Christos Demetriou
Encyclopedia
Chris Demetriou born in Paphos
Paphos
Paphos , sometimes referred to as Pafos, is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city is New Paphos. It lies on the Mediterranean coast, about west of the...

, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...

, is a musician, songwriter, record producer and entrepreneur. He spent his informative years in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

, moving in 1969 to the United Kingdom, where he now lives with his wife and daughter.

Music career

Demetriou began his professional music career in his teens playing keyboards for the Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...

 R&B group John E Sharpe & the Squires. He appeared on the group's most successful singles, including covers of The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...

' "Stop Your Sobbing" and Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...

's "I Am A Rock", as well as their Maybelline album.

Demetriou left South Africa for London with fellow musician John Kongos
John Kongos
John Kongos is a singer-songwriter. He is best known for his 1971 Top 10 hit single, "He's Gonna Step On You Again".-Career:...

 and the pair formed the psychodelic group Floribunda Rose. However, the band soon changed its name to Scrugg and recorded a number of singles on the Pye Label with producer John Schroder and new drummer Henry Spinetti
Henry Spinetti
Henry Spinetti is a Welsh-born session drummer whose playing has featured on a large number of prominent rock and pop albums. He is the younger brother of the actor, Victor Spinetti.-Career:...

. Scrugg enjoyed limited success, with their double A-side "One Way Street" and "Linda Loves Linda" receiving significant airplay but failing to perform well in the charts (ref. article / garagehangover.com). The songwriting partnership of Kongos/Demetriou proved to be more successful than the groups they were in - with two songs reaching the top five in the UK charts and another, sung by Bond girl Daliah Lavi
Daliah Lavi
Daliah Lavi is an Israeli actress, singer and model.Born in Shavei Zion, British Mandate of Palestine, she studied ballet in Stockholm, Sweden, where she appeared in her first film Hemsöborna...

, reaching number one in Germany and Switzerland. Some of their early work, including recordings by Floribunda Rose and Scrugg, were released on the compilation Lavender Popcorn in 2001.

Demetriou's most notable songwriting credit is for Step On, recorded by the Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays are an English alternative rock band from Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1980, the band's original line-up was Shaun Ryder on lead vocals, his brother Paul Ryder on bass, lead guitarist Mark Day, keyboardist Paul Davis, and drummer Gary Whelan...

. It was listed at number 77 in "The Top 100 Greatest Singles Of All Time", published in the February 1999 edition of Q magazine. Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...

 readers ranked it on their "500 Greatest Songs Ever". Under the original title, He’s Gonna Step On You Again, the song made it into the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

, where it remained for 14 weeks - reaching No. 4 in May 1971. Other than the recordings by Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...

 and Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays are an English alternative rock band from Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1980, the band's original line-up was Shaun Ryder on lead vocals, his brother Paul Ryder on bass, lead guitarist Mark Day, keyboardist Paul Davis, and drummer Gary Whelan...

, He's Gonna Step On You Again has been covered by numerous artists in many different music genres. These include The Party Boys
The Party Boys
The Party Boys was an Australian rock band with floating membership that existed from 1982 until 1992. Initially established by Mondo Rock bass player Paul Christie as a part-time venture for professional musicians with downtime from other projects, the group has boasted members from acts such as...

 in 1987, when it got to number 1 in Australia, the Chantoozies
Chantoozies
Chantoozies were an Australian pop group active from 1986 to 1991. The band featured four female singers: Eve von Bibra, Angie La Bozzetta, Ally Fowler and Tottie Goldsmith; and four male musicians: Brett Goldsmith , Scott Griffiths , Frank McKoy and David Reyne...

 in 1989, and John Swan
Swanee (singer)
John Swan, better known as Swanee, is a Australian rock singer. He was born John Archibold Dixon Swan in Glasgow, Scotland in 1952. He is the older brother of rock singer Jimmy Barnes and the uncle of singer and stage performer David Campbell. He emigrated to Australia with his family in 1961...

 in 2007. The song was also featured on the Soundtrack of the 2006 video game Test Drive Unlimited
Test Drive Unlimited
Test Drive Unlimited is an arcade-style racing game, the 9th game of the Test Drive series, it features over 125 licensed sports cars and motorcycles and a terrain modeled after the Hawaiian island of Oahu that features some 1000 miles of roads and highways. Test Drive Unlimited is the ninth main...

. Demetriou collaborated with Kongos on his follow-up single, "Great White Lady" but it did not enter the UK top twenty chart.

