The Street Painting Team meets... musician Andreas Soutis.
Andreas, where do you originate from?
My father was born in Corfu, from where he left during the war at the age of three. I have only seen Corfu on the map. I was born and raised in Athens. Since ten years I live in Crete. I wanted to leave Athens since I was much younger, I loved Crete for her music and culture. So, when I had the opportunity I came to stay.
What was your relation to Cretan music?
I was listening to Cretan music... over here I had the chance to meet Cretan musicians, and learn from them how to take part in the rhythm section with my guitar.
Have you been to other countries as a musician?
At the age of 19 to 24 I lived in London, which was a big school for me. Even at my local pub I had the chance to see great musicians performing, I learned a lot watching them, and then studying. The first time I ever tried busking was at London Underground. It needed guts to play the Blues in London (being a young Greek boy). During the last year of my staying there I was the lead singer of a blues - rock band.
You prefer playing on the street, or in a bar?
Both have their advantages and disadvantages. I have never made any compromises on my music. In every venue I have ever played, I have always made sure that I am free to play whatever I like. When you play a gig in a bar you have three hours, if a section of two or three songs doesn't work out so well, you have plenty of time to make up for it. On the other hand, playing on the street teaches you a lot. There you have 20 to 30 seconds to make an impression to anyone who walks by. Therefore, while playing on the street you have to try your best every second. You also have the opportunity to try and test many things, without worrying that you might disappoint your audience. I cover songs, and many times I reform them completely, sometimes nearly beyond recognition. Playing on the street I have the opportunity to experiment, and see whether somethings work or not.
Have you ever had problems with police or other officials?
Certainly! I always take care to play away from shops and houses so I don't bother anyone. However, there will always be the sort of policeman who has nothing better to do than come to tell you off. Mostly I have been busking in Athens, my hauntswould Ermou street, Aerides and Dionysiou Aeropagitou. But to be honest, police is a lesser problem, worst problem are some colleagues.
Is there no solidarity among you?
It is a jungle! There are exceptions, brilliant exceptions who will support and respect you. When I first went out on the street there was a man who supported me, a veteran musician, Giorgos Gavalas. He was not just a street musician, he was a great man who had taken part in many monumental recordings of greek discography. So, I had found a place in Dionysiou Aeropagitou close to where he used to play, and I aked him if I can play nearby or if I would annoy him. He asked me "what amplofication do you use?" I said "none". He said "Sit down and play as much as you like". He taught me a lot with his kindness and character. This the true musician, a great musician is never a "dog", but is humane. Now, there are some guys who go out and play three waltzes on an accordion for all their lives. These can become "dogs", and very ruthless.
Last time I busked in Athens it was two years ago. I always liked to play late at night when it is quiet, after all shops are closed and the garbage collectors have cleaned. It was a much different landskape compared to ten years ago. Nowadays tou can go at Ermou street to play at 1 o'clock in the night, and there will still be ten buskers.
Is this necessarily bad?
It is not good at all, when we have to do with people that don't respect the fact that there must be a limit in the decibels. Some people use massive sound systems. You can have on your phone a back up band, connect it to your sound system, and pretend you are a rock star, but this is not fair.
Do you think that a musician must have a specific profile on a personal level to characterize him?
No, an individual in order to play music must be "sick in the head". Logical people do not take up any art. An individual becomes a different person while playing his music, than when he is having dinner or hangs out with his friends. A musician is transformed when he plays. I believe that any work of art is not connected to the character of an artist, also, any creation after a point does not belong to its creator. To give an example, think of Theodorakis. An artist of his calibre no longer owns his "Drapetsona", his work belongs to the people. Therefore, I don't care about his lifestyle, or if he has made a lot of money. He has already entered Immortality with his "ergo", his life's work. A musician has to influence his audience and his time with his work. And that is why I have spent more time to choose the songs I cover than to work on them.
How did Blues music came in your repertoir?
I love the blues since I was a boy. In order to be able to sing and play Rock, you have to learn the Blues anyway! So, I "locked myself" at home and studied intensively to learn how to play. I also learn a lot by playing with better musicians than myself. It is like the game of chess, if you only play with your younger brother, you will not learn anything new, if you play with your dad, you will learn something. Well, Rock is my brother, Blues is my dad.
Have you any discography, and what are your plans for the future?
We have made an album with "Don't Shoot the Piano Player", the band we had in Athens since 1983 until 2000. I have made several other demos, some of them can be found on the web
Here in Crete we formed a band called Mojo Tooth, and there is a relatively new collaboration with super-talented and multi-player Vassilis Kalliabetsos, which we call Crossin' Vibes.
I am delighted with my collaborations, and I always feel my teammates as my brothers. Plans for the future, I would like to extend my partenerships, and once again participate in a team that will make original music. In Crossin' Vibes we hope just that. I cannot imagine my life out of music, so I am determined to play for as long as I live.
Andreas, would you like to add something?
Just to say a simple thing. Music is inside every human, life without music is unimaginable. Every religion and every civilization have their own music, throughout the history of mankind, without exception. So, music connects you to something higher. I think music plays the musician, and not the musician the music. Also, music is not only for virtuozos, I would like to live in a world where everyone woul have a musical instrument in their hands. If all of us were holding a musical instrument, we wouldn't be holding guns
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| Andreas Soutis.
"I would like to live in a world where everyone would have a musical instrument in their hands. If all of us were holding a musical instrument, we wouldn't be holding guns".
