PUISSANCE 13 + 2 (GATE) (LTD)

Limited double vinyl LP pressing in gatefold jacket. Amazing sessions by the cream of underground French prog and psych bands, first released in 1971 on ThUl?me, a boutique label owned by Magma bassist and Barclay Records manager Laurent Thibault. When Thibault founded ThUl?me, he wanted to set up a prestige outfit. He had this in mind when he set out to fulfill his ambition of presenting a panorama of the French rock scene by gathering the best groups in France together on one double-album, to be recorded at the legendary Chateau d'HUrouville studio, live in the courtyard with no overdubs. Thibault had hoped that labels would allow their best acts to appear. Philips offered Magma (the version of 'Mekanik Kommando' appearing on Puissance is the first ever conceived or recorded by the band) and Catherine Ribeiro; Barclay allowed Alain Markusfeld to participate; Le Chant du Monde let Voyage appear. The band Catharsis said yes; so did Contrepoint, discovered by Magma's RenU Garber. ThUl?me artists included Ergo Sum, MOR, Zabu, and Solitude. Two guests from America were recommended by Le Chant du Monde: folk-singers Roger Mason and Steve Waring. And happily Spectre, a band featuring legendary HUrouville engineer Dominique Blanc-Francart, brought the monster prog jazz funk synth madness of 'Arkham'. Brilliant!