Stephen

The Earliest Years

The Earliest Years

Stephen Demetre Georgiou was born on July 21, 1948. He grew up with his brothers and sisters, living in the West End of London when rock and roll was in its infancy.

Stephen's father was born in the Greece, and his religion was Orthodox, usual for one of this area of the Mediterranean. Although Stephen's father has deep religious beliefs, he didn't raise his family in his Orthodox faith, particularly. Stephen believed as his family had raised him, but questioned what didn't make sense to him.

His mother, born in Sweden, was raised Baptist. Stephen was educated in a Roman Catholic school in London, so his perception of religion originally came to him through the divides of many sectarian beliefs. His quest was to understand past the divides of structured religion.

The physical beauty of the classical Greek statues were inherited in his family's looks. Stephen's dark wavy hair grew long in the 1960's and he decided to pursue his love of music for a living. He got some breaks, and was talented besides.

Stephen, his brothers, and his sister, lived above "dad's cafe," with his mom, who was a Swedish beauty. The air of his surroundings was always full of the aroma of food, exotic spices, and the hustle and bustle that goes with a family restaurant business. Stephen was just about ten when he was allowed to work in the restaurant, to help support the family so to speak.

He was always good with people. With a twinkle in his dark eyes, and a smile, not just a grin, his face could light up a room. He knew what to say and do to keep the patrons of the restaurant happy. He kept his parents happy too, working washing dishes on a regular basis when the need arose.

Over the sink, with piles of dishes, and more coming, Stephen occupied his mind as well as his hands, by thinking ideas, lyrics, and wondering about life. Sometimes he though up little ditties, sayings, "truthisms" that he had come to realize from his experience. He recorded his thoughts, and possible lyrics, on little slips of paper, and his private time was spent on developing his craft as an artist.

Eventually, Stephen's dad gave him the £8.00 or
so that an inexpensive guitar cost, he learned how to play, and got his mates together in a sort of a band. It was every young boy's dream in that day and age to be like the Beatles. Stephen's first guitar was Italian, as that was what was available for the money he had. Stephen's first guitar was Italian, as that was what was available for the money he had to spend.

Attending school on Drury Lane, close to his family's abode over the restaurant, his talents as an artist were encouraged by the family. He was talented with pen and brush on canvas. When the time came, he was able to enter art school, and was a most promising student.

As talented as Stephen was as an artist, his passions for music were stronger. Before completing his studies at school, he left to be a musician. This was the Sixties, and he lived in the heart of London.

The cafe, and his home, were located in the West End section of London, in a time when rock and roll and Picadilly Circus were where all the action was at. In the neighborhood he walked at night were clubs with musicians breaking new sounds, and he tried to take it all in. There were sounds of blues, Spanish Moraccoan music, and all sorts of music from all sorts of cultures coming to his ears from different clubs at night. New, more alternative radio stations played music he liked. It was here his style developed, and he wrote, and recored his first song.

He recorded a demo called "I Love My Dog (as much as I love you)." It got him a spot on a local TV show. He was seventeen. The world was his apple. . . but only for a short time.