What’s is your full name?

Nicholas Ulysses Papasideris. Niko is simply the Greek nickname for Nicholas.

Where were you born?

Houston Texas! I came out with cowboy boots on and a rope in my hands. Just kidding! Actually, the typical “Texan” stereotype is not so accurate. Not everyone has boots and a cowboy hat. : ) But I will say this, I think there are more pickup trucks in Texas than there are in the whole world combined!!! Texans love their trucks!

What are some important childhood events?

Family. I was very loved by both of my parents and I am so grateful to have grown up in that kind of environment. I was protected, provided for and nurtured. And as an adult, I can see the fruit of all of this in my life.

Playing. My brother and I played outside all the time! I also used to play outside alone. I would sometimes go and have a picnic alone in our chicken coop with the chickens! : )

Responsibilities. I did many chores around the house and outside of the house and I also working at my parents restaurant.

Travel. My family went on summer vacations most every year. It really helps you see the world with a much broader view, especially travelling to other countries. My travels to Greece at 3 and 5 affected me in a very deep way, in ways that I would not come to understand until I was in my latter 20’s.

Spirituality. I was raised with a great spiritual awareness, with far more emphasis on spiritual things than earthly things. Faith hope and love were at the foundation of my upbringing and are the solid ground I stand on today.

What are some interesting facts about your life?

MUSIC

In September of 1989 at the age of fourteen, in a single afternoon everything changed! I was at a friend’s house and he was playing a popular love song on his keyboard, I asked if he could teach it to me. Within a couple of minutes I had it down and in that moment something unexplainable happened inside the depths of me – I immediately said "I can play! I can play!! I can play the piano!!!" From then on, I began practicing six and eight hours a day! All I wanted to do was play the keyboard! If I couldn’t play at least 6 hours a day then I would become very sad. When I was headed somewhere with my family, I would take my little keyboard and sit in the back of the car and practice, practice, practice…all day and into the late hours of the night I would practice! It was all I wanted – my passion, my love, my desire, my future! I didn’t care so much about girls or dating or parties or most of the things that my peers were into, everything other than music just seemed like a distraction. As the years went by, I began to sing and then singing became as important to me as playing the keyboard. Eventually I tapped deeper into my gift and began composing full songs. It’s been an amazing journey and I am blessed to be able to share my gift with the world! I give thanks and honor to God for my gift of music.

TRAVEL

I have always loved to travel! I have travelled to Europe much over the last 10 years with a emphasis on Greece. My father is from Greece and in 1998 I decided to get much more in touch with my roots. I am glad I did. It has opened up many more parts of myself and has helped me understand and see things about myself that I did not before. I have also lived on the Hawaiian island of Maui for 2 years and that too did change my life! It’s such a magical place, unlike any place I have ever been.

DIET

You are what you eat. Your body is the container of your soul and spirit so be sure to guard it well. Keep it healthy by getting good rest, by exercising and by eating healthy foods. When I was a teenager I said to myself "I will never be overweight!" and I have lived up to my promise. The key is just being conscious every day of what you put into your body. And drinking lots of water. 

Can you tell me one thing about yourself that others may not know?

In my lifetime, I want to live in many countries, maybe a dozen or more! I’d like to spend a year or two or three in each one. I love culture. I love seeing how other people think and live and eat and enjoy music and drive and communicate, etc. It helps me see everything with a much more open mind. It helps me think outside of boxes and certain cultural codes. Just when you thought there was only one way to do something, you go to another country and you realize that they do it totally different there. With so many things there is no wrong or right, it’s just personal preference.

What inspires your music?

Life!

Most of my songs are written out of experiences in life. It might be the laughter of a child, a friend in need, pleasant or painful memories, dreams, happiness, frustrations. Nature. I took a walk with my dog Magic and by the end of the road I had written a song for him, haha. Traveling, very much so. Being in other places far away stirs things up in me – the sights, the smells, the sounds of another culture and land. Sound inspires me. I will hear something like a car engine cranking up or the horn of a train or the wind blowing through the trees and it will actually inspire a melody or lyric or chord progression in me. Also, just sitting down at my piano inspires me. Most every time I sit to play, something fresh and new comes out. Sometimes it’s a song while other times it’s an idea or a melody that later becomes a song. Lastly, I must say that the hope of my music touching the world inspires me deeply. It is important that we as humans always have hope in our heart for through hope we find inspiration to fulfill our destinies.

