Magma (band)

Magma

Magma performing live in Strasbourg, France, 2007
Background information
Origin Paris, 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
Rudy Blas
Benoit Alziary
Hervé Aknin
Jérome Martineau-Ricotti
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
Jérémie Ternoy
Jim Grandcamp
James MacGaw

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 violinist Didier Lockwood, bassist-composer Jannick "Janik" Top,[10] and spinoff act 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

EPs

Compilations/Boxsets/Other material

Videos

Personnel

Members

Magma has been the birthplace of many French jazz musicians. We can cite:

Timeline

See also

References

  1. "Da Zeuhl Wortz Mekanïk is kobaïan for Magma,". Danbbs.dk. 1996-08-20. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
  2. Interview by David McKenna and Ludovic Merle, translated by David McKenna (2009-11-12). "Magma, c'est moi". Rockfort.info.
  3. "Seventh Records". Seventh Records. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
  4. Ankeny, Jason. "Magma - Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  5. "Ground and Sky review - Magma - K.A". Progreviews.com. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  6. "Ground and Sky review - Magma - Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh". Progreviews.com. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  7. François Couture. "Wurdah Ïtah/Tristan et Iseult - Christian Vander, Magma : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  8. "Christian Vander Interview by George Allen and Robert Pearson, April 22, 1995". Furious.com. 1995-04-22. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
  9. "Zeuhl, a progressive rock music sub-genre [sic]". Progarchives.com. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  10. Jannick Top. "Jannick Top - Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  11. "WEIDORJE music, discography, MP3, videos and reviews". Progarchives.com. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  12. "Interviews | "The Public Image", January 2004". John Lydon.Com. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  13. "Stories: Ulver - Born Again From The Merciless Mother". Avant-garde Metal. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  14. "Perfect 10: Steven Wilson interview and photograph". Cartiledgeworld.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  15. "Seminal Progressive Rock Pioneers Magma Confirmed For Mikael Åkerfeldt's Curated 2014 Roadburn Event - Roadburn". roadburn.com. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  16. Lee Honeyball - The Observer (2004-03-07). "My obsession". London: Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  17. Magma (Rock et folk) (French Edition). "Magma (Rock et folk) (French Edition): Antoine de Caunes: 9782226005632: Amazon.com: Books". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  18. "Antoine de Caunes, fan de Magma". Leparisien.fr. 2009-02-13. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  19. Les Musiciens de la Zeuhl : http://robert.guillerault.free.fr/magma/index2.htm

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Magma (band).
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/13/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.