My Ears Through the Years with Panos Louca
Welcome back to My Ears Through the Years! The series where we delve into the headphones of brilliant individuals in the industry and press unmute on their musical history.
This week we’ve passed the aux chord to the wonderful Panos Louca, executive producer at JOAN Creative. Panos is a seasoned producer with over 12 years of experience producing award-winning campaigns across a wide range of media platforms for clients including John Lewis, Virgin Atlantic, Mulberry, and the multi award winning SSE film starring Maya, the CG orang-utan. But what’s is this award-winning producer belting out at karaoke? Let’s find out!
Q> Hi Panos! Tell us, what are your first memories of music?
Panos> Being Greek Cypriot, my parents would play A LOT of Greek music. There was no smashing of plates in the Louca household but there was a lot of singing and one track I distinctly remember my folks playing and singing along to was ‘Careless Whisper’... but the Greek version (obvs), by Themis Adamantides.
Q> The first music you bought yourself?
Panos> It was 1995 and I saved just enough pocket money to purchase a CD of the single ‘Original Nuttah’ by UK Apache & Shy FX. TUNE!
Q> First gig?
Panos> Lionel Richie (in Hyde Park) – don’t ask!
Q> What’s the first song that comes into your head at any given opportunity?
Panos> Right now it’s APT. by ROSÉ & Bruno Mars. My Kids have it on repeat! That earworm has made itself at home for the next few months!
Q> Your first slow dance?
Panos> At my Uncle and Auntie’s wedding, I slowed danced to ‘Don’t Know Much’ by Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville, with a girl who I later found out was my second couns (true story.. ☹)
Q> The first song you felt you couldn’t escape from?
Panos> I sung at a school play once “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted” by Jimmy Ruffin.
If I’m out with my pals from school and this song ever comes on in the pub, they are all quick to say “Pan, this is the song you sang at school!” followed by a very bad impression of me.
Q> A song you grew up with?
Panos> My eldest brother used to always play ‘I Feel For You’ by Chaka Khan at home or in his car when he used to pick me up from school sometimes. Can’t complain, it was and still is a TUNE.
Q> Your walk out music?
Panos> ‘Let Me Entertain You’ by Robbie Williams (with face paint and all!)
Q> Your dancefloor anthem?
Panos> GALA – ‘Freed from Desire’!! As soon as this comes on, my toes start to twitch, my feet start to tap and I’m first on that dancefloor “na na na na na NA na na na na na na na .... “na na na na na NA na na na na na na na ....”
Q> You go to for karaoke?
Panos> Oasis – “Don’t Look Back In Anger’. Need a bit of Dutch courage, but it’s my go to karaoke song every time, followed by Lenny Kravitz’s ‘Fly Away’.
Q> Your musical guilty pleasure?
Panos> a-ha – ‘Take On Me’. You know you love it too!
Q> A song that reminds you of friends or family?
Panos> Livin La Vida Loca – reminds me of my wedding day where I secretly recorded and performed my own version of Livin La Vida Louca for my wife... much to her and my family and friend’s surprise. Now whenever Ricky Martin comes on, it makes me think of good times!
Q> An artist you grew to love?
Panos> Woodkid - wasn’t sure at first – but then grew to really like them
Q> A song you wish you wrote?
Panos> ‘Candy’ by Cameo - a massive floor filler and would have loved to have written a song responsible for the ‘Candy’ dance.
Q> A roadtrip banger?
Panos> ‘Walking On A Dream’ by Empire of the Sun. Such a feel good, summer song!
Q> Your unpopular musical opinion?
Panos> Not sure if she is universally adored, but I’m not a fan of Billie Eilish – sorry Billie!
Also, sorry Swifty’s – but I also can’t get on board the Taylor Swift train… I just can’t Shake It Off (sorry, Dad joke!)
Q> A song you wish more people knew about?
Panos> ‘Diana’ by Paul Anka. I love a bit of Mo-town, and this song is a classic... although not many people know it apparently.
Q> Your desert island disc?
Panos> Kygo. Hard to choose which one of his tracks / albums, as they are all bangers ...but regardless, I love a bit of dance on a desert island .
Q> A song you’d like played at your funeral?
Panos> Commodores – ‘Nightshift’. One of my all-time favourite songs, it has the right mixture and range of emotions.
Q> Best sync moment?
Panos> Cadbury’s Gorilla, ‘In The Air Tonight’, Phil Collins. The bit when the Gorilla snaps his neck and then the track kicks in with that epic drum roll , as the gorilla plays in perfect sync!
John Lewis’s Buster the Boxer – when the Fox begin to jump on the trampoline in sync to ‘One Day I’ll Fly Away’, followed by a badger, a squirrel, and finally THAT hedgehog.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, when Treebeard realises that Saruman has chopped down all of his tree friends and exclaims “The Ents are going to War.... last march of the Ents”, the music kicks in, cue goosebumps! (yes, I’m a LOTR geek!)
Avengers Endgame, the final battle when Captain America says “Avengers Assemble” and then the music kicks in as the Avengers charge at Thanos and his army (yes, I’m a MARVEL geek too!)
Q> Music that made an ad campaign?
Panos> A recent Superbowl ad for Mountain Dew Baja Blast, with ‘Kiss From A Lime’ by Seal… hilarious. The killer whale bit gets me every time!
Q> Best theme song?
Panos> ‘A Song of Fire and Ice’ from the Game of Thrones soundtrack, by Ramin Djawadi. I’m a massive GOT fan and the Opening Titles is soooo good! Close second is FRIENDS, ‘I’ll Be There For You’ by The Rembrandts, a classic!
Q> Favourite film score / soundtrack?
Panos> There are just so many, I can’t choose. Here are a few that I think are gold!
The Last of the Mohicans, ‘Promentory’ (Trevor Jones)
Gladiator ‘Now We Are Free’ (Hans Zimmer)
Braveheart Main Theme (James Horner)
Cloud Atlas ‘End Title’ (Tom Tykwer)
Q> A track you’d love to sync?
Panos> Oasis – ‘Wonderwall’... hey I can dream, right!?
