The information about the bands below is based on the entries in the invaluable “LA DISCOGRAPHIE DU ROCK FRANÇAIS” By Francis Grosse & Bernard Gueffier.
ACINTYA
Instrumental progressive-rock band from Nancy featuring violin backed by mellotron and synthesiser, playing a mixture symphonic rock and folk.
1978 La cité des dieux obliés (SRC)
2012 In Live (Musea) (Live concert recorded 12/1/79 at Salle Poirel, Nancy)
ANGE
ANGE are one of the only French groups, along with MAGMA, to have attained recognition at an international level. The originality of ANGE’s music is built around Christian DECAMPS’s vocal and theatrical presence, his surrealistic lyrics and the ability of the group to express intense emotions, sensations and images.
1972 Caricatures (Philips)
1974 Au-delà du Delire (Philips)
1977 Tome VI (Philips)
1978 Guet-apens (Philips)
ARACHNOÏD
A young group who only produced one promising progressive rock album on which the influence of KING CRIMSON, GENESIS and ANGE was evident.
1979 Arachnoïd (Divox)
ARTCANE
Strongly influenced by KING CRIMSON’s “Lark’s Tongue” with an atmosphere reminiscent of this album in the search for tension and the development of anguish. The album also includes some long passages of floating symphonic rock evocative of PULSAR.
1977 Odyssée (Philips)
ARCHAÏA
ARCHAIA is a drummerless trio whose music is built on elaborate and intricate themes layered over tense rhythms. The vocal parts at times have a MAGMA-like quality.
1977Archaïa (Choravox)
ART ZOYD
A legendary group, one of the few, along with MAGMA, to have emerged from the first wave of French rock in the early 70’s and to still exist, even though none of the original line-up remains. The group’s music has also totally changed from its initial ZAPPA-inspired rock to a totally original European and unclassifiable sound, described as belonging to “Musique nouvelle” (a musical movement originated by the band). This group draws its inspiration from 20th century European music and culture to produce music which is profoundly novel, intricate and powerful, with impressionistic atmospheres.
1976 Symphonie pour le Jour où Brûleront les Cités (AZ)
L’ASSEMBLÉE
Band who released one of the first French psyche-rock singles featuring exceptional guitar playing from Claude GUILLAIN (aka Jacques Dudon).
1970 Le Chien (Odéon – single)
ATLANTIDE
A studio group founded by J.P MASSIERA solely to make this album. MASSIERA wrote and produced, but didn’t actually play on the album.
1976 Atlantide (Crypto)
ATOLL
ATOLL is a major French group, originally showing the influence of ANGE before they developed their own style.
1974 Musiciens-Magiciens (Eurodisc)
1975 L’Araignée Mal (Eurodisc)
1977 Tertio (Eurodisc)
BARRICADE
This is the notorious and radical French underground band established in Marseilles in 1969, who were never to make an album in their lifetime. In their music you can hear the roots of the new French underground, pre-empting bands like CAMIZOLE and ETRON FOU LELOUBLAN. Well-known members include the Zazou & Racialle duo that later became ZNR and Cyrille Verdeaux of CLEARLIGHT.
2005 Le Rire Des Camisoles (Futura)
JACQUES BERROCAL
Eclectic and fascinating, BERROCAL shocks the purists of all tendencies who forget that creation is mainly a matter of feeling, something that never fails him.
PHILIPPE BESOMBES
Sound engineer and keyboardist, Philippe BESOMBES comes from that generation of french keyboardists (Henri ROGER, Didier BOCQUET etc.) who were inspired by the Berlin School but went on to create their own original sound, abandoning the well-worn-formulas for a music with a strange, confusing and sometimes disturbing atmosphere.
1976 Bescombes-Rizet (Pôle)
2016 Anthology 1975-1979 (Cleopatra) includes “Libra” (1975) and “Hydravion” (1978)
BIRGÉ GORGÉ SHIROC
An experimental synthesiser trio that transformed into UN DRAME MUSICAL INSTANTANE after one album.
2016 Avant Toute (SouffleContinu)
FRANÇOIS BREANT
Former CRUCIFERIUS and NEMO keyboardist, Francois BREANT recorded film soundtracks and solo albums on which his talent as a keyboardist is backed by an undeniable gift as arranger and composer. Accompanied by prestigious guests (Klaus BLASQUIZ, Didier LOCKWOOD…) he develops superb themes, and musical pieces full of spontaneity and invention.
