Real name: Νίκος Μανιαδάκης [Nikos Maniadakis]

Effective period / Period of releases: 1964 - 2002

Cretan lutenist, lyricist and composer, also known as Νίκος Μανιάς [Nikos Manias] or just Μανιάς , born in Episkopi (1931).

His first touch with music was in 1947 at the age of 16 years old, with a Cretan lyre made by Μανώλης Σταγάκης , but the lute had stolen his heart. He was influenced by Ιωάννης Μαρκογιαννάκης and Σταύρος Ψυλλάκης [Stauros Psillakis] a.k.a. Ψύλλος [Psillos]. His first live performance was at Επισκοπή Ρεθύμνου [Episksopi Rethymnon] with Κυριάκος Μαυράκης. He collaborated with: Κώστας Μουντάκης, Αθανάσιος Σκορδαλός, Βαγγέλης Μαρκογιαννάκης, Μανώλης Κακλής, Γιώργος Καλομοίρης, Νίκος Σωπασής, Βασίλης Σκουλάς, Νίκος Τσαγκαράκης, Γεράσιμος Σταματογιαννάκης, Νίκος Τσαγκαράκης, Γιάννης Σκαλίδης and younger artists including: Στέλιος Σταματογιαννάκης, Χρήστος Στιβακτάκης, Αντώνης Φραγκιαδάκης, Μιχάλης Φραγκιαδάκης, Νίκος Ζωιδάκης and Κώστας Βερδινάκης,