Μωρά στη Φωτιά (Mora sti fotia)
In 1984, in Veria, the brothers Stelios and Giorgos Papaioannou, along with their friend Dimitris Vasileiadis, known as "Bunny," formed a band influenced by a wide range of international artists and bands, including Dire Straits, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Carlos Santana, and later, The Ramones, The Clash, Dead Kennedys, and Talking Heads.
In 1985, the three friends—Stelios Papaioannou (Salvador) on vocals and bass, Giorgos Papaioannou on drums, and Dimitris Vasileiadis ("Bunny") on guitar—formed a band under the name The Lazy Ones of the Fertile Valley.
In 1986, Bunny left the band to serve his military duty, and his position was filled by Pavlos Pavlidis. However, in 1989, Pavlidis departed from the band, and a few years later, in 1994, he formed Xylina Spathia. Their debut album included four unreleased songs by Stelios Papaioannou (Salvador) and Mora sti Fotia, without Salvador's permission.
Although this incident caused tension between the two parties, their relationship was eventually restored over time. In the 2013 reissue of the album Xessaloniki, the four songs by Salvador were removed, putting the matter to rest once and for all.
In early 1986, the band relocated from Veria to Thessaloniki, adopting the new name Legion of Strangers. That summer, they performed in various cities across Northern Greece, earning their first recognition from audiences. While in Thessaloniki, Katerina Moustaka, a medical school student at the time, joined the group. From then on, their journey began to carve its own path in the Greek rock scene.
The band officially changed its name to Mora sti Fotia after a suggestion from Giorgos Papaioannou, inspired by Brian Eno's song "My Baby is on Fire." Under this new identity, in October 1987, they released their first album, Mora sti Fotia.
The album features eight tracks, all with lyrics and music by Stelios Papaioannou (Salvador), including songs like "Kato stin Poli" (Down in the City), "Skylisia Mera" (Dog's Day), "Iroini" (Heroin), "Manifesto," and "To Paichnidi" (The Game). It also includes a cover of Brian Eno's song "Third Uncle," with lyrics written by Salvador himself.
Από την άνοιξη του 1988, το συγκρότημα παρουσιάζει νέο υλικό στις συναυλίες του, με τραγούδια όπως τα «Αδρεναλίνη», «Σαλονίκη (Μόνος σου ξανά)», «Βαβυλωνία», «Γυναίκα», «Θεατρίνοι» και άλλα, όλα δημιουργίες του Σαλβαδόρ.
However, 1989 brought significant changes to the band. Mora sti Fotia was reduced to its two core members, Stelios Papaioannou (Salvador) and Giorgos Papaioannou, who were joined by new musicians to continue the band's journey.
At the same time, the band's collaboration with record labels during this period proved to be problematic. Four unreleased songs by Mora sti Fotia – "Adrenaline," "Gynaika" (The Rider of Terror), "Saloniki," and "Babylonia" – appeared on the debut album of Xylina Spathia in 1994, primarily in terms of their musical composition, without Salvador's permission or acknowledgment of his name.
The public's response to the band's first album was overwhelming, reaching its peak in a historic concert in July 1995 at the Open Theater of Sykeon, where a large crowd flooded the venue. However, it took another four years for their second album, Theatrinoi (Actors), to be released in October 1999 under the Lazy Dog label. The band's journey continued, carving its unique path.
The new lineup of Mora sti Fotia included Stelios Papaioannou (Salvador) on vocals, bass, composition, and lyrics, Th. Zacharopoulos on drums, Th. Natsikas on guitar, and Achilleas Tsitouras on keyboards. In their second album, Theatrinoi, the band included three unique musical adaptations of poems by notable Greek poets: "O Chamaileon" (The Chameleon) by Odysseas Elytis, "Theatrinoi" (Actors) by Giorgos Seferis, and "Emvatirio Penthimo ke Katakoryfo" (Funeral and Vertical March) by Kostas Karyotakis.
During this period, the band's concerts, such as the one at the An Club in February 2000, were enthusiastically received by the audience, with Mora sti Fotia giving dynamic performances in various cities across Greece. Their journey continued with relentless energy, and in 2004, Stelios Salvador founded the Baby Records label. One year later, in February 2005, the band released their third album, Sto Dromo (On the Road).
