Planer Outcast Discovers Magma (Finally, a French fan writes to us!)

I discovered Magma in 1997, while I was student at the university. At this year, I was already familiarized with prog rock through groups like Kraftwerk, Mike Oldfield, Tangerine Dream, Gong, King Crimson, Captain Beefheart... I discovered Magma with their album "Retrospektïw I-II" (featuring "Theusz Hamtaahk" & "Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh"). I already loved their music, the hypnotic rhythms of Theusz Hamtaahk & M.D.K., the intro of M.D.K. ("Terrien, si je t'ai convoqué..."), the improvised solo at the end of M.D.K., and the way they merged a lot of kind of music, like heavy metal, free jazz, contemporary music, ethnic music, opera, gospel...

The same year, I have discovered their first album "Kobaïa", and find in it the legend of Kobaïa and more free-jazz aspects that I loved (I was discovering Soft Machine at the same period with their album "Third").

After "Kobaïa", i have discovered some of their "AKT" albums : "Opéra de Reims" (with "De Futura", "Sons & Chorus de Batterie", "Köhntarkösz"...), "Bruxelles - Théâtre 140" (with "Sowiloï" and "Mekanïk Kommandöh"), "Toulouse - Le Taur" (with "Kobah", "Hhaï"...).

Then, I have discovered "Köhntarkösz" (their studio album), which was a great experience, and "Offering I-II" (more improvised, with jazzier and more ethnic structures).

After these albums during the years 1997-1998, I've finally seen Magma in concert at Carmaux "La Verrerie", while they were touring again after the "Offering" and "Magma - Les Voix" experiences. Before hearing this concert, I believed they will playing "Hhaï", thinking it was one of their standard live tune, but finally, "Hhaï" wasn't played... This concert begun with "Köhntarkösz" (at this period, this piece was supposed to be a very complex tune, with a lot of "countertimes", which Christian wished to often play live, so the musicians, as the public, could "learn" it), then "Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh" (a live standard, too), and at the end, "Kobaïa".

I saw Magma a second time in Albi, at "Athanor", in 2004, few months before the release of "K.A." album. They played of course "K.A." (as preview), "M.D.K." and "Kobaïa" (nearly the same tracklist than in Carmaux, six years ago, but here, with the "Anteria" version of "Köhntarkösz"

The next year, in 2005, i saw Magma at "Cap' Découverte" (Le Garric) for a 3 days project : "Les Voix / Le Rythme / L'Ensemble". I remember they played "Wurdah Itah" parts on "Les Voix", "De Futura" on "Le Rythme", and "K.A." all three days.

The 4th time i've seen Magma was during the "RIO Festival 2007" at "Cap' Découverte", too, and the last time with you during the "RIO Festival 2009" at Cap' Découverte" again

I've nearly completed their official collection, now