Ange
Encyclopedia
Ange is a French
progressive rock
band formed in September 1969 by the Décamps brothers, Francis (keyboards) and Christian (vocals, accordion, acoustic guitar and keyboards).
and King Crimson
, and its music was quite theatrical and poetic. Its first success in France was the cover of a Jacques Brel
song, Ces gens-là
, on its second album Le Cimetière des Arlequins. The band provided its first concert on January 30, 1970 at the cultural center "La Pépinière", in Belfort
, France
. It performed 110 concerts in England from 1973 to 1976, opening for Genesis
at the Reading Festival in England
, on August 26, 1973, fronting some 30.000 listeners.
One of the reasons for which the band was unable to break through into the British market was because they sang in French. Ange eventually released an English-speaking version of its fifth album Par les fils de Mandrin (By the sons of Mandrin), which sold poorly and is hard to find, although this version has since been made available on CD. Unfortunately, after three albums, the quality of creation had started to decrease, and Par les fils de Mandrin was probably not a good choice to try to break into the British market. Au delà du délire, third album, could be the band's best effort and is recommended as the one to listen to as a starter, for newcomers to the Ange progressive phenomenon.
Following Par les fils de Mandrin and the excellent live double album Tome VI, the band issued a mellotron one, Guet-apens, and then had a change of direction into a more rock-oriented colour, although various progressive reformations occurred over the years, e.g. for the 1992 album Les larmes du Dalaï-Lama. Sponsored by the French radio RTL
, Ange relentlessly toured till the end of 1977, welcoming an average of 5,000 to 6,000 listeners per show. During its first years (generally regarded as the best ones), the other three members of the band were Jean-Michel Brézovar on guitar and flute, Gérard Jelsch on drums, and Daniel Hass on bass (and acoustic guitar). In 1995, Ange played its announced farewell tour.
Christian Décamps released a few albums as "Christian Décamps et Fils" ("Christian Décamps and Son"), before taking over the name "Ange" in 1999, and is backed by his band for his solo albums. The new lineup has issued several albums from La voiture à eau in 1999, performed on 2006 edition of NEARfest
and is still on the road in 2011.
Francis Décamps and Jean-Michel Brézovar have also released solo albums.
, were in fact generated from a Viscount organ
through a modded Hammond
reverb. However, an actual mellotron
was played on the album Guet-Apens in 1978.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band formed in September 1969 by the Décamps brothers, Francis (keyboards) and Christian (vocals, accordion, acoustic guitar and keyboards).
History
Ange was initially influenced by GenesisGenesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
and King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
, and its music was quite theatrical and poetic. Its first success in France was the cover of a Jacques Brel
Jacques Brel
Jacques Brel was a Belgian singer-songwriter who composed and performed literate, thoughtful, and theatrical songs that generated a large, devoted following in France initially, and later throughout the world. He was widely considered a master of the modern chanson...
song, Ces gens-là
Ces Gens-Là (song)
"Ces gens-là" is a French language song by the late Belgian singer Jacques Brel, published in 1966 by the Éditions Pouchenel of Brussels, about the despair of a hopeless love...
, on its second album Le Cimetière des Arlequins. The band provided its first concert on January 30, 1970 at the cultural center "La Pépinière", in Belfort
Belfort
Belfort is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France and is the prefecture of the department. It is located on the Savoureuse, on the strategically important natural route between the Rhine and the Rhône – the Belfort Gap or Burgundian Gate .-...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It performed 110 concerts in England from 1973 to 1976, opening for Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
at the Reading Festival in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on August 26, 1973, fronting some 30.000 listeners.
One of the reasons for which the band was unable to break through into the British market was because they sang in French. Ange eventually released an English-speaking version of its fifth album Par les fils de Mandrin (By the sons of Mandrin), which sold poorly and is hard to find, although this version has since been made available on CD. Unfortunately, after three albums, the quality of creation had started to decrease, and Par les fils de Mandrin was probably not a good choice to try to break into the British market. Au delà du délire, third album, could be the band's best effort and is recommended as the one to listen to as a starter, for newcomers to the Ange progressive phenomenon.
