Native Greek musician Nick Anastasakis, better known as the frontman of his indie-rock group,
The Afro Nick is debuting his latest single, “Get There Before Noon.” Previously recorded in
studios across New York. This track is a rearranged and re-recorded version finalized at Nick’s home studio in LA. Growing up on the island of Crete, Nick credits the local Romani people, “playing their guitars for coins on the Venetian cobblestone streets,” as one of his earliest musical influences. Before settling in New York and then LA, Nick toured throughout Crete - an unusual feat for an indie rock band at the time- with his former group, Stray Blue. Since then, he has been releasing as the self-produced and liberated artist, The Afro Nick, a nod to his own “wild and expressive hair.”
The Afro Nick draws on his experiences as a child growing up on Crete, a Greek island situated
between the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. His earliest musical memories were of gypsies playing their guitars for coins on the Venetian cobblestone streets. In 2009 he formed “Stray Blue” and toured throughout Crete, premiering one of the first Indie-Rock band tours on the island. Known for his wild expressive hair which incidentally serves as his namesake, it symbolizes an uninhibited freedom, a tangible representation of childhood rebellion extended into adulthood. Now based in LA, California, he offers audiences the chance to experience his Indie-Rock sound and stirring lyrics, expressed with breathless urgency, offering broad appeal through a uniquely distinctive sound.
The bass player George Athanas, is currently located in Thessaloniki, Greece where we met and
gig around the city with various projects. Forming Stray Blue and touring Crete, playing festivals
and theatres were quite out of the ordinary at the time in Crete. The synth player, Leonardo Genovese, is a Grammy-winning musician, and he is currently touring top venues around the world. Leo and Nick originally met in New York and performed together in local bars and clubs. Nowadays, when Leo visits Nick in LA, the pair craft more original songs and record synths and piano together. The band will form with the upcoming single release on Nov 22 2024, planning more releases soon and aiming for a small tour in 2025.
In, “Get There Before Noon,” Nick describes the idea behind the soulful anthem as coming to
him quite literally. “After a late and long hangout at my apartment in NYC I woke up with a hangover but I had to go record for another artist and I had to get there before noon,” he explains. With lyrics such as, “And on one day, you gonna miss that day,” and “I got to live this life, not yesterday,” the track seems to be urging listeners to seize the day before it’s too late, and to do so according to the beat of your drum. On his thoughts behind the messaging in “Get There Before Noon,” Nick shares, “You only have one life. You gotta do what you have to do and do it as soon as possible.” Behind the passionate and profound messaging in this track are thick guitar riffs and electronic melodies, coupled with Nick’s deep and raspy voice, adding to the emotion of the song. The final line in the track, “and all you have to do, is get there before noon,” summarizes The Afro Nick’s sound - a hopeful, inspiring, and poignant perspective on life.
Nick's music has been featured on television in season ten of PBS's, "Roadtrip Nation" series,
and on international radio stations such as Cosmos FM, an educational organization dedicated to
preserving Greek heritage in the United States. Joining him in his quest to create music as, "a symbol of uninhibited freedom" and, "an outlet for those who don't fit in with the normal flow of society," is Greek-based bass player and former Stray Blue bandmate, George Athanas, and NYC-based synth player and Grammy award winner, Leo Genovese. Leo and Nick met in New York performing together in local bars and clubs. Nowadays, in between touring at some of the top venues around the world, Leo visits Nick in LA where the pair can be found collaborating on new music.
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