Classical Composer Reacts to Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh (M.D.K.) - Magma | The Daily Doug (Ep 179)

#Magma #MDK #MagmaReaction #MDKReaction
In this episode of #TheDailyDoug, I'm reacting to the band Magma. This is one of the more unique ensembles I've come across. Their musicianship is fascinating...more in an Avant Garde style than I was anticipating. This song, Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh, is their most well-known work. Here, we are reacting to the first 11 minutes of this live performance from 2000.
Reference Video: • Mekanik Destruktiw Kom...

[@nsgobbi]

Doug: “I’m not sure if I’m a fan …… yet ……..yet.” I estimate 99,99% of the people who turn enthusiastic Magma fans started alike.

[@rharding13]

My first Magma album was Attahk. I was a confirmed prog-head by that point (ELP, Pink Floyd, King Crimson). Attracted by their reputation, and by the cover art by H. R. Giger. But it was quite a shock to the system. First reaction: "What in all the #*()U is this?" But damn, it worked on me.

[@nsgobbi]

@@rharding13 Typical Magma fan testimony. 👏🏼

[@theother1281]

I remember finding Üdü Wüdü a second hand record shop when I was eighteen; thought the cover looked interesting. That evening I became a Magma fan. Forty years on I still am.

[@BiSIDOLISDEAD]

It was Attahk for me as well; attracted by the artwork and approached as a devout VDGG fan. I also started out at WTF!!! It didn't take long to become a believer.

[@rharding13]

@@BiSIDOLISDEAD Yes, the cover art grabbed my attention too. I was already an H.R. Giger fan (Brain Salad Surgery, Alien, various Giger art books), and recognized his distinctive style right away.

[@thepinkflam64]

Thanks Doug for this one. I'm 63 years old french guy and Magama is the first concert I saw in my life when I was 16 ... I'm not able to count how many times I've seen them in concert since then (I'm still going !) but it's over 20 times. I think I have more listen hours of Magma's music live in concert than on a record material : you fall into a transe at their concert (without any drugs !), it is so great. Christian is to me the greatest drummer I ever heard I saw. Thanks again.

[@wesleyb1458]

That’s amazing! And you must have quite an ear to hear Magma at 16 and love it right away!

[@jacquesangelini617]

Hello I'm 65 french fan since Bourges 1979

[@philippeschricke9056]

Hi Doug, the message in French at the beginning says: this is the story of a Central Europe people who revolted against their tyrant leader… pure Magma mythic.

[@marcosrogeriodearaujo4713]

The influence of Magma is worldwide. Japan, USA, Brazil, Italia, Russia just for some of them.

[@adrianaslund8605]

Agreed! Vander really is a completely unique musician.

[@BaldJean]

We saw them live many times, and it was always a spiritual experience. During one concert Christian Vander did a 45 minutes drum solo (yes, 45 minutes) that was not boring for a moment; he came up with so many fascinating things. "MDK" is part 3 of the "Theusz Hamtaahk" trilogy, which could be considered to be a symphony with three movements. This part is actually only 40 minutes long; the last 8 minutes are introducing the 14 musicians with each one getting his/her applause and the audience singing "Happy Birthday" in French; this is from their 30 years anniversary concert, in which they played all 3 parts of "Theusz Hamtaahk". The first part is called "Theusz Hamtaahk", the second "Ẁurdah Ïtah", and the third "Mëkanïk Dëstruktïẁ Kommandöh". The music they play is called "Zeuhl", and it is a unique mixture of jazz, rock, Carl Orff, Igor Stravinsky and Béla Bartók. Definitely one of our favorite bands; they are in our personal top three.

[@Haroun-El-Poussah]

You missed the huge Coltrane influence as well as... Daddy Vander's influence : Maurice Vander just served time as... Miles Davis' pianist... Christian got his first drumkit from... Chet Baker, this ended with issue since... The kit was leased to Chet's drummer and Chet actually stole the drumkit to give t to Christian (!!!)

[@wesleyb1458]

Well said

[@ivan2795]

@@Haroun-El-Poussah You're right! I know it's unbelievable. I read it in one of the rock magazines.

[@trickslower]

saw them a few times in a smallish club in NYC and was indeed like a spiritual experience. Vander got up from the drum kit and had another dude killing it behind the kit while vander played the tambourine and sang. watching Vander play the tambourine with so much passion and joy was truly amazing.

[@francobozzoni7196]

I saw them in Italy in may 1979 and i immediately fell in love with this incredible band. I use to listen to their album even nowadays cause their music create a magical fantastic and aerial sensation, is like a flying in another dimension. One of my favourite band ever. Hi from Italy

[@eduardoalmeida61]

Monsieur Vander is one of the best drummers of the world.

[@nsgobbi]

His drumming is of nanosecond precision.

[@nobrains6107]

Yes.

[@jpslebassiste]

If not the very best...

[@bierdlll]

His drumming is disciplined and free, precise and loose, graceful and brutal, primitive and complex, all at the same time! Every strike of the snare is different from the last. One of a kind.

[@AmilcarBaxo]

Vader is unique and has no parallel to him! It's something that every time I watch and hear it amazes me. And truth be told that listening to Magma is because you've heard almost everything in the world.

[@willyvlyminck138]

It is indeed one of the most unique bands ever with a sound completely their own

[@johnb5057]

this is exactly the kind shit i was looking for! subscribed! good shit man

[@Napowilson76]

Introduction translation : "This moment tells the story of a people, who after revolting against its tyrant, walked towards the palace. And the chants of this people were so beautiful that they vanished into space."

[@Doug.Helvering]

Thank you.

[@gudulezzz]

This introduction is not really important. Another version was : "Terrien, si je t'ai convoqué c'est parce que tu le mérites, ma divine, et ô combien cérébrale conscience m'oblige à le faire. Tes actes perfides et grossiers m'ont fortement déplu, les sanctions qui te seront infligées dépasseront les limites de l'entendement humain et inhumain, car tu as, dans ton incommensurable orgueil, et ton insondable ignorance, impunément osé me défier, me provoquer et déclencher dans toute son immensité, ma colère effroyablement destructrice entraînant inexorablement ton châtiment race maudite !" which Google translates like this : "Earthman, if I summoned you it is because you deserve it, my divine, and oh how cerebral conscience obliges me to do it. Your perfidious and rude acts strongly displeased me, the sanctions which will be inflicted on you will exceed the limits of human and inhuman understanding, for you have, in your immeasurable pride, and your unfathomable ignorance, with impunity dared to challenge me, to provoke me and to unleash in all its immensity, my frightfully destructive anger inexorably involving your punishment cursed race! "

[@bierdlll]

Thank you, these lines are very beautiful!

