As I am just about to upload the excellent Orient-Express "Cocktail Molotov" release on Bandcamp (the 50 copy CDR edition is now sold-out), I was also figuring out ways to include the CD-rom material I put on the disc so it can be added to the download. Basically, the reviews and articles had to be downgraded to text files, so I thought - how about including the Audion 43 Zeuhl article on here as well? So, here goes...
The French Zeuhl legacy
Important - as Zeuhl is such an abstract concept, and not the easiest of "categories" to define, we strongly recommend that before reading this article you should check out the previous Zeuhl articles in Audion #41 and #42! Then, hopefully, it should all make sense!
We usually associate a musical stylism with a fashion, and often with the history, musical heritage and culture of a country, or more obviously just by its language. But, none of that has never been the case with Zeuhl. It is a genre that is devoid of any definable cultural reference. It pretty much happened by accident, experimentation, and the drawing-in of unlikely musics (all together) to make something new. It may seem bizarre (and unlikely), but it is possible to create something new that is identifiable with a Country, though this is all the more bizarre with Zeuhl, where the language and influences behind the musical genre are actually alien to the national culture itself. Zeuhl, taking its pointers from the pioneering work of Magma and its offshoots, became a new musical idiom, identifiable as, but not typically, French. Of course, as is always the case, no one in France realised this scene existed, until some journalist gave it a name!
The results of opening the doors to a new form of expression, saw an onslaught of new bands intent on exploring the genre further. Some just copied their mentors, others took the initiative to explore further, swelling the concept of Zeuhl, encompassing a wider range of musics. The edges of the genre have blurred ever since, with more conventional rock and jazz, and also melded seemlessly into the (also almost indescribable) field of "neo-chamber" RIO musics as explored by bands like Art Zoyd or Univers Zero. But, that's another story. In this article I'll try to give you all a run-down on 33 of the many different French bands and artists that swelled the ranks of Zeuhl and related musics...
Abus Dangereux
On the borderline of Zeuhl, this jazz-rock band (later known as just: Abus) fronted by guitarist Pierre Jean Gaucher took the funky Magma sound of the late-70's and mixed it with more typical French jazz-fusion. Abus Dangereux's music will appeal to those into jazz more than experimental/progressive sounds.
LE QUATRIÈME MOUVEMENT (LP: AJ Records 3021) 12/79 © 1980
BIS (LP: Eleanore EL 31482) 2/82 © 1982
HAPPY FRENCH BAND (LP: Metro JB 105) 9-10/83 © 1983
LIVE (LP: Metro JB 106) © 1985
JAZZ 'N' ROLL (LP/CD: Metro JB 107) © 1986
Pierre Jean Gaucher (guitars), Eric Bono (pianos, synthesizers), Laurent Kzrewina (saxes), Alain Mourey (drums), Pascal Gaillard (bass), Sylvie Voise (voice), Caitriona Walsia (voice), Dan Ken (vibes), Armaud Jarlan (percussion), Nigel Warren Green (cello)
Altaïs
Amongst the later wave of Zeuhl acts these were one that caught much international attention at the time. This was obviously because their EP was wholly derivative of Magma, right down to the non-specific language male/female vocals, clunky drums and bass. Their main originality came from the dual synthesizers, stepping beyond Eskaton, and a hint of post-punk aggression. An amusing point is that some of the vocals (penned in their own make-believe language) can sound really funny to English ears!
Altaïs/Promenade.../Gravitation Zero (12" EP: Altaïs 1021) © 1986
Sandrine Fougère (vocals), Philippe Goudier (vocals, percussion), Patrick Joliot (drums, percussion), Isabelle Nuffer (vocals, piano, synthesizer), Michelle Puttland (synthesizer), Jean-Marie Sadot (bass)
Michel Altmeyer & Troll
Existing since the early-70's Troll remained pretty much a "second circuit" band throughout their history, although they could arguably be claimed as influential and seminal. Their original album is pretty obscure, but at that time they featured the Genesis inspired guitarist Jean-Pascal Boffo, so it may not have been Zeuhl at all. The only actual Troll recordings I've heard are by later incarnations of the band. Over the years numerous versions of Troll existed, many including musicians from the Magma family. Eventually though, only Michel remained from the original band, and so the album issued by Musea was put out under his name.
