Anything that makes me tick and get a kick.
Michèle recorded her first ep in 1963,when she was only 16 years old. It was an immediate success. In 1964 she went touring for the first time and was then asked to open for Claude François at the Olympia in Paris.A string of hits followed.She also represented Luxembourg in the 1966 Eurovision Song Contest with "Ce soir je t'attendais".
posted by Bruno @ 11:10 AM
2 comments
Stella was 13 when she recorded her first EP. Between 1963 and 1969, she recorded 9 ep's,19 singles and an album (also issued in the USA and Canada). Her songs were always different,funny and ironic and that's why she was called the anti-Sheila. She and her uncle Maurice used to write her songs.After a while Stella became tired of showbiz and wanted to do something more adventurous in music.Stella married Christian Vander, drummer and spiritual leader of Magma,the legendary French progressive group.She became the lead female voice of the group.Recently Stella (Vander) expressed surprise when fans of her yé-yé years told her how much they liked her music.She was also very surprised by the sales of the compilation 2-cd on Magic-records.Stella said that after listening to the cd she now understood that those years (which she enjoyed very much but in which she didn't think to have made any notable music) were not wasted at all since the songs were really funny and charming for that time.
posted by Bruno @ 1:43 AM
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This yé-yé foursome (four yé-yé girls!) made a great 1967 ep consisting of "C'est extra" ("deep inside"),"Laisse moi" ("little boy" Spector),"Ils sont si gentils" ("come see about me" Holland- Dozier-Holland) and "Ne compte pas sur moi" ("go where you wanna go").All great French language covers (with different lyrics).Claude François heard them and later on decided to engage them for his backing vocals (as Fléchettes).
posted by Bruno @ 9:58 AM
6 comments
French yé-yé girl Clothilde used to say that she was more into painting than music.She worked with producer Germinal Tenas who had to practically force her to make more recordings since she hated all the agitation and performing in public (she was only 19 at the time). According to Germinal her voice was the best suited for the music he had in mind.Germinal also worked with Antoine et Les Problèmes, Christine Delaroche, Sullivan(?) and he later formed his own band, Chorus Reverendus.He enjoyed mixing traditional pop sounds with weird instruments (check out the rubber duckie at the end of this song).The result was a strange and wonderful baroque pop.Two ep's plus 2 Italian cover versions seem to be all that was released.
posted by Bruno @ 9:04 AM
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Egyptian born yé-yé girl Liz Brady (Lisa Gautier) made 6(?) ep's between 1965 and 1967.In 1968 She and her sister moved to Québec where they formed the duo Les Scarabées.She still performs in Florida as Liza Brady.Here's one of her wilder songs.
posted by Bruno @ 1:46 AM
17 comments
Mesmerizing 60s Italian soundtrack with some of the sexiest female vocals you can imagine.Hard to describe the sound. Kind of a dreamy Beat/Go-Go pre-psychedelic trip.In a weird turn of events, the track "Ma-Na-Mah-Na" from this X-Rated soundtrack would end up as a Muppets song!
posted by Bruno @ 9:10 AM
3 comments
Session musician Jack Arel cut some amazing stuff for Chappell Recorded Music Library in the late 60s and early 70s. Funky, cinematic and psychedelic tracks...This essential collection of "dance & mood music" also features Arel's "picture series" (e.g. "Picture of Spring," "Picture of Summer," etc.) Arel is assisted by fellow sound library mavericks Jean Claude Petit and Pierre Dutour. The album was compiled by the House of Bamboo.
posted by Bruno @ 4:46 AM
4 comments
A rare and excellent ep from this Brigitte Bardot imitating French yé-yé girl!! Monique Thubert uses her sexy Bardot voice making fun over imitating the English music. If you like early funk and heavy organ / hammond this record is for you.This song is based on the rhythm of the great soul piece "Funky Fever".
posted by Bruno @ 7:17 AM
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Talking about French late 60s insanity this duo truely are le max!
posted by Bruno @ 6:51 AM
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Belgian yé-yé girl Tonia used to sing in Dutch,French and later in German.She represented Belgium in the 1966 Eurovision Songfestival.According to what I've heard she was a real wild chick!
posted by Bruno @ 5:00 AM
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Another relatively unknown fille yé-yé,my guess is that she was from Monte-Carlo.The song was written by Serge Lama.If anybody else should have some info?
posted by Bruno @ 3:37 AM
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I just stumbled upon this video of their first hit, the enduring and hilariously breathtaking "Bonnie and Clyde".
posted by Bruno @ 3:07 AM
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Was it a coincidence this was the first France Gall record I ever bought (in a second-hand shop for 50 cents) and was it is a coincidence that I fell in love with this song from the b-side right away?One of my favorite France Gall songs ever.
posted by Bruno @ 8:47 AM
3 comments
This live album features an all Serge Gainsbourg program, but his romantic, world-weary satires are now encased in sultry Middle Eastern instrumentation, which suits them remarkably well. Jane's sensuous, sophisticated renditions are part of Gainsbourg's legacy, but more importantly, they make pleasurable listening.
