WOMAD

Pix Lax

From Greece

Information provided by artist management, May 2002:Friends since childhood, the members of Pix Lax were raised in the poor neighbourhoods of West Athens. The pain and struggle of their upbringing filled these young men with the spirit of rebellion; but also gave them a depth of feeling, expression, and loyalty to their roots.The group’s story began when the first LP was released to critical acclaim in 1990 named ‘Ti allo na pis pio apla’ (What can you say in a simpler way). In 1991 a second album ‘Zoriki Keri’ (Tough Times) was released, and the path to success was established as they became famous across Greece for the quality and purity of their music.In 1993 a more melancholy take on things was revealed in their album ‘O Helios tu Himona me melanholi’ (The winter sunshine gives me the blues), the first in their unbroken series of gold disks.Their 1994 LP ‘I Prigipes tis Ditikis Octhis’ (Princes of the Bank) reached new heights of career success for the band. It included a single ‘Anoites Agapes’ (Foolish Love Affairs) composed and sung by Katsimicha Bros, the most successful duo in Greek music of the last 15 years. Sotiria Leonardou also sang on the album and it went gold very quickly.In March 1996 they released ‘O Baboulas tragudai monos tis nihtes’ (The Bogeyman sings alone in the night) and Gordon Gano of the Violent Femmes joined them on one of the tracks. Once again the disk went gold.1997 proved to be another creative season for the group after their successful cooperation with George Dallaras in the club ‘Iera Odos’ – they released a live album together which, you’ve guessed it, also went gold, along with the next album ‘Pexe Paliatso Ta Tragoudia su Telionoun’. The summer of 1997 was spent touring – dates included the Rockwave Festival 97 plus two sold out concerts at the Lycabettus Theatre around the end of September. Pix Lax developed an impressive live stage presence which continues to thrill audiences to the present day - they have a huge fan base who follow them wherever they go.In 1998 Pix Lax travelled to Great Britain for four sold out concerts, and in November they composed the soundtrack to Nick Panagiotatos’ film ‘Monaxia mou ola’ (Loneliness my Everything). The album and accompanying single went platinum.In spring they released ‘Stilvi’ – their most successful album which went platinum. In the summer of 1998 they headlined the first day of Rockwave Festival and they went on to tour around Greece.For their 1999 tour the band was chosen by Greenpeace as the only Greek band to represent the world environmental organisation. At the band’s dates in January and February there was an hour long documentary of Greenpeace activities running just before Pix Lax’s set.Without a doubt for the last 8 months, Pix Lax are having the best period of their career. Starting with three very successful live appearances at ‘Rodon Club’ in Athens, the recent live shows in Kalamata, Ionnina and at the International Exhibition of Thessaloniki up to the biggest summer event, Rockwave festival, where Pix Lax appeared on 23 July 1999 as the opening act for REM.At the end of July 1999, a mini CD entitled ‘Ase tin Ikona na Milai’ (Let the picture do the talkin’) was released all over Europe; it included three tracks produced by Pix Lax with the cooperation of I Muvrini, the most famous ethnic band in Corsica, and the famous singer Sting, who lent his vocals.Their new double album ‘Ta dokaria sto grasidi perimenoun ta pedia’ was released in October 2001.