Apollonia, Adonis, and Nikos Xylouris may be well known to readers of Neos Kosmos as the new generation of the Xylouris musical family playing traditional music from the island of Crete.
Less well known in Australia, where all three siblings were born (moving later to Greece as young children with their parents), is that they are taking Greece by storm with their rock band Frenzee.
Frenzee play unapologetically jagged-edged-punk-inspired rock, literally a frenzy. They pay homage to AC/DC, Rage Against the Machine, Dinosaur Jr and Bikini Kill and Frenzee is wooing audiences in Athens, where they play in packed venues.
Apollonia, the band singer whose gutsy and defiant delivery of the lyrics in an unmistakable Australian accent, says she and her brothers were always into rock music, having been exposed to it as young children by their mother.
“We used to play a skater computer game called Tony Hawk that included ACDC on its soundtrack. Then we were introduced to our mum’s records/CDs with a good chunk of rock in it.”
What is apparent is that the siblings have been exposed to a wide range of music from all over the world throughout their lives, steeped as they were in a range of musical traditions.
While many know their Cretan roots, they were also immersed in their mother’s culture.
Shelagh Hannan and her sisters were well-known fixtures in the Melbourne music scene in the 1990s. Accomplished musicians, the sisters attracted huge followings due to their unique take on traditional Irish songs with their band Friends and Relations and their appropriation of Irish musical elements with their rock band The Troubles.
While the family settled in Greece in 1998, their connection to Australia has remained strong, with all three siblings undertaking study here, Nick and Adonis in Music Industry and Sound Technology and Apollonia graduating in Animation.
“Many people tell us how Australian our band sounds,” Apollonia says.
The band came together due to the lockdown in Greece in 2020.
“We always loved the idea of having a rock band, but we never got around to doing it.
“When lockdown happened, we finally had time to play together, and the band evolved from that.”
Frenzee is a collaborative effort, with Apollonia, the main lyricist and the brothers writing the music. However, they all contribute to the music and lyrics.
The siblings are excited to play in Australia for the first time as Frenzee. However, all three have played Cretan music here and will perform in that genre at the Antipodes Festival.
Frenzee is a band borne out of a global culture but deeply rooted in rock with an Australian bent.
“We are so looking forward to playing on what we feel is familiar ground.
“The way we see it, we are leaving home to come home. Australia is our other home,” Apollonia says.
This is a band very much worth seeing live.
Frenzee live
Mon February 26 : Northcote Social Club (free entry)
Wed February 28 : THE TOTE
Fri, March 1 : Castlemaine at Oni Streetwear (all ages)
Sat, March 2 : Flipping Bird in Frankston (daytime)
Sat, March 2 : Old Bar (night)
Sun, March 3 : Brunswick Ballroom supporting Our Carlson, The Prize and more for
BMF
Fri, March 8 : The Beast (Frenzee)
Sat, March 9 : Estonian House supporting Gut Health (Frenzee)
Sun, March 10 : The Gem (Frenzee)
*Jeana Vithoulkas is regular contributor to Neos Kosmos and a published author.