Nikolas Asimos (; 20 August 1949 – 17 March 1988) was a Greek composer, singer and performance artist. His real surname was Asimopoulos (Ασημόπουλος).

Career

In 1973, he moved to Athens from Thessaloniki; there he continued to be involved in theatre studies and graduated from a private theatre school. After being released, he never managed to overcome his bitterness over this charge. The outstanding trial along with other personal problems affected his psychological state profoundly. After two failed attempts, he committed suicide by hanging on 17 March 1988 in his house which he used to call the "preparation area". It is rumored that he kept a diary during the last 15 days of his life in which he describes his efforts to find something worth living for in his life. He marked the pages with an "X" which meant that he had not found anything worth living for. The 15th day was also marked with an "X" which is the day he hanged himself.

Production

His Paranomes Kassetes (illegal tapes), as Asimos liked to call his early work due to its lyrical content, were recorded in friends' houses and other more or less inappropriate (concerning a recording session) locations, with several musicians accompanying him. The tapes had an underground distribution by Asimos himself or his friends because he wanted to avoid his work being exploited by Record Labels. Apart from the tapes, he produced during his lifetime a 45 rpm single with two songs and a full-length LP, as well as five compositions for a Vasilis Papakonstantinou record. The rest of his work was released after he died.

Discography

  • 1974 – Romios – Michanismos (Ρωμιός – Μηχανισμός), single
  • 1978 – Kasseta me to Vareli pou gia na Vgei to Spaei – Paranomi Kasseta No.000001 (Kασσέτα με το Βαρέλι για να Βγει το Σπάει – Παράνομη Κασσέτα No.000001)
  • 1979 – Eimai Palianthropos – Paranomi Kasseta No.000002 (Είμαι Παλιάνθρωπος – Παράνομη Κασσέτα No.000002)

:part A of trilogy Tripli Kasseta Mpela me Horis Tampela (Τριπλή Κασσέτα Μπελα με Χωρίς Ταμπέλα)

  • 1979 – Giati Foras Klouvi – Paranomi Kasseta No.000003 (Γιατί Φοράς Κλουβί – Παράνομη Κασσέτα No.000003)

:part Β of trilogy Tripli Kasseta Mpela me Horis Tampela (Τριπλή Κασσέτα Μπελα με Χωρίς Ταμπέλα)

  • 1979 – Klaste Eleftheros – Paranomi Kasseta No.000004 (Κλάστε Ελεύθερος – Παράνομη Κασσέτα No.000004)

:part C of trilogy Tripli Kasseta Mpela me Horis Tampela (Τριπλή Κασσέτα Μπελα με Χωρίς Ταμπέλα)

  • 1982 – O Ksanapes (Ο Ξαναπές). (Vasilis Papakonstantinou and Haris Aleksiou participated).
  • 1986 – O Saliagkas – Paranomi Kasseta No.000005 (Ο Σάλιαγκας – Παράνομη Κασσέτα No.000005)
  • 1986 – H Zavolia – Paranomi Kasseta No.000006 (Η Ζαβολιά – Παράνομη Κασσέτα No.000006)
  • 1986 – Pali stin Kseftila – Paranomi Kasseta No.000007 (Πάλι στην Ξεφτίλα – Παράνομη Κασσέτα No.000007)
  • 1987 – To Fanari tou Diogeni – Paranomi Kasseta No.000008 (Το Φανάρι του Διογένη – Παράνομη Κασσέτα No.000008)

:This record was re-released in 1989 after Asimos' death, where some songs were excluded due to intervention by the record company. Sotiria Leonardou participated in the record.

  • 1987 – Asimos contributed 5 songs in Heretismata (Χαιρετίσματα) by Vasilis Papakonstantinou.
  • 1992 – Sto Falimento tou Kosmou (Στο Φαλημέντο του Κόσμου) Includes a selection from his Paranomes Kassetes. Vasilis Papakonstantinou participated.
  • 2002 – Viomichania tou Pezodromiou (Βιομηχανία του Πεζοδρομίου) Double CD compilation with songs from Asimos' Paranomes Kassetes.

Covers

  • 1997 – The Greek rock band Magic de Spell released a cover version of Mpataria (Μπαταρία) in their CD single O Fovos Ehi Onoma (Ο Φόβος Έχει Όνομα).
  • 1997 – Vasilis Papakonstantinou used five Asimos songs in his album Pes mou Ena Psema n' Apokoimitho (Πες μου Ένα Ψέμα ν' Αποκοιμηθώ).
  • 2000 – The Greek rock band Endelecheia released a cover version of Mpagasas (Μπαγάσας) in their CD single Kathreftis (Καθρέφτης).

Books

  • Anazitontas Krokanthropous (Αναζητώντας Κροκανθρώπους), 2000, Vivliopelagos Publications, , 380pp.

References

  • The most comprehensive site dedicated to Nikolas Asimos with loads of info
  • Webpage including .pdf files with lyrics, discography, literature etc. by N.A.
  • Website where you can listen to and/or download the songs from the self-produced tapes of Nikolas Asimos