[@СемёнСемёнов-ы1ь]

Bhagavat-gita in one sentence.

[@stephangarrec]

@@gudulezzz @Doug Helvering And this version of the introduction, which either Klaus Basquiz or Christian Vander used to do by going progressively (of course !) higher and higher in pitch and in speed was far more dynamic and exciting than the one in this video (which was, btw initiated by Klaus Blasquiz back in the seventies)

[@immovableobjectify]

Magma's fusion of jazz, classical, and rock styles is strange and somewhat intriguing on first listen, but requires patience and persistence to fully appreciate. They are definitely an acquired taste, and not everyone's cup of tea. But for those with patience who make the effort, it can be rewarding. I've been listening to them for years, and they are still growing on me.

[@Enevan1968]

I havea colleague who says that MDK is the worst thing he ever heard... What does he know?

[@Xe4ro]

There’s an interview of Christian Vander talking about John Coltrane. Magma is going to make much more sense after watching it.

[@gregvanblair9096]

Magma I believe can only be fully appreciated in the listen process of a complete piece of music. Then you get the full experience...the repetition, build and drama of it not only makes sense, but moreover is extremely effective on an emotional level. Though I will say it is a commitment, but one with a rich award. MDK is one piece of a trinity...all three need to be appreciated apart and together. It took me years to fully appreciated Magma, I always liked and new it was interesting...though in the end I learned how unique and powerful they were. Last comment, "Christian Vander doesn't play Magma music, he is Magma music".

[@wesleyb1458]

Spot on

[@Napowilson76]

I am amazed at how you got so many things from a first listen! "Do re mi" for "doweri", how "deceptively difficult" it is, Orff as an influence, modality, jazz drumming (though it doesn't swing)... You're impressive! Please do the rest of the piece!...

[@TVbleek]

Agreed, and agreed. I was one of the people who recommended this video. I'd love to see Doug react to the rest of it.

[@TVbleek]

@@EgoShredder He has massively inspired me in my drumming.

[@monsieurlehigh4912]

It's a binary swing for sure. :-)

[@nickmason7861]

I was fascinated by Magma in the 70's and I am still!

[@francobozzoni7196]

Me too from 1979 (i was 21)

[@aquistou19]

"De Futura" and "The Last Seven Minutes" are two great ones to look into it. Studio version both. Great video again!

[@rudydjielbi6809]

I even think that reviewing the studio version of MDK would be nice. It is different: the way Vander sings, the higher intensity level, a somber ambiance.

[@hubertvancalenbergh9022]

De Futura is their pièce de résistance.

[@jacobheaney3836]

Great video Doug. I’m a bit late on this one but I highly recommend that you listen to one of their most greatest compositions Köhntark from the live album from 1975, It’s got some really incredible playing and arrangements.

[@loonzz1154]

Tribute to James Mac Gaw, guitar player on this video. He has been an important figure in Magma rebirth in the late 1990/early 2000. Rest in peace.

[@lukemallon4499]

He's my favourite part. Didn't know.🥺

[@lungching7102]

R.I.P James

[@caryheuchert]

When Magma performed here in Vancouver in 2015, I talked to James briefly after the show. A wonderful guitarist. Rest In Peace.

[@MrMrh1958]

To really get the full force, you need to see Magma live. A total out of this world experience!

[@Tomanot9Juanma]

Pure genius in both composition and performance. Some serious work here. Outstanding in every way. Always been a fan. I get it that it´s not easy listening and one isn´t always in the mood for it but, damn, are they good!

[@tunnelamende6214]

Magma made me fall in love with music again. Saw them for the first time at the german festival "Zappanale" in 2015 and since then 14 more times, including Le Triton in Paris. - I really enjoyed this review. Do the whole piece!!! :) And "K.A."!

[@Lesiga1]

I can't believe you stopped it there! You must continue to the end. The video choice was very wise - I think this may be the best live thing on you tube - but please continue because what follows is mind blowing and life changing. It's easy at first to be sceptical of the invented language and the potential pretentious aspect of the band - if one is unfamiliar with them! With patience and time the most rewarding and astounding experience lies ahead :D But overall, your appraisals and videos are great, keep them coming and best wishes!

[@klaatoris]

I think Magma has actually released some of their greatest records after 2000. Both K.A. and Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré are absolutely stellar.

[@duartemarco]

agreed, both are incredible albums. ka 2 is just magnificent

[@MrGreeenGenes]

Zess (2018) as well

[@klaatoris]

@@MrGreeenGenes Is that so? I haven't really warmed to that one, but I guess I should give it more chances. I bought it on vinyl at a Magma gig after all. 🙂

[@MrGreeenGenes]

@@klaatoris I would revisit it. But, consider fast forwarding past the spoken word vocal part in the beginning, (the first 5-10 minutes) and start from there. I was originally a little put off by it til I made it thru the beginning. Now it's one of my favorite Magma pieces, this version and the earlier live ones as well. There's some good footage of them performing it, I'd check out, as well.

[@klaatoris]

@@MrGreeenGenes It amazes me how they can be so on top of their game after 50 years. And Christian Vander is still an absolute beast behind the drumset, and sings as good as ever.

[@denesisdelcorockschool3074]

Christian Vander is an under rated genius. Such intensity,technique,imagination. You can tell he is very studied. Btw Magma has a lot of heavier almost rocking songs. They are unique to say the least. Are you ready for Henry Cow?

[@kennethhatteland3027]

We could also go down the lane of the Belgians : Univers Zero and Present

[@ianwilkinson4602]

@Bookhouse Boy What about the Art Bears? I think they collaberated with Henry Cow?

[@alejandrobustos2268]

El baterista más teatral de la historia.