TROLL (LP) © 19??
TROLL, VOL. 2 (LP: Musea FGBG 2010) 11/86+12/87 © 1988
Michel Altmayer (drums, keyboards, vocals, bass), + Bernard Paganotti, Francis Moze, Stella Vander, Guy Khalifa, Klaus Blasquiz (all from Magma), Yvon and Alain Guillard (ex-Weidorje), and others.
Archaïa
Although really avid fans of Magma, Archaïa were surprisingly not always Zeuhl per-se, as they had a lot of other influences, and a great deal in the way of their own originality. They had the chants and rhythmic elements down to a tee (similar to a British band of that era: Metabolist), but mixed in all sorts of weird ideas. Their use of electronics lent comparisons to Heldon, Zed, Arachnoid or Eskaton. Their self produced album amounted to "a must" for fans of the more outlandish end of the Zeuhl genre.
ARCHAÏA (LP: Archaïa 77.976) 8/77 © 1977 (CD: Soleil Zeuhl 01) «3 bonus tracks» © 1998
Pierrick Le Bras (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Michel Munier (bass), Philippe Bersan (vocals, keyboards, percussion)
Bedjabetch
Bedjabetch played a lively jazzy instrumental rock with unique style, notably with hints of ZAO, and more typical French space-prog elements (i.e. Gong, Clearlight, Neo, etc.) comparable to Joël Dugrenot's solo work.
SUBREPTICEMENT (LP: AWA BB 006) © 1979
Serge Bringolf & Strave
Reputedly at one time involved in Magma (though I have no firm evidence to support it) drummer Bringolf was as much musically inspired by classic (late-60's/early-70's) Miles Davis. The brassy jazz feel of the debut double was obviously a dedication to Magma, though its focus and funky late-70's Zeuhl edge made it different. Increasingly, with each album, the Strave sound developed. This was in part down to guitarist Alain Eckert (also of Art Zoyd) and a more robust rocky sound. All their releases are pretty obscure.
STRAVE (2LP: Omega Studio OM 67016) © 1980
VISION (LP: Omega Studio OM 67028) 7/81 © 1981
AGBOVILLE (LP: Omega Studio OM 67044) © 1983
LIVE (LP: RBO R 1.383 D) 26/3/82 © 1983
Serge Bringolf (drums), Philippe Geiss (sax), D. Petithory (trumpet), B. Eck (tuba), Alain Eckert (guitar), Claude Boussard (bass), Mano Kuhn (vocals), Alain Lecointe (bass), Emmanuel Séjourné (vibes), Francis Bourrec (sax), Thierry Eckert (bass), etc.
André Ceccarelli
A jazz-funk artist who flirted with Zeuhl stylisms in the late-70's, he also guested with other fringe Zeuhl inspired bands. He's also well-known as a session musician.
CECCARELLI (LP: Carla CAR 500.002) © 1977
Clystere
Not strictly Zeuhl, but related, Clystere were a free-form guitar and bass duo stepping beyond the weirder creations of Jannick Top, and were related to Shub Niggurath and Sleaze Art.
DAEMONI, ETIAM VERA DICENTI, NON EST CREDENUM (MC: Clystere) © 1987
Frank W. Fromy (guitar), Kaspar T. Toeplitz (bass)
Dün
As much a mixture of other fusions as Zeuhl, Dün will however please many into the genre. A full review of the CD reissue will be found elsewhere in this issue.
EROS (LP: Sabathé SAB 001) © 1981 (CD: Soleil Atreides 03) «4 bonus tracks» © 2000
Laurent Bertaud (drums), Jean Geeraerts (guitars), Bruno Sabathé (piano, synthesizer), Pascal Vandenbulke (flutes), Alain Termol (percussion), Thierry Tranchant (bass)
Eider Stellaire
Originally known as "Astarte" in the 1970's, these started as an avant-garde form of Zeuhl, becoming Eider Stellaire when drummer Michel Le Bars took over the band. He obviously modelled himself on Christian Vander, taking over the band, and conceived a new twist on the Zeuhl model.
