Demis Roussos

Demis Roussos (1946-2015), born Artémios Ventouris-Roussos in Alexandria (Egypt), grew up in the Orthodox Christian community and was then forced to flee to Greece during the 1961 Suez Crisis, where he pursued a musical career, first as a jazz trumpeter then bass player. In Athens in 1967, he met keyboardist Vangelis Papathanassiou, and together with Loukas Sideras and “Silver” Koulouris, they set up Aphrodite’s Child. The band fled Greece following a military coup and became stranded in Paris during the May 1968 strikes. Signed by Philips, their debut single, Rain and Tears—a fusion of baroque keyboards, Roussos’ distinctive voice, and psychedelic pop—quickly became a worldwide hit. Later, their 1972 concept album 666, was considered a progressive rock masterpiece. Roussos began a successful solo career in 1971, known for hits like “Forever and Ever”, blending romantic melodies and exotic influences, earning global fame and awards. He collaborated with Vangelis in 1981 on the Blade Runner original soundtrack and continued recording and performing worldwide, selling over 60 million records. Roussos passed away in 2015 from pancreatic cancer at 68. On the 10th anniversary of his death, his 2009 album DEMIS has been reissued with remastered audio and in Dolby Atmos, celebrating his lasting impact as a mystical and popular music icon.