★Monster Melodies Records
Les Idoles
Les Idoles is a mythical record of sixties psych rock prefiguring punk. A work which in style had no equivalent in France at the time. Thanks to the performance of the Rollsticks, a rock band created from scratch with musicians from different musical worlds, to accompany the erratic vocalizations of actors Pierre Clémenti, Bulle Ogier, and Jean-Pierre Kalfon. The band consists of Patrick Greussay (later of Calcium) on the drums and guitars, Stephane Vilar (later of Calcium, PLVG), Didier Léon (f…
Théâtre Musical 2
Monster Mélodies presents the second in a two-part unpublished recording of a concert by Brigitte Fontaine and Areski Belkacem at studio 102 of the Maison de la Radio dating May 21st, 1973. Areski Belkacem and Brigitte Fontaine, major artists of the French counterculture, were often be censored or deliberately ignored by the media due to their libertarian positions. Obtaining success at a late stage, it was not until the album Kékéland in 2001 and Rue Saint Louis en l'Ile in 2004, for Brigitte F…
PLVG
** 2021 Stock. A limited edition record of the unreleased recording of PLVG (pronounced “plug”) recorded in 1973. A coloured vinyl, of which only 1000 numbered copies have been made, with insert ** PLVG is formed of ex-members of the band Calcium, considered the cream of French studio musicians. In May 1971, soon after his triumphant Olympia 70, singer Julien Clerc surrounds himself with musicians Charles Benaroche and Denis Lable. They are joined in 72 by Stéphane Vilar (ex-Calcium) who had jus…
Theatre Musical
Monster Mélodies presents Concert Théâtral, an unpublished public recording by Brigitte Fontaine and Areski Belkacem dating from 1973. Areski Belkacem and Brigitte Fontaine, major artists of the French counterculture, were often be censored or deliberately ignored by the media due to their libertarian positions. Obtaining success at a late stage, it was not until the album Kékéland in 2001 and Rue Saint Louis en l'Ile in 2004, for Brigitte Fontaine to earn gold records. At the turn of Brigitte F…
Opus Minor
Monster Mélodies presents an unpublished recording of Opus Minor, an underground Parisian group with undeniable musical qualities, who gave numerous concerts during its brief existence from 1970 to 1973 but never had the opportunity to publish its recordings. The record consists of an instrumental track, seven songs sung in French and three more songs in English, in which the band, beyond its influences, creates its own musical universe. In September 69, at the École Normale Supérieure of Cachan…
Satan
Monster Melodies present the legendary album Satan, an absolute must-have in terms of French progressive music, recorded in 1973 and never before released. In 1968, in Le Mans (a town in the west of France in Les pays de la Loire), some young students, planning to become teachers, started a band under the name The New Rainbow. Like many young musicians at the time, they enjoyed English blues and were fans of Pink Floyd, Soft Machine and Led Zeppelin. Quickly, they changed their name to Heaven Ro…
Xalph
The story begins in the city of Bordeaux in 1964. Captivated by Hank Marvin's guitar-playing, Jean Pierre Daran teaches himself to play Shadows tunes, working out their intricacies by the unusual method of slowing 45RPM singles down to 33RPM. Jean Pierre joins forces with Yvan Blanl?il, Jean Jacques Pouget, and Serge Blachère to form the band Les Franglais. In 1971, a new musical project takes shape when Jean Pierre and Yvan form Lucie Dans le Ciel with three other students: Francis Ferrer, Chri…
Kundalini
Monster Melodies present Kundalini, an unreleased live recording of Hamsa. This French band with Richard Raux (ex-Magma) at his best in 1976 play an incredible and unique music, groovy, powerful, between funk and spiritual jazz, drawing on roots in African and Indian rhythms. Raux was born in Périgueux in 1945, but would never forget his Creole origins, his family having come from Madagascar. In his early years, Raux was introduced to ethnic music, Django Reinhardt, Brassens, and most importantl…
Black Trees
Recorded in Paris in 2014. Ame Son was a progressive rock band from France. They are notable for being featured on the Nurse With Wound list. Members of Ame Son also were in the band Red Noise and Komintern. Formed by Marc Blanc and Patrick Fontaine. Both were members of the first line-up of Banana Moon (the band that later would become Gong). Their debut album Catalyse was released by BYG in 1970. Ame Son is Marc Blanc, François Garrel, Romeo Blanc, and Bernard Lavialle. Edition of 500.
