Pulsar (band)
Encyclopedia
Pulsar is a French progressive rock
band whose influences include Pink Floyd
and King Crimson
, plus classical musicians such as Gustav Mahler
.
During the early 1980s, the group performed and composed the music for a Franco‑Austrian musical theatre
production. Their most recent album is Memory Ashes (2007).
The band recorded and published its first album, Pollen, in 1974. In 1975, Philipe Roman left the band. The following year, the group released their new album, with new bassist, Michel Masson, who later collaborated with them The Strands of the Future (1976) and Halloween (1977).
In the early eighties, together with director Bruno Carlucci, in musical theatre
, Pulsar adapted a short story by Austrian novelist Peter Handke
: "Bienvenue au Conseil D'Administration!" (1981). The quintet comprised Gilbert Gandil on guitar and bass, Victor Bosch at the drums, Jacques Roman on keyboard, and Roland Richard playing the flute and saxophone, along with Louis Paralis taking the place of Michel Masson.
From 1974 to 1989, their albums were produced by CBS
. Later, they were produced by Musea
, a French
label which had bought the distribution rights. The band launched a comeback in 1989, publishing Görlitz.
The group's most recent album is Memory Ashes (2007), produced by Cypress Music. In 2008, Goldmine Magazine listed Halloween among the top 25 albums of 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 whose influences include Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
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...
, plus classical musicians such as Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his generation. He was born in the village of Kalischt, Bohemia, in what was then Austria-Hungary, now Kaliště in the Czech Republic...
.
During the early 1980s, the group performed and composed the music for a Franco‑Austrian musical theatre
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
production. Their most recent album is Memory Ashes (2007).
History
Pulsar is the first French band to have signed with an English label, which was called "Kingdom Records".The band recorded and published its first album, Pollen, in 1974. In 1975, Philipe Roman left the band. The following year, the group released their new album, with new bassist, Michel Masson, who later collaborated with them The Strands of the Future (1976) and Halloween (1977).
In the early eighties, together with director Bruno Carlucci, in musical theatre
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
, Pulsar adapted a short story by Austrian novelist Peter Handke
Peter Handke
Peter Handke is an avant-garde Austrian novelist and playwright.-Early life:Handke and his mother lived in the Soviet-occupied Pankow district of Berlin from 1944 to 1948 before resettling in Griffen...
: "Bienvenue au Conseil D'Administration!" (1981). The quintet comprised Gilbert Gandil on guitar and bass, Victor Bosch at the drums, Jacques Roman on keyboard, and Roland Richard playing the flute and saxophone, along with Louis Paralis taking the place of Michel Masson.
From 1974 to 1989, their albums were produced by CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. Later, they were produced by Musea
Musea
Musea Records is a non-profit [for the label's bands] musician-owned French record label dedicated to progressive rock. It was founded in 1985 by Bernard Gueffier and Francis Grosse, along with a small team of friends - Daniel Adt, Alain Juliac, Alain Robert, Thierry Sportouche, Jean-Claude...
, a French
French rock
French rock is a form of rock music produced in France, primarily in the French language.In the 1970s, France saw the arrival of Alan Stivell's Breton folk-rock as well as a wave of progressive rock bands like Ange, Shylock, Magma, Eskaton, Atoll and Pulsar. French punk rock also appeared,...
label which had bought the distribution rights. The band launched a comeback in 1989, publishing Görlitz.
The group's most recent album is Memory Ashes (2007), produced by Cypress Music. In 2008, Goldmine Magazine listed Halloween among the top 25 albums of 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 members
| (1970–1974) |
|
|---|---|
| (1975–1980) |
Synthesizer A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones... , keyboard Musical keyboard A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the... , 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... Drum kit A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... , percussion Percussion instrument A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... Electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... , lead vocals Piano The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... , flute Flute The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening... Bass guitar The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... |
| (1981–present) |
Synthesizer A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones... , keyboard Musical keyboard A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the... , 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... Drum kit A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... , percussion Percussion instrument A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... Electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... , lead vocals Piano The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... , flute Flute The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening... Bass guitar The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... |
Discography
- 1975: Pollen
- 1976: The Strands of the Future
- 1977: Halloween
- 1981: Bienvenue au Conseil d'Administration
- 1989: Görlitz
- 2007: Memory Ashes
Authorship
The introduction of the album Halloween, credited as one of the band's compositions, is the traditional Irish tune "Londonderry AirLondonderry Air
Londonderry Air is an air that originated from County Londonderry in Ireland. It is popular among the Irish diaspora and is very well known throughout the world. The tune is played as the victory anthem of Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games. "Danny Boy" is a popular set of lyrics to the...
".