Expanding to seven piece, and in parallel to Shub Niggurath (some members worked in both bands) they achieved a debut that was hailed as "the Magma album that Magma never quite made". Magma did hint at this with Mekanik Zain or De Futura, but Eider Stellaire had a real mean guitarist with the precision and fire of John McLaughlin. Furiously creative, thunderous (i.e. with brilliant high-power riffing) and with dual female vocals (wordless), it's all a mixture of dazzling solos and mad frenzy! For one brilliant album at least, Eider Stellaire were the monsters of Zeuhl. It' a shame that the album remains so obscure.
As we know from experience, nearly all bands that burn so brightly on their debut dwindle afterwards, and their untitled second LP was extremely mellow and languorous in comparison. More original and more avant-garde, maybe, but less cohesive or gripping. With their third album, a step back to the rocky Zeuhl sound, fronted again by Delchat's guitar, they were getting there, but (so I gather) the band split-up before the album was finished.
EIDER STELLAIRE (LP: K001) 5/81 © 1981
EIDER STELLAIRE (LP: K002) © 1986
EIDER STELLAIRE 3 (LP: Musea FGBG 2009) © 1988
Jean-Claude Delachat (guitar), Patrick Singery (bass), Pierre Gerard-Hirne (piano, organ), Michel Le Bars (drums), Véreonique Perrault (electric piano), Franck Coullaud (percussion), Isabelle Nuffer (electric piano), TRX5 (bugle), etc., and guests.
Eskaton
One of the first non Magma related Zeuhl acts to make a big impression, Eskaton genuinely struck out with a new angle on the genre on their debut EP, crossing the Magma KÖHNTARKÖSZ sound with a fiery almost ritualistic music. The dual female vocals, multi-keyboards and sizzling guitar, all made for a complex and distinctive sound. Especially evident was the fact that Eskaton kept pushing on in their own direction, becoming more electronic and less Zeuhl on 1982's FICTION. The band kept on well into the late-80's, recording a further album in 1985 called I CARE. This remains unreleased!
Le Chant De Terre/If (7": MPA E 01) 4/79 © 1979
ARDEUR (LP: MPA E 38001) 8/80 © 1980
4 VISIONS (MC: Eurock EDC 05) 1979 © 1981 (CD: APM 9511) «1 bonus track» © 1995
FICTION (LP: MPA E 38301) 9/82 © 1983
André Bernardi (bass), Gérard Konig (drums), Alain Blésing (guitar), Gilles Rozenberg (guitar, organ, synthesizer), Eric Guillaume (electric piano), Marc Rozenberg (vocals, piano, synthesizer), Paule Kleynaert (vocals), Amara Tahir (vocals), plus guests.
Frank W. Fromy
The bassist from Shub Niggurath, Frank attempted to push Zeuhl elements into the classical avant-garde, coming up with something quite austere and strange, and totally unclassifiable.
QUATRE AXES MUTANTS (LP: Musea Parallèle MP 5002) © 1989
Lucie Ferrandon (voice), Marie Faure (piano), Marie-Pascale Jallot (viola), Danièle Dumas (soprano sax), Sylvie Jerusalem (tuba), Pierre Quesnay (bass), Pierre G. Monteil (bass), Alain Ballaud (bass), Alain Mouray (drums, percussion), Laurence Kopelovitch (voice), Frank W. Fromy (voice, effects), Claire Dixmier (alto sax), Bernard Guerin (baritone sax), Guillaume Wapoel (viola), Françoise Sachse (viola), Sylvain Dupasquier (cello)
Hiatus
One of those strange hybrids between experimental jazz and more progressive rock-fusions, their LP was later reissued by Cryonic (home to Art Zoyd and others at the time) and fits-in quite well, though it is much jazzier and only has marginal Zeuhl elements.
AVANT-DEMAIN (LP: HI 5893) © 1984
Stéphane Deschamps (keyboards), Abdoulaye Fall (tenor sax), Pascal Gutman (bass), Franck Marsicano (guitar), Jean-François Riviere (drums)
Honeyelk
Right down to mock "Kobian" vocals, Honeyelk were adept explorers of the Kobaia to Wurdah Ïtah era Magma sound, with good clunky bass, multi-winds and keyboards, a nice jazzy concoction (but not jazz-rock) with strange use of rhythm and form. They made the one low-budget self-produced album that has a unique charm and style.