Calcium
Monster Mélodies present the never before released album by Calcium. A legendary French psychedelic rock album, recorded in 1969, of which only two tracks were released at the time. Percussionist Stéphane Vilar played with pianist Jef Gilson and recorded on his 1964 album Oeil Vision (OI 012LP). Musician Graeme Allwright introduced Vilar to Marc'O, then director of the theater school of the American Center Boulevard Raspail. The director, looking for musicians to play rock n' roll in his project…
Contrepoint
At the end of the sixties, Jean Pierre Weiller, a young Parisian and amateur bassist, was an assistant at a Soft Machine concert, and befriended Hugh Hopper who introduced him to Robert Wyatt. He was invited to the Abbey Road studios to attend the recording of Kevin Ayers's 1969 album Joy Of A Toy (MRSSS 513LP). Back in Paris, in October 1970, he decided to add a saxophonist to the band Brave New World, a band he set up at the age of seventeen with two other high school students of Paris's thirt…
Erosion Distillée
** 1969 previously unreleased album, this set must have been one of the weirdest albums recorded in France at the time** And that's saying a lot, given some of the avant jazz, experimental, and psych sets that were coming out of that scene! Jacques Dudon may be best known for his Ghislain pseudonym on other records – where he was much more of a straight blues guitarist – but here, he's very tripped out – and leads a collective of musicians through music that feels much more like a "happening" th…
Dies Irae
This record is the first record of this group to be released (not to be confused with the German namesake training krautrock record release on the Pilz label in 1971). It consists of tracks recorded on stage and in the studio from 1976 and 1978, when Dies Irae was at the top of its game. A record that will allow you to judge the qualities of this little-known group that claims its influences (including notorious groups of the era King Crimson, Van der Graaf generator and Magma) nevertheless has …
Live at Lons Le Saulnier, 1974
A band formed in France, 1973, by English vibraphonist, guitarist and singer Robert Wood, together with Olivier Didier (ex-Herbe Rouge) on drums and Simon Wheatley on electric bass. Patrick Fontaine (ex-Ame Son and ex-Bananamoon Band) replaced Simon Wheatley a few months later. In 1974 Robert Wood & Woodlands played more than forty concerts in France. The LP offers a selection of the recordings that were made at those shows. This is a limited and numbered edition of 1.000 copies, Including postc…
Eclosion
Never released side-project by Ame Son leader Marc Blanc. An intriguing, marvellous mixture of acid folk, electronic experiments, provocative lyrics & slam poetries and almost post rock stridence. As usual, Monster Melodies was not cheap on the bonuses: a beautiful fanzine is included, as well as a postcard insert (see the additional pictures). Strictly limited to 1000 numbered copies with transparent blue wax.Edited for the first time, the record (1000 copies only) is a blue vinyl presented in …
Movin Gelatine Plates
2015 release. This album contains previously unreleased versions recorded between 1970 and 1978 by the legendary (slightly experimental) psych/prog unit Moving Gelatine Plates. Edition of 1.000 copies on clear pink vinyl (gelatine colour) in a deluxe gatefold sleeve with flyer, family tree and postcard. This album includes a 7-inch record facsimile of the original acetate made in December 1970 (one copy) only with unreleased versions of 'X25' and 'London Cab'. These first recordings of the band …
Amore
One of the rarest Vangelis soundtracks of all surfaces on vinyl for the first time - and it’s an absolute peach. 'Amore' was released in 1973 and was Vangelis' second collaboration with movie director Henry Chapier, after recording a score for the highly obscure film 'Sex Power' a year earlier. While an LP was released for the 'Sex Power' score, in very limited quantities, nothing was released of the music for ‘Amore’, nor was the film viewable until it's eventual release on DVD a few years ba…
Trixie Stapelton 291
1st time ever readily available on vinyl - the rarest entry on the legendary Nurse With Wound list (which is saying something). Ltd. ed. of 300. "Fille Qui Mousse ("Girl With Froth"??) is one the most mythical albums to be released(?) from France. Recorded in 1972, it was issued in 73 (evidently only as a test pressing in an edition of maybe 50) by the legendary Futura label. Often referred to as the French Faust, FQMs album mixed collage, psychedelic rock, surreal poetry, and organically tapped…