Zebëhn Strain of Geustaah alias Christian Vander persists and signs! Since 1970 he is the soul and vitality of Magma , this legendary group that has no weaknesses or renunciations a musical experience unique.
view born in the era of progressive groups who were vilified by the next generation punk Magma is one of the few that were not rolled or shaken by the break following the new-wave generation: while the famous "dinosaur" rejected by the new rock rebels decided to take a well deserved retirement ( Emerson Lake and Palmer, King Crimson , Moody Blues ) or adapted themselves successfully but not without difficulties or disappointments in modernizing their music and making it easier and denying commercial and gradually their ideals (Yes , Genesis, Pink Floyd , Angel), Magma cash this break with dignity while remaining in line with its initial project, he declared by its leader from the first album of 1970 in a profession feverish faith and uncommon.
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| Magma in 1970 |
Those who know his work are all in agreement on this point: Christian Vander is not music, it "is "music. Christian Vander not play several instruments, he "is " instrument. Magma is the musical project of an ambitious man quite fascinating (genius? Extra-terrestrial from the planet Kôbai ? Or God?) Live music with all his soul and every pore of his skin Multi-instrumentalist well autodidact composer, singer, inventor of a new written language (the kobaïen) and a modern mythology inspired by ancient civilizations of Egypt or Central Europe. It is moreover considered by most musicologists and musicians as one of the ten best drummers in the world. charismatic leader, an impressive and almost disturbing Vander cultivates a musical revolutionary, humanistic approach, but also sociological and " politics "that he never abandoned, a harmonious expression of both complex and violent with the idea of rebellion and revolt against our poor condition. And it the difference with almost all other existing groups of its generation or not. During the explosion of punk, where bands of the 70s have unashamedly changed their tune to suit the fashions of the times in a manner somewhat venal Vander took advantage of this shift for set aside the sum of the first musical period characterized by hallucinatory trilogy Theusz hamtaahk well as the frenetic Attahk (probably the album's most powerful and most original that has emerged in France since the invention of the disk).
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| Magma in 1973 |
small reminder of the genesis of the work . Christian Vander was born in 1948 in Nogent-sur-Marne. Adopted son of jazz musician Maurice Vander he bathed early in a musical demanding and crosses her childhood names like Chet Baker (which gives him his first drum set at age 13 years) or Elvin Jones . He developed a passion for John Coltrane he worships, but also plays classical composers like Stravinsky or Bach. At 18 he founded his first band and started writing. But the death of Coltrane in 1967 Vander , very affected, feels the need to change their lives and went to Italy to play in various jazz bands. On his return to France he decided to found Magma in a revolutionary perspective: to offer a music never previously heard in the hexagon, and mystical martial at a time, hoping that it is a shock and a revelation for the listener. Her first album in 1970 reached that goal perfectly and therefore the band's career is launched, enriched by many talents over the years will join the group more or less temporarily (J annick Top to Didier Lockwood in through Benedict Widemann ). After his eighth studio album in 1984, the group returned to sleep for 20 years until the new album Ka in 2004 that calls Magma saddle. During these 20 years Vander proposed a reinterpretation of the musical approach of Magma , more acoustic this time with his new band Offering , but also through various experiments showing a great quest for spirituality (the magnificent recording To love example). Not forgetting his records of pure free jazz he dared approach his group in 1989 through Christian Vander Trio with the masterpiece Day after day, surpassing last block he imposed against the music by John Coltrane , arguing for years that no musician had no right to jazz after the work of this pioneering experiment. 's music Vander is very demanding and complex not always easily accessible, it has a dimension of great spiritual beauty but also the beaches of explosions, dissonance and violence. Not obvious to the public lambda! The day Magma be fully accessible to the general public I'd be very surprised indeed ... and worried! Because the risk of sounding elitist I'd rather Vander is not too popular among the general public but it remains itself and uncompromising! The key is to already have a place in the pantheon of music because it is this distinction, namely the recognition of music lovers and musicologists, who alone remained over time and across the centuries in music encyclopedias. And not necessarily the names of those who have been massively beloved of many in the moment the consumer via the phenomenon of generational patterns more or less ephemeral and dissemination gargantuan artificial and the music industry!
The Night We Died (DVD Epok 4/Concerts Triton May 31 to June 4, 2005)
For potential readers who do not know Magma and who want to discover the group of the best possible way, I tend to think that the ideal material is a stepwise and the easiest.
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| Atthaka (1978) |
It is best to start with Atthaka , this disc mentioned above, a force incredible, and contains tracks of incredible beauty. This LP was the response Vander rock critics who in 1977 said that Magma was retired and did nothing! They were not disappointed with the result. Then you must listen to the compositions and Theusz hamtaahk Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh that are present on the live Retrospektiw 1 & 2. These are the most accessible versions, feature a great record, and therefore more convincing than the original version of 1973 which suffers from its poor dynamic making everything easily accessible to the uninitiated. Very large disk of Magma therefore, probably the best concert. With Retrospektiw 1 & 2 I fell totally fan of the band, and since I'm used to advise novices because it is accessible to the public unlike some discs in the studio . We never forget that verbal intervention hallucinating Vander made in the introduction of Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh especially as expressed in French for once (not kobaïen as in the original studio). Here Zebëhn Strain of Geustaah begins his sentence with a deep voice and relentless module that gradually, reaching highs quite impressive, almost strident, an effect that adds further to the apocalyptic side of the verb:
" Terrien, if I've called, because you deserve it! Oh my God, and how brain conscience obliges me to do! Your rude and treacherous acts infuriated me! The sanctions will be imposed which you exceed the limits of understanding human and inhuman! For thou hast in thy immeasurable pride and your unfathomable ignorance with impunity dared to challenge me, challenge me, and trigger in all its immensity my anger terribly destructive, leading inexorably your punishment, accursed race! .