posted by Bruno @ 9:03 AM
2 comments
Time for some more yé-yé!
posted by Bruno @ 6:17 AM
2 comments
So what if Don Juan were a woman? I'm not sure if she would behave something like Brigitte Bardot's 1973 rendition of the famed lover, but it's considerably fun to watch her strut her stuff.In Roger Vadim's interpretation of the Latin lover, Jeanne (Bardot) eats men for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She takes a married politician and immediately ruins him by having him photographed at one of her orgies. She uses a hapless folk singer for sex and then leaves, prompting him to slice his wrists and bleed to death while strumming his guitar. She even extends to corrupting women, luring the innocent wife of a grotesquely self-absorbed businessman (Jane Birkin) into the sack, then turning the tables on both members of the couple. Bardot, one of the ultimate vamps of world cinema, is at her unmistakable best here, bored with the world around her yet overflowing with wanton lust.Aka Ms. Don Juan.Check out a little highlight with both Brigitte and Jane having some sexy fun...Buy the DVD or VHS
posted by Bruno @ 6:28 AM
10 comments
The Prisoner was a controversial 1967 UK television series, starring Patrick McGoohan, created by McGoohan and George Markstein. The leading character, Number 6, is a former secret agent of the British government. He is held prisoner in a small, isolated yet stylish resort town, The Village, in order to garner "by hook or by crook" his personal reasons for resigning the service. Throughout the series, Number 6 cunningly resists his captor's efforts to break his will, and meanwhile investigates the identity of Number 1 and executes various plans for escape. McGoohan also wrote and directed several episodes, often under a pseudonym. With its 1960s counterculture message and themes, the programme has had a far-reaching effect upon science-fiction-fantasy-genre television, and popular culture in general. In 2002, the series won the Prometheus Hall of Fame Award.The dramatic soundtrack music was composed by Ron Granier.
posted by Bruno @ 5:58 AM
7 comments
Dutch girl-singer Bonny St. Claire aka Bonnie St. Claire, born Cornelia Swart,started her career in the music business in 1966 as a member of an all-girl folk trio, the Topsys. In 1967, she was discovered by Peter Koelewijn. During the course of the next few years, she was accompanied by the Jets (first single), the Nicols (till 1969), Clover Leaf, Lotusland (1969-1972) and Unit Gloria.Here's something from her first 45...
posted by Bruno @ 12:06 PM
6 comments
Another French yé-yé girl,Cléo made four ep's. Jacques Dutronc was an obvious influence and he actually wrote this song for her.
posted by Bruno @ 9:24 AM
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A fairly unknown yé-yé girl.Judging from her accent she's probably not French,maybe she's Italian?Her slightly off-key singing makes the song a bit punky.
posted by Bruno @ 7:54 AM
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The "Vampyros Lesbos Sexadelic Dance Party" is an example just how good it can get when expert studio musicians are allowed to rip.Hipster arrangements with plenty of tempo shifts and improvisation,horn sections, wild psychedelic fuzz guitar, jazzy organ runs, funkadelic drum and bass, and an occasional sitar for freakout effect. Composers Manfred Hubler and Siegfried Schwab toss this melange of styles into a blender.The music here is straight from the school of fusion. PS I'm looking for the videoclip of "The lions and the cucumber",if someone can help?
posted by Bruno @ 7:16 AM
7 comments
De Giafferi's incredible "Sado-Maso" features George raving in French about the joys of S&M while sweet female voices back him up.The video includes chains,whips and leather boots.One of my favorite scopitones of all time!
posted by Bruno @ 12:57 PM
1 comments
From the tv "Special Bardot" here's some footage of Brigitte doing a foto-shoot and her clip for "Harley Davidson" (4.26 min-38.9 MB).
posted by Bruno @ 12:32 PM
5 comments
Another French actress who decided to also make records,with some amazing results.This song was co-written by Jack Arel.
posted by Bruno @ 6:47 AM
2 comments
Dave Pike has led one hell of a life entrenched in the jazz music business. He emerged in the late 50's and quickly established himself as an original voice on the vibraphone, recording several classic albums with the likes of Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Paul Bley, Tommy Flanagan, Herbie Hancock, Clark Terry and others. He joined Herbie Mann's band in the early 60's and is featured on the classic Family of Mann on Atlantic. Pike later moved to Europe and in 1968 formed the Dave Pike Set, one of the most popular European jazz groups in Europe in the early 70's.Noisy Silence - Gentle Noise is the first of five LPs, which the Dave Pike Set released during the years of 1969 to 1971. This was an influential fusion album at the time and retains the flavour of the period.It was on this album that Pike conjured up “Mathar," a weird mix of psychedelic sitar and big beats that became a club favorite over the past few years and was even covered by Paul Weller.In 1964, Pike cut a record for Decca entitled Manhattan Latin. The record was released with little fanfare and modest sales. It quickly slipped through the cracks until the late 1980s, when collectors of Latin jazz and rare groove picked up on this recording and warmed to Dave Pike in general. Now many of Pike's recordings from the 1960s and onwards fetch top dollar on the collectors market.
posted by Bruno @ 6:35 AM
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