Kobaïan News

Magma / Offering Band Member History

I know it's the closet librarian in me trying to get out but I'd really like to keep two articles bang up to date and as accurate as possible. Hopefully you can help me. The Magma on Tour section is always open to revision and additions and the article that was originally included in Issue # 22 Magma - The Formations has gone through a few changes recently and is not now presented in it's original state (I've added Studio Recorded Lineups in red and started to work on compiling the recent formations even though some of these were the Offering years, Oh! and by the way there are gaping holes in it! Help!!). Peter Thelen of Exposé Magazine (brilliant Prog Rock Magazine and Website) has an updated List (up to 1995 anyway) and it has some differences compared to Paul Mummery's original. I contacted "The Lighthouse Keeper" about this and he told me.
"I used the Ork Alarm wall chart as the basis for mine, but I got some help/corrections from Klaus Blasquiz and Francis Grosse and one other Musea guy. Mine should be about 98% = the ork alarm one... basically I just formatted it differently and concentrated on Magma only, as you recall the ork chart traces other members' bands after they left Magma, like Zao, Paga, etc."
It's an interesting comparison but there seems to be some conflicting information. Judge for yourselves. I don't want to blindly go ahead and merge the two as any errors may then be compounded and would serve no purpose as an attempt at a definitive history. I've contacted Stella Vander and obviously there is no written record at Seventh HQ on this subject. She tells me that Christian is pretty good when it comes to this kind of memory test but I'm loathe to go any further. I've got a reputation for being boring as it is, I don't want to compound the situation. No, I think this is probably a fan thing and something an artist would, understandably, run the millions of miles required to reach Kobaïa in order to avoid even contemplating. On the other hand, begging sometimes works! Many Thanks to Naotsugu ITO from Japan for his recent additions and help.

Recent (ish!) Releases

If the vocal aspect of Offering and Les Cygnes et Corbeaux engaged your ears then perhaps you should consider AD VITAM. They have two CD's available. Their first CD Featured JAD AYACHE, BERTRAND CARDIET, VIRGINIE COUTIN and CHRISTOPHE BLANC. The Second sees JAD AYACHE in command, this time joined by ISABELL FEUILLEBOIS, JULIE VANDER and CLAUDE LAMAMY check out Le Triton Website for info and sound files (in French). Alternatively you can read Musea Records Review of their Second CD "Là Où Va Le Vent" (in English). Apparently you can but the CD in French or English. Check out the "Links" link opposite for a Mail Order shop in your area.

On the other Zeuhl foot (so to speak) are ONE SHOT. The growling Bass Guitar of PHILIPPE BUSSONNET whips up a frenzy with fellow Magma members JAMES MacGAW and EMANUELLE BORGHI. DANIEL JEAND'HEUR brings his Drum kit to the party and the music can best be descibed as .... Fusion / Zeuhl (wonder what that is?!) Their brilliant second CD "Vendredi 13" is your "suck it and see" starting place and after that, you're on your own. You're big boys and girls now.

Here are some reviews from the excellent Exposé Magazine, subscribe today!

UTOPIC returns! The short lived Utopic website is back online. From the Label that dropped a bombshell on Magma fans, 4 CD's worth of previously unreleased material from the 74-76 VANDER/TOP era plus FUSION live in Paris 1980 and also a CD of Jannick Top's own group STS, comes the promise of ..... well I'm not too sure as the English version is a bit vague, possibly a translation problem. (Have you ever tried an online translation site?, they're great fun especially if you're life doesn't depend on understanding the original) Anyway Utopic is promising to answer questions? Questions that have remained unanswered. You know the type. JANNICK TOP also has an Official website that is of interest and has a clip of a track called HEKAL, which I assume is from one of his soundtrack efforts (?) and is worth a listen.

The Japanese are really taking this reissue thing to the nth degree. Following the 3 CD's that were re-mastered in super dooper 73 bit digital dolby surround sound, which I imagine weren't to Seventh Records liking, Disc Union a Japanese equivalent of VIRGIN / FNAC have officially put the boot in! The Mother of all Box Sets is available, at the giveaway price of $330 (approx), although only over the counter and not apparently via Mail Order.
Naotsugu Ito, who was asked by Disc Union to write the liner notes for Merci sent me this info:
Possibly to counter the threat of "semi-bootlegged" material Seventh have allowed Disc Union to produce their own packaging and sell Seventh Product (pressed in France) through their chain of shops. The result seems to be that you can buy any of the CD's individually but also produced is a superb Box Set holding 12, yes 12 CD's Also included in the box set? Alternative covers for some of the titles. One was recently up for grabs on ebay at $500 (including the 5 alternative covers: see below) then after no takers $450 probably still no takers! It's a lot to pay for some cardboard packaging albeit impressive cardboard packaging. For completists only.

Naotugu Ito told me:
"All the official Magma CDs are reissued with paper sleeves (mini size LP) divided into 3 terms:
1st 4 items (Magma, 1001 Centigrades, Mekanïk , Köhntarkösz ... ) were released at the end of last year.
Next 4 (Wurdah Ïtah , Udu Wüdü , Attahk, Merci) this spring.
The last 4 (Live/Hhai, Inedits, Retrospectiw III, Retrospektiw I/II) at the beginning of July. Disk Union supplies a jewel box (a box for all 12 items).
A person who buys all 12 can get the box at the Disk Union counter. I'm not sure that the CDs are a limited edition, but the box is limited (although a completist can get it free).
The CD's themselves are exactly same as the Seventh pressing No re-mix, no re-mastering, no bonus track."