What are some important adulthood events?

Having loved someone. It opened up so many parts of me that I had never seen!

Living in other places and spending time in other places that I was not familiar with. It has had immeasurable positive effects on my life.

Becoming friends with people in other countries. It has taught me much about love and patience and has also helped to broaden my perspective in so many ways.

Completing my album titled Love. It was a very long journey but I stayed committed and after 3 years it was finally complete.

Deciding to give my music away for free and then gaining fans around the world as a result of it.

Performing live in another country and having a group of people sing along with me because they knew my songs from the radio. A great feeling!

Owing my own business. It has been lots of hard work and many sleepless nights but it has taught me much about life and has brought a sense of accomplishment that is different than any other I’ve experienced.

What obstacles did you have to overcome?

I have overcome fear and doubt a thousand times! I have never let go of my hopes and dreams.

There have been several times when I have cried because things seemed to be too much to bear but after releasing those tears I whipped them from my face and carried on.

I have overcome the obstacle of having little resources (time and money) to accomplish great tasks. The key was persistence, dedication, coming up with creative solutions and having a willingness to sacrifice things I wanted in order to obtain things I needed (what you want and what you need are often times two different things).

I overcame the obstacle of not letting society and systems dictate to me who I am and why I am here. I dedicated years of my life to seeking and searching for those answers and I began to find them. They are inside of each and every one of us.

What is the greatest thing you have ever discovered in your life?

Love. If you have it then it doesn’t matter what you don’t have, if you don’t have it then it doesn’t matter what you do have.

Where can people learn more about you and your music?

www.nikoonline.com (Get 20 of my songs for free)

Niko

Those who know me, know that my musical expressions are very diverse, ranging from pop and alternative to new age and chill out. What you may not know is that I grew up on country music! Hank, Willie, Dolly, George, The Judds, Reba, Travis, Garth, all of ‘em! In Texas, country music is EVERYWHERE! As a child, I often went to this place called the “Blue Barn” where bluegrass pickers would gather and play live! Those sounds have always been close to my heart.

Early in 2008, my team and I began discussing a newgrass project. For those who may not know, “newgrass” is basically bluegrass with a fresh twist. After much planning, we rounded up some of the best players in Nashville and on August 12th, we went into the studio to record the first set of songs for the new album (not yet titled).

Two of the guys are part of the band of the infamous bluegrass artist, Ricky Skaggs. Andy Leftwich, who plays fiddle for Ricky, and Cody Kilby who plays guitar. Also joining us in the studio was Rob Ickes on dobro, Byron House on bass and my step brother Gabriel Cantrell on percussion. A studio filled with fine players was sure to lead to an amazing day of music and boy oh boy did it ever!

We tracked the first 3 songs of the album and part of a 4th. I’m excited to tell you that my management company has allowed me the freedom to share our progress with all of you so I’ve posted three tracks in the streaming player at my homepage http://nikoonline.com/media-player and also at my myspace page www.myspace.com/nikoonline

The tracks are “The Sun The Moon The Stars” and two version of “The Special One” (slow and fast). If you are one of the many people around the world who fell in love with the pop version of The Sun The Moon The Stars then you are in for a pleasant surprise! If you’ve never heard The Sun The Moon The Stars then you are still in for a pleasant surprise! : )

We documented the day in the studio so all of you could see these songs coming to life! Above is a glimpse at what the day was like while we worked on The Sun The Moon The Stars. Enjoy!

China has a very special place in my heart. I have grieved over the injuries, deaths and great loss caused by the earthquake in the Sichuan province of China. Over 65,000 people have died and 5 million people are homeless. It’s hard to even comprehend.

I have made a donation to help with sending food to those in need and I am giving away a special song to China in honor of all those who have died and lost loved ones. I would like to ask that you consider giving whatever you can give in whatever way you can give it. Some people do not have money to give, that’s ok, many great gifts do not even have a price tag on them. Follow your own heart and do whatever you feel led to do. The key is to do something. Thank you so much for your consideration!

