The information about the bands below is based on the entries in the invaluable “LA DISCOGRAPHIE DU ROCK FRANÇAIS” By Francis Grosse & Bernard Gueffier.
NYL
Founded by two former members of the underground group CHEVAL FOU, NYL’s music bursts with energy and moves from rock songs, through tracks that evoke GONG or Christian BOULE’s space rock, to jazz-rock tinged with a MAGMA-style intensity. Note the presence of several renowned guests (J.TOP, A.KALMA etc.).
1976 Nyl (Urus)
OCEAN
1977 God’s Clown (Crypto)
OPEN AIR
OPEN AIR is influenced by YES and GENESIS, but plays a less complicated, less sophisticated, melodic and accessible progressive rock. It abandons long instrumental development for more concise, direct, compositions.
1978 Open Air (Chicago)
OPHIUCUS
This elegant, mainly acoustic music is based on superb, exquisite, polished vocal harmonies, very elaborate compositions and refined arrangements. OPHIUCUS’s music evokes ALICE, with a similar instrumental perfection, melodic richness and subtlety.
1972 Ophiucus (Barclay)
L’ORIGINE
One of the groups to emerge from the first wave of French rock.
1969 L’Origine (Pathé Marconi – single)
EMMANUELLE PARRENIN
Emmanuelle PARRENIN is a well-known female singer and musician from the French folk scene. Her first solo album showcases an acoustic, original and delicate progressive folk. Her apparently fragile, clear, sensitive, incredibly pure and beautiful voice soars above this refined music.
1977 Maison Rose (Ballon Noir)
PATAPHONIE
After a first delirious, very free album, PATAPHONIE released a second album of progressive rock that fitted into style of groups like as HENRY COW and NATIONAL HEALTH. A slight influence from the old school of French progressive rock can also be felt. This influence is mixed with some reminiscences of the 20th century European composers (BARTOK, SATIE, DEBUSSY).
1978 Le Matin Blanc (Féeri)
PENTACLE
This group was influenced by ANGE and KING CRIMSON’s first two albums. They create symphonic music built around the nostalgia of the singer’s voice, refined acoustic guitar and delicate, floating keyboards.
1975 La Clef des Songs (Arcane)
PERCEPTION
Jeff SEFFER’s group plays a jazz-rock close to ZAO’s with a more strongly asserted free tendency.
1971 Perception (Futura)
1973 & Friends (ADMI)
1975 Mestari (Chant du Monde)
1977 Live at Le Stadium (Souffle Continu)
RICHARD PINHAS
The man behind HELDON has recorded several albums under his own name that fit into the style of electronic, repetitive rock made popular by HELDON. However PINHAS’s solo music also represents his more personal experiences and offers a less violent, less extreme sound.
1977 Rhizosphère (Cobra)
1978 Chronolyse (Cobra)
1979 Iceland (Polydor)
1980 East West (CBS)
POTEMKINE
POTEMKINE play a powerful and original music. Their music is slightly tinged with classical music (DEBUSSY, MALHER) and shows MAGMA’s influence.
1977 Foetus (Pôle)
RAHMANN
A jazz-rock group who access their Arabic heritage to produce a rich, forceful, exotic music.
1980 Rahmann (Polydor)
RED NOISE
Formed by Boris VIAN’s son Patrick VIAN, RED NOISE assumed a politically committed, provocative, virulent rock.
1970 La Veuve du Hibou (Columbia – single)
1971 Sarcelles – Lochères (Futura)
ROB JO STAR BAND
This band was very unusual in the France of the 1970s bringing some of the garage rock sound of THE MONKS.
1975 Rob Jo Star Band (Dom)
RHESUS O
A group from MAGMA’s family. Founded by Francis MOZE, RHESUS 0 also included Richard RAUX (ex-MAGMA), Bernard PAGANOTTI and Jean-Paul ASSELINE (both future members of MAGMA). RHESUS O’s music is evocative MAGMA’s first album with a fantastic rhythmic drive produced by the group’s two excellent bassists, Serge LENOIR and Francis MOZE. There are Superb jazzy themes in the same vein as SOFT MACHINE’s Third and Forth during which the two keyboardists and Alain HATOT on the saxophone play inspired passages.
1971 Rhesus O (Epic)
CATHERINE RIBIERO
The leading female singer of French “rock”. With 2 Bis she made one of the first French progressive rock albums (and, what’s more, sung in French). With every production she developed her very original, forceful progressive rock during which her singing mingled with the strange sounds of Patrice MOULLET’s guitar-lyre and percuphone. Throughout their career Catherine RIBEIRO and ALPES have produced one of the best progressive sounds in France; a music which remains original, dominated by Catherine RIBEIRO’s wild singing.
1969 Catherine Ribeiro + 2 bis (Festival)
1975 (Libertés ?) (Philips)
1977 Le temps de l’autre (Philips)
1979 Passions (Philips)
1980 La déboussole (Philips)
HENRI ROGER
A keyboardist from POLE productions who has recorded 4 albums. The first is inspired by early HELDON. The three later albums feature more floating themes and a more personal atmospheric music
1975 Images (Pôle)
ROTOMAGUS
A group with an original line-up including three vocalists alongside a traditional rhythm section (guitar, bass, drums). Their music was greatly influenced by VANILLA FUDGE with the same fondness for ethereal, polished vocal harmonies, an evanescent atmosphere and brusque, violent rhythmic flourishes.
2011 The Sky Turns Red: Complete Anthology (Lion)
Synths, Sax & Situationists 