The information about the bands below is based on the entries in the invaluable “LA DISCOGRAPHIE DU ROCK FRANÇAIS” By Francis Grosse & Bernard Gueffier.
DASHIELL HEDAYAT
Dashiell HEDAYAT, produced his second album (following “La devanture des ivresses”, credited to MELMOTH) with the group GONG, who managed to bring out the best in this underground poet’s delirious and surrealistic texts.
1971 Obsolete (Shandar)
HELDON
One of the most original French groups, along with MAGMA, to have emerged from the French progressive trend. HELDON play electronic music that is repetitive, convulsive, and violent. Its music can at times sound inhuman, a world of machines founded on the aggressive and oppressive use of synthesisers and sequencers. Richard PINHAS enters this rhythmic web with sharp and frenzied interventions on guitar.
1974 Electronic Guerilla (Disjuncta)
1975 Allez Teia (Disjuncta)
1975 It’s Always Rock & Roll (Disjuncta)
1976 Agneta Nilsson (Disjuncta)
1976 Un rêve sans conséquence spéciale (Cobra)
1978 Interface (Cobra)
1979 Stand By (Egg)
2015 Live in Paris 1975 (SouffleContinu)
2015 Live in Paris 1976 (SouffleContinu)
HERBE ROUGE
HERBE ROUGE’s sound is close to that of a “big band”, drawing inspiration from French satirical rock groups: MARCOEUR, MAHJUN, ETRON FOU. They share ZAPPA,s taste for derision, pastiche, musical diversion and surrealistic lyrics.
1978 Côte cour, côte jardin (Scopa Invisible)
HONEYELK
A group whose music is inspired by the sound of early MAGMA, with a similar atmosphere, the same fondness for broken rhythms and the use of a language which doesn’t sound dissimilar to KOBAÏAN.
1979 Stoyz Vi Dozévéloy (Oxygene)
HORDE CATALYTIQUE POUR LA FIN
Experimental music within the limits of rock, free jazz and contemporary music.
1971 Gestation sonore (Futura)
HORRIFIC CHILD
A mixture of progressive and jazz-rock signed by an old hand at French rock: Jean-Pierre MASSIERA.
Frayeur from L’étrange Mr Whinster
ARIEL KALMA
Repetitive and floating music based around the harmonium and sax; a music of travels and dreams, reminiscent of Terry RILEY and Arabian music.
1975 Ariel/Le Temps Des Moissons (Astral Muse)
1978 Osmose (Sepp)
2014 An Evolutionary Music – Original Recordings: 1972-1979 (Rvng Intl)
2015 1978 Delirium GRM
2017 Rue de la Gaite 70s
2019 Nuits Blanches au Studio 116 (Transversales Disques)
KOMINTERN
Formed after a split from RED NOISE, KOMINTERN was part of a politicised trend in French rock in the early 70’s. By combining rock, fairground music, revolutionary chants and French folk music, KOMINTERN created an original provocative style, both virulent and caustic.
1971 La Bal du Rat Mort (Harvest)
JEAN-YVES LABAT
Jean-Yves LABAT, keyboardist in Todd RUNDGREN’s group UTOPIA, recorded an album on which he offers up music built around the possibilities and the sonorities of the synthesiser. He presents different musical styles such as electronic disco, exotic rock and a melodic and rhythmic music like VANGELIS.
1973 M. Frog (Bearsville)
LARD FREE
Drummer Gilbert ARTMAN’s group cut three albums: the first with a strange, anguished atmosphere, the second with a HELDON-style sound and the third musically close to ARTMAN’s other band, URBAN SAX, with an arid, oppressive and industrial style. LARD FREE’s music, like that of HELDON, is urban music full of anguish and tension.
1973 Gilbert Artman’s Lard Free (Vamp)
1975 I’m Around About Midnight (Vamp)
1977 Lard Free III (Cobra)
1997 Unnamed (Spalax)
2018 Camizole + Lard Free (Souffle Continu)
MAAJUN
MAAJUN represented the politically committed trend in French rock. They release one album for Vogue before breaking up.
1971 Vivre La Mort Du Vieux Monde (Vogue)
MAHJUN
MAHJUN rose out of the ashes of Maajun, changed a single letter in their name, and turned to a more folk-based, satirical style of music.