In 1970 Demetriou started to work with Tony Defries
Tony DeFries
Tony Defries is a British former record producer and pop manager, and more recently inventor.DeFries worked in the 1960s music scene with such figures as Mickie Most, Allen Klein, before turning his attention to David Bowie...

 at Gem Productions and then with MainMan on David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...

's material. He was responsible for introducing Ken Scott
Ken Scott
Ken Scott is an English record producer and recording engineer.-Career:Scott started at the age of 16 working in the tape library at Abbey Road Studios. He became a recording engineer working with such acts as The Beatles, Jeff Beck, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones and Procol Harum...

 to David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...

 - who went on to co-produce some of Bowie's most successful recordings. After establishing himself as a notable songwriter, Demetriou changed direction in 1972 and became a full-time record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...

. One of his first recordings was a single with the group Milkwood
Milkwood (band)
Milkwood was an Anglo-Canadian rock band formed in Toronto in March 1969 by former Influence guitarist Louis McKelvey with future Celine Dion backing singer Mary Lou Gauthier and English multi-instrumentalist Malcolm Tomlinson, who’d worked previously with future Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre...

. After quitting the New Seekers, Laurie Heath, Chris Barrington and Sally Graham formed Milkwood and they released three singles for Warner Bros, two of which Demetriou produced. Barry Krost signed the young record producer to BKN Management and Demetriou started working with Mike d'Abo
Mike d'Abo
Michael David "Mike" d'Abo is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the former lead vocalist of Manfred Mann.-Biography:...

 formerly of Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann was a British beat, rhythm and blues and pop band of the 1960s, named after their South African keyboardist, Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band...

, producing "Down at Rachael's Place" and "Little MissUnderstood." As a result of being signed to the same management company, Demetriou collaborated with Cat Stevens
Cat Stevens
Yusuf Islam , commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam....

 in the recording of the album Buddha and the Chocolate Box
Buddha and the Chocolate Box
Buddha and the Chocolate Box is a 1974 album by Cat Stevens. The title came to Stevens when he was travelling to a gig on a plane with a Buddha in one hand and a box of...

. During these early years, Demetriou produced ten albums and over a dozen singles, including five albums for A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...

 (see Discography).

Top session musician, writer and producer Mo Foster
Mo Foster
Mo Foster is a British session musician, playing primarily jazz, jazz-fusion and rock bass guitar. He is also a music producer and songwriter/composer. In over 40 years as a musician Foster has played on and produced countless albums, singles, and film soundtracks...

 who has played on over 350 recordings cites Demetriou as giving him his first break. Paul Travis also remembers doing countless sessions for Demetriou as a singer and as a guitarist. Demetriou was instrumental in getting Travis a job with Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....

, and it was during this period that he discovered Judy Tzuke. Unfortunately Decca turned Judy Tzuke down, so she took the tapes Travis had produced to Rocket Records
Rocket Records
The Rocket Record Company was a record label founded by Elton John, with Bernie Taupin, Gus Dudgeon and Steve Brown among others, in 1972. The name is from the hit, "Rocket Man"...

 and got signed immediately. Travis also sang on the Mike D'Abo album, and thanks to Demetriou met Cat Stevens
Cat Stevens
Yusuf Islam , commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam....

 and his brother David Gordon. Gordon and Travis wrote a number of songs together, one of which was 'A Child for a Day' which was recorded by Cat Stevens on his album Izitso.

By the mid 70's Demetriou had become a roving A&R Manager / Record Producer for Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....

. It was at this time that he signed and recorded Robert Campbell, who's album "Living In The Shadow" was put forward by Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....

 for a Grammy nomination. He also recorded the group Liar, who achieved cult status amonst the die-hard rock fraternity for sticking to their musical roots throughout the British punk period, helping to pave the way for the emergence of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal in 1980. In 1978 Demetriou formed CSS a sports promotion and public relations company based in Surrey, England. Some of his clients included John Francome
John Francome
John Francome MBE is a former National Hunt Champion Jockey.Born in Swindon the son of a railway fireman, his family had no connection with the horse racing world. At sixteen years old he became apprentice to Lambourn trainer Fred Winter and so began his career as a jockey. He rode a total of...

 (7 times Champion Jockey and best selling Author), Steve Parish (former motorcycle and truck racer; successful Yamaha factory racing team manager; and currently a leading British motorsport commentator) and Hiddi Jahan (world seeded Squash Court Champion). Under Demetriou's direction, John Francome
John Francome
John Francome MBE is a former National Hunt Champion Jockey.Born in Swindon the son of a railway fireman, his family had no connection with the horse racing world. At sixteen years old he became apprentice to Lambourn trainer Fred Winter and so began his career as a jockey. He rode a total of...

 was the first jockey in the United Kingdom to wear any form of advertising during a horse race. He wore the Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...

 stripes on his riding breeches during the 1979 Grand National
Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...

