21-12-94 Espace Kiron, Paris 22-12-94 Espace Kiron, Paris 23-12-94 Espace Kiron, Paris 24-12-94 Espace Kiron, Paris 25-12-94 Espace Kiron, Paris 28-12-94 Espace Kiron, Paris 29-12-94 Espace Kiron, Paris 30-12-94 Espace Kiron, Paris 31-12-94 Espace Kiron, Paris 01-01-95 Espace Kiron, Paris 02-01-95 Espace Kiron, Paris 03-01-95 Espace Kiron, Paris 04-01-95 Espace Kiron, Paris 05-01-95 Espace Kiron, Paris 06-01-95 Espace Kiron, Paris 07-01-95 Espace Kiron, Paris 08-01-95 Espace Kiron, Paris
29-10-94 Le Caes, 1 rue Edmond Bonté, Ris-Orangis (near Paris)
24-11-94 Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank, London 29-11-94 Le Parvis, route de Pau - Centre Le Méridien, BP 20, 65420 Ibos
08-12-94 New Morning, Paris 09-12-94 Reims 10-12-94 Sarreguemines, France
POESIE TERRESTRE is a 36-page A5 format magazine by poets and artists who are inspired by the music of Christian Vander. The revue contains mainly French poetry with some Zeuhl album reviews. Written entirely in French, issues 1 & 2 are available.
There is a rumour that the OFFERING concert scheduled for 11-11-94 at the Jazz 'Velanet Festival, at the Marché Couvert, Lavelanet (between Toulouse and Perpignan in the Pyrénées) has been deferred until Spring 1995. However, the Vander info Hotline still refers to this concert as imminent.
FAUST are still performing, they popped up in San Francisco at the beginning of June and have just released 'The Faust Concerts, Vol. 1' (Prinzenbar, Hamburg 1990) and 'Vol. 2' (Marquee, London 1992) as the start of a series of five live CDs on the Table of the Elements label. These are incredibly expensive limited editions, available from RéR Megacorp.
You must Buy: The 1994 edition of La Discographie du Rock Francais, due to last minute additions the book has been delayed. The section of the draft version that I have received is all in French, so I'm not sure if this edition will have the English translations that featured in the previous editions. It's still the only document that collectors of French Rock / Zeuhl / Progressive etc. absolutely must have.
There is a book by Ken Gamer (about BBC Radio 1) called 'In Session Tonight' which gives these details about the Magma session; recorded at Langham Studio One on the 14th March 74, broadcast 21-3-74, producer: Tony Wilson, engineered by: Dave Dade and Bill Aitken.
Wire magazine issue 126 (August 1994) featured a small advert for Magma's new album, AKT IV. And the September issue of Tower Records own in-shop magazine (TOP) had a reasonable article summarising Magma's history, which was written (but not spell-checked) by Edwin Pouncey. The November 94 issue of Q magazine had a favourable review of AKT IV. And the latest Ptolemaic Terrascope has an interview with Brian Godding in which he mentions his work with Magma - who he recorded with but says he did not actually join, (he wanted to, but perhaps it was too far to commute to France). Meanwhile, in Japan, Marquee magazine have been running a series of features on Magma including contributions from Christian Vander, Patrick Gauthier and Bernard Paganotti - great work guys, and for those who can't decipher the Japanese squiggles, the photos from Alex, Klaus and others are excellent. I hear that we should also look out for a feature in Modern Dance magazine (no relation - Ed.).
The master tapes of the session that Magma recorded for Studio F in Bremen on the 6th of February 1974 have been located; they are still in the vaults at the studio in Bremen if anyone from AKT records would care to follow this little hint...
Daevid Allen has published an A4 format 130-page book. This is part one of the alien's private and public autobiography with his own unique view of the psychedelic revolution from within the Soft Machine to the creation of Gong. 'Gong Dreaming book 1' (subtitled: 'Oft so Machine: The secret visions behind Soft Machine & Gong, 1966-69'). Book Two is due out in 1995 and this will cover the period from 1969 to 1975, when Gong and Magma were often in close proximity. We know that Daevid has many tales to relate about his memories of Christian and Co. You can get Book One now. Also of slight curiosity value is Gilli Smyth's latest book (Gas Books), which briefly mentions Magma from time to time. I recall one passage (circa '72) when Gilli implies that Gong changed to a feminine direction at the same time as Magma took a Masculine path. Could one view Canterbury versus Zeuhl that simplistically? Discuss!
Harmonia Mundi (UK) are looking into the possibility of bringing Magma to England for a gig. Don't hold your breath, there are all sorts of obvious obstacles to be overcome. However they are consulting with certain like-minded individuals and one possibility that has been mooted is a double bill of Magma and Amon Düül II.
An English video company has expressed an interest in producing a commercial video of Magma - the easy option could be to buy the rights to the Bataclan 1994 concert footage. Does anyone know who owns those rights?
MALOMBRA (a new name to me too!) have a CD on the Italian Black Widow label which is reputedly like Magma meets Black Sabbath with references to Van der Graaf, King Crimson and Hawkwind. The mind boggles! Does anyone cognisant with Zeuhl Musique know the album? Start scribbling those reviews please.
Seventh Records released the double CD 'Retrospektïw' I - II' on the 7th September.
This was an advance mail order release date; it was released to the shops on
the 17th September.
In October, Seventh assure us that they will re-release Patrick Gauthier's first
album 'Bébé Godzilla' and also Jean-Luc 'Gorgo' Chevalier's new one 'Km 5 à
Bangui' and finally on the 22nd of December, Christian Vander's new album which
he recorded this September, and which he will be promoting in Paris at the end
of the year.
ZAO's new recording 'Ahkenaton' was released by Musea this autumn, but we still have not heard it so perhaps someone would like to review it for the next issue.
Ork Alarm! has 'a work in progress' entitled MAGMA - ON TOUR. Legal / Ethical / Copyright complications may cause this to be set aside, but the concept is simply a list of every known concert date that Mr Vander performed and where possible a guide to what material was performed and who his accomplices were. Boring stuff? Mais Oui!
The line-up of the PATRICK GAUTHIER SEPTET at Le Caes, Ris-Orangis on the 29th of October will be Patrick Gauthier - piano & electronics, Himiko Paganotti and Dalhia Bellaiche - vocals, Pierre Marcault -percussion, Alain Bellaiche - vocals & guitar, Philippe Bussonet - bass, Antoine Paganotti - drums & vocals.
The SIMON GOUBERT QUINTET are playing at Au Duc des Lombards, Paris on the 11th & 12th November.
Oriental readers may be interested to know that our interview with Klaus Blasquiz
(Ork Alarm! #22) will be translated into Japanese for a future edition of Marquee
Magazine, this is a small planet and one of the fundamental aims of OA! has
always been to break down the stupid barriers between us earthlings. Long may
the music, 'documents' and information flow freely between all of us!
The summer 1994 edition of i/e magazine has Michael Draine's excellent 'Chants
d'un autre monde' article about the music of Christian Vander that we brought
you in OA #19.
Klaus Blasquiz spent September at La Saline les Bains in the beautiful tropical (yet French) Île de la Réunion giving vocal and stage performance lessons. Okay so we're struggling for news in this issue!