[@UnoUrong]

Been listening to Magma for 30 years. Finally got to see them 2 years ago and it was amazing. The beauty, the roughness, the different vibes... jazzy, classical. heavy rock coming from "outer space" but not when you are familiar with their music. It all makes sense and is the closest thing to hearing angels singing.

[@dagostinoification]

Congratulations on your analysis! We would ask for more! I am a professional drummer, I have played with the American jazz organist Rhoda Scott, among other things, but also in many styles of music...rock, songs, pop music, jazz, jazz-fusion and studio and I I was a conservatory teacher in drums. I hold 5 prizes: two in classical percussion and 3 prizes in drum schools, I knew Christian Vander a little in an old jazz club: "the Riverbop" his influences were mainly Elvin Jones and Tony Williams but in in fact he listened to a lot of other drummers I think, Buddy Rich, Kenny Clarke, Billy Cobham and others... HE listened to John Coltrane a lot, and also European classical music, like Stravisky, Wagner I think Karl Orff and d others, Christian is a very gifted musician, his father-in-law was Maurice Vander, pianist among other things of the singer Claude Nougaro, Christian had given me some advice when I was starting out as a drummer, a very nice and humane man, and very clever. his music of MAGMA is unique in the world! Thank you again for this analysis and make others because it is very interesting! My friends! MY VIDEO SOLO DRUMS >>>kzbin.info/www/bejne/onvOpnqPidGtprs kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5iZpWlvrLeGbJI >>>>>>>>>>>>>solo african liberation >> LESSON FUNKY DRUMS 239.000 vues >>kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2qvhp5ndrSfqZo FRIENDSHIPS DOUG !

[@TVbleek]

Doug, thank you so much for taking my recommendation!!!! More people need to hear Magma!

[@TheSeptemberRose]

I was thrilled to see MAGMA live in my hometown of Toronto several years ago. They were fabulous! The first song I ever heard from them was KOBAIA. I fell in love instantly........and then MDK. They are musical geniuses!!!!!!

[@pedrornogueira9268]

I love Magma, the minute i Saw the upload i jumped.in my seat. doug, If you like this, PLEASE REACT TO PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI

[@Czyszy]

i second that

[@antitheist2000]

Pfm, banco and le orme 😊

[@CanigoCatala]

Yes, PFM, and for an unique sound: the “Per un amico” album. The “L’Isola di Niente” is more anglosaxon canonical prog rock, still superb too!

[@2112Warmachine]

A big YES! to PFM! There's also a modern band called "Calliope" who are worth checking out.

[@allisonrich5061]

PFM! The whole of Storia is a must. It's only about 35 minutes long!

[@JobimSynthMusic]

as a Magma fan, this MDK video makes me breathless and drives me to tears at every turn.

[@davemcclelland3164]

I LOVE MAGMA !!! Where you stopped is the beginning of the second movement. Having seen several of their concerts, up close and personal, the power they exude is like no other group. Thanks for giving this a try. Please listen to the entire piece, and others like Khontarkosz or K.A. Love your channel man!

[@sanxmuch121]

Christian Vander is (still) an uprooted little boy in search of his father's identity since his childhood. His mother, who frequented bebop and avant-garde jazz circles in the fifties, had been close to saxophonist Bobby Jaspar and married after his birth a jazz pianist named Maurice Vander who was eternally absent (on tour with Claude Nougaro). He transposed the figure of his father in the person of John Coltrane, helped in this by Elvin Jones to whom he and his mother were close. While developing his abilities as a drummer (his uncompromising technique gives him many tendonitises and he often wears bras to relieve himself), he devoted himself to a cult of John Coltrane (a cult that even led him to jail because he shot someone who dared to criticize the master) and remains a unique example of sublimation based on the death drive, the result of which is still in a joyful mood. Although most of Magma's (hypnotic) creativity was developed in the early sixties, and saw many of the future great musicians of the French jazz and rock scene pass through, the latest productions remain exciting. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eGTHqYiEfZt9e68 kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJ2tfH6qnNeYp9k Joung magma: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqCTd6uqiciYiqs Magma in a french humoristic film (1972), with a very Coltranian sound of soprano sax: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXnGYWWslt13pdk Drummer technic of Christian Vander: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z4ubiaKFjMl9m9E

[@JunkerOnDrums]

In 1977 I experienced a Magma concert in Copenhagen. To this day still among the top 10 concerts of my life.

[@user-yf4up2px2u]

Magma is unique ! I just saw them in concert today in Paris !!! they're just pure magic ! Christian Vander is a genious

[@Doug.Helvering]

Wish I could see them live! I think I am prepared mentally.

[@user-yf4up2px2u]

@@Doug.Helvering yes ! If they tour in the US don't miss the opportunity.

[@sianpodmore4988]

Enjoyed that thoroughly, thank you everyone for recommending it to Doug for analysis. I did enjoy the challenge of it. As with the visual arts, the most interesting works are not necessarily something you want to hang on your living room wall. You have to look (listen) with a more open mind, questioning the piece and your reactions to it, let it happen to you. Exciting and stimulating. Love this channel and community, looking forward to the Patreon page. Heading off to listen to the rest now. (PS Doug, in German 'W' is pronounced as a 'V'.

[@DomValela]

