Uploaded November 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
THE CHARMS - Charming Beat
ALBUM Να να να Hey Μην κλαίς / Charming Beat (7", Single)(1970)
The Charms were one of the top acts in Greece in the mid-1960s. The Popular release is one of their first 45s, if not the very first, featuring two instrumentals, “Charming Hully Gully” and the phenomenal “Shake with Charm”, which has a fast, stripped-down rhythm that reminds me of the Monks!
Like other bands of the era, by 1966 they stepped away from instrumentals and started singing, but the music still has a jerky instrumental flavor to them on the early Music Box releases. All their early vocals are in English.
Their first Music Box 45 has the great garage sound of “See You on Sunday” on the B-side, with Animals-influenced organ chording, and “Mr. Goose” on the A-side.
Their next 45 on Music Box may be even better. “I’m Coming Back (to Stay)” has a repetitive horn riff and a good performance from the group. “The Count Game” is my personal favorite by this band, with a rhythm something like ska led by the organ, a great vocal and nice bluesy guitar fills.
After these releases the band lineup changed and their later output is more pop, and more often sung in Greek, and I’ve heard very little of it. Their cover of the Animals’ “It’s My Life” which isn’t bad, but definitely lacks the fire of the others. Known as a great live band, they were featured in several movies at the time, but I haven’t seen any clips of them performing yet.
The Popular 45 has no song writing or production credits. Song writing credits go to Nick Mastorakis and the Charms on Music Box 586, and to Nick Mastorakis, P. Polatos, M. Rozakis on Music Box 606. I assume Nick Mastorakis is the producer.
The following list of band members is adapted from an autotranslation of a good list of 60’s bands in Greece.
Kostas Karydas: Vocals (-1965)
Spyros Karakoytas: Bass (-1965, + Maik Rozakis: Bass, Vocals)
Giorgos Mpalaskas: Guitar (-1964, + Alekos Glykas -1964, + Kostas Njkolopoylos)
Giorgos Stratis: Drums
Teris Jeremjas: (+ 1965), Organ, Vocals
Petros Pollatos: (+ 1965), Saxophone
garagehangover.com/charms
THE CHARMS - Charming Beat
ALBUM Να να να Hey Μην κλαίς / Charming Beat (7", Single)(1970)
The Charms were one of the top acts in Greece in the mid-1960s. The Popular release is one of their first 45s, if not the very first, featuring two instrumentals, “Charming Hully Gully” and the phenomenal “Shake with Charm”, which has a fast, stripped-down rhythm that reminds me of the Monks!
Like other bands of the era, by 1966 they stepped away from instrumentals and started singing, but the music still has a jerky instrumental flavor to them on the early Music Box releases. All their early vocals are in English.
Their first Music Box 45 has the great garage sound of “See You on Sunday” on the B-side, with Animals-influenced organ chording, and “Mr. Goose” on the A-side.
Their next 45 on Music Box may be even better. “I’m Coming Back (to Stay)” has a repetitive horn riff and a good performance from the group. “The Count Game” is my personal favorite by this band, with a rhythm something like ska led by the organ, a great vocal and nice bluesy guitar fills.
After these releases the band lineup changed and their later output is more pop, and more often sung in Greek, and I’ve heard very little of it. Their cover of the Animals’ “It’s My Life” which isn’t bad, but definitely lacks the fire of the others. Known as a great live band, they were featured in several movies at the time, but I haven’t seen any clips of them performing yet.
The Popular 45 has no song writing or production credits. Song writing credits go to Nick Mastorakis and the Charms on Music Box 586, and to Nick Mastorakis, P. Polatos, M. Rozakis on Music Box 606. I assume Nick Mastorakis is the producer.
The following list of band members is adapted from an autotranslation of a good list of 60’s bands in Greece.
Kostas Karydas: Vocals (-1965)
Spyros Karakoytas: Bass (-1965, + Maik Rozakis: Bass, Vocals)
Giorgos Mpalaskas: Guitar (-1964, + Alekos Glykas -1964, + Kostas Njkolopoylos)
Giorgos Stratis: Drums
Teris Jeremjas: (+ 1965), Organ, Vocals
Petros Pollatos: (+ 1965), Saxophone
garagehangover.com/charms
