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“When rock ‘n’ roll music hit the shores of France, it was embraced with a fervor more intense than in other European countries. The first wave of French rock bands set the stage for the later yé-yé scene and led a generation of Gallic teens to follow suit and launch their own groups. Many were inspired to form combos by the Shadows, the reigning kings of instrumental rock throughout Europe in the early ’60s. Every country had bands vying to be the top instrumental group but nowhere was the competition more fierce than in Paris. Many of the featured artists included the standards of the day in their repertoire. Their original efforts, though, are often more interesting, illustrating the great French tendency to digest American music as one giant lump, instead of seeing the genre-divided subsets that dictated the way Americans consumed music. Among the musicians are the same players who contributed to the sound of much-adored artists such as France Gall, Sylvie Vartan and Johnny Hallyday by supplying their musical accompaniment. Some of the contributors are expats, such as America’s jazz guitar great turned French producer/songwriter Mickey Baker, and others hail from closer, among them the UK’s Krewkats, Tommy Brown and Micky Jones, but they all come together to form this quintessentially French collection for your listening pleasure.” [UK collection]
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“Although the origins of French rock and roll were American-inspired, this guitar-driven instrumental surge stemmed primarily from the phenomenal success of the British acts the Shadows (the top pre-Beatles rock band in the UK, with five number one records from 1960-63) and the short-lived Tornados with their mega international “space-age” hit “Telstar” from late 1962, produced by the eccentric technical musical wizard innovator Joe Meek. (The latter became a #1 hit worldwide, including in the US where it foreshadowed what came to be known as the British Invasion by a little over a year.) There is undoubtedly also a fair amount of American surf-rock influence, as well as occasional glimpses of European folk melody. Note the absence of saxophones, so prominent in American rock and roll of that period.
“Fort Chabrol” by Les Fantômes is the best of the Shadows-inspired tracks here, while “Galaxie” by Les Guitares du Diable captures the “Telstar” clone crown. Les Players’ “Manhunt” is my winner in the surf-rock category; Les Manégasques’ “Psychose” takes the prize for most frenetically unhinged instro; but overall I’ll go with Les Sunlights as my favorite group in this compilation for their two shining exemplars of the French pop-rock instrumental genre: “Day Train” – a high-energy boogie ride (with sound effects) on France’s fastest train (its most famous at the time), le Mistral; and their brilliant under-two-minute take on Ernesto Lecuona’s “Andalucia.” [Amazon review]
This compilation tells the story of instrumental rock from France in the 60s. If you like surf music this is an undiscovered treasure trove of musical treats. Check some Surfadelic favs down below ‘n’ dig!!!
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SURFADELIC 