NIGHTSTALKER

“Rock in the 80s was rebellion. People came out of cafés and chased us away. Today it is simply a style.”

“Back then everything was analog. Today everything is inside little boxes and you just put things in order. Maybe what I miss is that uncontrolled chaos we had.”

“Music was never just something I did. It was the place I ran to when I needed to survive.”

“The essence of Nightstalker is rock music. Over the years people have called us many things, but that’s what it really is.”

“Drugs steal the only thing we truly have:
time.”

“You cannot do music and drugs together forever. At some point you have to choose.”

“Live shows are always a story of their own. That connection between the band and the crowd is something unbelievable.”

“I don’t think about escaping or confronting darkness. It is simply about living and breathing our reality.”

“After all these years, it is amazing when young people tell you your music influenced them.”

“Rock music in Greece is an expensive sport. You have to be ready to struggle.”

“Sometimes music is not just art. Sometimes it is the thing that keeps you alive.”

For more than four decades, Argy from the legendary Greek stoner rock band Nightstalker has been a defining voice of the country’s heavy music scene.
From the underground days of the Athens rock movement in the 1980s to international recognition and generations of musicians inspired by their sound, his journey reflects not only the evolution of a band, but also the struggles, mistakes, survival, and experiences that shape a musician’s life.
In this special ‘Musician of the Month‘ feature, Argy talks about the early days of the Athens scene, the transition from drummer/singer to frontman, the meaning behind Nightstalker’s identity, the realities of a life in rock, personal battles, and why music remained the place he always returned to.
When you look back at the rock and metal scene of Athens in the early 1980s, what do you miss the most today, and what could you easily leave behind?
“You know, there isn’t really one specific thing that is missing today. Back then it was difficult even to organise a rehearsal, and all kinds of music equipment were extremely expensive, if you could even find them. We played whatever we could with whatever we had… but we were there and we kept trying anyway. Everything was analogue. Today everything is inside little boxes and you just put things together in order. Anyone can write music alone at home now. Maybe what I miss is that uncontrolled, raw feeling that existed back then.”
You started as a drummer and later became known as the voice of one of the most important Greek rock bands.
When did you first realise that your real place was in front of the microphone rather than behind the drums?
“When we started playing, there was no singer, because the band was originally meant to be purely instrumental. But when George (Editor’s note: George Osmak – owner of former Greek independent label ‘Molon Lave‘) asked us to be part of a compilation, he wanted a song with vocals, because before that we had already appeared on another one with two instrumental tracks. None of the others wanted to sing, so I took over. After that I continued playing drums and singing until 2000. At some point around then, I slept on my left arm and it went numb, becoming almost useless like a piece of wood for about a year. From that moment on I stopped playing drums live, although I recorded the drums on ‘Just A Burn’ in 2003.”
Many musicians change their style over the years.
With Nightstalker, however, it always felt like the band evolved without ever losing its identity.
How do you achieve that balance?
“The style has changed many times, but it wasn’t always obvious because it happened naturally. At the beginning, for about two years, we played classic heavy metal, and then we added rock and even a little funk. With member changes – bass players and guitarists – the influences changed because the people changed. From the 90s onwards we also had different influences. We were always open to experimentation, and then the whole stoner wave came along and fit naturally with us.”
You have experienced Greece through economic crises, social changes, and different generations of music fans.
Do you think rock music has a different role today compared to the 80s or 90s?
“Rock, especially in the 80s, was rebellion. People would come out of cafés and chase us away! (laughs) Back then we spent all our time in parks or in one of the two rock clubs that existed. Today, rock in the broader sense is just another style of music. The concerts back then were like battles. Now you go to shows with your children.”
For many younger bands, Nightstalker are now considered legends.
Does it sometimes feel strange when inside you perhaps still feel like an underground musician?
“Not really, because we have been playing for so many years and anyone involved in this kind of music has probably heard Nightstalker. But of course it feels great when younger people come and tell you that they were influenced by your music.”
Over more than four decades, someone experiences countless highs and difficulties.
Which period of your life shaped you the most as a person, regardless of musical success?
“There have been many years and many negative experiences, but definitely one of them was from the late 90s until around 2014–2015. For me, it was the ‘sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll’ era.”
Many musicians talk about what inspires them.
I would be more interested to know:
what took energy away from you over all these years, and how did you find it again?
“Definitely drugs. What I realised is that the only thing we truly have is time. Drugs steal the only thing you have: time.
I know it’s not easy to escape from that place because you become numb and forget everything. One of the many times I hit rock bottom, I decided to stop. It took me a few more years until I became completely sober, but music played a huge role in that. At some point you either play music or you do drugs. You cannot do both together for very long. If you think you can – good luck! (laughs)”
You have played countless concerts.
Is there a moment on stage that you still remember, not because it was perfect, but because it revealed something important about music or people?
“One concert I will always remember was in 1994 when we opened for the Ramones. The energy inside Rodon Club was unbelievable. Nowadays, in recent years, I love it when people sing all our songs back to us. Every live show is its own story. That exchange with the audience is incredible.”
Nightstalker are often described as stoner rock, heavy rock, or psychedelic rock.
If you had to forget all labels and genres, what would you say is the true essence of Nightstalker?
“Look, over the years people have called us all kinds of things. The essence of the band is rock music.”
You have seen generations of musicians come and go.
In your opinion, what separates the few bands that survive for decades from those that disappear after a few years?
“As you know, rock in Greece is an expensive game. There is a lot of disappointment because young bands start with dreams that collapse after the first four or five years, and the bands collapse with them. Music is beautiful, but you have to be ready to struggle and even go hungry.”
If someone wrote a book about your life, which chapters would have nothing to do with music but would still be absolutely necessary to understand who Argy Galatsios is?
“A big part of my life outside music is experiences from situations, substances, and travelling. I have had many beautiful moments on this planet.”
Was there ever a moment when you seriously thought about quitting everything?
And if so, what kept you on the path you had chosen?
“Once, in the early 90s, I told myself that I would continue with music only until I was 25 years old. And then I forgot about it the very next moment! Since then it has never crossed my mind, no matter how bad things became. On the contrary, music was the refuge I ran to in order to save myself.”
Imagine you could meet the Argy of the mid-1980s – one of the talented young drummers of the Athens rock and metal scene, with no idea what was coming.
What advice would you give him today, after all these years on and off stage, and what advice do you think he would probably ignore?
“The only thing I would tell him is: don’t waste your time on stupid things. And knowing myself now, I would probably answer myself: ‘Come on, old man, leave me alone!’ (laughs)”
Argy’s story is not only the story of Nightstalker, but also the story of a musician who experienced the highs, lows, chaos, and beauty of a life dedicated to rock.
After more than forty years, the band’s identity remains rooted in something simple and powerful:
honesty, energy, and the timeless spirit of rock music.
Nightstalker continue to prove that true longevity does not come from following trends, but from staying connected to who you really are.
by Fok ‘bs’