Roussos weighs in

Press, 10 May 1979, Page 2

Roussos weighs in

Demis Roussos (pictured above), the Greek-born rock balladeer, is worth his weight in gold in any record company’s terms, says Nevin Topp. In Christchurch on a fleeting promotional visit, Roussos, who weighs

2601 b, has sold 35M albums of his music throughout the world. One comment made by a young journalist that Roussos was the biggest artist he had interviewed brought a chuckle from the Greek as he patted his body affectionately, knowing full well what the reporter meant. Roussos also knows what to say to be nice. Asked what he thought of New Zealand, he replied: “If there is a paradise on Earth, then this must be the place.”

When was he going to tour New Zealand then? “Next year,” he replied — but his manager was busy trying to organise a tour in September or October, unknown to him. It is obvious from his clothes and comments that Roussos loves the good life. He owns four English thoroughbreds, two of • hich he races. He also

owns a $500,000 wine cellar and is particularly fond of food, being careful to emphasise that one should be cautious of chefs and sauces.

But nothing is taken to excess, because Roussos says that when he has the opportunity he jogs, and that he rarely smokes. He also has definite ideas abaut who is Demis Roussos, in musical terms.

His last album, simply entitled “Demis Roussos,” was produced by Freddie Perren in the United States, but he said that Perren did not know how to use Demis Roussos, and that although he would like to have “American sauce” in his music he did not want to be 100 per cent Americanised. i However, Roussos still regards the United States market as a challenge, not being satisfied with having sold 35M albums in the rest of the world.