DemisFrontIntroduction

In the early 1980s Demis Roussos regularly traveled to London from the United States, where he was living in Los Angeles and trying to break through as an singer in America. Determined to change his lifestyle, Demis successfully managed to lose a lot of weight with his own diet, a process he describes in the book “A Question Of Weight” (1982), co-written by Veronique Skawinska, Vangelis' partner at the time. An interesting book, as apart from the diet Demis in detail recounts the story of his career, including his time in Aphrodite's Child with Vangelis and Lucas. 

Early in 1981 Vangelis was working on his music for “Chariots Of Fire”, and the idea to record a vocal version of his (now) famous theme for the film materialised in February 1981 when he recorded ‘Race To The End’ with Demis Roussos in Nemo Studios. The song was released on a 7” single on the 16th of March 1981, just before the premiere of the film and the release of Vangelis’ soundtrack album. The B-side of several singles contains the non-album track ‘Seasons Of Love’, an older song from 1978 co-written by Vangelis and Argyris Koulouris.

Set to producing his next album himself, Roussos booked time in Red Bus Studios in London in November 1981, resulting in the release of his solo album “Demis” on the 1st of February 1982. Next to the hit ‘Race To The End’ the album also includes ‘Lament’, written by Jon Anderson and produced by Vangelis in January 1982, the latter would become the first single release of Demis’ album b/w ‘We’re Shining’. The musicians playing on “Demis” are uncredited, so it remains unclear if Vangelis had any other input on these songs. Some sources credit drummer Alan White (of “Yes” fame) as one of the musicians playing on this album.

As with his earlier album “Magic” (1977), Demis recorded this album in multiple languages. Both the French and the Spanish print of the LP contain 6 songs in the local language (see below table), including the two songs produced by Vangelis, which were also released on a 7” single in those countries.

A CD release of the album followed in 1983, and that issue was one of the first CD’s ever released on the Mercury label in Europe. In 2016 the album was re-released on a remastered CD as part of the “Demis Roussos Complete” boxset, this time containing several bonus tracks a.o. ‘There Will Be’ (an early version of ‘Song For The Free’) and a different mix of the song ‘Lament’. If in need of a copy of the album this would be the recommended version to find.

 

DemisTracklistTracklist and credits

   International

   France

   Spain
  1. Lament1
  2. We're Shining
  3. Take Me Sailing
  4. Song Without End
  5. Song For The Free
  6. Gypsy Lady
  7. Need To Forget
  8. Race To The End1
  9. Where Are They Now
  1. Au Nom De L'Amitié (Lament)1
  2. We're Shining
  3. Take Me Sailing
  4. Ma Chanson Qui Ne Finit Pas (Song Without End)
  5. Les Enfants Du Futur (Song For The Free)
  6. Gypsy Lady
  7. Entre Un Fils Et Son Père (Need To Forget)
  8. La Course Infinie (Race To The End)1
  9. Où Est-ce Temps (Where Are They Now)
  1. Lamento (Lament)1
  2. We're Shining
  3. Una Isla En El Cielo (Take Me Sailing)
  4. Song Without End
  5. En El Nombre De La Amistad (Song For The Free)
  6. Dama Gitana (Gypsy Lady)
  7. Necesito Olvidar (Need To Forget)
  8. Tu Libertad (Race To The End)1
  9. Where Are They Now

DemisCD

  • Produced by Demis, except for 1 produced by Vangelis.
  • Photography by Veronique Skawinska.
  • Sleeve by Alwyn Clayden.

 

Discography

CD

  • 1983 Mercury 800 040-2 Germany
  • 2016 Universal Music 536 973-3 Europe (in cardboard sleeve)

LP

  • 1982 Mercury, released worldwide.
  • 1982 Mercury 6302 185 France (with French lyrics)
  • 1982 Mercury 6302 186 Spain (with Spanish lyrics)

RacetotheEndFront7” single

  • 1981 Race To The End / Eric's Theme  (Polydor POSP 238) UK and Ireland.
  • 1981 Race To The End / Seasons Of Love (Mercury 6000 660) The Netherlands
  • 1981 Race To The End / Mais Je Chante (Mercury 6000 673) Germany, Austria and Portugal.
  • 1981 Race To The End / Little Girl (Mercury 6000 676) Australia
  • 1981 Race To The End / Seasons Of Love (Mercury MRS-34-17) Bolivia
  • 1981 Freedom Of Running, Freedom To Fly (Race To The End) / Seasons Of Love (21 Records 7-99625) US
  • 1982 Race To The End / We're Shining (Mercury 6000 858) Brazil
  • 1982 La Course Infinie / La Premiere Fois (Mercury 6000 678) France
  • 1982 Tu Libertad / En El Nombre De La Amistad (Mercury 6000 851) Spain
  • 1982 Es Tu Libertad / We're Shining (Mercury 6000 829) Argentina
  • 1982 Dama Gitana / We're Shining (Mercury 6000 811) Spain
  • 1982 Gypsy Lady / We're Shining (Mercury 6000 826) Portugal
  • 1982 Lament / We're Shining (Polydor DR 1) UK
  • 1982 Lament / We're Shining (Mercury 6000 789) Germany and The Netherlands.
  • 1982 Lament / We're Shining (TOS 1369) South Africa
  • 1982 Au Nom De L'Amitié / We're Shining (Mercury 6000 798) France
  • 1982 Lament / Gypsy Lady (Polydor 6000 806) Italy
  • 1982 Necesito Olvidar / En El Nombre De La Amistad (Mercury F-MER 6000921.1) Peru

 

Recording studio

Most of the songs on the “Demis” album were recorded in Red Bus Studios in London. Both songs produced by Vangelis however were recorded in Nemo Studios.

 

DemisPictureMore

  • In 1968 Demis and Vangelis formed the successful group Aphrodite's Child in France, together with drummer Lucas Sideras (and in the end also shortly with guitarist Argyris Koulouris). The band broke up shorlty after the recording of their third and final album “666” in 1971, and all band members pursued a solo-career and moved in different directions.
  • Vangelis and Demis teamed up again in 1976 to record Demis’ solo album “Magic” (1977). That same year Demis recorded additional songs in French and released the album "Ainsi Soit-il". This album includes several songs recorded for “Magic”, but here performed with French lyrics.
  • The French “Demis” album was never released on CD, however the compilation album “Chansons Françaises 1973-1989” (2011) includes all songs with French lyrics from the 1982 album.
  • The two French songs that are produced by Vangelis, i.e. ‘La Course Infinie’ and ‘Au Nom De L’Amitié’ are also included as a bonustrack on the 2016 re-release of the “Demis” album, as well as ‘Tu Libertad’, the Spanish version of ‘Race To The End’.
  • The Spanish “Demis” album was never released on CD, however the compilation album "Lo Mejor De Demis Roussos" (1999) includes ‘Tu Libertad’, ‘Lamento’ and ‘Una Isla En El Cielo’ from the 1982 album.
  • The alternate versions of ‘Song For The Free’ and ‘Lament’ that are included on the 2016 re-release of the “Demis” album were earlier also included on the compilation book/CD/DVD ‘The Singles’ by BR Music in 2003.
  • In 1982 Demis lend his voice for an oriental chant titled 'Tales Of The Future' for Vangelis’ score for “Blade Runner” (1982).
  • In 1984 Vangelis produced and arranged Demis' album “Reflection”.

 

Links

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