Born in London but growing up in Greece, Stelios AKA DJ Velix quickly developed an affection for electronic music (although he insists his favourite live performers are still Led Zeppelin and The Pixies).
Beginning mixing around 15/16, it wasn?t until his early twenties that Velix began to take his electronic passion seriously. Since then, he?s built quite the resum? having gained a residency at Mykonos? legendary Cavo Paradiso Club, performed at Athens? Pixi nightclub and Greece?s largest outdoor event Ejekt Festival, and supported the current Top 100 DJ Polls #1 Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike on tour.
He now owns and performs as a resident DJ at Corfu?s hottest open-aired beach club Pazuzu, bringing his signature blend of house, tribal house, electro and progressive to his island resort situated on the stunning Glyfada Beach.
We were lucky enough to get the chance to speak with Stelios about what he loves most about Corfu, his love of rock bands and his beach club.
Tell us about a bit about where you grew up?
I grew up in Athens Greece. My family is from Cyprus but after the invasion of the Turks in 1974 they left for London. They then later moved back to Greece.
You?re a big fan of rock bands. Where did your interest in electronic music begin?
Yes, I?m a huge fan of classic rock bands and punk rock music, but generally I’m very open to all kinds of music. I?ve been listening to house music since I was 15-16 years old. I was more into the punk rock scene back then, but still loved David Morales, Paul Van Dyk and all the major players in dance music back then.
Where are some of the best places to experience electronic music in Greece?
Unfortunately, not many. Pazuzu, Cavo Paradiso, Alemagou I believe are the best ones at the moment.
What is it about the Island of Corfu that you find so special?
So many things. I call it a blessed place. In my opinion it is one of the most beautiful islands in Greece.
The old town is breathtaking. The beaches (although they are far apart because of the size of Corfu) are incredible. The sea is crystal clear. Fantastic food. What it lacks is nightlife. But it will get there…soon.
Can you tell us a little bit about Pazuzu? What?s the concept behind your beach club?
The name was born from a piece of art called Pazuzu which is a huge sculpture (around 5 meters tall) created by the artist Roberto Guochi. It’s a demon, so many narrow-minded people think we are Satanists and stuff like that (we get a lot of messages about it)!
The concept of the club started out to have a mix of live acts and DJ sets. The live acts were from Greek pop/rock bands, and the thinking behind this was to attract both local people and tourists.
This season just finished was the first year we decided to go pure club with many guest DJs.
On a daily basis, it’s a really chilled relaxed place where you can enjoy food drinks and the sea. The design was made by the acclaimed LOT architects and we wanted to keep it “earthy” in terms of colours materials etc.
What have been some the highlights from your ?Sunset Stories? sessions?
We had some big names this season such as Dennis Ferrer, Chris Lake, Chuckie and Claptone, but I think biggest highlight was NERVO. I don?t think I have seen Pazuzu so packed ever!
How did this season compare to the last?
Much better. We?ve become established as a club worldwide. We were voted number 85 club in the world in the international Nightlife Awards in only our 5th season. That’s a huge reward for the whole team and the vision we had from when we started.
What are your plans for next season? Any sneak previews you can share with us?
It?s quite early so we are still in the planning phase. Some small changes in the layout of the club, we are upgrading the whole sound system and we will host even more guests this year.
How does the Greek electronic scene impact your music as DJ/producer?
Unfortunately, a lot. The Greek electronic scene is quite small, so most clubs you play you need to adapt a lot. You can’t play as freely, same goes for production. You need to create more radio-friendly pop type tracks. Greece is still dominated by Greek music. All other genres have a fairly small fan base.
For someone who?s never been to Corfu, what are 5 places you must visit?
In terms of entertainment, big clubs are Pazuzu and 54, then you need to discover small nice bars that play good music and serve good drinks. there are quite a lot around.
The main attractions are:
- The old town which is gorgeous
- Achilleo, the old royal palace
- The old fortress in the entrance of the island
- Palaiokastritsa is a very famous area where you will find an amazing beach, and on the top of the hill you will find a monastery which is a famous attraction and absolutely beautiful.
I?ll stop here because this list could go on forever and ever.
You can keep up to date with DJ Velix and Pazuzu on the socials below.