This album marked a new era, as it included the recording of "Adrenaline" after 17 years, following the final resolution of the copyright issues surrounding four of Salvador's songs. With rich arrangements featuring violin, double bass, percussion, accordion, and scratches, as well as a powerful, melodic sound, the album included tracks like "Grizo Background," "Sto Dromo," "Idola" (Idols), "Taxidi" (Journey), and "Hartina Louloudia" (Paper Flowers), creating a unique, enchanting world that captivated the audience.
2008 marked a special moment in the journey of Mora sti Fotia, as Baby Records released the live recording and video of their anniversary concert at Kyttaro, dedicated to the band's 20 years.
Three years later, in February 2011, the same record label released their fourth studio album, Cougar Baby Smoking Rabbit.
The recording of the album began in the summer of 2008 but was completed again in September 2010. The final result took on a more jazz and blues direction, making greater use of brass instruments, which distinguished this album from their previous releases.
The band continued to honor their discography with vinyl reissues. In 2012, the collaboration between Labyrinth of Thoughts and B-Other Side brought the reissue of the album Theatrinoi, while in 2013, Sto Dromo was re-released. The reissue of Sto Dromo included a bonus track: the song "Kitta me ta Matia tis Kardias" (Look at Me with the Eyes of the Heart), a 1988 recording by Stelios Salvador.
In the summer of 2014, Mora sti Fotia returned to the studio to record the Maxi Single Skies sti Selini (Shadows on the Moon). Stelios Salvador strengthened the band by adding talented musicians, and the result was released in December of the same year by Baby Records. The Maxi Single featured four new songs, all written and composed by Salvador, continuing his unique creative path.
In 2018, Mora sti Fotia released the LP To Chryso Kleidi (The Golden Key), available on both vinyl and CD. In recent years, alongside their discographic releases, Mora sti Fotia has performed numerous concerts across Greece, continuing to captivate audiences with their dynamic live shows.
Thus, we reach March 2023, and while the "chair-bound storytellers" play with words and make promises during the election period, Mora sti Fotia and their friends "are traveling to a new era, always searching for something that is never found..." and will continue to sing their own, the true MANIFESTO with concerts, just as they will in 2024.
Current Members:
- Stelios Papayiannou-Salvador (lyrics, music, vocals, bass)
- Sakis Zachariades (guitar)
- Eljona Eleni Sinjari (keyboards)
- Fotis Tsakiridis (drums)
- Kostas Katsaros (trumpet, synth, percussion)
- Dimitris Matziris (trombone, guitar)
Former Members:
- Giorgos Papayiannou (drums, percussion)
- Pavlos Pavlidis (guitar)
- Manny Dimitris Vasileiadis (guitar)
- Katerina Moustaka (keyboards)
- Dimitris Zikas (drums) (until 2007)
- Paschalis Ignatiadis (drums) (2008-09 and 2012)
- Achilleas Tsiouras (keyboards)
- Thanasis Zacharopoulos (drums)
- Menelaos Karagiannis (trombone)
- Giorgos Manasas (guitar) (participation in concerts and rehearsals before the first album)
- Lakis Tzimpkas (bass)
- Vasilis Nalbandis (trumpet)
- Ilias Petridis (keyboards)
- Giorgos Vasilas (guitar)
- Giannis Savvidis (guitar)
- Vangelis Notopoulos (bass)
- Lakis Ragkazas (guitar)
- Filippou Kostavelis (keyboards)
- Christos Emexezidis (trumpet)
- Christos Konstantinidis (drums)
- Panos Papazoglou (guitar)
- Vasilis Stergiou (drums)
- Kamakas Apostolos (guitar-vocals) (for a very short period)
Discography
Albums:
- Mora sti Fotia (1987)
- Theatrini (1999)
- Sto Dromo (2005)
- Cougar Baby - Smoking Rabbit (2011)
- To Chryso Kleidi (2018)
- Kato Stin Poli (2020) Best Of
Live Recordings:
- 20 Chronia Mora sti Fotia - Zontani Ixografisi sto Kyttaro (2008)
LP and EPs:
- Theatrini (2012)
- Sto Dromo (2013)
- Skies sti Selini (2014)
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