Bio
Aris Zarakas was born in Alexandroupolis, Greece. His parents were both musicians. He studied piano under Vasilis Angelidis, guitar under his father, Dimitrios Zarakas, Harmony in Pindareion Conservatory under Michalis Rozakis and Counterpoint under Nikos Karyotis. He was a member of several rock, punk / post punk, alternative and hip hop bands in Greece (Tade, Strings, No More Dreams, 16 Days, Aris Zarakas and the 1000cc, Magic De Spell, Active Member, Flamma, Rodes, Georgia Velivasaki + Aris Zarakas and GAIA plus, Atria The Project) . His guitar can also be heard in works of Trespass, Ding An Sich, Fygades, Nipto Tas Hiras, Stavento, Manos Xydous, Georgia Velivasaki and Stihoplokos / SenZa).
In his live performances he shared the stage with bands like: Robin Hitchcock & the Egyptians, Last Drive (w/16 Days), Manchild, Black Twang, Killa Kella, Optimas Prime (Compass Point Festival@Cardiff, Wales, UK), Winston Irie, Assalti Frontali, Jont (w/Active Member), De La Soul, Alpha Blondy, Tranceglobal Underground, Dreadzone, Holy Fuck, Liars, Fundamental, Freeman, Chumbawamba, Los De Abajo (w/Rodes), Clan Of Xymox, Escape With Romeo, Beauty Of Gemina (w/Golden Apes), Love Amongst Ruin (Steve Hewitt's [ex Placebo] band) (w/Golden Apes).
He makes music for the theater ["The Most Beautiful Smile In The World" (L. Kritikos) - Politia Theater (Athens), "The Glass Menagerie" (T. Williams), "Babylonia" (D. Vyzantios), "Yparhei Kai Filotimo (And there Pride) " (Sakellarios-Giannakopoulos), "The Butterfly's Evil Spell" (F. G. Lorca), "The Trojan Women" (Euripides) - Argos Theater (Argos), "Tartuffe" (J.B. Moliere) - Nafplion Theater and "The Rose Tattoo" (T. Williams) - Art Theater Of Athens (Theatro Technis C. Koen]. He also makes music for films ["Die Last Die Better" and "Don’t Leave Me With Strangers" by V. Blioumis] and for some tv and radio jingles.
Bands
Τάδε, Strings, No More Dreams, 16 Days and Aris Zarakas and the 1000cc (1978 – 1995) were bands with many live gigs but no discography. From 1996 until 2001, Aris Zarakas was the guitar player, backing and main vocalist, composer and co-composer for the Greek rock band Magic De spell. He has recorded a mini album and two albums with this band (“Ο Φόβος Έχει Όνομα (Fear Has A Name)” [1997], “Τραμπάλα Στις Ταράτσες Ετοιμόρροπων Σπιτιών (Seesaw On The Roofs Of Dilapidated Houses)” [1998] and “Κόκκινο (Red)” [2000].
From 2001 until 2003 he played the guitar for the Greek hip hop band Active Member and he has recorded one album and one CD single with them (“Πέρασμα Στ’ Ακρόνειρο (Passage to the Edge of Dreaming)”[2002] and “02/12/02” [2002]) in which he has played electric, acoustic, 12 string and classical guitar, harmonica and melodica. At the same time he has another one hip hop project under the name of Flamma with the rapper Eleni Papakonstantinou. Flamma had participated with a song in Freestyle Productions’ compilation “Perasma Vol. 1”.
He was a founder member, guitarist, pianist, backing and lead vocalist, composer and co-composer of the Greek alternative/hip hop band Ρόδες (Wheels) (2004 – 2011). He has recorded two albums and an Ep with the band (“Στη Γιορτή Της Φαντασίας (In Celebration Of Fantasy)” [2005], “Τα Πρώτα Λεπτά Της Ολοκαίνουργιας Ζωής Σου (The First Minutes Of Your Brand New Life)” CD/DVD [2006] and “Silent Disco” [2007]).
