Magma (band)

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Magma
Magma concert strasbourg 2.jpg
Magma performing live in Strasbourg, France, 2007
Background information
Origin France
Genres Zeuhl, progressive rock, avant-rock, jazz fusion, art rock
Years active 1969–1983, 1996–present
Labels Seventh
Website www.magmamusic.org/en/index.php
Members Christian Vander
Stella Vander
Isabelle Feuillebois
James MacGaw
Benoit Alziary
Herve Aknin
Jérémie Ternoy
Philippe Bussonnet
Past members Francis Moze
Jannick "Janik" Top
Klaus Blasquiz
Didier Lockwood
Bernard Paganotti
Benoît Widemann
Teddy Lasry
Himiko Paganotti
Antoine Paganotti
Emmanuel Borghi
Bruno Ruder
Laurent Thibault

Magma is a French progressive rock band founded in Paris in 1969 by classically trained drummer Christian Vander, who claimed as his inspiration a "vision of humanity's spiritual and ecological future" that profoundly disturbed him. In the course of their first album, the band tells the story of a group of people fleeing a doomed Earth to settle on the planet Kobaïa. Later, conflict arises when the Kobaïans—descendants of the original colonists—encounter other Earth refugees.

Vander invented a constructed language, Kobaïan, in which most lyrics are sung. In a 1977 interview with Vander and long-time Magma vocalist Klaus Blasquiz, Blasquiz said that Kobaïan is a "phonetic language made by elements of the Slavonic and Germanic languages to be able to express some things musically. The language has of course a content, but not word by word."[1] Vander himself has said that, "When I wrote, the sounds [of Kobaïan] came naturally with it—I didn’t intellectualise the process by saying 'Ok, now I’m going to write some words in a particular language', it was really sounds that were coming at the same time as the music."[2] Later albums tell different stories set in more ancient times; however, the Kobaïan language remains an integral part of the music.

In 1986, the French label Seventh Records was founded in order to (re-)publish Magma's and Vander's work. Over the years, Seventh has also released albums by related artists such as Stella Vander, Patrick Gauthier and Collectif Mu.[3]

Legacy

The band is widely considered to be musically adventurous and imaginative[4][5][6] among music critics. Magma makes extensive use of the choral format, particularly reminiscent of the classical composer Carl Orff.[7] Magma's music is also highly influenced by jazz saxophone player John Coltrane, and Vander has said that "it is still Coltrane who actually gives me the real material to work on, to be able to move on".[8]

So many of the musicians who have played with Magma have formed their own solo projects and/or spinoff acts that the Kobaïan term Zeuhl has come to refer to the musical style of these bands and the French jazz fusion/symphonic rock scene that grew around them.[9] Besides Christian Vander, other well-known Magma alumni include the bassist-composer Jannick "Janik" Top[10] and spinoff acts Weidorje.[11]

Critical reception

The band has a number of high-profile fans. Punk rock singer Johnny Rotten,[12] prolific metal musician Kristoffer Rygg,[13] Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree,[14] and Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth[15] have all stated their admiration of the band.

In the 1980s, British World champion snooker player Steve Davis declared himself a passionate follower of the band since his youth and used some of his winnings to promote a series of concerts by Magma in London.[16]

Television journalist Antoine de Caunes wrote a biography of the band entitled Magma.[17][18]

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

  • 1975: Live/Hhaï
  • 1977: Inédits
  • 1981: Retrospektïẁ (Parts I+II)
  • 1981: Retrospektïẁ (Part III)
  • 1994: Akt IV: Theatre Du Taur Concert, 1975 (from September 27, 1975)
  • 1995: Akt V: Concert Bobino 1981 (from May 16, 1981)
  • 1996: Akt VIII: Bruxelles 1971 (from November 12, 1971 at Theatre 140)
  • 1996: Akt IX: Opéra De Reims, 1976 (from March 2, 1976)
  • 1999: Akt XIII: BBC 1974 Londres (from March 14, 1974 at the London BBC studios)
  • 2001: Trilogie Theusz Hamtaahk (Concert du Trianon), CD + DVD
  • 2008: Akt XV: Bourges, 1979 (from April 17, 1979)
  • 2009: Live in Tokyo 2005
  • 2014: Zühn Wöhl Ünsai - Live 1974 (2 CD; Radio Bremen recordings)

EPs

Compilations/Boxsets/Other material

Videos

  • 1995: Akt VI: Concert Bobino 1981 (DVD)
  • 2001: Trilogie Theusz Hamtaahk (Concert du Trianon), CD + DVD
  • 2006: Mythes et Légendes Epok 1, DVD
  • 2006: Mythes et Légendes Epok 2, DVD
  • 2007: Mythes et Légendes Epok 3, DVD
  • 2008: Mythes et Légendes Epok 4, DVD
  • 2013: Mythes et Légendes Epok 5, DVD

See also

References

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External links

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