Giorgos Doukas, on the occasion of his new book *IXOR: The Blood of the Gods*, gave a revealing interview in which he shed light on previously unknown aspects of his career.
Among other things, however, he also made some remarks about Giorgos Mazonakis that are sure to spark discussion.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
At the presentation of your book at the Acropolis Museum, Maria Tzompanaki and Vasilis Bisbikis read excerpts. Can you imagine them participating in a theatrical adaptation of *ICHOR*?
Of course! Although these choices are usually made by the production company taking on a project, I won’t hide the fact that I had these two actors in mind from the very beginning. The same goes for Pemi Zouni, who stood by my side as a friend, teacher, actress, and director in my effort to adapt “IXOR” from a book into a play. She helped me tremendously.
How did you meet Pemi Zouni?
It’s what we say: “The universe knows.” Pemi and I hung out with the same people, frequented the same places, and were acquaintances. Essentially, we grew closer when the time was right. I’m a firm believer in fate. I believe that everything is predestined. This is a central theme in both *IXOR* and *Korama*. As a writer, I always revolve around the divine, something higher, energy, and even the divine element that a person may harbor within themselves. We are an extension of it! God exists when someone glorifies and praises Him.
Do you miss the days when you were a singer?
Not at all! That era now exists only as a distant memory, one that helped me understand who I am. I have no regrets, though. The mistakes I made brought me to where I am today and led me to what comes naturally to me: writing. I grew up in Cyprus; my father kicked me out of the house when I was fifteen, and I started singing to make a living. I finished school, came to Greece, joined major bands, and collaborated with huge names. That’s more or less how my first experiences began to take shape, because I had to work six—and often seven—days a week. For me, the night was my adolescence, and I didn’t come of age until much later. My secret dream, however, was to write…
One of the last stars in Greece was, by general consensus, Giorgos Mazonakis. How did you view the outpouring of love that followed his death?
I’ll speak objectively. Giorgos Mazonakis and I disliked each other from the very first day we met, in the early ’90s. We never had a good relationship, nor did we ever work together. He didn’t like me, and I didn’t like him. That, of course, doesn’t mean that his death was something that made me happy. For heaven’s sake! No, he didn’t deserve that.
**With information from GOSSIP