At the same time, Aris Zarakas had a side project with the Greek alternative/ethnic singer Georgia Velivasaki (2006 – 2011) as a singer, backing vocalist, guitar player and songwriter alongside with his other project called Atria the Project 2009- 2012) in which is main composer, guitarist , lyricist, backing and lead vocalist.
He is currently the lead guitarist of the German alternative, post punk / gothic band GOLDEN APES.
Discography with bands
“Ο Φόβος Έχει Όνομα” [Fear Has A Name] (Magic De Spell – 1997 – Eros Music)
“Τραμπάλα Στις Ταράτσες Ετοιμόρροπων Σπιτιών” [Seesaw On The Roofs Of Dilapidated Houses] (Magic De Spell – 1998 – FM Records)
“Κόκκινο” [Red] (Magic De Spell – 2000 – FM Records
“02/12/02” (Active Member – 2002 – Warner Music)
“Πέρασμα Στ' Ακρόνειρο” [Passage to Edge of Dreaming ](Active Member – 2002 – Warner Music)
“Πέρασμα Vol. 1 – Συλλογή” [Passage] VA compilation (“Περαματάρης” [Ferryman] - Flamma / “Όσα θέλεις [Everything You Want] (Flammamix) ” - Brigada – 2002 - Octagon)
“Το Διαστημόπλοιο” [The Spaceship] VA compilation (“Σκληρό κι Ωμό κι Ηλιόλουστο”[Hard, Raw and Sunny] - Ρόδες – 2004 – 33 1/3 Entertainment)
“Στη Γιορτή Της Φαντασίας” [In Celebration Of Fantasy] (Ρόδες – 2005 – Archangel Music)
“Τα Πρώτα Λεπτά Της Ολοκαίνουριας Zωής Σου” [The First Minutes Of Your Brand New Life] (Ρόδες – 2006 - Archangel Music)
“Silent Disco” (Ρόδες – 2007 – Archangel Music)
“'Cause I Love” digital single (Atria the Project – 2013 – Ammos Music)
“Your Crimson Eyes” digital single (Atria the Project – 2013 – Ammos Music)
"Under Our Breath" digital single (Atria the Project - 2014 - Ammos Music)
"Bang Bang (My baby Shot Me Down) digital single (Atria the Project - 2014 - Ammos Music)
"The Langsyne Litanies" (Golden Apes - 2014 - af music)
"DEADFALL: Dark Secrets" (by Deadfall Artist/Band Management, UK - 2015) VA compilation, with the song "Rosary" (The Langsyne Litanies) by the Golden Apes.
"Des Dossiers de Mémoire" (Golden Apes - 2015 - digital album)
Participations
“Strange Times” (Trespass – 1988 – RCA) - electric and acoustic guitar
“We Are Involved In A War” (Ding An Sich – 1998 – Self – released) - “Comedy” - 12 string and electric guitar
"Χόρεψε στο φως της λάμπας" [Dance Under The Lamplight] (Φυγάδες - 1998 - FM Records) - "Χόρεψε στο φως της λάμπας" – electric guitar
“Η Οργή Είναι Το Κλειδί” [The Rage Is The Key](Νίπτω Τας Χείρας – 1999 – Legend Recordings) - “Η Χειρότερή Μου Μέρα” [My Worst Day] – electric and classical guitar, “Το Ξύπνημα” [The Awakening] – electric guitar
“Φάρσα 2 Δε Ρετούρν” [Farce 2] (VA - 2002 – Octagon) - guitars, bass, vocals, arrangements, programming, audio engineering, mixing, mastering, production
“Περιμένοντας Το Νέκταρ” [Awaiting Nectar] (Μάνος Ξυδούς - 2006 - MINOS-EMI) -“Δεν Αφήνουν Σημάδια Στην Άμμο Του Χρόνου” [Leave No Marks On The Sands Of Time] – Main voice – additional lyrics – electric and acoustic guitar – tzouras – bass – keyboards – arrangement – programming – mixing – audio engineering
“Γρίφος” [Riddle] (Stavento – 2006 - V2 Records) -“Πόσο Ακόμα” [How long]– Electric guitar