I've been watching some of your videos over the last few days, and I was thrilled to see that you picked this today. Having grown up on the internet, I went down some wormholes and got into a lot of the music you've been going over as a young teen in the late 2000's. You're exactly right about your one critique; the amount of repetition in the overture of MDK (by the way, the pronunciation of that is - for lack of a more precise phonetic transcription ability - something close to Mechanic Destructive Commando) is out of place outside the context of the long, strange journey that is the full piece. I felt incredibly nostalgic while watching you react to hearing their masterpiece for the first time. I smiled when you said: "I don't know if I'm a fan....yet." I know precisely what you mean, and trust me, so does everyone in these comments. That sentiment leads to an undeniably long process, but once you immerse yourself in this music, the eventual "a-ha!" moment that it will provide is so rewarding. Once you cross that point, you'll be hooked for life. The magic of it has nothing to do with how complex or simple it is; you're right, it's weird, layered, unorthodox, and well-rehearsed, but light-years away from being the nuttiest, most complex stuff out there. Being as classically trained and musically proficient as you are, you've clearly grasped some of the main concepts much more quickly than most. I don't know if this runs contrary to your philosophy of music (it does for some) but I say with the utmost respect to your credentials that this music certainly is unique, and I believe that even in your case, fully understanding what they're going for and becoming emotionally invested in their sound requires significant exposure. One thing that needs to be noted about Magma's music is that there is no one definitive version of any of their pieces, this one perhaps least of all. Most of their pieces were played on stage and became well known to fans many years - in some cases, even decades - before ever being recorded in the studio. Some of the most beloved ones have never received a studio version to this day. The pieces evolve on stage over time, with Vander radically altering the arrangements (and even the overall script of the piece itself) based on a group that frequently changes not only the specific players or quantity thereof, but what instruments are being played. As a result, the process of appreciating these pieces requires listening to multiple versions of each one. There must be close to a dozen versions of MDK that I regard as essential to the listening journey (and you can certainly let me know if you want to hear more), but I won't go into all of them right off the bat. I think I would satisfy most fans of the group if I said that it is typically seen as having three key versions. In my opinion, at least these three are to be regarded in no particular order: a) Mekanik Kommandoh: an early "rough version" recorded by a stripped down version of the group. It is extremely minimalist and soft, but fairly well recorded and quite beautiful. It was released as an archival document decades after the fact. b) Mekannik Destruktiw Kommandoh: This is the first studio version that was released, but the second time the piece was recorded. It's wild, noisy, explosive, experimental, and glorious, but somewhere in the layering of so much instrumentation and vocalization, the mix sadly leaves something to be desired. Strangest of all, Vander's signature drumming is somehow relegated to the distant background for most of the piece. c) Retrospektiw Disc II: This is a heavily doctored concert recording from 1980. It's a tight, slick, and exceptionally clear version, recorded by a very short-lived version of the group that prominently featured synthesizers. In my opinion, it near-perfectly threads the needle between the restraint and discipline of the first version I mentioned with the energy and power of the second, plus many ear-catching new twists and turns along the way. That's just the tip of the iceberg, my friend. You can spend years going between just those three version of the one piece, but you'd be missing out on many more, to say nothing of the rest of their catalogue. There's nothing quite like Magma, and I am fully confident that you will eventually grow to love it.

[@MisterPoppy-sc1sj]

Christian Vander is a genius, he 's a great pianist too

[@florentinolee3569]

great percusionnist and great singer overall

[@ouroborosnagyok9306]

nazi tho innit but yeah he great

[@pascalpro06]

One of the best band of our time. A cross between Wagner Stravinsky Coltrane with some Otis Redding. Saw them +20 times live and can’t get enough. Christian Vander adoptive father is a great French musician who played with Nougaro, Django Reinhardt, Kenny Clarke and Chet baker who gave his son his first drum ! Christian’s music is dedicated to the music of Coltrane from whom he takes all his inspiration. Thanks God for Magma ❤

[@chipchase5077]

Just caught up with this show, Doug. Thanks for doing it as Magma is truly unique and largely unknown outside its fanbase. Here in the UK one of their fiercest champions and fans is none other than former world snooker champion Steve (Interesting) Davis. I once saw the band live in London when C V called Steve onstage to thank him for helping promote the shows. That was truly surreal :-)

[@stephenpaulharper]

Magma is a bit out there for many prog aficionados that I know. However, I think they're fantastic. But as others have said, you really have to listen to their pieces in their entirety for them to be really appreciated.

[@linusfotograf]

MAGMA!!! Thank you! A band that will suck you in and keep you inspired for ever.

[@peterculshaw5651]

You can't really judge on first 11 minutes - it builds and builds .its a masterpiece....I actually had an out of body experience listening to this aged 16 (when the D minor changed to G major) ... Vander is one of the great drummers , they were at their most potent when Jannik Top was bassist.. I'd say go back to this before exploring other Magma

[@brunopoizat3987]

Le plus grand groupe du monde!

[@adriangoodrich4306]

That's the first reaction of yours, Doug, to a band that I have never heard before. And wow, yes fascinating! You said about Orff just as I was thinking precisely that! And you said "I'm not sure if I am a fan...yet" just as I was thinking exactly the same. I loved the opening chant section - if a little long, as again you said. And you said "avant garde" again just as I had been thinking that. I need to listen to more of Magma's music! Thank you for sowing the seed, buddy, and for your erudite observations which were really helpful.

[@Klangstimmen]

MAGMA Greatest Group/Band of Our Time Please hear it

[@Romguitare]

"It's not hard to do weird music, but it's realy realy realy hard to do Weird music very very very well" 😆😆😆

[@samundagdrumcover]

The only Magma reaction video/channel on youtube! RESPECT👏 As the list getting weirder, perhaps it's time for Henry Cow? Univers Zero ? Art Zoyd? or some canterbury, Soft Machine maybe? 🙏

[@poststructuralisthero9290]

This has to happen. A R.I.O. (rock in opposition) week. Henry Cow in particular, something from the album In Praise of Learning (or the under-rated swan song Western Culture).

[@chucku00]

There's a previous reaction to "Da Futura".

[@andreasschmitz4735]

I've been a Magma fan for a long time and saw them live three times going back to the mid 70's. I remember the appreciative, but stunned audience after their performance during a prog rock festival in the 90's in San Francisco. While the operatic "seriousness" of their music can be a bit grating at times, their intensity, creativity and command of instruments is unmatched. I've heard it said that their music is like Carl Orff and Wagner opera as interpreted by the Sun Ra Arkestra! This is the closest (but not close enough...) I can come in describing their indescribable music.

[@jacquesangelini617]

Hi I found your video on the web. I'm sick and need to stay in bed....I do appreciate your post about Magma masterpiece MDK... I'm not a musician and my English is poor so I do my best now I know Christian Vander music since 1979. I saw Magma many times on stage... Christian is more than seventy years old now he's a composer and a singer too his voice and the way he sings goes deep to your soul I was in October in Pleyel in Paris MDK was 50 years old and they decide to do something special for this moment....great moment of course a little bit slower but so strong and intense There is another masterpiece called Zess a long piece too but I think it's interesting to listen to some videos of christian Vander solo on a piano....it's so humble intimate and deep .. whatever I'm glad to listen to your post about him ..and yes he plays drums as no one else he was in contact with Elvin Jones.....

