Theodorakis-Papangelidis did not get acquainted with music through a series of fortuitous events, but was almost literally born within its walls; in addition to his talent, he happens to be the grandson of the legendary Mikis Theodorakis.
Angelos TP
Art is not an end in itself
Text: Zafeiris Konstantinidis
Angelos Theodorakis-Papangelidis, aka Angelos TP, is an Athens-based music artist. He sings, writes lyrics and plays the guitar, gifted with a unique vocal timbre, destined to remain indelible in your memory through the music dimensions it carries you to, blending elements of rock, reggae and jazz. Theodorakis-Papangelidis did not get acquainted with music through a series of fortuitous events, but was almost literally born within its walls; in addition to his talent, he happens to be the grandson of the legendary Mikis Theodorakis, born on the same day as his grandfather, only 62 years later, on July 29th 1987.
His value and singularity as a musician are two communicating vessels, fueling one another. This feature, in tandem with his blood ties to the great Mikis, inevitably led to my following question. “Is talent an innate or an acquired trait? Something one is born with or something gradually built?” Here’s what he has to say: “Actually, a little bit of both. And whenever these two qualities pair up, an ideal combination is formed, usually leading to grandiose legacies, such as the one left behind by my grandfather.”
Angelos Theodorakis-Papangelidis is more in love with the very act of music rather than with its theoretical aspect, as he has experienced his way through music, even though he did study the classical guitar, an instrument he truly masters. Despite having released his solo album titled Angelo’s Bookstore, he feels his music hasn’t reached out to the audience the way it ought to, through live concerts. Two summers ago he embraced his roots, as he took part in the People’s Orchestra “Mikis Theodorakis”, performing songs composed by his grandfather, a highly instructive experience as he admits.
As an artist he is always guided by his own perception of music. “We produce art for the sake of ourselves. Art must not serve as an end in itself, as it loses its value when exclusively targeted to charm the audience or please the record labels.” Angelos TP is devoted to music for the joy of the creation process, and this need incites him to share more songs locked up in his “closet” that he would like to record sometime in the near future. He has also studied painting in England, where he had the chance to grasp the country’s rich tradition in music. In Greece, however, music has not made it to the tiers of higher education, and making a living out of music is a nearly impossible task. “Inspiration cannot come in a constant flow, as it often pays you unexpected visits,” shares with us Angelos TP. “Mikis could be pulling over on the side of the road while driving, so as to write down in pencil some valuable thoughts that came out of nowhere and could lead to melodies that went down in history.” As he explains, he experiences similar moments of inspiration now and then.
When growing up in a room where everyone admires the glow radiating outside the window, you are bound to cast your glance at this window. Mikis’ legend triggers an expected emotional distance even between him and his grandson; as one can easily understand, you end up feeling as if he’s not really your grandfather, as he belongs to the entire Greek nation. Awe and inhibition were the two feelings that marked my contact with him up until the very end. This glow comes with a price, however, even for the great Mikis. It is addictive, and when you get accustomed to forging relations only through your legend, you forget to inject feeling, even when it comes to your own family. Mikis was filling people’s hearts with the kind of emotion that he never managed to emit towards his own family.
“When growing up in a room where everyone admires the glow radiating outside the window, you are bound to cast your glance at this window. Mikis’ legend triggers an expected emotional distance even between him and his grandson; as one can easily understand, you end up feeling as if he’s not really your grandfather, as he belongs to the entire Greek nation. Awe and inhibition were the two feelings that marked my contact with him up until the very end. This glow comes with a price, however, even for the great Mikis. It is addictive, and when you get accustomed to forging relations only through your legend, you forget to inject feeling, even when it comes to your own family. Mikis was filling people’s hearts with the kind of emotion that he never managed to emit towards his own family,” confesses Angelos Theodorakis-Papangelidis. His grandfather’s death left him with a sense of immense void, accompanied by a difficulty to realize and accept that “this giant is no longer alive.” Despite the absence of more personal memories, Angelos TP will always remember Mikis Theodorakis as an exemplary artistic figure. Nonetheless, Mikis’ name will always cast a shadow on the audience’s take on Angelos’ work. “Let’s see if Mikis’ grandson is any good” is what he receives, but refuses to be discouraged or daunted by the burden of this unfair comparison.
Mikis’ glory days in post-dictatorship Greece led our talk to today’s music industry and the trap phenomenon that keeps gaining ground within the younger generations’ preferences. Angelos Theodorakis-Papangelidis remains unmoved by this particular genre both in terms of lyrics-melody and production level. “Pompous clothes, pretentious imagery and nothing of essence. What upsets me the most, however, is the fact that trappers treat music the same way they depict women in their lyrics: as something meaningless used up only for pleasure. Music is so much more than a prostitute that keeps money flowing into a pimp’s pockets, though. In the globalized times we are living in, record companies are only interested in numbers, and trap does nothing more that meet their commercial goals.”
Amidst the violent rhythms of the haste that seems to govern modern-day life, there’s more room for easy profit than for music, a tendency reflected on the lack of patience by the audience, deciding in the blink of an eye whether to watch or ignore a video that pops up on their screen. The same thing goes with approving or
rejecting any music track. As for Angelos, the title of one of his songs describes him to the fullest: “Honest”. While concluding, he goes on to say in his usual straightforwardness: “When artistic success is matched by a great personal failure, underneath the surface lies a series of grace imbalances that force you to miss out on valuable moments with your beloved ones. That’s why the very notion of success is completely subjective.”
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