“Βραδινό Δελτίο” [Evening Bulletin] (Γεωργία ΒελιΒασάκη – 2007 – Polytropon / Universal) -“Είμαι Σχοινί (Που Όταν Τεντώνομαι Δακρύζω)” [I'm Rope (Which when stretched Weeping)] – music, lyrics, lead vocals, 12 string and electric guitar, fretless bass, keyboards, arrangement, programming, audio engineering, mixing
“Action St.” (Γεωργία ΒελιΒασάκη – 2008 – Polytropon / Universal) - “Είμαι Σχοινί (Που Όταν Τεντώνομαι Δακρύζω)” [I'm Rope (Which When Stretched Weeping)] – music, lyrics, lead vocals, 12 string and electric guitar, fretless bass, keyboards, arrangement, programming, audio engineering, mixing
“Κάθε Στιγμή Και Κάθε Όνειρο / Είναι Γιορτή” [Every Μoment and Εvery Dream / It's a Celebration] (Stihoplokos & Senza – 2010 – Freeze Magazine) – “Αφιερωμένο” [Dedicated] – music, lyrics, lead vocals, backing vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, programming, mixing, audio engineering, mastering
“Κατερίνα Γώγου - Πάνω κάτω η Πατησίων” [Walking On Patision str.] (VA – 2013 – Εκδόσεις «Οδός Πανός») -“Καμμιά φορά...” [Sometimes…] - music, vocals, electric and acoustic guitar, bass, keyboards, arrangement, programming, audio engineering, mixing
"Lose Your Way" (Love Amongst Ruin (Steve Hewitt - Ex-Placebo) - 2015 - Ancient B Records) - "So Close [Golden Apes remix]" - remix, programming, guitars, keyboards, mixing, mastering
Film Scores
"Die Last Die Better" by Vasilis Blioumis (2004)
"Don’t Leave Me With Strangers" by V. Blioumis (2007)
Music For Theater
Music composition for:
"The Most Beautiful Smile In The World" (L. Kritikos) - Politia Theater (Athens, Greece)
"The Glass Menagerie" (T. Williams) - Argos Theater (Argos, Greece)
"Babylonia" (D. Vyzantios) - Argos Theater (Argos)
"Yparhei Kai Filotimo (And there Pride)" (Sakellarios-Giannakopoulos) - Argos Theater (Argos, Greece)
"The Butterfly's Evil Spell" (F. G. Lorca) - Argos Theater (Argos, Greece)
"The Trojan Women" (Euripides) - Argos Theater (Argos, Greece)
"Tartuffe" (J.B. Moliere) - Nafplion Theater (Nafplion, Greece)
"The Rose Tattoo" (T. Williams) - Art Theater Of Athens (Theatro Technis C. Koen)
Other Works
“Η Ζωή Του Αττίκ (Attik’s Life)” Greek TV series (ET2 – 1986) – actor (the piano player at the Attik’s café)
“Bravo” Greek TV show (1994 – Mega Channel) - music programmer
“Loukia Rikaki’s Stand Up Comedy” (1995) -Musician / Arranger
“Τραμπάλα Στις Ταράτσες Ετοιμόρροπων Σπιτιών” [Seesaw On The Roofs Of Dilapidated Houses (Magic De Spell – 1998 – FM Records) – cover photo
“ Σαν Γριά” [Like An Old Woman] (Σαν Γριά – 2003 - Side Two Records) - “Ήρθε Ο Καιρός” [The Time Has Come] remix
“Κάθε Στιγμή Και Κάθε Όνειρο / Είναι Γιορτή” [Every Μoment and Εvery Dream / It's a Celebration] (Stihoplokos & Senza – 2010 – Freeze Magazine) - cd mastering and mixing on tracks: 21, 22
“Enthymesis” Arno Schmidt (2014) – theatrical monologue performed by Richard Gonlag (Berlin, Germany) - photography for poster and leaflet
"The Langsyne Litanies" (Golden Apes - 2014 - af music) - audio engineering / programming / mix / mastering