" Terrien, if I've called, because you deserve it! Oh my God, and how brain conscience obliges me to do! Your rude and treacherous acts infuriated me! The sanctions will be imposed which you exceed the limits of understanding human and inhuman! For thou hast in thy immeasurable pride and your unfathomable ignorance with impunity dared to challenge me, challenge me, and trigger in all its immensity my anger terribly destructive, leading inexorably your punishment, accursed race! .
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| Retrospektiw 1 & 2 (1981) |
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| Udu wudu (1976) |
The album Udu wudu is very endearing, with its collection of 5 songs on the first side, half-jazz, part pop, and hallucinating 18-minute piece on the second side named Future where the battery Vander and Jannick Top Bass engaged in the middle of throat singing, a technique and cerebral incredible duel in what remains as the most incredible song ever recorded on CD in the last 50 years (see video at the end of chronic boisterous interpretation extracted from a concert at Triton filmed in 2005). The piece being Top , it gives us some keys to understanding a short analysis published at the time on the record sleeve: " The people of Ork around us, but we do not see the point. This nation is made up of people who over machines are machines that are against us. Only a journey through time may allow us to see these creatures. Future is the story of this journey through time, a journey that shows us how to stop the illusory movement of passing time, a movement that prevents us from seeing. This trip is magical and enchanting, provided of course that we want to celebrate this adventure, persevere and get carried away. Behind the apparent harshness of this music, all is silence. "
The album long-awaited comeback, Ka is fairly withering, and very focused on songs of beauty and strength rarely affected in previous games. This remarkable recording was a good surprise for most fans, especially after 20 years of waiting!
The album long-awaited comeback, Ka is fairly withering, and very focused on songs of beauty and strength rarely affected in previous games. This remarkable recording was a good surprise for most fans, especially after 20 years of waiting!
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| Ka (2004) |
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| Kôbai (1970) |
We must also get the first disc Magma released in 1970, Kôbai double album which laid the foundations of the group, quite jazz, very melodic yet extremely aggressive and complex, with influences ranging from classical to Stravinsky Carl Orff . The double cover is one of the finest in rock history: on one side stands the huge group name. Just below the emissions of a huge eagle grinds relentlessly what appears to be the human world. Inside a beautiful drawing presents the eight members of the group posing as a black sun. Three of them are the Roman hello in his direction, the left arm, which was at the time raised eyebrows of some observers fools (it is true that this era of flower power not lend itself not quite to the inroads of a group like Magma ). A short text is provided to the listener: " Earth this concerns you. Your systems and your crush rebellions murder: in fact you do not destroy what you do not understand. We know you'll also destroyed. Our music is for the beauty you want to ignore and hate your evolution cursed. Across space and time, we expect a planet: Kôbai . We know this world since the day we opened their eyes, there are millions years. All those who choke down here after us. But that hope nothing hypocritical! Earth! You're already an oversight . Finally, on the back, logo percussive Magma , red on black. Sublime.
Essential, a sumptuous box Theusz hamtaahk trilogy making the final result of the same name in sound conditions ideal offering in order, the Sections Theusz hamtaahk , Wurdah ITAH and Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh . An ambitious result unparalleled in pop and rock and is here recorded live at Trianon 13 and 14 May 2000.
Essential, a sumptuous box Theusz hamtaahk trilogy making the final result of the same name in sound conditions ideal offering in order, the Sections Theusz hamtaahk , Wurdah ITAH and Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh . An ambitious result unparalleled in pop and rock and is here recorded live at Trianon 13 and 14 May 2000.
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| Theusz hamtaahk trilogy (2001) |
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| Day after day (1990) |
lovers of free jazz of John Coltrane will definitely listen Day after day, the disk Vander recorded with his jazz trio ( Vander on drums, Emmanuel Borghi the piano, and Philippe Dardelle on bass): free-jazz power, an energy and a rare mysticism, especially the song Dear mac a period of 27 minutes during which the there is a burst of notes enchanting and lyrical, an explosion of life unique and unforgettable. Profession of faith on the album cover: " We have not forgotten those beautiful years past, present and future. Here the music resonates forever preserved. With intact ... .
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| Himiko Paganotti Triton (2005) |
must also confront the experience Magma live (in person or on video). There are a series four DVD registered Triton in Paris in 2005 for four weeks when the group revisits his career, served by a sound and a high definition picture quality of a rare technical . If all groups in the world had the opportunity to present their music with such a brilliant way! In addition to former members who once belonged to the training and who succeed on the stage such Klaus Blasquiz ( first singer of legendary Magma ) Jannick Top or Benoit Widemann can find the song and the beautiful young Franco-Japanese Himiko Paganotti accompanied by his brother Antoine , two recruits charismatic children of former bassist Bernard Paganotti that left the band in 1976. In early 2008 the two inseparable left unfortunately they too Magma , like their father 30 years earlier, to try the musical adventure Slug with Emmanuel Borghi and guitarist Thomas Lucas . These precious DVD Myths and Legends be enjoyed without moderation (with a slight preference for volume 4, which contains the hilarious Zess followed by three sections of the magnum opus Ka ).
Future, the last 6 minutes (DVD Epok 2/Concerts Triton of 17 to 21 May 2005)
To summarize:
1/The DVD Myths and legends / Volume 4
2/LE CD Atthaka
3 / The CD Retrospektiw 1 & 2
4/Le CD Udu wudu
5/The CD Ka
6/Le box Theusz hamtaahk trilogy
7/Le CD Kôbai
And indispensable CD Christian Vander Trio : Day after day .
Long live Christian Vander, who promises us today with Magma the best is yet to come!
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