VilmaLadopoulouIntroduction

Vilma Ladopoulou was Vangelis’ girlfriend from around 1966 to 1972. It is not clear if they ever got married. Either way, when they met, Vilma was an actress and playing in Greek films such as “Return” (1965), “A Taste Of Love” (1966) and “Athens The Theft Of Stadiou Street” (1968).

In 1967 Vangelis had formed his own group, together with Demis Roussos, Lucas Sideras and Argyris Koulouris, playing as “Vangelis Papathanassiou and his orchestra”. The band was contracted to play at the Galaxy bar of the prestigious Athens Hilton hotel during the last three months of 1967, and Vilma would sing there with them from time to time. At the Hilton, Vilma also met singer Ricardo Credi and wrote the French lyrics for his song 'Siga Siga'. In the studio Vilma recorded two songs with Vangelis, 'Une Etoile' and 'Le Vent' which together were released on a 7” single (published as Vilma Lado).

Shortly after, in March 1968, Demis and Lucas traveled to the UK with the intention to try their luck as musicians in London, but due to the lack of work-permits were refused at the Dover border and had to return to Paris. There Vangelis and Vilma regrouped with them a couple of days later. What followed next is the story of Aphrodite’s Child.

By 1971 Aphrodite’s Child had effectively split up, and Vangelis and Vilma would work together again on new songs, released under the name Alpha Beta on the BYG-label. Later Vilma would write lyrics for songs of Lucas on his second solo album “Pax Spray” (1975). There is not much information on what Vilma did after that, but her name appears on contributions to art magazines as a ‘historian and theoretician of art’, as well as the author of three books (in Greek), two of which contain vegetarian recipes, the third details the Greek island Serifos.

 

Tracklist and credits

  • 'Une Etoile'
  • 'Le Vent'

UneEtoileComposed by Vangelis Papathanassiou.
Lyrics by Retty Zalokosta.

 

Discography

7” single

This vinyl single is quite rare and difficult to find.

LP

LeVentCD

 

Links