Etron Fou Leloublan
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| Etron Fou Leloublan | |
|---|---|
 Etron Fou Leloublan in 1982
Left to right: Guigou Chenevier, Bruno Meillier, Ferdinand Richard and Jo Thirion |
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | EFL |
| Origin | France |
| Genre(s) | Avant-progressive rock |
| Years active | 1973–1986 |
| Label(s) | Celluloid, RecRec |
| Associated acts | Rock in Opposition, Fred Frith |
| Former members | |
| Chris Chanet (Eulalie Ruynat) Guigou Chenevier Ferdinand Richard Francis Grand Bernard Mathieu Jo Thirion Bruno Meillier |
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Etron Fou Leloublan (French for "Crazy Shit, The White Wolf" ), also known as EFL, were a French avant-progressive rock band founded in 1973 by actor and saxophonist Chris Chanet. They recorded five studio albums between 1976 and 1985, and released a live album, En Public Aux Etats-Unis d'Amérique recorded during a tour of the United States in 1979. Etron Fou Leloublan were best known as one of the five original Rock in Opposition (RIO) bands that performed at the first RIO festival in London in March 1978.
Etron Fou Leloublan's music has been described as a blend of punk rock, jazz, French music hall, comedy satire and "avant-garde mayhem".[1] The band was well received in progressive rock and RIO circles: Last.fm wrote, "This incredible trio happily destroys all rock structures and performs a delirious music, full of humour and rhythm. [...] It is not surprising that Etron Fou Leloublan became the French representative in Chris Cutler's "Rock In Opposition" movement." [2] ProgArchives summed them up: "All of ÉFL's albums are so off-the-wall their music is almost impossible to describe: pulsating staccato snaps of drum, bass, sax, keyboards, with vocals vicariously woven into odd, complex musical structures – all this performed with amazing precision." [3]
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[edit] History
Etron Fou Leloublan were originally called Etron Fou [4], a trio comprising vocalist and saxophonist Chris Chanet (real name Eulalie Ruynat), Ferdinand Richard (bass guitar) and Guigou Chenevier (drums, percussion). They were notable at the time for their joint concerts with French progressive rock band, Magma.[4] In November 1976 they changed their name to Etron Fou Leloublan and recorded their first album, Batelages (1977). Chanet left the band before the album was released.
Towards the end of 1977 Francis Grand replaced Chanet on saxophone and the trio recorded their second album, Les Trois Fous Perdégagnent (Au Pays Des...). In March 1978, at the invitation of English avant-garde rock group Henry Cow, Etron Fou Leloublan joined Rock in Opposition (RIO) and performed at the first RIO festival in London with four other groups.[5] They also played at the second RIO festival in Milan in April 1979, organised by RIO's Italian representative, Stormy Six. In November 1979 Etron Fou Leloublan toured the United States, and performances at the Squat Club in New York City and Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut were recorded and released on a live album, En Public aux Etats-Unis d'Amérique.
Etron Fou Leloublan became a quartet in 1980 with Bernard Mathieu replacing Grand on saxophone, and the addition of multi-instrumentalist and singer Jo Thirion. In mid-1980 the band recorded with former Henry Cow guitarist Fred Frith in France and Switzerland, and appeared on one side of Frith's 1981 solo LP, Speechless. Frith produced Etron Fou Leloublan's next album, Les Poumons Gonflés (1982), on which he also guested on two of the tracks, playing violin and guitar. For their fifth album, Les Sillons de la Terre (1984) the saxophonist changed again with Bruno Meillier replacing Mathieu.
Etron Fou Leloublan recorded their last album, Face Aux Éléments Déchaînés in August 1985 as a trio of Richard, Thirion and Chenevier, not bothering to fill the recurring vacant saxophone position. Frith produced the album and guested on four of the tracks. The band broke up in 1986.
[edit] Members
- Ferdinand Richard – bass guitar, vocals
- Guigou Chenevier – drums, percussion
- Chris Chanet (Eulalie Ruynat) (1973-1976) – saxophone, vocals
- Francis Grand (1976) – saxophone
- Bernard Mathieu (1979-1982) – saxophone
- Jo Thirion (1980-1985) – organ, piano, trumpet
- Bruno Meillier (1982) – saxophone
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- 1977 Batelages (LP, Gratte-Ciel)
- 1978 Les Trois Fous Perdégagnent (Au Pays Des...) (LP, Tapioca)
- 1979 En Public aux Etats-Unis d'Amérique (LP, Celluloid Records)
- 1982 Les Poumons Gonflés (LP, Turbo)
- 1984 Les Sillons de la Terre (LP, Le Chant du Monde)
- 1985 Face Aux Éléments Déchaînés (LP, RecRec Music)
[edit] Compilations
- 1991 43 Songs (3xCD box set, Baillemont) – comprises all the above albums, except the live album, En Public Aux Etats-Unis d'Amérique
[edit] Appears on
- 1981 Speechless by Fred Frith (LP, Ralph Records)
[edit] Footnotes
- ^¶ Etron Fou Leloublan, literally "Excrement" (Etron) "Crazy" (Fou) "The White Wolf (Leloublan, which is a contraction of Le Loup Blanc), is generally translated as "Crazy Shit, the White Wolf" [6] [1] or "Mad Shit, the White Wolf" [7] [2].
[edit] References
- ^ a b Etron Fou Leloublan, Batelages. Cult Cargo. Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ a b Etron Fou Leloublan. Last.fm. Retrieved on 2007-10-23.
- ^ Etron Fou Leloublan. ProgArchives. Retrieved on 2007-10-23.
- ^ a b Etron Fou Leloublan, Batelage. ProgressoR. Retrieved on 2007-10-23.
- ^ Rock In Opposition. Stormy Six homepage. Retrieved on 2007-10-23.
- ^ Trafton, Fred. Etron Fou Leloublan. New Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock. Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ Ankeny, Jason. Etron Fou Leloublan. All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
[edit] External links
- Etron Fou Leloublan at Allmusic.
- Etron Fou Leloublan at Last.fm.
- Etron Fou Leloublan. at New Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock.
- Etron Fou Leloublan. at ProgArchives.
- Etron Fou Leloublan. at Gnosis.
- Etron Fou Leloublan discography.