We had the pleasure to talk with musician Andreas Soutis. Andreas is a strong personality, as anyone can imagine a true mysician and street artist. A very clear voice, whose music is not merely his profession, but his way of life and expression.
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My father was born in Corfu, from where he left during the war at the age of three. I have only seen Corfu on the map. I was born and raised in Athens. Since ten years I live in Crete. I wanted to leave Athens since I was much younger, I loved Crete for her music and culture. So, when I had the opportunity I came to stay.
What was your relation to Cretan music?
I was listening to Cretan music... over here I had the chance to meet Cretan musicians, and learn from them how to take part in the rhythm section with my guitar.
 |
| Πρόδρομος Ζάνης (μπουζούκι, φωνή), Μανώλης Βλάχακης (μπουζούκι, φωνή)), Ανδρέας Σούτης (κιθάρα, φωνή) Photo : loukasmichalopoulos.blogspot.com |
Have you been to other countries as a musician?
At the age of 19 to 24 I lived in London, which was a big school for me. Even at my local pub I had the chance to see great musicians performing, I learned a lot watching them, and then studying. The first time I ever tried busking was at London Underground. It needed guts to play the Blues in London (being a young Greek boy). During the last year of my staying there I was the lead singer of a blues - rock band.
You prefer playing on the street, or in a bar?
Both have their advantages and disadvantages. I have never made any compromises on my music. In every venue I have ever played, I have always made sure that I am free to play whatever I like. When you play a gig in a bar you have three hours, if a section of two or three songs doesn't work out so well, you have plenty of time to make up for it. On the other hand, playing on the street teaches you a lot. There you have 20 to 30 seconds to make an impression to anyone who walks by. Therefore, while playing on the street you have to try your best every second. You also have the opportunity to try and test many things, without worrying that you might disappoint your audience. I cover songs, and many times I reform them completely, sometimes nearly beyond recognition. Playing on the street I have the opportunity to experiment, and see whether somethings work or not.
Have you ever had problems with police or other officials?
Certainly! I always take care to play away from shops and houses so I don't bother anyone. However, there will always be the sort of policeman who has nothing better to do than come to tell you off. Mostly I have been busking in Athens, my hauntswould Ermou street, Aerides and Dionysiou Aeropagitou. But to be honest, police is a lesser problem, worst problem are some colleagues.
Is there no solidarity among you?
It is a jungle! There are exceptions, brilliant exceptions who will support and respect you. When I first went out on the street there was a man who supported me, a veteran musician, Giorgos Gavalas. He was not just a street musician, he was a great man who had taken part in many monumental recordings of greek discography. So, I had found a place in Dionysiou Aeropagitou close to where he used to play, and I aked him if I can play nearby or if I would annoy him. He asked me "what amplofication do you use?" I said "none". He said "Sit down and play as much as you like". He taught me a lot with his kindness and character. This the true musician, a great musician is never a "dog", but is humane. Now, there are some guys who go out and play three waltzes on an accordion for all their lives. These can become "dogs", and very ruthless.
Last time I busked in Athens it was two years ago. I always liked to play late at night when it is quiet, after all shops are closed and the garbage collectors have cleaned. It was a much different landskape compared to ten years ago. Nowadays tou can go at Ermou street to play at 1 o'clock in the night, and there will still be ten buskers.
Is this necessarily bad?
It is not good at all, when we have to do with people that don't respect the fact that there must be a limit in the decibels. Some people use massive sound systems. You can have on your phone a back up band, connect it to your sound system, and pretend you are a rock star, but this is not fair.
Do you think that a musician must have a specific profile on a personal level to characterize him?
No, an individual in order to play music must be "sick in the head". Logical people do not take up any art. An individual becomes a different person while playing his music, than when he is having dinner or hangs out with his friends. A musician is transformed when he plays. I believe that any work of art is not connected to the character of an artist, also, any creation after a point does not belong to its creator. To give an example, think of Theodorakis. An artist of his calibre no longer owns his "Drapetsona", his work belongs to the people. Therefore, I don't care about his lifestyle, or if he has made a lot of money. He has already entered Immortality with his "ergo", his life's work. A musician has to influence his audience and his time with his work. And that is why I have spent more time to choose the songs I cover than to work on them.
How did Blues music came in your repertoir?
I love the blues since I was a boy. In order to be able to sing and play Rock, you have to learn the Blues anyway! So, I "locked myself" at home and studied intensively to learn how to play. I also learn a lot by playing with better musicians than myself. It is like the game of chess, if you only play with your younger brother, you will not learn anything new, if you play with your dad, you will learn something. Well, Rock is my brother, Blues is my dad.
Have you any discography, and what are your plans for the future?
We have made an album with "Don't Shoot the Piano Player", the band we had in Athens since 1983 until 2000. I have made several other demos, some of them can be found on the web
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| "Don't Shoot the Piano Player" |
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| Mojo Tooth, |
I am delighted with my collaborations, and I always feel my teammates as my brothers. Plans for the future, I would like to extend my partenerships, and once again participate in a team that will make original music. In Crossin' Vibes we hope just that. I cannot imagine my life out of music, so I am determined to play for as long as I live.
 |
| Crossin' Vibes |
Andreas, would you like to add something?
Just to say a simple thing. Music is inside every human, life without music is unimaginable. Every religion and every civilization have their own music, throughout the history of mankind, without exception. So, music connects you to something higher. I think music plays the musician, and not the musician the music. Also, music is not only for virtuozos, I would like to live in a world where everyone woul have a musical instrument in their hands. If all of us were holding a musical instrument, we wouldn't be holding guns
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