How out of control was Progressive Rock in France in the 1970's?
While other countries played at witches, warlords and such- the French actually engaged in paranormal battles. Or so it is claimed.
The story goes that sometime in 1974 or 75, Magma- fresh off of Kohntarkosz, an amazing BBC-studios performance of same suite and with Christian Vander looking to take the Kobaian saga in whole new directions of artistic mutation, retired to the French countryside to work on a putative new album- I have heard the Dordogne, I have also heard the far more Celtic and magically-tinged Breton redoubt. Regardless, in the mad spirit that drove the band and its genius leader, Vander rented a castle on an imposing hillside overlooking a valley. Across that valley, none other than bassist (and the man arguably most responsible for developing the distinctive "Zeuhl" sound of grinding, growling and fulminating bass) Jannick Top had rented his own castle, though- as he found out to a fount of disappointment and ego-tinged rage- Vander's castle was higher by several dozen meters. Thus, so the theory goes, Top felt as if the maitre's power was greater than his own- and, obviously, his access to real estate agents. A titanic battle of magic ensued.
Vander and Top warred for weeks, casting spells, spewing venomous fusillades of incantation and hectoring energy, and finally- much to the horror of the band's manager- Top called the over-taxed business agent (who could ever have a harder job than managing Magma, for Christ's sakes?) and explained that Vander had conjured a mighty demon who forced him to tear his chest open...with his own bare hands! While skeptics can dismiss this as fantastical hokum, one thing is for sure: the last part is at least plausible. Anyone who has heard Jannick Top play must surely realize he has some of the strongest fingers in the world.
Jannick Top left the band soon after, not to play again with Christian until a series of definitive concerts in and around Paris in 1976. Is the story at all true? I hardly care; it is still my most favorite of all Progressive Rock anecdotes and fables of all time. What the fuck possibly more could you want from a Prog story- dueling titanic egos, an Olympian struggle atop Empyrean heights with magic, witchcraft, demons, and all of it ending in...one of the members leaving the band in a huff. If that's not Prog I'll kiss your ass.
The Playlist for Vive La France, which- up 'till now- I must say is my most favorite RA show so far. - TKR
1) Atoll- "Le Photographe Exorciste"
2) Richard Pinhas- "Iceland"
3) Ange- "Bivouac 1ere Partie"
4) Lard Free- "Synthetic Seasons" Parts 1, 2 and 3
5) Igor Wakhevitch- "Materia Prima"
6) Art Zoyd- "Sortie 134 Part 1"
7) Rita Mitsouko- "Jealousie"
8) JJ Burnel- "Euroman"
9) Nino Ferrer- "Looking For You"
10) Sonorhc- "Plaine du Tal"
11) Troc- "Kali Lo"
12) Saint-Preux- "Le Voyage"
13) Raymond Vincent- "Les Plutoniens"
14) Les Problemes- "Je Ne Vois Rien"
15) Jacques Dutronc- "Le Responsable"
16) Les Variations- "Silver Girl"
17) Chico Magnetic Band- "Explosion"
18) Heldon- "Stand By"
equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8">19) Richard Vimal- "Metamorphoses"
20) Malicorne- "Quand Je Menais Mes Chevaux Boire"
21) Moving Gelatine Plates- "The World of Genius Hans"
22) Chene Noir- "La Vivilesse Et La Mort"
23) Vander-Top- "De Futura" (Live in Paris, 1976)
24) Weidorje- "Vilna"
25) Rockets- "On The Road Again" :)
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