It seems that the French Prog scene was one of the most prolific and prominent in the 1970s, and it's also one of those I'm most fond of, my favourite albums being:
Ange - Au-delá Du Délire (1974)
Asia Minor - Crossing the Line (1979)
Atoll - L’Araignee-mal (1975)
Clearlight - Clearlight Symphony (1975)
Gong - Shamal (1975)
Heldon - Heldon 6. Interface (1977)
Magma - Üdü Wüdü (1976)
Pulsar - Halloween (1977)
Last edited by David_D; 03-16-2024 at 07:22 PM.
Great 70s scene with lots of very different sounding bands, from symph to avant-garde to great jazz rock to more electronic things peppered with some theatricality. Big fan here too.
Last edited by Bytor; 03-16-2024 at 07:06 PM.
can't start to narrow to ten albums ;-)
Here is my Spotify list of French Progressive Rock.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1x...79160202b44b15
Memoriance was a remarkable band that is relatively unknown, even in France. They should be heard because they were able to record some great songs for two of their LPs released in the latter part of the 1970s. If you enjoy Ange, Atoll, and Carpe Diem, but also Roger Waters-era Pink Floyd, you will enjoy Memoriance.
When talking about Jazz-Rock and Progressive Electronic, my favourite albums areOriginally Posted by Bytor
Jean-Luc Ponty - Upon the Wings of Music (1975)
Jean-Michel Jarre - Oxygene (1976)
I've been very fond of them since the '70s when they actually, as far as I remember, together with Clearlight Symphony were the only French ones I knew and really liked, even I was also familiar with Üdü Wüdü.
13 Lard Free Gilbert Artman's Lard Free Fra 1973
13 Magma Hhai / Live Fra 1975
13 Plat du Jour Plat du Jour Fra 1977
13 Ripaille La Vieille que l'On Brula Fra 1978
12 Art Zoyd Generation Sans Futur Fra 1980
12 Dün Eros Fra 1981
12 Eskaton 4 Visions Fra 1980
12 Flamen Dialis Symptome-Dei Fra 1979
12 Hedayat, Dashiell Obsolete Fra 1971
12 Magma Magma Fra 1970
12 Vortex Vortex Fra 1975
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
In one of similar previous threads I already listed my French Top 20, but here they are again:
1. Laurent Thibault, Mais On Ne Peut Pas Réver Tout Le Temps
2. Magma, Live/Hhai
3. Eskaton, 4 Visions
4. Carpe Diem, En Regardant Passer Le Temps
5. Asgard, Tradition & Renouveau
6. Magma, Retrospektïw I-II
7. Shylock, Ile de fièvre
8. David Rose, Distance Between Dreams
9. Pulsar, The Strands of the Future
10. Pulsar, Halloween
11. Terpandre, s/t
12. Transit Express, Opus Progressif
13. Pentacle, La Clef Des Songes
14. Sandrose, s/t
15. Atoll, L’Araignée-Mal
16. Dün, Eros
17. Rialzu, s/t
18. Artcane, Odyssée
19. Atoll, Musiciens Magiciens
20. Transit Express, Couleurs Naturelles
With Bernard Paganotti & Klaus Blasquiz
The incredibly innovative band Catherine Ribeiro + Alpes was formed in 1968 and was very prolific in the 1970s. Their sound blends progressive rock, folk, and improvisation in a fairly experimental and psychedelic way. The "cosmophone" and the "percuphone" are two of the odd musical instruments that the band's member, Patrice Moullet, invented. Catherine Ribeiro has a low voice tone that is theatrical and declamatory, sometimes evoking Nico in a similar way to Brigitte Fontaine. The singing frequently has a strong dramatic intensity.
Their first two albums are, in my opinion, the best French prog-folk studio recordings from the late 1960s and early 1970s.
This video is from their performance at Brussells Cathedral in 1972.
I've seen that French Top 20 thread by now, and it's nice to see so many around here being very familiar with and fond of French Prog.
I've been thinking, besides diversity, Zeuhl and theatricality, what can be said to be specific about the '70s French scene? It seems to me that it was much influenced by both British and German progressive music.
A surprising omission is Moving Gelatine Plates.
I'm not lazy. I just work so fast I'm always done.
OK, so not exactly"prog" ... more jazz with a proggy influence, but how about Sixun? If you consider Weather Report as prog then this fits right in there too.
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A gentleman is defined as someone who knows how to play the accordion, and doesn't.
...and also:
CHUTE LIBRE
SPHEROE
EDITION SPECIALE
POTEMKINE (Nicolas II)
AKA Moon , not exactly Prog . The incredible Michel Hatzigeorgiou on Bass
They are Belgian, not French...
and not from the 70ies either (the band started in the 90ies).
But very good nevertheless, and yes M.H is a fantastic bass player.
I'm not a Frenche ... I'm a Belgie!
(Murder by Death - truly funny movie with some great actors of the time)
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A gentleman is defined as someone who knows how to play the accordion, and doesn't.
Some bands/artists from my collection:
François Bréant released some fine solo-albums in the seventies.
Ergo Sum: Mexico
Pataphonie: Le Matin Blanc
Alan Stivell released a couple of progressive influenced folkrock-albums
WLUD
Alan Stivell : 'Raok Dilestra = Avant D'accoster = Before Landing
François Bréant: Sons Optiques and Voyeur Extra-Lucide
All fine albums!
15 Moving Gelatine Plates The World of Genius Hans
14 Zao Z=7L
13 Aquaserge Laisse Ça Être
13 Art Zoyd Symphonie Pour Le Jour Ou Bruleront Les Cités (1980 re-recording)
13 Ducret, Marc News From The Front
13 Eckert, Alain Quartet Alain Eckert Quartet
13 Gauthier, Patrick Bebe Godzilla
13 Magma Magma
13 Magma 1001 Centigrades
13 Magma Félicité Thösz Fra
13 Magma Rïah Sahïltaahk
13 Marcoeur, Albert Armes et Cycles
13 Ponty, Jean-Luc Enigmatic Ocean
13 Thollot, Jacques Cinq Hops
12 Alco Frisbass Alco Frisbass
no tunes, no dynamics, no nosebone
Excellent list, many truly great albums.
Another of my Progressive Electronic favourite is Heldon's Electronique Guerilla.
Cool to see name checks of Tai Phong and Albert Marcoeur ("the French Zappa").
Another notable omission is one of my favorites, Mahjun. Their 1975 debut and 1977's "Happy French Band" are both on Spotify. (Also a bit shocked there is no Ange or Atoll there.)
Some favourites that I don't think were mentioned:
Arachnoid- s/t '79
Archaia- s/t '77
Artcane- Odyssee '77
Ocean- God's Clown '76
Weidorje- s/t '78
"The wind is slowly tearing her apart"
Sad Rain
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