By 1979, however, they'd had plenty of time to get it together, with their history stretching back to pop bands in the 60's, and having attempted to make a break in England on numerous occasions, their music also drew in Canterbury/British prog-rock influences (notable on the CD bonus material), amounting to a unique mix of styles that go a lot wider ranging than Zeuhl per-se.
STOYZ VI DOZÉVÉLOY (LP:Oxygene OXY 047) 9/79 © 1980 - reissued as: EN QUÊTE D'UN MONDE MEILLEUR... (CD: Musea FGBG 4153.AR) «4 bonus tracks» © 1995
William Grandordy (pianos, synthesizers), Gérard Blanc (bass, vocals), Pierre Yves Maury (clarinet, tenor sax), Christian Blanc (drums, percussion, vocals), Frank Louisolo (guitars)
Mosaic
Not so much Zeuhl, although that's where their roots were, earlier spelling their name in "Kobian" style Mozaïk. These were one of the really creative underground bands, that by the time they managed to release an LP had changed and developed their own unique style of music. All the Zeuhl elements were in their music, but totally transformed into something new. They had that weirdo proto new-wave edge (akin to Archaïa) with Jannick Top (cum Hugh Hopper) type fuzz bass work, and an intensive almost Henry Cow like radical invention, so much so that many tracks ventured to yet other unexpected genres. A unique and rare classic.
ULTIMATUM (LP: Ekimoz 441 5278) © 1978
Jye Esko (guitars, synthesizers, voice), P.L.M.G. (basses, cello, synthesizers, percussion, acoustic guitar, voice), Hubert de Nampcel (drums, percussion), Yves Brebion (piano, acoustic guitar)
Musique Noise
It is said that "plagiarism is the greatest form of flattery" - or something like that, and Musique Noise went out-and-out to plagiarise the Magma sound so much that they really over-did it. They played on the complex jazzy elements and operatic vocals notably, and put it all into a churning rhythmic structure with strong changes and mood-swings, adding modern late-80's production, bringing the early-70's sound up-to-date.
FULMINES REGULARIS (LP: Musea FGBG 2028) 7+10/88 © 1989
Isabelle Bruston (vocals), Jean-Philippe Gallet (vocals, sax), Frédéric Huynh (bass), Denis Levasseur (piano, synthesizers), Cornélia Schmid (vocals), Philippe Zarka (drums, percussion, voice)
Neo Museum
Alan Terrill (who often writes in Audion) said that Neo Museum "play an intelligent low-key jazz-rock, not unlike Hellebore" which is partly true, except that they were far less radical, and also drew-in Zeuhl and RIO stylisms, the bass and drums relating to raunchy Magma and the sax more in that early instrumental Zappa vein.
NOUVELLES ETHNOLOGIQUES DE L'OSCUR MUSEUM (LP: AYAA dt 0586) 2+11+12/85 © 1986
Alain Casari (alto sax), Antoine Gindt (guitar, bass, piano), Daniel Koskowitz (drums), + Jacques Veille (trombone), Pascal Sieger (sopranino sax), Jérôme Bourdellon (bass clarinet, flute), Raoul Binot (tenor sax)
Orient-Express
On the uncharted far borderland of Zeuhl, this experimental duo (featuring Pascale Jakubowski, also of Delta 4) played a music that ran from new-wave through to Zeuhlian textures, largely down to Erik Baron's superb bass guitar work acting as a base to Pascale's multi-instrumental talents.
COCKTAIL MOLOTOV (MC: Musique en Chantier MC 002) © 1987
Erik Baron (bass), Pascale Jakubowski (piano, voice, bass clarinet), plus guests.
Potemkine
Named after the Russian battleship (I wonder why?), Potemkine were unique innovators themselves in French explorative jazz-rock, though almost certainly originally inspired by Soft Machine. Formed by the Goubin brothers (Philippe and Charles) and Doudou Dubiusson, the band were pretty stable (adding a third Goubin on keyboards), taking Zeuhl-isms and twisting them into a music of their own creation.
