Plastic Flowers

George Samaras, better known as Plastic Flowers, is a Greek songwriter and academic at King's College London, who has released three full-length studio albums: ''Evergreen'' in 2014, ''Heavenly'' in 2016 and ''Absent Forever'' in 2017.

Career

George started recording music on a TASCAM Multi-track and released a series of bedroom pop influenced EPs that have received praise for their lo-fi touch.

In 2014 his debut album ''Evergreen'' was released through Inner Ear Records, and Crash Symbols in Europe and the United States respectively. He later moved to London and recorded his second full-length album ''Heavenly'' in November 2015, and ''Absent Forever'' in 2017, both released via The Native Sound and distributed by Warner.

He became the first Greek act ever to perform at South by Southwest. He has also toured USA and Europe and performed live at the Royal Academy of Arts, Fun Fun Fun Fest, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, Athens Concert Hall and Thessaloniki Concert Hall, and shared the stage with Bonobo, A.R.Kane, Emancipator, Still Corners.

On his debut album ''Evergreen'' he collaborated with Keep Shelly in Athens and NY-based artist and painter Ed Askew, who also painted the album cover for ''Heavenly''.

Theodoros Pangalos Sample

In 2012, Plastic Flowers sampled Theodoros Pangalos' controversial ministerial statement "We overnment and citizensfooled away the money together" in Sinking Ship/Vanished Crew.

Academia

As an undergraduate studying German at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki between 2009 and 2014, Samaras read modern and contemporary literature. He later completed a master's degree in Education Policy, and a PhD at King's College London, where he investigated the rise of Golden Dawn in Greece during the fiscal crisis. He regularly contributes to Greek newspapers Kathimerini and Efimerida ton Syntakton. Since 2022, he works as Lecturer at King's College London.

In June 2020, during the Black Lives Matter protests, he started a campaign against a local school in West Hampstead, named after slaver William Beckford. The campaign received coverage from national and local media, and support from British actress Emma Thompson resulting in a name change.

Discography

LPs

*''Evergreen'' (2014, Inner Ear Records – Crash Symbols)
*''Heavenly'' (2016, The Native Sound – Track & Field Records)
*''Absent Forever'' (2017, The Native Sound – Distributed by Warner-ADA)

EPs and singles

*''Meltdown EP'' (2011, Cakes and Tapes)
*''White Walls Painted Black – Single'' (2011, Cakes and Tapes)
*''Natural Conspiracy EP'' (2012, Cakes and Tapes)
*''Empty Eyes – Single'' (2012, Bad Panda Records)
*''In You I'm Lost – Single'' (2012, self-released)
*''Aftermath EP'' (2013, Manic Pop Records)
*''Fog Song/Silence – Double 7"'' (2013, Manic Pop Records)
*''Now She's Gone – Single'' (2014, self-released)
*''Summer of 1992 EP'' (2015, self-released)
*''Falling Off – Single 7"'' (2016, The Native Sound)
*''Plastic Flowers - Live at Megaron Mousikis'' (2023, self-released)

References

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External links

Plastic Flowers official websitePlastic Flowers on FacebookPlastic Flowers on Soundcloud

1991 births
Greek musicians
Greek expatriates in the United Kingdom

Living people
Musicians from Thessaloniki