[@LMDF2012]

Thank you for listening to our most favorite music and telling us your insight!!! I think you’ve touched only an introduction of the deepest world of Magma’s story. Magma has 2 kinds of stories. One is Kobia related to MDK, and the other is Ehmmentet-re about explorer of ancient Egyptian tobm, which is also really great. Hope another reaction from you!!

[@RainerSchnoes]

Thx Doug for this one!! After watching your Zappa videos I immediately thought: what about Magma? - and you already did it!! Thx again! So, I would recommend to hear the Live recording from the Olympia/Paris 1981 released on the album Retrospektïv 1-2-3, please listen zu the first 3 minutes of Mekanïk Destruktïv Kommandöh with the dramatic opening of Christian Vander on drums and vocals, goose bumps guaranteed!! It’s the best recording of that masterpiece. Then: please please do a video from one of the most wonderful composition of Vander: “The night we died” from the Album “Merci”, it’s iconic!

[@xavierkessler]

Magma = Legend ; Magma is formed by Christian Vander in the sixties, he is the son of Maurice Vander (french pianist and composer) , he was considered as one of the most fantastic drummer in the seventies( you can see old videos from that time "amazing ") He trained like a muscle iron man to have this force, this is the base of the group , with french famous musician (yannick top for instance) Vander had a jazz and classical formation (coltrane, jean sebastien bach) . So they create a language called Kobaîan and they sing in that language. The french presentation at the beginning of the piece tall the story of people who reacts against a tyran , this song tells the story . you can'tclassify Magma, Magma is unique, no one did that, past, present, future people who love that group are "elite "of music all around the world. this is "cult" music but real one. The past performance were so impressive that when you saw the drummer(cv) he looks like in a transe (the eyes), you never forget that . hope you enjoy these few explanations . I saw them twice in the eighties, kick ass!

[@williamgeorgefraser]

Back in 1975 I attended a concert in Toulouse in France featuring Hawkwind and Man, two of my favourite bands, which also had Magma. They played MDK and it was totally mindblowing and changed my views on music for life. I now see Magma as the greatest band on earth and saw them on several other occasions afterwards. So glad you discovered them. Magma has always been run like a precision machine where everything, instruments and vocals, is note perfect. The only musician in it's history who was given leniency to improvise was the much missed violinist Didier Lockwood who unfortunately died several years ago. Kobaian was invented because Christian considered that French was too soft a language to convey the violence contained in the story.

[@heresthething41]

So glad there is someone willing to cover this type of music. There is so much awesome music that need to be introduced to the world. Anglagard, Cardiacs, Einstürzende Neubauten, Knifeworld, Gong, Major Parkinson, Premiata Forneria Marconi, Shylock, Soft Machine, Steve Tibbetts, Thinking Plague, Tortoise & Wobbler. All great music to explore.

[@dhollsynthmusic]

Neubauten & Gong in the same sentence gets a big thumbs up from me!

[@SOALNightLive]

Nice to see you taking a chance on such a "potent brew", Doug. Entranced is a good word for Magma. It's trancey music for sure.

[@xoznemen]

uff tienes que escucharlo completo amigo, sobre todo el final, oh si maldita sea

[@Skraboing649]

So glad you've finally taken the plunge into Magma. But please, you must react to this whole performance!

[@TVbleek]

Yes Please!!!!

[@nicozlid]

I agree totally ! There are many interesting parts after this !

[@sammarsh3679]

You're really missing the coolest part of this band by killing the development. It's total madness by the end. Please pick a shorter piece so you can see what's really happening. De Futura would be a good choice. This is like cutting off Beethoven's 9th before the choir comes in.

[@Doug.Helvering]

I get it.

[@ECCOphonehome]

The synth section of De Futura sounds the way high dose mushrooms feel

[@lisagulick4144]

Or at least K.A. I from "Kohntarkosz Anteria."

[@Psychprogrock]

@@Doug.Helvering Or, even better, just the one song called Mëkanïk Kömmandöh. kzbin.info/www/bejne/raqbfZeHrrZ-lc0

[@samholik8127]

Yes do K.A. 1 from the album K.A

[@richardlanchester249]

I saw their first visit to England, i think 1974, when they played mid afternoon in an all day show at the Roundhouse in North London. The main piece was MDK. Totally intense, even the gentle passages, building through several climactic passages, each stronger than the one before. A half hour drum solo by Vander, on a dark stage with one bright green spotlight just on his face, playing exceptionally technical rolls and rudiments, meanwhile singing falsetto.... Bassist Jannik Top played a long solo with thunderous chords and slides, a friend backstage told me he had poured oil over the neck to lubricate it: and the main singer was extraordinary, a tall man in black beard and cloak, with a vocal range from Tibetan monk croak to high falsetto, with which he would duet with Christian Vander, and also playing a long rack of percussion . This was Klaus Blasqviz. At the end, i had to leave the show (missing the headliners Caravan) and go sit on a bench on a little hill park nearby, Primrose Hill , to get over it-- sitting quietly for two hours!. I have never experienced any other gig with such emotional force, the only other gig anywhere near as intense that i ever saw was King Crimson, the "Double Trio" 6-piece lineup, in LA in 1999. The audience looked totally shocked, quite blown away, especially a few who were obviously tripping on acid. I went to see Magma again a week later, at the Marquee Club in Wardour St. A different vibe, with a smaller room and PA, still amazing, audience also blown away. There was an article by rock journalist Chris Welch in Melody Maker, in which he said that Vander had made intensive studies of hypnosis, and i think i can see this in the repetitive simple phrases in the gentle passes, with the gradual layering of voices, and this may explain the powerful effect i saw the music have on its audiences.

[@Emiraldoenitz]

Magma is trully a rhythmical challenge. Thx a lot for your very clever comments and for the video.

