Top 5 Greek Psychedelic Rock Bands

Looking for some killer Greek psychedelic rock bands? Here are our top 5 picks!

The 5 Best Psychedelic Rock Bands from Greece

Psychedelic rock originated in the 1960s and was shaped by bands like The Beatles, The Doors, and Pink Floyd. In the 1970s, psychedelic rock began to gain popularity in Greece. Here are the five best psychedelic rock bands from Greece:

1) Aphrodite’s Child- Made up of Vangelis Papathanassiou and Demis Roussos, Aphrodite’s Child was one of the most popular Greek bands of the 1970s. The band’s sound was a mix of psychedelic rock, progressive rock, and pop. Their most popular album is 1968’s “666” which has been hailed as one of the best psychedelic rock albums ever made.
2) I Blame Coco- I Blame Coco is a band fronted by English singer-songwriter Eliot James. The band’s sound has been described as “a heady mix of 60s psychedelia and indie popsmartness.” Their debut album, “The Constant,” was released in 2010 to critical acclaim.
3)Haunted George- Formed in Athens in 2011, Haunted George is a four-piece band that creates “a dark brand of psychedelia with a gothic edge.”Their music has been compared to that of The Velvet Underground and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Their debut album, “Songs from the Underworld,” was released in 2012 to positive reviews.
4) Dead End Alleys- Dead End Alleys is a three-piece band from Athens that plays “a heavy brand of garage psychadelia [sic] rooted in 60s garage and 70s punk.”The band self-released their debut album, “Loud fast rules!,” in 2011. In 2013, the band released their sophomore album, “Weird World vol. 1,” on Fuzz Club Records to positive reviews.
5) AcidBabyJesus- Formed in 2009 in Athens, AcidBabyJesus is a four-piece band that creates “a heady mix of 60′s garage psych and lo-fi bedroom pop fuzziness reminiscent of early Sebadoh or Pavement recordings.” Their debut album, “Lilac Days,” was released in 2010 to positive reviews

Who Are They?

1.Founded in Athens in 1984, Attack of the Giant Leeches are considered one of the pioneering bands of the Greek psychedelic rock scene. Their sound is a unique blend of 60s garage rock and psychedelia with a healthy dose of punk attitude.

2.ZEBRA are another seminal Greek psychedelic band, formed in Piraeus in 1983. They fuse elements of 60s garage and psychedelia with a more experimental, progressive edge.

3.The Rockets were formed in Athens in 1987 and quickly established themselves as one of the most exciting new bands on the Greek music scene. Their sound is a heady mix of 60s garage punk, psychedelia and glam rock.

4.HAIRCUT ONE HUNDRED were one of the most successful British bands of the 80s, with a string of hits to their name including “Love Plus One” and “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)”. They reformed in 2010 and released a new album, Painted Dayglo, which saw them return to their psychedelic roots.

5.The Spyrals hail from San Francisco and have been described as “the bastard love child of The 13th Floor Elevators and The Sonics” – high praise indeed! They mix 60s garage punk with classic psychedelic pop to create a sound that is both retro and completely fresh at the same time.

What Makes Them Stand Out?

Flashback to 1967. Psychedelic rock is just beginning to take off in the Western world, with iconic bands like The Beatles and The Doors leading the charge. But did you know that this genre also had a strong presence in Greece? Here are five Greek psychedelic rock bands that you need to know about.

1. Aphrodite’s Child

Aphrodite’s Child was a Greek psychedelic rock band that was active from 1967 to 1972. The band was fronted by Demis Roussos and featured Vangelis Papathanassiou on keyboards. They are best known for their 1968 album “ 666 ”, which is considered a classic of the genre.

2. We Spread Our Wings

We Spread Our Wings was a Greek psychedelic rock band that was active from 1968 to 1974. The band was fronted by George Gakis and featured Dimitris Tsagarakis on guitars. They are best known for their 1972 album “Erotic Doors”, which is considered a classic of the genre.

3. Psychosurfers

Psychosurfers were a Greek psychedelic rock band that was active from 1967 to 1971. The band was fronted by George Gakis and featured Dimitris Tsagarakis on guitars. They are best known for their 1970 album “Trip in the Sky”, which is considered a classic of the genre.

4. I Grandi Vegetali

I Grandi Vegetali were a Greek psychedelic rock band that was active from 1967 to 1972. The band was fronted by Pasquale Minieri and featured Giancarlo Golzi on drums. They are best known for their 1971 album “Inkanto”, which is considered a classic of the genre.

5 . Anima Mundi
Anima Mundi were a Greek psychedelic rock band that was active from 1967 to 1974 . The band was fronted by Kostas Karalis and featured Dimitris Tsagarakis on guitars . They are best known for their 1973 album “ Cosmic Embrace ” , which is considered a classic of the genre .

Why Are They So Good?

Psychedelic Rock is a genre of rock music that emerged in the mid-60s. The sound is characterized by extended, often improvised jams, mind-altering lyrics, and use of feedback and other sonic distortions. Psychedelic rock developed out of the English freakbeat scene, and reached its peak in popularity during the “Summer of Love” in 1967.

The top 5 Greek psychedelic rock bands are:
1) Aphrodite’s Child
2) Irene Papas
3) George Romanos
4) Vangelis
5) Demis Roussos

Where Can You Hear Them?

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If you want to hear some of the best Greek psychedelic bands today, you’ll need to look beyond the main stream music channels. Here are five great places to start your search:

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1. Radiotrip
2. Asteroid in Furs
3. The Brother Brothers
4. The Milky Way Express
5. Papadimitriou’s Traitors

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1) Greek independent radio stations that playpsychadelic and experimental rock music: Radio Sugar Hill, Radio Aktina, Athens Experimental Radio 104.4 FM, Radio Streetz Athens 104FM, and Radio Q37 Piraeus 117FM.
2) Online streaming services that feature psychadelic and experimental rock from Greece: Spotify, Deezer, 8tracks, and YouTube Music.
3) Downloadable MP3s from websites such as Bandcamp and Soundcloud.
4) Live performances at clubs and festivals which showcase underground music scenes in Greece such as Rebetiko Carnival Athens, Anoixto Panorama Open Air Concert Series (Athens), Plissken Festival (Athens), Hellenic Psychedelic Trance Gathering (Patras), Desert Rock Festival (Patras), Zero Gravity Festival (Larissa), Impulzt Festival (Thessaloniki), and Synchronicity Festivalsyntheticzero festival(Athens).