Following Par les fils de Mandrin and the excellent live double album Tome VI, the band issued a mellotron one, Guet-apens, and then had a change of direction into a more rock-oriented colour, although various progressive reformations occurred over the years, e.g. for the 1992 album Les larmes du Dalaï-Lama. Sponsored by the French radio RTL
RTL (French radio)
In France, RTL is a popular nation-wide commercial radio network owned by the RTL Group.In 1931, Radio Luxembourg, the public radio network from Luxembourg, was privatised. Beginning in 1946, it could be heard easily in France. Until the 1980s, only the French public radio networks could transmit...
, Ange relentlessly toured till the end of 1977, welcoming an average of 5,000 to 6,000 listeners per show. During its first years (generally regarded as the best ones), the other three members of the band were Jean-Michel Brézovar on guitar and flute, Gérard Jelsch on drums, and Daniel Hass on bass (and acoustic guitar). In 1995, Ange played its announced farewell tour.
Christian Décamps released a few albums as "Christian Décamps et Fils" ("Christian Décamps and Son"), before taking over the name "Ange" in 1999, and is backed by his band for his solo albums. The new lineup has issued several albums from La voiture à eau in 1999, performed on 2006 edition of NEARfest
NEARfest
The North East Art Rock Festival, or NEARfest for short, is a multi-day event celebrating the resurgence of progressive and eclectic music in the United States and around the world. The event is held annually in early summer in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, approximately one hour north of Philadelphia...
and is still on the road in 2011.
Francis Décamps and Jean-Michel Brézovar have also released solo albums.
Keyboards
The keyboard sounds of the '70s-era band, while reminiscent of a mellotronMellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
, were in fact generated from a Viscount organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
through a modded Hammond
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
reverb. However, an actual mellotron
Mellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
was played on the album Guet-Apens in 1978.
Christian and Francis Décamps era
- CaricaturesCaricatures (Ange album)Caricatures is the first album by the French progressive rock band Ange, released in 1972.-Track listing:#"Biafra 80 " – 3:50#"Tels quels" – 6:55#"Dignité" – 9:35...
(1972) - Le Cimetière des arlequinsLe Cimetière des arlequinsLe Cimetière des arlequins is the second album by the French progressive rock band Ange, released in 1973.- Track listing :# "Ces gens-là" – 4:45# "Aujourd'hui c'est la fête chez l'apprenti-sorcier" – 3:30...
(1973) - Au-delà du délireAu-delà du délireAu-delà du délire is the third album by the French progressive rock band Ange, released in 1974.- Track listing :# "Godevin le vilain" – 2:59# "Les Longues nuits d'Isaac" – 4:13...
(1974) - Emile JacoteyÉmile JacoteyEmile Jacotey is the fourth album by the French progressive rock band Ange, released in 1975.-Track listing:#"Bêle, bêle petite chèvre" – 3:50#"Sur la trace des fées" – 4:48...
(1975) - Par les fils de MandrinPar les fils de MandrinPar les fils de Mandrin is the fifth album by the French progressive rock band Ange, released in 1976.-Track listing:#"Par les fils de Mandrin" – 4:48#"Au café du Colibri" – 4:02...
(1976) - Tome VI : Live 1977 (1977)
- En concert : Live 1970-1971 (1977)
- Guet-apens (1978)
- Vu d'un chien (1980)
- Moteur! (1981)
- La Gare de Troyes (1983)
- Fou (1984)
- Egna (1986)
- Tout feu tout flamme... C'est pour de rire (1987)
- A propos de... (1982)
- Sève qui peut (1987)
- Vagabondages (Compilation) (1989)
- Les larmes du Dalaï Lama (1992)
- Mémo (Compilation) (1994)
- Un p'tit tour et puis s'en vont : Live 1995 (1995)
- Tome 87 (Live) (2002)
- Ange en concert : Par les fils de Mandrin (Millésimé 77) (2004)
Christian and Tristan Décamps era
- La Voiture à eau (1999)
- Rêves parties : Live 2000 (2000)
- Culinaire lingus (2001)
- ? (2005)
- Souffleurs de Vers (2007)
- Zénith An II : Live 2002 (2007)
- Le bois travaille, même le dimanche (2010)
Christian Décamps & Fils
- Le mal d'Adam (1979)
- Juste une ligne bleue (1990)
- Nu (1994)
- V'soul Vesoul V'soul (1995)
- 3e étoile à gauche (1997)
- Murmures (2003)