[@nsgobbi]

Doug, my suggestion for the next Magma reaction is “Kohntarkosz”, not the 1974 studio version but the rendition from the “Magma Live” album 1975. It’s for sure gonna be the weirdest 35 minutes of your reaction series.

[@danalawrence4473]

Absolutely!

[@laurentgoldstein1537]

I agree 100%

[@jeannettesimpson9778]

Another vote from me.

[@danalawrence4473]

@@laurentgoldstein1537 Hi, Laurent. I see you saw this as well. It’s rather a nice commentary.

[@arkhamvoid]

Yes and yes

[@scirok1127]

Bonjour à tous , Magma est un groupe unique au monde tant par le style mais surtout par la puissance de sa musique. Quand je parle de puissance ce n'est pas au niveau des décibels mais au niveau de l'émotion de chaque son émis. Je les ai vu 3 fois en live et à chaque fois je suis transporté sur Kobaïa (Earth).... C'est un groupe qui n'a jamais été reconnu à son juste niveau malgré tout ce qu'il a apporté au monde de la musique. C'est un groupe plus tourné vers le jazz, jazz rock. Longtemps le groupe a été considéré comme une secte ? Non jouable à la radio ! Grâce à Magma j'ai pu quitter le monde du Metal et me diriger vers le Rock Progressif. Merci à ce groupe de plus de 50 ans d'activité. Merci à Yannick Top, Didier Lockwood et à tout les musiciens et chanteurs qui ont participés à cette oeuvre musicale gigantesque. Christian Vander est le 1er Kobaïen sur cette terre.....et avec lui l'aventure de Magma continue. Je suis fier d'être un fan de Magma.

[@ryk283]

There's nothing else out there like Magma. I discovered them just after their second album came out and I've been in love with them ever since. I hear bits and pieces of Frank Zappa in there at times, but otherwise they are unique.

[@alain-pierresittler9532]

Big frustration that the sudden stop at this place, Doug! :-). Magma is probably the most fascinating band I know. I oscillate between Progressive music and Jazz, but here we are still on something else. So indefinable that we have stuck the label "Zheul Musique" on this rich repertoire since 1969 and which continues to expand. Take a look at what Christian Vander wrote for his band, Doug. In it have passed many young musicians who later became incredible professionals (like Didier Lockwood, Jannick Top, Benoit Wideman or Bernard Pagannotti for example). There is everything to discover in Magma: spirituality, energy, power, simple beauty, poetry, incandescence... and you will not come out the same after an immersion in the work of this group. The experience of seeing them in concert is one of the most beautiful things that has happened to me musically.

[@bebopallullah]

Yet you found one of their best line up in their long history. This concert is exceptional.

[@olivierdecaux1625]

Never seen a reactor doing this stuff before. Thank you and congratulations, you'll be soon another Magma fan.

[@BaldJean]

By the way: You should definitely listen to the whole piece. At one point they do an extreme ritardando, almost to a standstill, followed by an equally extreme accelerando, and you know how very difficult that is to perform. But they execute it perfectly; you will definitely be impressed.

[@danalawrence4473]

That section is beyond belief- having seen this live, I was absolutely speechless by what Stella, Himiko, Isabelle and Antoine did- wow!

[@hilmarkoerner2603]

not sure if somebody mentioned this already, sometimes this reminds of Carl Orff sorry, there you go and mentioned it at the 12min mark - haha It was actually Magma who got me interested in Carl Orff's Carmina Burana (best version by Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus). Goosebumps

[@kraftyhandz]

I recommend their album Udu Wudu or their live album ‘Magma Live’

[@gillesgravel2064]

Salut Doug ! I'm Gilles french canadian and like you said it's Français. I'm a kind of "mélomane finit" and I'm 60. I had around 14 went i ears Magma for the first time, i was already a great fan of progressive music, jazz rock or jazz rock prog like Yes genre. It was not give to every bodies to listen a full album 😄 but there is some shorts pieces who have great felling to. They have open the road for a lot of band like "Gong", "Hatfield and the Nort", etc... I always like your comments and descriptions on every video i've been listening. Great Job ! 😃✌🍻

[@ZoogyDoogy]

Gong would also be a good suggestion!

[@edelcorrallira]

I cant believe I lost this in the shuffle... Man wanted to listen to this since shortly after the first few Maiden videos... Man, what a delight.

[@danalawrence4473]

Doug, I've come back to this video a number of times now. This is a band I have followed closely since 1976, and whom I love. I wrote the long entry in the Sea of Tranquility website on them. And their current (late 2021) iteration now has 6 main singers (5 women and 1 man, along with musician members who also sing and then there is Christian himself). This video was a one-off concert with an expanded band, including all the horns, the full gamut of singers, and main musicians James Mac Gaw (RIP) on guitar, Phillipe Bussonnet on bass and Emanuel Borghi on keys. This is over 20 years old. But it is important, for context, to note that Stella Vander has sung with Magma since the mid-70s and Isabelle Feuillebois had sung with them for 11 years at the time of this recording. The third female singer is Julie Vander- Christian and Stella's daughter- who has a very unique vocal range (that you can hear later in the song). The 3 women are intimately familiar with this composition and know its vocal parts cold. Antoine Paganotti (son of former Magma bassist Bernard Paganotti) is the main male singer, on the left. 6 singers gives the band incredible ability to twist vocal lines around each other and to create all kinds of counterpoints. Add this to the twisty composition, where Vander keeps roiling the song by folding lines back on themselves. This is more apparent later in MDK; unfortunately you cut the song before it actually builds its intensity- there is superhuman singing toward the end. The first time I saw this performed live I could not believe people could sing that fast for that long. It was literally awe inspiring. I wish it were possible for you to play the entire composition, because it is cathartic- but not anywhere near as cathartic as Kohntarkosz is, perhaps Vander's greatest composition (according to him, it is). Kohntarkosz is around 32 minutes in length, starts our ferociously, then dials back to build mystery and awe before ending in cataclysm. There is no song like it on earth. I appreciate this video more than you can know- you found Vander's love of Orff, of chant and rhythm and of inversion and staggering intensity. Thanks!

[@davidlee4903]

An excellent context for this performance. Thank you!

