The information about the bands below is based on the entries in the invaluable “LA DISCOGRAPHIE DU ROCK FRANÇAIS” By Francis Grosse & Bernard Gueffier.
SANDROSE
Founded by Jean-Pierre ALARCEN and former members of EDEN ROSE, SANDROSE played progressive rock based on Rose PODWOJNY’s powerful voice, the floating sounds of the mellotron, and furious interventions by Jean-Pierre ALARCEN on guitar.
1972 Sandrose (Polydor)
SEMOOL
Free rock with tortured, aggressive sounds and in an underground experimental style typical of the Futura label.
1971 Essais (Futura)
SHYLOCK
A progressive rock group influenced by GENESIS and ‘Red’-period KING CRIMSON.
1976 Gialorgues (Gialorgues)
1978 Ile de fièvre (CBS)
GUY SKORNIK
Guy Skornik was a key member of François Wertheimer’s Popera Cosmic collective.
1969 Popera Cosmic – Les Esclaves (CBS)
1971 Pour Pauwels (Pathé)
SKRYVANIA
A group influenced by both French (ATOLL, ANGE, MONA LISA) and English prog (especially by GENESIS and KC) offering very elaborate music with complex instrumentation and musical developments.
1978 Skryvania (DMR)
SPACE ART
Space Art was a French electronic duo consisting of Dominique Perrier on keyboards and late French drummer Roger Rizzitelli. Their music is often described as cosmic synth pop. The duo are considered pioneers of the French electronic genre.
1977 Space Art (IF)
1977 Trip in the Center Head (IF)
SPACECRAFT
A guitar/keyboards duo offering a more aggressive, colder, and denser take on the German cosmic music.
1978 Paradoxe (no label)
SPEED LIMIT
Yochk’o SEFFER and Jean-Louis BUCCHI’s group play a ZAO-style jazz-rock propelled by the bass guitar of Joël DUGRENOT and Jannick TOP, and Yochk’o SEFFER’s sax. The group produced some original themes bursting with energy.
1975 Speed Limit (Chant du Monde)
1976 Speed Limit (RCA)
SPHEROE
One of the best progressive jazz rock groups in France, in the same style and depth as BRAND X, sharing a similar talent for forceful, technical, lyrical and polished compositions.
1977 Spheroe (Cobra)
1978 Primadonna (Cobra)
SYSTEME CRAPOUTCHIK
The ancestors of French rock. Formed in 1967, SYSTEME CRAPOUTCHIK included Jean-Pierre ALARCEN and produced refined music influenced by the BEATLES and CSNY with beautiful melodies, occasionally verging on varieté.
1969 Aussi loin que je me souvienne (Flamophone)
BERNARD SZAJNER
Bernard SZAJNER has mapped out his own unique course in French electronic music. His music is based on hypnotic electronic rhythms, with floating synthesisers and a multitude of noises and sounds effects creating varied, sometimes sombre, sometimes tense and aggressive atmospheres. (See also ZED)
1980 Some Deaths take forever (Pathé)
LAURENT THIBAULT
A former member of ZORGONES and MAGMA’S first bassist before becoming their producer and creating the Thélème label. Accompanied by numerous guests (David ROSE, Amanda PARSON, Francis MOZE etc) he made his first solo album on which he plays bass and guitars. It offers progressive rock bursting with ideas and spontaneity.
1978 Mais On Ne Peut Pas Rêver Tout Le Temps (Ballon Noir)
JACQUES THOLLOT
Another solitary musical alchemist who like Robert WYATT refused to restrict himself to being a drummer. Coming from the jazz world he produced an album composed of collages, short, strange and eccentric pieces.
1971 Quand Le Son Devient Aigu, Jeter La Girafe À La Mer (Futura)
TRAVELLING
Formed from the ashes of INTROVERSION, TRAVELLING’s music is greatly inspired by SOFT MACHINE’s first two albums.
1973 Voici La Nuit Tombée (Futura)
TRIANGLE
One of the first French groups to herald the arrival of the rock movement in France. Initially formed by three veterans of the French musical scene, the group suffered from the departure of their first guitarist, Alain RENAUD, after the recording of their debut single. They did not find their bearings again until the renowned jazz musician François JEANNEAU and the guitarist Mimi LORENZINI joined. TRIANGLE’s music drifts between slightly progressive rock and a more commercial sound.
1970 Triangle (Pathé EMI)
1971 Triangle (Pathé Marconi)
1973 Homonymie (Pathé Marconi)
TRIODE
Flute player Michel EDELIN’s group play purely instrumental music with strong jazz and funk influences. The flute is featured strongly, evoking early JETHRO TULL.
1971 On N’A Pas Fini D’Avoir Tout Vu (Futura)
UNIVERIA ZEKT
Project instigated by Laurent Thibault that made just the one album. The LP featured compositions by Teddy Lasry, Francois Cahen, and Christian Vander exploring different directions to Magma. Two tracks feature guest vocalists: Zabu (a singer from the proto-Magma days) and Lionel Ledissez (from Ergo Sum).
1972 The Unnamables (Thélème)
URBAN SAX
Gilbert ARTMAN’s group was initially made up only of saxophones, before incorporating some choral elements. Their music is repetitive and tense while also being quite hypnotic.
1977 Urban Sax (Cobra)
1978 Urban Sax 2 (Cobra)
Synths, Sax & Situationists 