1973 Mahjun(Saravah)
1973 Nous ouvrirons les casernes(Lutte Anti-Militariste – single)
1974 Fils à Colin-Maillard (Savarah)
1977 Happy French Band (Gratte Ciel)
MAGMA
THE French group. Without a doubt the most original and innovative group on the French rock scene and the one which has put its stamp on music both in FRANCE and abroad; the only group to have constituted a world-wide sect of fanatics devoted to the cult of its music. Formed in 1970 by Christian VANDER, MAGMA has at one time or another included the most prestigious French rock musicians (BLASQUIZ, TOP, LOCKWOOD, PAGANOTTI etc). Despite these constant changes in its line up, the group has managed to maintain its style, energy and the faith it has in its music, building up with every record a unique, imposing and universal musical production.
1970 Magma (Philips)
1971 1001 Centigrade (Philips)
1973 Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh (Vertigo)
1974 Köhntarkösz (Vertigo)
1974 Ẁurdah Ïtah (Barclay)
1975 Magma Live/Hhaï (Utopia)
1976 Üdü Ẁüdü (Utopia)
1977 Inédits (Tapioca)
1978 Atthak (Eurodisc)
1994 Théâtre Du Taur – Concert 1975 – Toulouse (AKT) (recorded 24/9/75)
1996 Concert 1971 – Bruxelles – Théâtre 140 (AKT) (recorded 12/11/71)
1996 Concert 1976 – Opéra De Reims (AKT) (recorded 2/3/76)
1999 BBC 1974 Londres (AKT) (recorded 14/3/74)
2014 Zühn Ẁöhl Ünsaï – Live 1974 (MIG) (recorded at Radio Bremen 6/2/74)
2018 Magma Marquee Londres 1974 (AKT) (recorded 17/3/74)
MAHOGANY BRAIN
A group formed by the Parisian underground poet Michel BULTEAU in which he developed his poetical fantasies over a free-rock style that is deliberately unfinished and aggressive.
1971 With (Junk-Saucepan) When (Spoon-Trigger) (Futura)
ALBERT MARCOEUR
Considered to be the French equivalent to ZAPPA, Albert MARCOEUR does in fact resemble him in that he is makes very demanding music and takes great care in the lyrics, music, and production on his records. The lyrics and music are interdependent creating a rigourous reconstruction of his poetical, surrealistic universe.
MARTIN CIRCUS
The first group to have dared to use the French language in rock. A carefully produced music with complex arrangements and a certain sophistication, all of which likens them to TRAFFIC. Unfortunately after two good albums, their music gave way to commercialism.
1993 Story 69-79 (Vogue)
MELMOTH
The first French musician to produce a record classed as “underground”. MELMOTH lets his delirious and surrealistic poetical imagination run free over music that combines the rhythms and sounds of jazz and pop.
1969 La Devanure des Ivresses (Arion)
MÉTABOLISME
METABOLISME can be classified not only in the line of French rock represented by ATOLL and MONA LISA, but also in the English style of chamber rock music. Like other groups playing this kind of music (CRESSIDA, CZAR, FRUUP), METABOLISME offers up a delicate and sophisticated sound based on ethereal vocal harmonies and elegant keyboards.
1977 Tempus Fugit (Crypto)
MONA LISA
A group initially influenced greatly by ANGE and GENESIS but which managed to move gradually away from these models to create its own music based on a preponderance of the keyboards and vocals. MONA LISA create a very elaborate and elegant progressive music founded on the singer’s assured vocals, refined and finely arranged compositions, and instrumental and melodic finesse. A major French rock group.
1974 L’Escapade (Arcane)
1975 Grimaces (Arcane)
1977 Le petit violon de Mr. Grégoire (Crypto)
1978 Avant qu’il ne soit trop tard (Crypto)
MORAVAGINE
A forerunner of CHUTE LIBRE, MORAVAGINE can be classed in the same musical vein as that group, offering a sophisticated, powerful, slightly Latin jazz-rock with Denis BARBIER’s flute, Pierre-Jean GIDON’s sax, Olivier HUTMAN’s keyboards. A real pleasure for lovers of forceful, original, dynamic and sophisticated jazz rock.
1976 Moravagine (Promophone)
MOVING GELATINE PLATES
This legendary group from the early 70’s was influenced by SOFT MACHINE, ZAPPA and EAST OF EDEN, M.G.P nevertheless succeeded in creating a fine, progressive rock which developed very complex melodies with original and polished arrangements. M.G.P produced two superb albums which are indispensable collector’s items for all progressive rock fans.
1971 Moving Gelatine Plates (CBS)
1972 The World of Genius Hans (CBS)
Synths, Sax & Situationists 