[@bassgeeker1578]

Dear Doug, I am French and passionate of a wide range of musics, and I turned Magma’s fan a longtime ago, and it still a band of my young era I continue to listen to time to time, especially their master pieces of their golden artistic period (1973-76). So first, a very deep and big thanks to have highlighted this band on your channel. To give you an advise about this band and what listen, I can share my point of view: you did a fairly start with this first 11 min of MDK, because the quintessence of Magma could be found into 3 master pieces, but in 4 recordings, let me explain it. MDK, of course, probably a very good introduction because even if it moves a bit on avant-garde music you can keep the inspiration sources to Stravinsky or John Coltrane. But the 2 next ones, not so evidence: Kontarkosz, an unbelievable 35 min journey that has to be listened absolutely on the 2 following versions recorded: original album in 1974 with Jannick Top at bass guitar, a version with a very heavy pattern and a unique feeling. The second version is into the 1975 live album (renamed Konthark for some dark publishing right issues with their former record company) with Bernard Paganotti at bass guitar and Didier Lockwood at violon, and the band played it in a complete different way by a "heavy" powerful Jazz-Rock style. Last piece I suggest, but not least… at all! De Futura, (earlier named also De Futura Hiroshima) composed by the bassist Jannick Top, a 17 min music piece that dives you into the head of the Hiroshima people when the atomic bomb was dropped and they listened the alert without knowing immediately how will it be, so deathly and cataclysmic. And I suggest also here the original recordings from the 1976 studio album Üdü Wüdü. As I said, if MDK could be linked to other inspirations yet, Kontarkosz and De Futura are absolutely unique, and they are master music pieces of 70’s and may be for the XX century as Firth of firth from Genesis , Starless from King Crimson, Shine on your crazy diamond from Pink Floyd or Gates of Delirium from Yes. Thanks another one time to share your expert eye on all these wonderful musics. Cheers

[@motturismus]

Hi Doug, nice job; just some info about Christian Vander: he is self-taught on drums and piano, his main references were John Coltrane (music and spirituality) and Elvin Jones (drumming); the MDK full score was published by Seventh Records

[@williamsmith9026]

Vander is the sickest drummer on the planet.

[@mposh]

Had the chance to see Magma in 2017 for their first ever performance in Montreal. They played 4 songs and it was GLORIOUS. Theusz Hamtaahk Mekanïk destruktïw kommandöh Zombies Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré III

[@ProfesorCristianChile]

you need to get into italian progressive rock, latin american prog, krautrock and so many stuff yet!!

[@dr.juerdotitsgo5119]

Banco del Mutuo Soccorso or at least PFM should be recognized.

[@gillesgravel2064]

Yiepp ! Like PFM, Il Volo, RDM and more.

[@Solarian.13_]

I wish italian prog rock was more known around the world. Nowadays even in Italy very few people know Banco, PFM, Osanna, Cervello ecc. It's a pity because it really is some of the best music my country ever produced

[@antitheist2000]

@@Solarian.13_ banco, pfm and le orme are on my ipod 👍 😊😊

[@biraoliverio]

I just recommended Canto Nomade Per Un Prigioniero Politico from Banco deld Mutuo Soccorso to him. We can team up to try to convince him.

[@_Helm_]

I'm so happy you took this recommendation!!

[@blb14cp]

Thank you so much Doug for this! It is a good start but you really need to listen to one piece in its entirety. This version of MDK is excellent. People suggested other pieces like De Futura, Kohntarkosz or K.A. which are all good too, and many many others. I must have seen them live ten times since (yes!) 1970 until recently two years ago, It is always an experience. Just go on with MDK until the end, I am sure that you'll do it perfectly. Thank you again and go on! I am a happy subscriber to your channel.

[@dandos5913]

Magma us definitely a Unique band, they play their music since more than 45 years. When you see them performing live it is like being hypnotized by the ambiance, the rhythm, the music and the vocals. I recommend to listen the full concert and have the overview.

[@dandos5913]

Sorry I meant more than 50 years, they began in 1970…time flies…they have a fantastic cover design by H.R. Giger, see the album Attahk…listen also to Félicité Thosz, it is worth the journey 🎼🥁🤘🏼

[@macronenpersonne4242]

This is the most amazing piece I have ever heard. In the 70's, I was lucky to see Magma 2 times in France. It was out of this world.

[@DavidHartley88]

The favourite band of legendary snooker player Steve Davis.

[@wowiezowie4235]

A pretty interesting sounding piece but as others have said , must be listened to in its entirety to be fully appreciated. I think a great listen would be the studio version of "Hamburger Concerto" from 1974 by the great Dutch prog band Focus. It's only twenty minutes long so the whole score would fit nicely into a Friday episode. I think I would pair it with some good Scotch!

[@charleshill9546]

No - drink; Jenever, also spelled Genever or simply Dutch gin - if you can get it on that side on the pond

[@ConceptJunkie]

Ah, yes, "Hamburger Concerto"... my favorite Christmas song. Excellent choice.

[@wowiezowie4235]

@@charleshill9546 Hey Thanks! Never heard of here on the east coast US but will certainly start my investigation right away!

[@iancairns5046]

So I really enjoy your channel and analysis but mostly for introducing me to new sounds. Renaissance I had never heard of and are gorgeous. And this? Oh my word what an amazing piece of music . Like nothing I’ve ever experienced. The repetition passes by like the whole piece is 3 minutes long.

[@kenl2091]

Magma are unique (at least until their followers started similar bands) (though the Carl Orff mention is apt) and are still performing. Most of the comments make the relevant points - this should be listened to as a whole, not in 11 minute chunks! (The full MDK album or the Theusz Hamtaakh piece. De Futura is shorter and more digestible but is written by the great bassist Jannick Top rather than Christian Vander - slightly different but no less magnificent)

[@micaelmelomachado]

Gosh, the scale of "prog weirdness" is increasing on the channel (like "Pink Floyd to Renaissance to Genesis to Yes to ELP to King Crimson to VDGG to Gentle Giant, and now to Magma"... what's the next step up now? Can (the german band, of course)?

[@nsgobbi]

Man, i never thought in gauging prog weirdness in such way, but it makes sense, and Can (in special the Damo Suzuki phase) is certainly eligible !