Some people have asked me which organizations I suggest they use for making donations, there are so many, here are two TRUSTWORTHY ones I have given to in times past, here are the direct links to specifically make a donation toward relief efforts in China:

https://american.redcross.org/site/Donation2?idb=264115335&df_id=3198&3198.donation=form1

http://www.feedthechildren.org/site/PageServer?pagename=usw_20080523_china&s_src=TR5

To read more and for a free download the song I have dedicated to China, “You’re In Heaven”, go here…

www.nikoonline.com/china

Interview with Niko by Christine Parastatidou of Behind The Veil in Greece. http://www.veilgr.com

NIKO Well, we usually present you interviews with heavy metal bands, however here we have an alternative proposal for you that answers to the name Niko. This band’s reason for existence is to create and to transubstantiate feelings, images and experiences into notes. If you like melodic rock sounds, then I think you will find in this band what you were looking for!

1. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF YOU WERE ASKED TO COMMENT ON YOUR SONGS AND ADVERTISE THEM IN A FEW WORDS?

Most of my songs are born out of my life’s experiences; because of this, my songs are heartfelt and sung with passion and conviction. My dream is to bring a message of hope and love to the world through my art of music thus my songs tend to focus on encouraging people, giving them hope for a brighter day. My style varies from song to song and that’s why I have resolved to simply call it “World Soup”.

2. YOU’VE GOT A COMPLETE WORK AND IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY 3 MORE WHICH ARE STILL UNFINISHED. WHICH ARE THE DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES AMONGST THEM?

Yes, I have a completed album titled “Love” (a CD / DVD set). I would describe it as a modern day love story told in a very creative way with interesting twists in the story line. It is less produced and has a charming rawness to it that leaves most listeners desiring more. In some songs I am in tears while in others I am laughing. As for the other albums I am working on, they are "Voice", "Heart Of A Warrior" and "Journey Within". "Voice" will be the first official release of these three. It is a very produced album, many of the songs are filled with lush vocalscapes, something I did not do in my "Love" project. The themes of "Voice" revolve around are friendship, faith, hope, love. It is a very uplifting album! "Heart Of A Warrior" is much darker, it has a strong defiance in its sound and message. "Journey Within" is very introspective, this album will be calm and parts of it will be perfect for meditating.

3. HOW COME YOU’VE GOT SO MANY UNFINISHED WORKS? I MEAN HOW COME YOU WORK ON MORE THAN ONE ALBUMS AT THE SAME TIME? AREN’T YOU “AFRAID” YOU MIGHT START REPEATING YOURSELF?

I follow my heart. I admit, I work in a very unorthodox way. But I’m an independent artist right now without the backing of a major record label and sometimes you’ve gotta bend and break traditional rules if want to see your dreams come to pass. I am a man who looks to God for direction and then I follow my heart with absolute passion and conviction. I have no regrets for living this way. On top of all this, it’s the new millennium and the ways of an artist getting his music into the ears of the public has completely changed. It’s no longer necessary to have a completed physical CD package in order to release your music. The internet has completely changed our approach in just about everything we do and music is no exception. People are now downloading mp3’s from sites like iTunes and often times they will only download the songs they want and not the whole album. So I am going with the flow and releasing my songs as I complete them. It’s cool though because I actually see each of my songs as a sort of completed project in itself. Because I do things with the utmost excellence and because it takes much money to do that, it can take me years to complete a project. When money isn’t an issue, I will perhaps release a project in one go and not in parts. But then again, I might just wanna throw that rule out the window and follow my heart and release a song the night it’s born and not wait until the whole album is complete. How cool would it be to get to hear the song of an artist you enjoy the very night they complete it!? I love that idea! Am I afraid I might repeat myself? Not the least bit, I’m far too creative and multifaceted to ever do that.

4. WHAT’S THE BEST AND WHAT’S THE WORST PART OF YOUR MUSIC, ACCORDING TO YOU?

I love all of my songs but I’ll admit, not equally. The best parts are the parts I love most, the worst are the parts I love least.

5. WHY DO YOU THINK THE ROCK AND POP FANS SHOULD CHECK YOU OUT? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO OFFER TO THE SCENE? IS THERE SOMETHING YOU FEEL THAT SETS YOU APART?

I go deeper than the soul, into my spirit, and I sing from that place. I believe that we all have the capacity to go there, it’s just that few ever do. It’s both glorious and frightening at the same time. Dangerous and fragile. I am simply myself and people are drawn to me because of this. It is humanity calling out to humanity.