As to what their debut single was like - I've no idea. (It may not even exist! - ED.) Their debut LP, aptly titled FOETUS, saw a gelling of moody jazz forms, like a sedate ZAO, with many of the characteristics we normally associate with the Canterbury scene. It would seem that working with Vertø after this (see write-up below) rubbed-off on them greatly, and as a precise trio they came up with the Zeuhl masterwork TRITON, a condensing of those ideas Jannick Top was all too rarely given ample room for in Magma, recomposed into fiery rock and jazz forms, all complex jigsaw-puzzles of riffs, motifs/refrains and solos, linked in a way unexplored except in more recent Univers Zero and Present. Other recordings from this era are featured on the CRAC! festival album (a bootleg I believe) proving them capable of playing such complex music live.
Barely 6 months on though (they'd probably grown weary of being labelled "copyist" by the media) it was all-change, moving to a more typically French lightweight jazz-rock with a funky edge. The third Goubin brother was involved full-time with this one, and I guess it is his jazz roots that took over. 1978's NICOLAS II is a fine album for fans of French jazz-rock.
I don't know if any further albums exist, though I know of concert dates, and that they were touring in January 1989 largely performing works from TRITON.
Rictus/Mystère (7") © 1974
FOETUS (LP: Pôle 0010) © 1976
TRITON (LP: Voxigrave V30/ST7162) 3/77 © 1977
NICOLAS II (LP: Phaeton 7801) 1/78 © 1978
Philippe Goubin (percussion, piano, vocals), Charles Goubin (guitars, piano, bells, vocals), Michel Goubin (pianos, synthesizers, vocals), Doudou Dubiusson (bass, flexatone, claves, vocals), plus guests.
Jean-Paul Prat's "Masal"
Another Christian Vander modelled drummer: Jean-Paul Prat was the brains behind Masal, who in 1975 tried their best to latch-on to the success of Magma. After a number of reformations Jean-Paul eventually got together a solo project which he named MASAL and released an LP. It's one of those oddities of Zeuhl, in that it sometimes sounds like a German prog-rock album from the late-70's mixed with American jazz-rock, whilst it is also very Magma inspired (partly down to the bass and drums, the fiery riffing and dense textures), and as such it remains unique.
MASAL (LP: Stand-By SB 83121) 7/82 © 1984 (CD: Musea FGBG 4155.AR) «4 bonus tracks» © 1995
Jean-Paul Prat (drums, piano, voice), Hervé Gourru (bass), Jean-Jacques Willig (piano, synthesizers), Viviane Galo (piano, voice), Norbert Galo (guitar), Alain Escure (guitar), Carlo Grassi (guitar), Eric Duval (percussion), Gérard Geoffrey (flutes), Richard Heritier (saxes, flute), Georges Rolland (saxes), Richard Negro (trumpet), Gilles Morard (trombone), Bernard Morard (choir)
Rahmann
In many ways Rahmann fit as much into the typical French progressive jazz-rock scene of the 1970's as they do Zeuhl, despite the fact that they were formed by an Algerian! Interestingly, the band's history involves them playing support to Magma on many occasions, with numerous members attempting to join Magma's ranks over the years. Eventually they did become related to the Magma family, when Gérard Prevost (ex-ZAO) joined for a short while in May 1979, and stylistically they were similar whilst also blending in symphonic progressive elements akin to Asia Minor or Camel.
RAHMANN (LP: Polydor 2393 252) 2/77-5/78 © 1980 (CD: Musea FGBG 4261.AR) «4 bonus tracks» © 1998
Mahamad Hadi (guitars, oud, bouzouki, snitra), Amar Mecharaf (drums, percussion), Michel Rutigliano (pianos, ARP), Gérard Prévost (basses), Louis-César Ewande (percussion), plus guests.
Resonance II
An obscure band with hints of Zappa in a Zeuhl spiced instrumental fusion, mixed with folk and offbeat arrangements. Their album aptly lived up to its title "All Directions"..
