He first wanted to study drums, but couldn’t due to the lack of a drum teacher in Nicosia. Instead, he studied guitar. For the first twenty years of his life, he lived in a Nicosia suburb. After his military service, he went off to Greece to study theatre. He also enteredthe University of Athens to stuy philosophy, which he later gave up. He was more successful in his theatre studies where he played some major roles in well known Greek tragedies such as Alkistis. When he was twenty-three he redcorded Στην αγορά του κόσμου (In the Market of the World), with lyrics and music written by N. Zoudiaris. This demo tape eventually reached the hands of a well known singer, Δήμητρα Γαλάνη (Dimitra Galani). She instantly became fond of their music and Alkinos’ voice, and helped them get a record deal. Alkinoos and Zoudiaris followed with another album called Οπως μυστικά και ησυχα (As Secretly and Quietly). Both albums went gold. From 1993 to 1997 he toured frequently in support of other artists, including one of the most important female figures of Greek music, Ελευθερία Αρβανιτάκη (Eleftheria Arvanitaki). He also carried out one solo tour. Ioannidis rarely appears to give interviews or take part in television shows. His primary public appearance consists of concert tours that he gives every year in locations around Greece and Cyprus. In 1997 his first self-written album, Ο δρόμος, ο χρόνος και ο πόνος (The Street, the Time, and the Pain), was released to critical praise. The cover to was painted by his father. His subsequent albums have also had their covers painted by his father. In 1999 he released another self-written album, Ανεμοδείκτης (Weathervane). In 2000 he released a double-disc live album, Εκτός τόπου και χρόνου (Out of Space and Time). In 2004, he released Οι περιπέτειες ενός προσκυνητή (The Adventures of a Pilgrim). It was a popular and critical hit. In April 2006, he released an album of Cypriot folk songs, ’Πού δύσην ώς ανατολήν (From West to East), with fellow Cypriot musician, violinist Μιλτιάδης Παπαστάμου (Miltiadis Papastamou). On 9th March 2009, he released the album Νεροποντή (Downpour). |
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