1978 Sons optiques (Egg)
1979 Voyeur extra-lucide (Egg)
JEAN-LOUIS BUCCHI
The former SPEED LIMIT keyboardist recorded this album along with well-known musicians (Jannik TOP, Patrice TISON) using brass and string sections. He makes music drawing on jazz, classical music and rock. This record features tracks with beautiful piano solos along with very surprising small orchestral pieces inventing a new, serious and refined chamber music.
1978 Sunflower (Trema)
CAMIZOLE
The ranks of CAMIZOLE included some of the most revered of the French underground, notably Dominique Grimaud (Vidéo-Aventures), Chris Chanet (Etron Fou Leloublan) and Bernard Filipetti (Art & Technique). Their idea of music is inspired by the liberty of free jazz. For a short period the band was reduced to a duo of Dominique Grimaud and Bernard Filipetti who played in a style influenced by Klaus Schulze.
2017 Camizole 1975 (Replica)
2018 Camizole (Souffle Continu)
2018 Camizole + Lard Free (Souffle Continu)
CARPE DIEM
CARPE DIEM, a group from the Crypto stable (MONA LISA, PENTACLE..) and part of ANGE’s generation, differs from ANGE in the importance the group gives the music over the words. Their mainly instrumental albums show their capacities as arrangers, composers and orchestrators and are masterpieces of finesse, invention and spontaneity evoking the English bands that play a light and subtle chamber rock (CARAVAN, FRUUP..).
1975 En Regardent Passer le Temps (Arcane)
1976 Cueille le Jour (Crypto)
CATHARSIS
Roland BOCQUET’s group, originally inspired by PINK FLOYD managed to quickly break away from this influence to create its own beautiful, delicate and elegant music. CATHARSIS makes an ethereal and atmospheric music with exceptional organ, strange rhythms and surprising melodic developments. Despite its great qualities, CATHARSIS remained under-appreciated and little-known.
1971 Masq (Saravah)
1972 Les chevrons (Saravah)
1975 32 Mars (Festival)
(Theatre du) CHÈNE NOIR
The theatrical company “CHENE NOIR” inspired by the experience of groups like the PRINCIPAL MAGIC EDWARDS THEATRE decided to set its shows to music. It thus offered the audience texts accompanied and enhanced by music that is rich and original, due not only to the variety of instruments (flute, cello, vibes, brass, synthesizers…) but also to the musician’s inspired playing.
1971 Aurora(Futura)
CHEVAL FOU
Cheval Fou was a hard-psychedelic trio with Jean-Max Peteau on guitar, Michel Peteau on guitar and sax, and Stephane Rossini on drums. They released nothing during their existence (1970 to 1975) but recorded some live shows and home rehearsals. Members of the band would form the basis of NYL (who recorded an album in 1976).
1994 Cheval Fou (Legend Music)
CHICO MAGNETIC BAND
Led by Algerian-born Mahmoud “Chico” Ayari, this band is clearly very influenced by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, but create their own trashy, stoned, heavy psychedelia.
1971 Chico Magnetic Band (Vogue)
LENIS CHOREA
This name is a pseudonym for Claude PUTERFLAM, founder of the Flamophone label, who recorded this single with SYSTEME CRAPOUTCHIK’s musicians and future SANDROSE members. This song later appeared under the title “Old Dom is dead” on SANDROSE’s album.
1970 Mea Culpa (Flamophone – single)
CLEARLIGHT
Cyrille VERDEAUX’s group produced mainly instrumental music that was both beautiful and dreamlike, alternating soothing and serene atmospheres with more violent, tormented passages, sometimes drifting towards a delicate cosmic floating rock. A large number of musicians guest on his records, including C. BOULE, S. HILLAGE, D. CROSS, D. LOCKWOOD, D. MALHERBE.
1975 Clearlight Symphony (Virgin)
1975 Forever Blowing Bubbles (Virgin)
1977 Les contes du singe fou (Isadora)
1978 Visions(Isadora)
JEAN COHEN-SOLAL
Jean COHEN-SOLAL plays a very original style of music (that he himself calls “prospective pop”) which somewhat evokes SOFT MACHINE’S first two albums,with prominence importance to the flute.
1972 Flûtes Libres(Sonoresse)
1973 Captain Tarthopom (Connection)
PASCAL COMELADE
Pascal COMELADE’s music is hard to classify as it changes from one album to the next, always surprising and inventive. He follows his own very eclectic musical desires exploring very different musical sounds, from repetitive experimental music through pastiche and musical caricature.
1980 Paralello (Parasite)
2004 Back to Schizo (1975-1983 (Gazul)
Synths, Sax & Situationists 