(Stella Vander confirmed that they buy the CD's from Seventh).

Seventh Records have released the OFFERING BOX SET which contains all four studio releases plus one additional track "Out of this world" (32:00). An essential offering from Offering, offering the completist the chance to go one track in front of your average Zeuhl collector! It would be interesting to see Seventh's sales figures on an item like this as obviously it will appeal to a lesser audience than normal, however this reissue does beg question "Is this the end of Offering?"
Surely, with the critical acclaim that the reincarnation of Magma have received, at the very least, has Christian shelved Offering in favour of a return to Kobaïa? As has been mentioned at various concerts recently, it is Magma's intention to record a studio version of KA and centre an album around it, looking further ahead, what then? :-) Perhaps the answer lies in a snippet of info supplied by American Magma fan Marc Adler:

"A few months ago, Christian Vander advertised on one of the Magma websites that he was searching for an old model Teac Reel-to-Reel tape recorder". Perhaps Christian has stumbled upon some new/old material.

1972 is a sadly under-recorded time in Magma history, and a time when they were evolving into their MDK period. Could it be possible that Christian Vander has some archived material that he is considering releasing. We all know how he likes to sit on some of the best Magma archives.... but it would be nice to see AKT hit XX, wouldn't it?"

Stone the Crows

CHRISTIAN VANDER - LES CYGNES ET CORBEAUX - has been out for a while now, so this is hardly an Ork Alarm! exclusive. Should you want to read what other fans have to say about the CD, then visit the official Magma Web Press Book which is hosted by DENIS DESASSIS. What more could a boy want from a football magazine than this? What a Website! Up to date news on Who, What, Where and When. A Year by Year account of Magma / Offering in the Music Press (sadly, many articles reprinted only in French). Between this and the original Ork Alarm Fanzine there can't have been many articles that slipped through unnoticed. The latest Christian Vander interview is reprinted with permission from Modern Drummer Magazine.
If this website doesn't inspire you, then I'm a Rolling Stones fan.

He's got a ticket

Something I posted a while back to the Avant-Progressive list:

In February 2001 (at least I think it was) Magma were in concert at the Royal Festival Hall - London. Although not a Magma fan, my Brother-in-law came along for the experience and alcohol. There he met one of his all time heros.

Sitting at the bar, waiting for the concert to begin was Sir Paul MaCartney (the one who did all the Prog-Rock stuff with Wings etc.) To everyone's amazement it seemed he had come to watch Magma! Obviously all the Magma fans kept their distance. Firstly this was England, secondly Magma fans had their reputation to think about and thirdly he was with his wife to be, Heather.

Somewhere along the way my Brother-in-law went to the Toilet / Washroom and bumped into Sir Paul. Just the two of them. By this time he was half drunk (not Sir P.) and proceeded to ask him if he was there to see Magma. The reply was, as far as my Brother-in-law (BIL) can remember very positive. As he started to urinate over his shoes BIL was asked back whether he had ever seen Magma before, when he mumbled no, he was told that they were a great band and that he was in for a treat. Sir P. wasn't seen at the end of the gig and rumour had it that Heather wasn't too enthusiastic about her night out, even though she was spotted with a Brandy and Babycham in her hand!

Theusz Hamtaahk can bring on severe headaches sometimes. I'm not too sure how much Sir P. witnessed or how much he knew of Magma but I assume that somewhere down the line, paths may have crossed? It reminded me of an article that I read once about Magma in a 70's UK music magazine. The last line was "Whatever you do, don't take your girlfriend to a Magma concert!" Magma were fantastic, as usual, but not as fantastic as they are now. I was lucky enough to witness them recently at the QEH - Festival Hall - London and I think that they have surpassed themselves. The new masterpiece KA is taking shape into, how can I put it ... a Masterpiece, and the Encore is so uplifting. Prepare yourselves for Progfest 2003? or wherever they are appearing soon in the USA. It is not to be missed. Just don't expect Michael Douglas and the Welsh Bird to be there!

Ebay - A Zeuhl fans best friend

If I ever get a dog I'm going to call it "Ebay", The Electronic Auction House has helped unearth a previously unknown (to Ork Alarm! at least Argentinian Pressed Issue of the LP Köhntarkösz. (A&M 8103) - Tracks are Köhntarkösz (Primera Parte), La Alarma Ork, Köhntarkösz (Segunda Parte), Coltrane Sündïa. The Cover is the same design albeit a bit flimsy and track 2 makes for interesting reading:

El pueb'o de ORK marchando sobre nosotros.
El pueb'o esta hecho de un indescriptible material que es a las máquinas lo que las máquinas son al hombre.
La alarma sonó... la ALARMA ORK!
El pueblo de ZEUHL WORTZ está preparado para la batalla.

It's a familiar story the world over. Man meets woman, falls in love, falls out of love, has fight with mates for entertainment, leaves wife and kids for another planet. Or was that another LP?

I wonder if they ever released the Mekanïk Machine Single in the land of the Left Handed Footballer?
Why Argentina? What about Brazil? Are there any more still to surface?

Should you feel the need to own the Argentinian Issue contact Diego (not that one!) who has a copy for sale.