TOUTES DIRECTIONS (LP: Cabana CA 94272) 9-15/4/84 © 1985
Jean Wittmann (drums, percussion), Yannick Dungler (bass), Alain Fabre (guitar, synthesizer), Richard Chapoy (saxes, synthesizer)
Shub Niggurath
Amongst the most innovative and original bands to emerge as Zeuhl, Shub Niggurath, who took their name from the writings of horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, also sought the darkness of his literature as inspiration for their lyrics and bizarre musical invention.
The thing is, how many bands do you know of with a Scottish soprano and a trombone player? In Shub Niggurath's music, the bizarre is melded seemlessly into a music that one hand recalls ÜDÜ WÜDÜ era Magma, yet on the other sounds like a weird mixing of Stravinsky and King Crimson's Fracture, along with all sorts of other elements. Their debut cassette (only ever intended as a demo) so impressed everyone, that the fledgling Musea label were eager to release an album. LES MORTS VONT VITE was a breath of fresh air at a time when such innovative music was becoming rare, signalling the birth of a new wave of Zeuhl that sent shock-waves around the world.
Sadly, as soon as their reputation began to spread, the band began to fall apart, first the drummer left, then the guitarist, followed by Ann Stewart. A new drummer with Franck Coulaud's fiery intensity eluded them, and thus a change in their style was inevitable. They decided to go more avant-garde, which I guess surprised everyone, especially as their new vocalist Sylvette Claudet had a jazzier style. Still Zeuhl in character, but without many of the usual rock or jazz structures the later Shub Niggurath is quite challenging, and an island unto itself.
SHUB NIGGURATH (MC: SN 6153) © 198?
LES MORTS VONT VITE (LP: Musea FGBG 2002) 3/86 © 1986 (CD: Gazul GA 8613.AR) «2 bonus tracks» © 1997
LIVE (MC: Auricle AMC 035) 13/1/89 © 1989
C' ÉTAIENT DE TRÈS GRANDS VENTS (CD: Musea FGBG 4042.AR) 11/90-1/91 © 1991
Alain Ballaud (bass), Franck Coulaud (drums), Franck W. Fromy (guitar, percussion, electronics), Jean-Luc Hervé (pianos, organ, harmonium), Ann Stewart (vocals), Véronique Verdier (trombone, percussion), Sylvette Claudet (voice), Michel Kervinio (drums), Jean-Pierre Lourdeau (voice), Edward Perraud (drums)
Sleaze Art
Originally a meeting of five bassists, notably Alain Ballaud (Shub Niggurath) and Kaspar T. Toeplitz (Clystere) playing the most free-form Zeuhl related music on the planet. The roots of it all go back to the experimental bass works of Jannick Top and Bernard Paganotti, though in Sleaze Art the musical element is pretty minimal.
SLEAZE ART (MC) © 1987
A DEMI-MORT/HALF ALIVE (MC: Underground SUB 15) 1988 © 1989
ILLUMINATION ROUNDS (CD: Vice V1) © 19??
Alain Ballaud (bass), Christos Carras (bass), Pierre Quesnay (bass), Pierre-Gédéon Monteil (bass), Kaspar T. Toeplitz (bass)
St.-Erhart
Much more typically French prog-fusion than most bands here, these had notable hints of Magma and a smooth spacey style.
PAPRIKA (LP: Omega Studio OM 67020) 11/80 © 1981
Philippe Geiss (tenor/alto/soprano saxes, marracas), Emmanuel Sejourné (vibes, marimba, piano, bells), Claude Boussard (bass), Gilles Fontan (drums, bells, triangle, vibra-slap), plus guests.
Bernard Szajner
A synthesist, best-known these days as the designer of the laser-harp (used at Jarre concerts), he originally recorded an album as "Zed" fusing complex synth-sequencer music with Zeuhl characteristics and coming up with a highly original genre cross-over. It was quite a success, so hereafter he went on to release albums under his own name. Changing the subject matter from sci-fi to an Amnesty International anti-imprisonment concept had mixed results, with the A-side still impressing. Former Magma singer Klaus Blasquiz adds weird growled/processed vocals on both of these albums.
