Trivia / Aphrodite's Child

• Creator Killer: 666, Aphrodite's Child's double album conceived and composed by Vangelis that sent the band into Prog Rock. The album was completed in 1969, but the band's record company turned it down and wasn't willing to release it until 1972. The band stalled in the meantime. Vangelis didn't want to return to the band's old sound, the rest of the band didn't want to stick with the new sound, and there was no point in recording more albums when the band already had one in limbo. Unable to do anything sensible, the band split in 1971. It didn't live to experience 666 becoming a Breakthrough Hit with an entirely new audience, but Vangelis was free to start a new solo career.
• Development Hell: In 1969 when 666 was recorded, the music world wasn't ready for this kind of music yet, and Aphrodite's Child were known for two albums of shallow pop, so that was what their record company wanted from them. They refused to release the album until 1972 when Aphrodite's Child had already disbanded.
• Hostility on the Set: Zigzagged during the making of 666. By this point, none of the three band members were even on speaking terms with each other. But whenever they were playing, they were friends again.
• What Could Have Been: In 1973, after Aphrodite's Child had split, Vangelis was asked by Jon Anderson to become Yes' new keyboardist after they had thrown Rick Wakeman out. He turned the offer down because he was done with bands, but he kept collaborating with Anderson as Jon & Vangelis.
  • A "happening" was planned for the premiere of 666. It never occurred, but the script^note written by Salvador Dalí can be read here.

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