[@kennethhatteland3027]

And Amon Duul 2 or Popul Vuh

[@martinbright5077]

Let's not forget the German band FAUST from the same period, also brilliantly weird in a more rock way. Love MAGMA, Brilliant music brilliant band.

[@jaskarissanen5899]

It seems Doug has reached a level where he maintains his daily sanity with Opeth and Steven Wilson just to have the stamina to go deeper into the rabbit hole. 😄🤘 Prog, the best swamp to sink to.

[@n.r2664]

You should do another Magma episode. I would highly suggest "De Futura" as a track to comment on. This track is not short but is that cracking motor which Magma are famous for. You would have heard that kick in with MDK further into the track. Also as a side note, Stella Vander (Christian's wife) writes all the vocal/choral music. There are tracks which are mainly that sort of thing also worth checking out. Great channel btw, hope to see more diverse stuff along the way.

[@romeroyunge]

I was wondering if I would see Magma on your Channel.. I'm so happy. Thanks a lot, Doug!!

[@romeroyunge]

Please, Try to listen to 'La poderosa Muerte, by Los Jaivas'

[@ericdepagne]

I knew the band, but never listened to them. What a discovery! Thank you Doug for that.

[@diegogomez8218]

I really recommend De Futura. One of the greatest bass riffs in prog

[@nobrains6107]

yah, you stopped pretty much exactly at he end of what I'd call the intro, and no, it isn't unfair to call it too long. I saw the album cover in the racks back in '73 while still at school. After a few weeks I decided to give it a go. I sat there for about 40 minutes thinking wtf, then played it again - which I never do. Then I played it again. As a fan of Pink Floyd, Genesis, Van Der Graaf Generator etc, I'd say this is now my favorite piece by anyone, endlessly rewarding. But you *must* listen to it all. Also, imho, that isn't the best video. Either check out the album, or the full version from triton 2005 - unfortunately not currently on youtube.

[@ItahGlao1]

MDK at Le Triton 2005 is on youtube : kzbin.info/www/bejne/l52YipuhgpWkmJY

[@qndj6449]

I only listen to the Retrospektiw live albums.

[@ELECTROxigeno76.]

Viva Magma, exelent band, tks Mr. Doug,.🚭🎩

[@SashaRancic]

Wow! Magma! This was awesome. Thanks, Doug! Since you're entering zeuhl music I'd like to recommend the band Eskaton to you, especially the song Le Cri (or anything else from the 4 Visions album) which has the best bass line and the best keyboard solo in this type of music imho. Eskaton is similar in style to Magma but perhaps a bit easier to listen to. There's also Univers Zero, a magnificent Belgian avant-prog band - my recommendation would be the song Présage from the album Uzed.

[@СемёнСемёнов-ы1ь]

Le Cri is a pure trance! But I'd recommend Attente! as the best representative piece by the glorious Eskaton.

[@danalawrence4473]

Eider Stellaire as well!

[@philippetouchard932]

merci pour votre bonne humeur

[@jean-marcblanchet2270]

Thank you Doug for leading me to aternative music, not really mainstream of course. This band is stunning and this piece full of surprises. Thanks again

[@nsgobbi]

Magma is Magma, not progressive rock, nothing else. Forget Kobaian that is bullshit, but the music is from out-of-this-planet !! The main idea of the constructed language is to be used as an additional “instrument”, filling and giving structure to the pieces. I love it. 90% of their sound is a complex structure over Drums-Bass-Fender Rhodes….. hardly ever guitar takes stage, but sometimes the pattern goes so wild that even the headbangers hide under their beds…..

[@dougmphilly]

i wonder if chris vander ever called up sun ra to join in for a gig or two.

[@pandstar]

So glad you did this reaction video. Magma, while surely an acquired taste, are a band that seems to hold up to many, many repeat listenings, and never seems to sound dated. Seeing them live is another experience altogether. You should do some reaction videos on the avant-prog (also known as RIO) subgenre. Univers Zero, Art Zoyd, Aranis, Thinking Plague, Henry Cow, etc. They are even a bit more out there than Magma. They tend to be influenced by classical composers of the mid to late 20th century. The website Progarchives describes this subgenre: Avant-prog is generally considered to be more extreme and 'difficult' than other forms of progressive rock, though these terms are naturally subjective and open to interpretation. Common elements that may or may not be displayed by specific avant-prog artists include: - Regular use of dissonance and atonality. - Extremely complex and unpredictable song arrangements. - Free or experimental improvisation. - Fusion of disparate musical genres. - Polyrhythms and highly complex time signatures.

[@ultimusarcheopteryx7957]

The text in french says (Translation as literal as possible. hopfully it will not sound to bad) "this moment tells the story of a people of central europe. Who being revolted against his tyrant, was walking to the palace. And the sings of this people were so beautifull, that they vanished into space."

[@chriss.8582]

"It's not hard to do weird music. But it's really hard to do weird music really, really, really well." You hearing that loud and clear Yoko?

[@michaelvolkel5714]

Magma is my favourite Band since about 1976. I saw them 6 times live and traveled 3 times to france to see them. Next time it's for the 50th stage anniversery in Strasbourgh. It is pronounced Kristion Vondeah and Mekunnick Destrooktiv Kommando by the way. I think, you should at least mention James MacGaws (RIP) BRILLIANT Guitar Solo on this.

[@jeffelindio4797]

I was 16 when I took this slap in the face. MDK in this version is totally incredible. Listen to the whole piece, James Mc Gaw and Philippe Bussonnet are so great in the Nebehr Guhdatt part of MDK. Magma's music changed forever the way I concieve music. Magma introduced me to Coltrane, to Stravinsky, while being still a world by itself. Thank you for promoting their work of Art !

[@renedewael9703]

Glad you appreciate ;) The main time line on MDK is a 7/4 pattern, you have probably noticed. My favourite piece from MAGMA remain Konhtarkosz ( and even more the live one Kontark, with an incredible drumming performance ) Btw, think like german language ( Destruktiv, with a « v » 😅)

[@nostromoNMS]

I love Magma so much. I have no idea how many times I've seen them live.

[@eduardoalmeida61]

You have do it FULL man.