Not at all Zeuhl in any way, Szajner's next album SUPERFICIAL MUSIC was an extraordinary remix/deconstruction of VISIONS OF DUNE involving loops, tapes at wrong speed, etc. After that, another career change saw him attempting to be a French Gary Numan!
Zed - VISIONS OF DUNE (LP: Initial Recording Co. IRC 003) © 1979 (CD: Spalax 14547) © 1999
SOME DEATHS TAKE FOREVER (LP: Pathé 2C 070-14863) © 1980 (Initial Recording Co. IRC 005) © 1980 (CD: Spalax 14545) © 1999
SUPERFICIAL MUSIC (LP: Initial Recording Co. IRC 008) © 1981
Bernard Szajner (synthesizers, vocoder, sequencer), Colin Swinburne (guitar), Clement Bailly (drums), Hanny Rowe (bass), Klaus Blasquiz (voice), Annanka Raghel (voice) + Pierre Chavez (guitars), Marc Geoffroy (pianos, synthesizer), Bernard Paganotti (bass), Michael Quartermain (vocals), Alain Aguis (sax), Michael Rabinowitz (bassoon)
Transit Express
An obscure jazz-rock and progressive band that often flirted with Zeuhl styled arrangements. Their complex blend of progressive styles was always typically French, but they were at their most Zeuhl and jazzy (in a ZAO, Potemkine way) when joined by violinist David Rose on their third album.
Of related interest: In return, members of Transit Express also played in David Rose's band (very much in the Didier Lockwood vein) and there was another interconnected band called Blue Rose (which I haven't heard) that could be of note.
PRIGLACIT (LP: RCA Balance FPL1 0089) 7/75 © 1975
OPUS PROGRESSIF (LP: RCA Balance FPL1 0130) © 1976
COULEURS NATURELLES (LP: RCA Balance PL 37020) © 1977
Dominique Bouvier (drums, percussion), Jean-Claude Guselli (bass), Christian Leroux (guitars), Serge Perathoner (keyboards, synthesizer), David Rose (violin)
Ulan Bator
Formed as the extreme noise combo Miss Marvel ca. 1993, Ulan Bator developed via post-wave/new-wave grunge hybrids. They then went on to fuse Zeuhl stylisms, creating a fiery blend full of surprising twists on the genre. After involvement with a 90's version of Heldon, more recent Ulan Bator releases have surprisingly gone in a completely different direction!
ULAN BATOR (CD: DSA CDSA54038) © 1995
EP (CDEP: DSA CDSA54043) © 1996
Amaury Cambuzat, Olivier Manchon, Franck Lantignac.
Vertø
Like so many French experimental bands, Vertø was actually the vehicle for one man, in this case guitarist and electronics dabbler Jean-Pierre Grasset. As a soloist, he largely explored use of echo/delay systems with the guitar, folding-back sound using two reel-to-reel machines. On side 1 of his debut KRIG/VOLUBILIS he sought the aid of musicians from Potemkine, for a Heldon-esque version of the heavy Magma ÜDÜ WÜDÜ type sound, characterised by lots of fuzzed bass and guitars, and lots of studio trickery. With REEL 19·36 he explored other avenues, largely aided by Magma's Benoit Widemann.
KRIG/VOLUBILIS (LP: Pôle 0009) © 1976
REEL 19·36 (LP: Fléau 7004) 2-3/78 © 1978
Jean-Pierre Grasset (guitars, drums, electronics), + Gilles Goubin, Michel Goubin, Dominique Dubuisson and Charles Goubin (of Potemkine), Benoit Widemann (synthesizers, bass), Jean-Pierre Fouquey (bass), Cyrille Lefebvre (dobro), etc.
Vortex
Although I've never encountered their debut, I can assure you that Vortex were a fascinating band working at the darker end of Zeuhl. Their second album evokes just the spooky atmosphere you'd expect with such a title, pre-empting later Shub Niggurath, mixing classical elements with all sorts of Magma stylisms and jazzy edges (elements of Art Zoyd, early instrumental Zappa/Mothers, etc.), it amounts to a stunning album.