. Between the years 1984 and 1988, ACTS International (his South African record label distributed by MFP
Music for Pleasure (record label)
Music for Pleasure was a record label that issued budget-priced albums of popular and classical music, although the latter were marketed under the Classics for Pleasure name...

), released three top five singles and one top twenty album - all of which were produced by Demetriou.

Business interests

Demetriou is currently the CEO/President of ShowRights Inc an entertainment exchange portal which he founded in 2006. He is a Director and Co-Owner of Emba Media Management International Limited, a Cyprus company that controls the fourth largest children's animation library in the world (formerly the BKN
BKN
Bohbot Kids Network was a syndicated animation block created and distributed by Bohbot Entertainment, an animation production company founded by Allen J...

 catalogue). In 2009 BKN
BKN
Bohbot Kids Network was a syndicated animation block created and distributed by Bohbot Entertainment, an animation production company founded by Allen J...

 International AG’s portfolio was valued by the independent consulting firm “Rinke Media Consult GmbH” at EUR 62.5 million. Demetriou is also a Director of Emba Media Associates Limited, a UK registered company that manages the exploitation of media properties. ACTS International Corp., his media brokerage business (established in 1987) continues to trade Rights in the entertainment industry. ACTS licenses rights in film & television, sound recordings and music publishing for distribution or transmission across multiple platforms around the world.

Church life

Demetriou is an ordained Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...

 minister and member of the International Federation of Christian Churches. He is founder and senior pastor of Cornerstone Ministries, a church and registered charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...

 based in Surrey, which has 600 members. Cornerstonethechurch website has over 100,000 page requests a month with 1.1 million every year. He is author of the self-help book What Matters Most and his television program "Life Matters," which was broadcast on Sky TV
British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the United Kingdom and the Ireland....

 is still available as a Podcast on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....

 and on the church website. Demetriou has just finished his second book titled "It's Your Life, It's Your Choice."

Discography

Production Credits:
  • "The Lady Wants More" / Hayden Wood (7" Single) NEMS 1969;
  • Down At Rachel's Place / Mike d'Abo (12" LP) A&M Records 1972;
  • About Your Love / Milkwood (7" Single) Warner Bros 1972;
  • "I'm a Song (Sing Me)" / Milkwood (7" Single) Warner Bros June 1972;
  • Lookin' Through / Demick & Armstrong (12" LP) A&M Records 1972;
  • Travis / Travis (12" LP) A&M Records 1972;
  • Shine On Me / Paul Travis (12" LP) A&M Records 1973;
  • Buddha and the Chocolate Box / Cat Stevens (12" LP) Island Records 1974;
  • Return Of The Native / Paul Travis (12" LP) A&M Records 1975;
  • Higher Than Heaven / Buggati & Musker (Demo) Decca 1976;
  • Living In The Shadow / Robert Campbell (12" LP) Decca Records 1977;
  • Crawler / Crawler / (12" LP) CBS 1977;
  • Straight From The Hip / Liar (12"LP) Decca Records 1977;
  • Looking Kinda Rock & Roll / Darling (7"Single) Charisma 1978;
  • Ain't No Water / Linday Hayes (7" Single) Charisma 1978;
  • I'll Be Your Rock & roll Slave / Lynda Hayes (7" Single) 1978
  • Fast at Seventeen / Lee Fardon (7" Single) Arista 1978;
  • Let Your Living Water / Vinesong (12" LP) WEA 1984;
  • Come Holy Spirit / Vinesong (12" LP) WEA 1984;
  • Champions of Love / Tom Inglis (7" Single) ACTS 1985;
  • Destined to Win / Tom Inglis (7" Single) ACTS 1985;
  • What Have We Done To The World (7" Single) ACTS 1985;
  • Destined To Win / Tom Inglis (7" Single) ACTS 1986;
  • Jubillee Africa / Friends First (12" LP) 1986;
  • Wild World / Pierre de Charmoy (7" Single) EMI 1987;


Artist Credits:
  • "Maybelline", John E Sharpe & the Squires (12" LP) RPM 1965
  • "Stop Your Sobbing" John E Sharpe & the Squires (7" Single)
  • "I Am A Rock" John E Sharpe & the Squires (7" Single) RPM Records 1965
  • Savage Sounds of Africa - "I'll Explain" / "Yours For The Picking" / "Monkey Shine" Beat Records 1965
  • "One Way Street"/ "Linda Loves Linda" - Floribunda Rose (7" Single) Pye Records 1967
  • "Lavender Popcorn", Scrugg (7" Single) Pye Records 1968
  • "Everyone Can See", Scrugg (7" Single) Pye Records 1968
  • "I Wish I Was Five", Scrugg (7" Single) Pye Records 1969