6. YOU PLAY ROCK MUSIC WITH A FEW POP AND TRADITIONAL GREEK ELEMENTS. HOW DID THIS COMBINATION OCCUR?

Ahh, simply because I am Greek and grew up listening to traditional Greek music! I LOVE the bouzouki!

7. YOU ARE A GREEK AND APPARENTLY YOU LOVE YOUR MOTHER COUNTRY A LOT. YOU USE THE BOUZOUKI IN MANY OF YOUR SONGS AND YOU HAVE SOME GREEK LYRICS IN YOUR SONGS AS WELL. WHAT IS THIS THAT BONDS YOU SO MUCH WITH GREECE? WOULD YOU EVER CONSIDER MOVING TO GREECE PERMANENTLY?

I love Greece and I embrace my Greek roots. Greece is very sacred to me. I feel connected to the land, the people, the culture, the food, the history, everything! Greece is in my blood and I can feel it. My phone dials Greece at least once a week, my cabinet always has ouzo, my refrigerator never lacks feta cheese, and my mp3 player seems to always have a bouzouki playing! I am more and more in touch with Greece. I speak the language a little and have a desire to learn more! One day, I plan to have a home in Greece, most likely on an island.

8. ARE THERE ANY ELEMENTS YOU’D LIKE TO ADD OR EXPERIMENT WITH IN THE FUTURE?

Oh yeah! Many! Only time will tell but I can assure you that I will never stop trying different things! I am a very creative, experimental and curious person. And I am very spiritual, I mention this because in the spirit realm I find many amazing things that I bring back.

9. WHICH ARE YOUR MAIN INFLUENCES AND WHO ARE THOSE MUSICIANS THAT MADE YOU REALIZE THIS IS THE KIND OF MUSIC YOU LOVE AND WANT TO FOLLOW?

Vangelis has been a tremendous influence in my life. He is not only my favorite Greek composer but my favorite composer in all of the world! Bands such as The Moody Blues, U2, Sting and many more…I have been influenced by many friends who are not known by the world.

10. I’D LIKE YOU TO COMMENT A BIT ON THE LYRICS… WHICH ARE YOUR SOURCES OF INSPIRATION? My source of inspiration?

Life! It might be the laughter of a child, a friend in need, pleasant or painful memories, dreams, happiness, frustrations. Nature. The other day, I took a walk with my dog Magic and by the end of the road I had written a song for him. Traveling and being in other places far away stirs things up in me – the sights, the smells, the sounds of another culture and land. Sound inspires me. I will hear something like a car engine cranking up or the horn of a train or the wind blowing through the trees and it will actually inspire a melody or lyric or chord progression in me. Also, just sitting down at my piano inspires me. Most every time I sit to play, something fresh and new comes out. Sometimes it’s a song while other times it’s an idea or a melody that later becomes a song. Lastly, I must say that the hope of my music touching the world inspires me deeply. It is important that we as humans always have hope in our heart for through hope we find inspiration to fulfill our destinies. Lyrics? My lyrics are often inspired by the sound of a musical progression, I’ll do something on the piano or guitar and I will actually hear words or a certain phrase. The content of my lyrics tend to focus on positive things, I like knowing that my songs are helping people and helping to bring light into this world. If I can do this then when I breathe my last breath I will have peace knowing I fulfilled my purpose on this earth.

11. IF YOU HAD A BIG BUDGET TO SHOOT A VIDEO CLIP, WHICH SONG OF YOURS WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND HOW DO YOU IMAGINE IT TO BE?

"The Sun The Moon The Stars". We are actually in the process of planning this out even now. It will be very romantic, with a dreaminess to it. There are lots of details already decided for this video but I won’t share them because then it would spoil the surprise! *smile*

12. HOW DO YOU PLAN TO PROMOTE YOUR WORK? HAVE YOU GOT ANY PLANS FOR LIVE SHOWS?

Well, myspace has certainly been the most dynamic way that I have promoted my work, I am grateful for such a tool. Plans? I have many but it will take some time to bring them to fruition. I plan to tour the world, all in due time. (Click on "More…" to read the rest of the interview)

13. HAVE YOU SENT YOUR DEMOS TO ANY LABELS? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE OFFERED IN ORDER TO SIGN A DEAL?

