20-09-94 Petit Journal Montparnasse, Paris 21-09-94 Petit Journal Montparnasse, 13 rue du Commandant Mouchotte, 18-10-94 Petit Opportun, 15 rue des Lavandiêres-Ste. Opportune, Paris 19-10-94 Petit Opportun, 15 rue des Lavandiêres-Ste. Opportune, Paris 20-10-94 Petit Opportun, 15 rue des Lavandiêres-Ste. Opportune, Paris 21-10-94 Petit Opportun, 15 rue des Lavandiêres-Ste. Opportune, Paris 22-10-94 Petit Opportun, 15 rue des Lavandiêres-Ste. Opportune, Paris
11-11-94 Festival Jazz-Velanet, Lavelanet (Between Toulouse & Perpignan)
08-12-94 Paris 09-12-94 Reims
09-10-94 Forum, Kentish Town, London (12am to 12pm)
The Japanese CDs of 'Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh' and 'Köhntarkösz' on A&M have been deleted.
In a recent interview (in Marquee Magazine) Stella Vander shed some light on the long-standing mystery about whether or not Magma will ever release their 1977 album entitled 'Inedits'. For many years we have been told either that Christian does not want to release it or that Seventh do not intend to reissue it on CD. Our persistent friends at Marquee magazine asked the question again and were told that this album fits better into the plans of AKT Records, and that it could not be remixed because the original tapes were only two-track stereo. At last we have an answer that explains some of the contradictions and gives hope for the fans who have been campaigning for this memento. The full interview with Stella appears in Marquee Magazine # 54 for those who can read Japanese, meanwhile Ork Alarm! will to try to get permission to reprint this interview.
CRYSTAL INFOS the French music magazine has a special feature on Magma in their October issue, which includes interviews with Christian, Stella and Klaus
Christian Vander's plans to perform 'Zëss' and 'Les Cygnes et les Corbeaux' with a symphony orchestra have changed (again). They now intend to perform the 'Theusz Hamtaahk' trilogy instead.
A thirty- One minute tape of the infamous 'Dëhrstün-Stündëhr' has surfaced in the collectors network, identified as a demo by René Garber entitled 'Heart Music'. One of the cuts is an early version of 'Eliphas Levi' and the main theme is the 'Wisëhndöh' part of 'The Night we died'. This acetate is the link between 'Attahk' and 'Merci' featuring some Kobaïan vocal choruses from René. It might be Christian drumming on the start of the fifth track. I would guess that the line-up could be Garber: sax and vocals, C. Vander & C. Bailly: drums, B. Widemann: synths and piano, Michel Hervé: bass, Liza Deluxe (and possibly Stella Vander): vocals.
ZAO's second album, will be their next release on MUSEA with a new mix and bonus tracks from studio sessions, but even more exciting is the confirmation that work progresses on the 1994 studio reformation of the band. Seffer, Cahen, Truong, Bertram and Tilleman are recording a new album called 'Akhenaton' for release later this year. Apparently their musical spirit remains intact after all these years, but will they tour? If so I hope they give us some advance warning...
One of the Zeuhl-inspired artists exhibiting at the Mekanïk Grafïk event was Vincent Sauvion, he has a 48 page album of his texts and miniature drawings available called 'UN POEME'. Vincent has several other projects on the boil, including 'UTOPIC ORGANIC GROUPE KTÔNE' which is a growing consortium of artists; painters, sculptors, and photographers. As I said long ago in OA!, I have no personal inclination towards things Chthonien, but as far I can tell their common theme is a ritualistic / magical one of dragons, devils, gargoyles etc. Perhaps it's something to do with the door between heaven and hell? If space permits we may feature some of his work in future editions of Ork Alarm! Vincent would like anyone interested in joining 'U.O.G.K.' to contact him. Another of Vincent's projects is to produce a sort of album of artwork / texts in fanzine format - the unique aspect of this is that all the words will be in Kobaïan (or pseudo-Kobaïan), you can be sure that we will inform you when this is available. In the meantime, 'Un Poême' is available now from L'ACAMAC.
The new album by RUINS should be out by now, hopefully featuring John. Zorn on sax. Another of the Japanese Zeuhl bands, KOUENJI HYAKKEI are scheduled to release an album soon.
MICHAEL ROTHER has all his solo albums re-released on CD, including the first four classics: 'Flammende Herzen', 'Sterntaler', 'Katzenmusik' and 'Fernwärme'. These reissues on the Random Records label all include bonus tracks which make them especially enchanting. You will probably recall that I frequently mention Rother... I rate 'Flammende Herzen' and many of the themes from 'Sterntaler' and 'Fernwärme' as some of the most joyously inspirational music ever recorded (I would have to include one of these in my 'desert island discs'). We also hear that after years of refusing to consider reissuing the NEU! albums, Rother has at last been persuaded to give it serious consideration.
We might have an exposé of this one next time: 'The Simon Lonesome Combat Ensemble' by SIMON STEENSLAND (Musea Parallele MP 3013.AR). A Swedish composer with a guest list featuring ex-members of ZAPPSTEETOOT (the Zappa covers band), their music has been compared to Univers Zero, Art Zoyd (and some say Magma) - with a dash of FZ and Steve Reich too, yet it still retains its own identity.
Seventh Records current release plans: 'Retrospektïw I et II', Patrick Gauthier's 'Bébé Godzilla', a new album by Gorgo (Jean-Luc Chevalier) and then Christian's album for children which features 'A la claire fontaine', 'Dodo l'enfant do', 'J'ai du bon tabac' and others...
When Olivier Fromentin compiled his Jannick Top discography for the last issue, we debated whether or not to include an album called 'Simple Mortel' that may or may not exist. Now we know there definitely is a second TOP/PERATHONER album on Sysmo Records. Expect a review of that from Olivier and perhaps some more minor additions to the discography in a future issue.