VORTEX (LP: JBP 463) © 1975
LES CYCLES DE THANATOS (LP: FLVM 3008) 7/77+7/78 © 1979
Jean-Michel Belaich (drums, percussion), Christian Boisel (oboe, cor anglais, electric piano, synthesizers), Alain Chaleard (percussion), Jacques Gugot (saxes), Gerard Jolivet (saxes, clarinet), Maurice Sonjon (percussion), Jacques Vivante (bass), Jean-Pierre Vivante (pianos, organ), + Sunny James (violin), Michel Boisel (bassoon)
Xaal
Debuting with a really stunning eponymous cassette, Xaal proved to be one of the few bands to successfully fuse Zeuhl into an instrumental progressive rock. This was largely down to the unique dual guitars (one also guitar-synth) acting as the musical focus, and a rhythm section with almost psychic interplay. Cementing the Zeuhl edge further, the ex-Weidorje (much travelled session jazzers) Guillard brothers guested on their debut CD, a superb album of complex instrumental music, full of fiery riffs and dozens of solos.
A pretty consistent band, the only line-up change was the departure of Laurent Imperato, so the aptly titled SECONDE ERE also moved focus to a style that was both jazzier (a lot of guest brass-work is featured) and more symphonic-prog, thus less notably Zeuhl.
XAAL (MC: Xaal 001) © 1990
EN CHEMIN (CD: MSI 1163) © 1991 - aka: ON THE WAY (CD: Progressive International PRO 004) © 1991
SECONDE ERE (CD: Musea FGBG 4149.AR) 7/93 © 1995
Patrick Boileau (drums, percussion), Laurent Imperato (guitars), Nicolas Neimer (bass), Jad Ayache (guitar synthesizer, guitar), plus guests.
Xalph
An obscure band, existing since the mid-1970's, Xalph history later became entwined with that of Uppsala leader Philippe Cauvin. Keyboard player Serge Korjanevski worked with Cauvin (and vice versa) on solo album projects. The only documentation of Xalph we know of is on an obscure cassette sampler and Musea's ENNEADE where they sound similar to Xaal, but with vocals.
Patrick Briand (guitars), Jean-Michel Cursan (synthesizer, electric piano), Maurice Fari (drums), Serge Korjanevski (pianos, synthesizer), Jack Tocah (bass), Francoise Georges (vocals), Claire Laborde (vocals)
Yog Sothoth
Taking their name from the H.P. Lovecraft fictional demon, Yog Sothoth (also the name of a Shub Niggurath track) are unlikely to be what anyone would expect. They took Zeuhl characteristics and fused them garishly with British styled experimental jazz. The results are challenging, and certainly an acquired taste!
YOG SOTHOTH (LP: Cryonic MAD 3010) © 1984
Pascal Morrow (violin), Philippe Guillot (saxes, flute), Jean-Yves Joron (keyboards), Pierre-Gédéon Monteil (bass), Olivier Lechien (drums)
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Various Artists
There are not many sampler albums that concentrate on Zeuhl type music, making it a tough venture for anyone wanting to explore the genre. That's one reason I decided to do this article! Thankfully, for the uninitiated, Musea issued two records that explore aspects of this field...
DITHYRAMBE
This correlates works by the late-80's Zeuhl underground, involving Shub Niggurath and related acts: Ann Stewart, Sleaze Art and Kasper T. Toeplitz. This is the world of the weird, Gothic and the purely avant-garde end of Zeuhl musics.
DITHYRAMBE (LP: Musea FGBG 2015) © 1988
ENNEADE
A celebration of Zeuhl and related musics, with a new work from Magma (totally unrepresentative!), recordings by Magma members, and works by (then) current Zeuhl bands: Troll, Xalph, Eskaton, Shub Niggurath, Eider Stellaire, plus on the CD: Musique Noise, Farben (only recording known), Altaïs (from the EP) and Univers Zero (off "Crawling Wind").
ENNEADE (LP: Musea FGBG 2005) © 1987 (CD: Musea FGBG 4005) «4 bonus tracks» © 1989
So, there you have some 60 odd other releases to investigate! In the next Audion I'll scour the rest of the planet, and show how influential this French phenomenon has been with acts from England, Germany, Canada, Japan, and even the USA!
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Note: I will come back to this article and add pictures and YouTube links later.
So, watch this space!
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