Tell us now. A live concert that has… touched you. That you ‘ve heard live music, a live concert. Someone that, that you are saying, that has stuck in your mind, like a memory, a good memory.

Eh… I would say eh… a concert with Xarhakos. They played “According to Markos”, “According to Hatzidakis”. Separated sections. Its section “According to Markos” songs of Markos eh… there were 3 – 4 sections and ending to Xarhakos, he did many things. He had his own compositions and the others. He made unique arrangements.

Yes, ok!

And I can recall from the concert, of course I remember all the concert, and I can recall at Markos section the song “Your jealous eyes” the arrangement was like, like a symphonic orchestra but only with buzuki, accordeon, piano and bass. Those! Nothing else.

Ok

And you can hear everything, my friend, yes I remember that. I will send it to you. There is also a small video that shows that weird

Like eh… that’s, like a group. Player, a player that you can remember, I know, and you are saying “How great he played”, let’s say

Doumouliaka I will tell you again

Doumouliaka, Alright

Doumouliaka, until now. Because… I told you, I was going there every Sunday and that man was amazing. He was all the things I mentioned before. Great. He was a source of knowledge, I mean, to go there and pay attention to what he is doing, how he reacts, how he plays!

And you liked that

Yes, yes and… you gain many things my man, I stood sometimes by his side and the kids, Theofilos, everyone we sat next to him and Alekos, the kid that plays guitar now, and guitar. And he plays everything. Yes, all next to him to gain things

Lifelong learning, lets say

Yes, yes, yes exactly. Exactly!

Without notes, without music sheets. On the daily wage

Yes, school

How work goes by

Great school

Very nice. And he was playing many hours right? 4 – 5 hours!

Tireless. More. He was playing until…

More!

Sometimes he was playing until… until 5 o’clock in the morning. The guys told me, I never stayed that much.

Yes

And after that he was going to “Boheme” Do you remember him” Did you ever see him there?

Bah, I never saw him there

Last stop was “Boheme” and once I stayed until the morning and he took us from the back side… where is the school of merchant captains, at “Nisaki”, and the sun was coming up and said, drunk, totally drunk “Look kids, look… the colors of the sky are so beautiful”  and he was talking about many things. Doumouliakas. Unbelievable!

Nice

Nice. Nice man. Nice human

Very nice! We will continue with: “What is music for you?” We have some more questions and and we are finished

Great

What is music for you?

Music eh!? What is music. Music is… for me I, I will place at the top, the company. I mean, to have a human, company, pleasure, joy, outburst, sometimes when you are angry or your are feeling bad. Instead of taking an antidepressant, you play music

And you relax

And you relax. I broke many times a string. Because…

And you are finding a purpose, I know…

Yes my man, but on my own. Those things happen, you cannot do this in front of the people. When you are down, you will stay inside for a bit, you will play music and you will be fine. That works for me. Eh.. That’s all. Happiness, outburst, company and at the top I will place the company because… Those moments music changes form, my friend, when you play with someone else and you understand things, it is another path and…

I understand

It happens, it is something magical, my friend, something you don’t know where it leads to. And the more people you are and you fit together, this is magic, is unbelievable. I dance inside me, you know it’s unbelievable.

All problems and troubles go away

Exactly

Two last questions. It is from a Prust questionnaire, anyway, eh… first: “What is your biggest fear?”

My biggest fear eh?… Not to stay alone.

Ok

Because… if I stay alone, with whom will I talk to, with whom I ‘ll… I mean I believe, we say human

Won’t you have your buzuki?

We say, Adam and Eve. We do not say Adam or Eva. For example, right

Yes, yes

I’ll have my buzuki, that is correct. Look, in that case, maybe I would stay on my own. Because I would talk to it. But yes, I don’t want to stay on my own at all, my friend. This is very bad. You should always have someone by your side

It is good, yes. It is nice! In which cases do you lie? If you lie, you don’t have to.

I have. Shouldn’t I also have said a lie? Eh… maybe when eh… I don’t want to upset anyone eh… I am saying one, lets say, no… white lie, I mean, I don’t want to upset him and I don’t want to avoid a situation. Not to bring him in a bad situation. Not to feel upset. I will tell a lie or… when we are playing. If we play all together and we are three buzuki, let’s say, in that case I will tell a lie, my friend, when I am playing. I mean you don’t play to impress the others, you are playing together. To communicate. So you don’t have to…

That’s a long conversation

To show, let’s say that: “Look, din, din, I am playing” He plays 20 notes. Great, bravo you played them.

Ok

So

Tell him “I can also play them”

Yes, it is better you are playing, we are playing all together, you know, and to develop together as humans and as musicians. So…

So you are saying white lies

White lies, my friend, and sometimes it won’t be a lie because you will be at the same level, I am talking about music now that I mentioned, if he plays buzuki or anything else… You stop there and you are playing ordinary after that. You feel free and the two, the three, as many, ten, twenty. That’s the way I see it.

Symphonic orchestra

Yes, yes, I really want that. I really want to play at a symphonic orchestra

I’ll pray for you

I hope, yes!

Nice

It would be a great experience

If you really want to, I believe that it will come true. If. You are not even 30

Eh. I want to read notes. I want to learn them

Great. Giorgos. Thank you very much eh… and eat a little bit

I do my best Mena. Thank you, a lot, for inviting me

All the best

Goodbye