The Greek Rock Band That Made People Jump (Trypes, 1993)

jump to the early nineties. Rock is alive and the band "Trypes" on its high up. In 1993, the album "9 Pliromena Tragoudia" (= 9 Paid Songs) is released. Nearly ten thousand people watched their live performance in Lykavittos theater in Athens -as stated below. Nearly a hundred thousand people today would kill to be on that concert. Trypes (= holes) is a legendary group. Considered to be the best rock band Greece ever had, or at least at the top 3. Bit of history again:

Trypes was created in Thessaloniki in 1983 when Giorgos Karras and Giannis Aggelakas wrote their first, post-punk influenced lyrics. Michalis Kanatidis (guitar) and Kostas Floroskoufis (drums) accompanied them at their first appearance. In 1984 Babis Papadopoulos replaces Michalis at the guitar and in 1985 they record their first record, "Τρύπες", which included their first hit song "Ταξιδιάρα Ψυχή" (Taksidiara Psichi - Travelling Soul) for Ano-Kato Records. The album was followed by live appearances at the "Selini" club, the university campus and the surrounding areas of Thessaloniki. Kostas Floroskoufis was soon replaced by Giorgos Tolios; concerts were held in Athens in the Rodeo Club and at the open air amphitheater of Lykavittos, where they played the opening act for Dimitris Poulikakos.

Meanwhile, the band's working relationship with Ano - Kato Records started to go sour. They decided to go independent and - on borrowed money - recorded their second disk "Πάρτυ στο 13ο όροφο" (Party sto dekato trito orofo - Party on the 13th Floor) which was eventually published with Virgin Records. The album was very successful; it figured in the top five list of best rock albums of all time in Greece in 2006.

In 1990 comes their third album, "Τρύπες στον Παράδεισο" (Trypes ston paradiso - Holes in Paradise), and their first concert outside Greece in Belfort, France. Guitarist Asklipios Zambetas joins the band as the fifth member.

The fourth album was recorded in 1993, titled "9 Πληρωμένα τραγούδια" (9 Pliromena tragoudia - 9 Paid Songs). A live performance at Lykavittos gathers a record-setting 10.000 people.

In 1994 a double live album was released, named "Κράτα το Σώου μαϊμού" (Krata to show maimou - Keep the Show Bogus) with recordings from 4 concerts at Rodon club and 5 unplugged performances. Both this album's and the film soundtrack (H epohi ton dolofonon) sales went through the roof. Concerts during 1995 were often sold out all over Greece, at the Mylos club (Thessaloniki), Rodon club (Athens), and England, at Manchester and the Marquee club in London.

The fifth studio album, "Κεφάλι γεμάτο χρυσάφι" (Kefali gemato chrisafi - Head Full of Gold) arrived in 1996. The sixth studio album was titled "Μέσα στη νύχτα των άλλων" (Mesa sti nichta ton allon - Into the Night of Others) and was released in 1999. The band announced their break-up in 2001.

Since that time, Giannis Aggelakas continues a solo career. This blog will deal with that very special man's achievements little later. For now, back to 1993 and the song "Den choras pouthena" meaning "There's nowhere you can fit in". Plenty of people had been jumping around with this one. Maybe these live performances were the only place they could fit in. Great song, pure rock spirit.

The following video is the official song's videoclip. An amateur translation of the lyrics is given below it.*

There's nowhere you can fit in [Δεν χωράς πουθενά]

Trypes [Τρύπες]

If you can’t fit in a messy homeland
If a blind hope is not enough for you
If you can’t fit in a dream-trap
If you can’t fold in arms that shut you in

R: Then what a shame, what a shame, what a shame
You are everywhere a left-over, you’re everywhere dying
Then what a shame, what a shame, what a shame
There’s nowhere you can fit, there’s nowhere you can fit in

If you can’t fit in a bad joke
If a tough prayer is not enough for you
If you can’t fit in a soul-brothel
If you can’t fit in a broken body

R: Then what a shame, what a shame, what a shame
You are everywhere a left-over, you’re everywhere dying
Then what a shame, what a shame, what a shame
There’s nowhere you can fit, there’s nowhere you can fit in