Songwriting Credits:
  • "The House Beside The Mine" / Hayden Wood (7" Single) NEMS 1969
  • "Deserts Of Mountains Of Men" (LP) Confessions About A Goldfish / John Kongos / Dawn Records 1969
  • "Seat By The Window" (LP) Confessions About A Goldfish / John Kongos / Dawn Records 1969
  • "Coming Back To You" (LP) Confessions About A Goldfish / John Kongos / Dawn Records 1969
  • "He's Gonna Step On You Again" with John Kongos (12" Single) Fly Records 1971;
  • "Gold" / Olivia Newton John (LP track) EMI 1972;
  • "Inside Your Shadow" / Espanola (Comp) Essex 1972;
  • "Let The Love Grow (In Your Heart)", Daliah Lavi (Single) Polydor 1973;
  • "He's Gonna Step On You Again", The Party Boys (Single and Album) Swan Records 1987
  • Blaze Of Glory / "He's Gonna Step On You Again" (7", Single) Greasy Pop Records 1987
  • "He's Gonna Step On You Again", The Chantoozies (Single and Album) Mushroom Records 1989
  • Deep Heat 7 - Seventh Heaven (2xCD, Comp) "Step On", Telstar 1990;
  • Pills 'N Thrills And Bellyaches (LP) "Step On", London Records 1990;
  • Pills 'N Thrills And Bellyaches (CD, Album) "Step On", Polydor K.K. 1990;
  • Pills 'N Thrills And Bellyaches (LP) "Step On", London Records, Polygram Discos SARL 1990;
  • "Step On", (Cass, Single) Festival Records, Factory 1990;
  • Judge Fudge (CD, Single), "Tokoloshe Man", Factory 1991;
  • Judge Fudge (CD, Single) "Tokoloshe Man", Festival Records, Factory 1991;
  • Judge Fudge (12") "Tokoloshe Man", Factory 1991;
  • Judge Fudge (7") "Tokoloshe Man", Factory 1991;
  • Judge Fudge (Cass, Single) "Tokoloshe Man", Factory 1991;
  • Judge Fudge (12", W/Lbl, Promo) "Tokoloshe Man", Factory 1991;
  • Judge Fudge (7", W/Lbl, Promo) "Tokoloshe Man", Factory 1991;
  • Judge Fudge (CD, Single, Sil) "Tokoloshe Man", Factory 1991;
  • Live (2xLP) "Tokoloshe Man", "Step On", Factory 1991;
  • Live (CD, Album) "Tokoloshe Man", "Step On", Factory 1991;
  • Decade (CD, Album) "The Very Best of" - Virgin 1996;
  • Pills 'N' Thrills And Bellyaches (CD, Album, RE) "Step On", London Records 1999;
  • Manchester United Beyond The Promised Land (CD, Album) "Step On", Virgin 2000;
  • Lavender Popcorn, with Floribunda Rose & Scrugg (Comp CD) 2001;
  • Kongos / John Kongos (Comp CD) Collectors' Choice Music
    Collectors' Choice Music
    Collectors' Choice Music is a company primarily in two businesses. They are best known for re-issuing albums originally recorded in LP record form as compact discs...

    2001;
  • Live Forever (2xCD, Comp) "Step On", Virgin 2003;
  • Played In Full : The 90s - The Definitive 12" Collection (3xCD, Comp) "Step On" (Stuff It In Mix), Resist Music, 2006;
  • Yeah! (CD, Album, Tar) "He's Gonna Step On You...", Mercury 2006;
  • Yeah! (CD, Album, Bes) "He's Gonna Step On You...", Mercury 2006;
  • Yeah! (CD) "He's Gonna Step On You...", Mercury, Bludgeon Riffola 2006;
  • Pills 'N' Thrills And Bellyaches (CD, Comp + DVD, PAL)," Step On", Rhino (UK) 2007;
  • "(He's Gonna) Step On You" (Have A Little Faith - CD/Album) John Swan, Liberation Music 2007;

External Links

  • http://cornerstonethechurch.com
  • http://www.liar77.com/
  • http://www.steveparrishracing.com/
  • http://www.actsmediamusic.com/page/page/6234884.htm
  • http://www.showrights.com/showrights-management.php
  • http://www.dreamhomesincyprus.com/aboutus.html
  • http://www.embamedia.co.uk/ema/Home.html
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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