My management company is soon to present my music to several major record labels. What do I want to be offered? I want to sign with someone who can truly get behind me in helping me carry out my global vision to touch the world with a message of hope and love.

14. IS THERE A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO BE ASKED AND NO ONE HAS EVER ASKED YOU SO FAR?

How do you do what you do? I have changed my perspective from one of fear and doubt to one of No Limitations. Let me explain… If I could convince you that there weren’t ANY LIMITATIONS and you knew for a fact it was absolutely true, what would you throw out? What mindsets and thinking patterns would you cease to embrace? What media programs would you stop watching? What books would you burn? What places would you stop going? What people would you stop associating with? What job would you quit? What drugs would you stop taking? What opinions, ideas and philosophies would you crucify? Now, considering that there are no limitations, how do you see yourself? How do you see the world? How do you see your music if you are a musician? How do you see your writings if you are a writer? How do you see your patients if you are a doctor? How do you see your students if you are a teacher? How do you see your baked goods if you are a baker? How do you see your new business if you are an entrepreneur? How do you see your family and friends and children? How do you see your future? and mine? The truth is that such does exist. There is a place where one can walk and live, a place that knows NO LIMITATIONS. And if you diligently seek after it, you will find it. You can know who you REALLY are and go where you were created to go. Destiny is yours if you want it. You can have deep satisfaction and genuine happiness. You can see tomorrow while living in today. Limitations only exist in the minds of those who choose to embrace fear and doubt. Truth’s sword prevails over all darkness, it is truth that can set you free, it is truth that knows no limitations. If you can see it then you can enter it and become it!

15. WHAT KIND OF EMOTIONS DO YOU THINK YOUR MUSIC IS ABLE TO CREATE OR TRANSMIT TO YOUR LISTENERS?

I will let my listeners answer this question. Here are some excerpts from guestbook entries… “Niko is not only lyrics and sounds, he is a vibe, an energy and an emotion that says a lot more than anything modern music can offer. Not having heard him at least once is the equivalent of never experiencing a sunrise or the birth of a child. Truly exceptional.” “Your voice is so wonderful that it brings me to heaven now! Soft! Deep! Full of emotions and dreams!” “Your voice is busting with emotion and has a touch of honey. When you sing it sounds as if sunshine is coming from you. I feel that you are something fresh.”

16. IF YOUR MUSIC WERE A PAINTING, WHAT WOULD IT SHOW?

It would show a father telling his daughter how beautiful she is (Aliesha Shine, Love), it would show a friend telling a friend how special they are (the Special One, Love), it would tell humanity that the only thing that matters is love (Love, Love), it would show a mother telling her son not to commit suicide because he has a God given destiny to fulfill (My Son, Love), it would tell the world that it’s a new day and that there’s a hope for us all (It’s A New Day, Voice), it would tell a lover that they were everything (The Sun The Moon The Stars, Voice), it would tell a friend to have peace about the death of her son (You’re In Heaven, Love), it would show a defiant generation of warriors (The Exodus, Heart Of A Warrior), it would show a man crying out to feel love again (Help Me To Feel, Love), it would burst with vibrant joyful colors (Joy, Voice), it would say “I see through all of your lies now” (Illusion, Voice), it would reveal a choir of angels singing every so peacefully (Angels, Journey Within)…and so much more.

17. THANK YOU! IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO MENTION?

Right now, at my website NikoOnline.com I am giving away my music for free! I am inviting people everywhere from around the world to download 20 mp3’s, absolutely free (songs from the "Love" album as well as "Voice", "Heart Of A Warrior" and "Journey Within")! Everyone can help by listening to the music and then passing on the link to others. NikoOnline.com also contains most everything anyone would want to know about me – there’s a very active Blog as well as a Forum packed with all kinds of information! Also, EMI Greece is soon to release my song “You’re In Heaven” (from the Love album) on a compilation CD that will be available throughout all points of sale in Greece and Cyprus. The title of the CD is “Never The Same” and features many other global artists we all love and enjoy. Thank you so much for the opportunity to connect with others through this interview, I appreciate the support of you guys there at Behind The Veil! Niko Papasideris ~ Nashville Tennessee.