The Vangelis Video Thread

[Naive Teen Idol]

So, last night, I was tooling around on my iPhone when I realized there are about 6,000 videos on YouTube of Vangelis improvising -- in the studio, on TV shows, as part of documentaries. Many of these videos are tremendous -- particularly those from the early 80s, which have him spinning around from one synth to the next, with sequences whirling in the background, with him playing these wonderfully delicate CP-80 piano lines, and of course, the amazing CS-80 leads.

But for all the remarkable videos available, I also realized that these things are, by and large, completely unorganized and require a ton of digging through to find the ones that aren't just videos of fish swimming to tracks off his albums, crummy ROMpler performances with him playing at the Olympics or whatever, or 56 second clips (such as this famous one), which are often more frustratingly enticing than anything else.

So, this is the thread to help folks cut through the chaff by posting the ones VSE-ers like the best (and that, hint-hint, should be part of some DVD boxed set).

Here are a few of the ones I like best:

Spanish TV Performance on Musical Express, 1981


With Neuronium, also from Musical Express, 1981


Also from Musical Express, 1981


Frederic Rossif Documentary - L'Arbre de vie - 1980 (this becomes audio only about 3 minutes in)


Which are your favorites?

Edits: corrected the dates/sources, per Micke

[Micke]

A couple of more videos from Frederic Rossif's documentary L'arbre de vie (with additional footage).

L'arbre de Vie (1980):



China (1979):


Antarctica (1983):


Btw, the Vangelis & Neuronium (in London) clip was also part of the Spanish TV show
"Musical Express". These clips were filmed at the same time in May 1981, not in '82.

[Virgule]

Vangelis, The Man and his Music

[DLovas]

So, last night, I was tooling around on my iPhone when I realized there are about 6,000 videos on YouTube of Vangelis improvising -- in the studio, on TV shows, as part of documentaries. Many of these videos are tremendous -- particularly those from the early 80s, which have him spinning around from one synth to the next, with sequences whirling in the background, with him playing these wonderfully delicate CP-80 piano lines, and of course, the amazing CS-80 leads.

But for all the remarkable videos available, I also realized that these things are, by and large, completely unorganized and require a ton of digging through to find the ones that aren't just videos of fish swimming to tracks off his albums, crummy ROMpler performances with him playing at the Olympics or whatever, or 56 second clips (such as this famous one), which are often more frustratingly enticing than anything else.

So, this is the thread to help folks cut through the chaff by posting the ones VSE-ers like the best (and that, hint-hint, should be part of some DVD boxed set).

Which are your favorites?

Edits: corrected the dates/sources, per Micke

great idea for a thread man - Thanks!

also anyone else think he looks exactly like Zach Galifianakis

[Naive Teen Idol]

Ah, yes -- that's a great piece. And, of course, here are parts 2-4:

[Cybercardinal]

Nice thread.

Not Vangelis (sorry) but I recommend to check these out if you haven't seen them already..

[balma]

There are some fantastic performances on synths there. I f**k envy his talent.

[Ned Bouhalassa]

From a French TV program in the early 70s, I find this unbelievably inspiring. I think he's one of music's geniuses. And watching him work, I can't help but think of what I and other soundtrack composers do - one-man orchestras/synth/percussionists/guitarist/etc. Of course, very few of us have his talent.

[SKINNYPIG]

From a French TV program in the early 70s, I find this unbelievably inspiring. I think he's one of music's geniuses. And watching him work, I can't help but think of what I and other soundtrack composers do - one-man orchestras/synth/percussionists/guitarist/etc. Of course, very few of us have his talent.

This is exactly why you should only use highly trained and qualified tradespeople!
Vangelis (and Mrs Vangelis!?) look royally pissed and rightfully so; that Vincent Price lookalike in the red tracksuit that they've hired is the worst interior decorator I've ever seen

Man, look at that mess It's like he didn't bring enough of one colour to cover the whole wall so just had to improvise!

[memory cords]

One of my favorite Vangelis pieces from the unreleased Bounty soundtrack... No video just audio.

[shaft9000]

oh GOODY!
a chance to drop this one only comes along so often

simultaneously hilarious and spellbinding....

[ndkent]

I guess the backstory on the 71 Improv clip is it's a TV special shot on film about Georges Mathieu who I guess was the definitive Action Painter of the day. It was shot by documentary filmmaker Frederic Rossif who frequently collaborated in Vangelis. So obviously knowing his subject could paint live as a preformance and Vangelis could play live he incorporated the performance into his profile. I'd assume the dancer is also one of their girlfriends but I'm not sure whose. He does use his trademark reverb which I think is several Echorecs (multihead metal drum delays) and possibly springs in series. There is an ethereal quality you really never hear until the ambient era. Everyone pro had reverb via chambers, plates or springs and some had heavy reverb but Vangelis set things up for a really long but not heavy handed reverb. Anyway the documentary which was unseen for decades is now sold here http://www.georgesmathieu-themovie.com it's a profile so the whole thing is not all like the clip.

That Aphrodite's Child concert is special since it really is live. There are a lot of clips of them fooling round on TV and clearly making fun of themselves not actually playing. Vangelis' rig is earlier but pretty similar, that's a Clavinet II on top of a Hammond B3

[Ned Bouhalassa]

Hey thanks for the details! Much appreciated.