Thanks to The Crooner, Skychild and Mr. Undecided for the interview! Impossible Tymes was a band that was related to the great scene that revolved around the This Happy Feeling scene in Greece in the early and mid 90s. Funny enough there songs weren’t released on this label, but they were on a few demo tapes and on a split 7″ on Elefant Records that they shared with Next Time Passions, a band they shared members with. If you have never heard about them, this is a good time to do so, as many of these classic Greek bands are getting new attention thanks to the work of the Make Me Happy label!

++ Hi all! When and how did Impossible Tymes start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?

We met through music. One Night Suzan and Next Time Passions were the first indie pop bands in Greece. We played gigs together. Suddenly we realised Crooner (from ONS), Skychild (from NTP) and Mr.Undecided (also NTP) love psychedelic pop. And BANG !!

++ And where does the name of the band comes from?

From our popadelic subconscious !

++ How was the creative process for this band? Was it different compared to One Night Suzan? It was at Sunnyside Studio right?

Yes it was at Sunnyside studio, an old, low-ceiling but very sunny basement, filled with colors and music. There was an idea or a guitar riff and then together with wine, beers, laughter (and sometimes pizzas with Pepsis ) we started adding elements to that idea. i think the difference compared to the other bands was that we let it go, we were open-minded to the music we made and used any super power we had in our hands.

++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of this band?

++ As far as I know the only release by Impossible Tymes was the split 7″ with Next Time Passions on Elefant in 1994. How come there was no release on a Greek label? Why there were no other releases by the band?

We were never really a Greek band.. We were (and still are) some friends sharing a passion for Psych pop. This was obviously not enough for the greek mega labels (ha ha). The plan was to release a 7″ on This Happy Feeling, but This Happy Feeling already had contact with Elefant ( we used to exchange singles with Elefant, we liked their stuff, they liked ours etc). This led to the idea of the split  single (2 This Happy Feeling bands released by Elefant!).

++ I read on a Greek blog about the first demo, that you had some extra help from members from Kissamatic Lovebubbles and Next Time Passions. What songs were on that demo? And who helped in the recording of this first demo?

Yes it’s true. We had friends from Pillow and Kissamatic Lovebubles and others, anyone was welcome to join us. The demo was titled IMPOSSIBLE TIMES and songs are THE THINGS YOU LOVE, A BRISTOL SUN BEHIND ME, OBVIOUSLY IN LOVE and a cover of Biff Bang Pow! WOULDN’T YOU. We had extra help from George (lead singer of Pillow) and Alexandros (from Pillow too) . Konstantinos (the drummer of KLB) helped us later, for some live gigs).

++ There was another demo tape which was called “Popadelic”. Was wondering about this second tape, if you remember what songs were in it and if it was similar the recording as the first one?

In “Popadelic” we didn’t collaborate so much with friends from other bands. It was mostly the 3 of us, and I would say the sound was more psychedelic than pop, whereas the first tape was more pop than psychedelic…The opening track was called “Intro” (not a very original title…) in which we played different instruments than usual (e.g. Crooner played bass, which is what Skychild normally did…etc). This was a really weird and unique instrumental gem….Some other standout tracks were “Maybe Tomorrow” and “I can hear the stars”…

++ You did appear on many compilations during the 90s mostly. There aer a few that I’ve never heard about like the one called “Psychedelic Gew-Gaw Presents: Universal Mind”. This was part of a magazine in Greece, right? Care telling me a bit about it? Who were they? Did they normally support indiepop bands?

Sorry, we don’t remember anything …

++ I knew about the “Pop Secrets” compilation on Noise Records, but there was another compilation released by Noise called “See Dee”. I believe it is a mix of guitar pop and electronic music. I have a feeling that at this point the indiepop scene of Greece was moving on, moving towards electronic experimentation in a sense. Why do you think this happened? Why was indiepop kind of left behind? Was it because of lack of support perhaps? or just the normal course of things?

‘Don’t look back’ and ‘Shape of things to come’ are two of our favourite 60s songs…the titles and  lyrics are your answer !

++ Then there’s one tape called “A Love Like Lead!” that was released in Japan with had so many great bands in it. Again if you have any background info of it, that’d be great!

A Japanese compilation?? We had no idea about it. Tell us more…

++ You did a cover of The Field Mice’s “Coach Station Reunion” and Biff Bang Pow’s “Wouldn’t You”, were this easy choices? Are they perhaps some of your favourite songs? Did you use to play any other covers?

Yes, all three of us loved these songs and these bands…we also played “Stars Die” by Porcupine Tree at one gig…maybe we did some more covers, but memories are lost in the mist of time…

++ What about unreleased tracks?

There were “lost tapes” like every band has. But now we found the lost tapes and they’re not lost any more hahahaha…. so from those tapes we have a “NOS” in the Make Me Happy Records compilation ” A sparkle from the past”. Find it and enjoy it !

++ Maybe there are future plans to get all these songs reissued at some point?

Future is not here yet, so wait and see …

++ It is hard to pick one, but I think my favorite Impossible Tymes track is “Dreambrushpaint”, was wondering if you could tell me the story behind this song?

We chose  some great chords, then added a bunch of dreamy lyrics, re-worked a couple of  sections from favourite psychedelic songs, put all these in a pop blender and served  it with a twist of crazy innocence…

++ If you were to choose your favorite Impossible Tymes song, which one would that be and why?

All the songs we made are our favorites, so we can’t choose only one.

++ What about gigs? Did you play many?

We did some special appearances with extra help of course. In one of them we performed wearing masks!

++ When and why did Impossible Tymes stop making music? 

I don’t think we stopped. We still make music but you just don’t know it. No one knows 🙂

++ Has there ever been a reunion? Or talks of playing again together?

We never split up, we are just in different coordinates (north, south, west…). We just need the planets to align !

++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?

We always have attention from the press, we just don’t know it.

++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?

Living the psychedelic pop dream

++ Thanks again! I am really enjoying these interviews and learning more about the fantastic Greek scene of the 90s. Anything else you’d like to add?

All answers were by Crooner and Skychild. Mr Undecided couldn’t decide if he wanted to answer.!!

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Listen
Impossible Tymes – Dreambrushpaint