01	Face A L'extravagante Montee Des Ascenseurs, Nous Resterons Fideles A Notre Calme Determination						06:13
	02	Le Fleuve Et Le Manteau						07:48
	03	Percutant Reportage Au Pays Des Fees						00:35
	04	Recherche Pour Un Journal, Des Lunettes, Une Pipe Et Un Beret (Et Autres Titres) : 13h58 Ou Les Petites Aventures Du medecin-chef/Je Veux Danser Avec Toi (Artman Inspiration)						05:53
	05	Le Desastreux Voyage Du Piteux Python,						10:40
	06	POI (Pourissement Des Organes Interieurs)						06:56
	07	Nave De Bilande						03:00

Etron Fou Leloublan
Formed 1974
Disbanded 1986

by Jason Ankeny

French art-rock unit Etron Fou Leloublan - roughly translated, "Mad Sh*t, the White Wolf" - was formed in 1974 by vocalist Eulalie Ruynat, bassist/vocalist Ferdinand Richard, saxophonist Chris Chanet, and drummer Guigou Chenevier. A product of the Rock in Opposition coalition - a loose collective of British and Western European artists, spearheaded by Henry Cow, that openly challenged the commercial, creative, and sociopolitical aims of mass-market popular music - Etron Fou Leloublan boasted a frenzied, densely rhythmic approach ably captured by their 1976 debut LP, Batelages. Saxophonist Francis Grand replaced Chanet for the 1978 follow-up, Les Trois Fou's Perdegagnent (Au Pays Des...); a brief 1979 tour of the U.S. yielded the live disc En Public au Etats-Unis d'Amerique. Bernard Mathieu assumed saxophone duties and singer/multi-instrumentalist Jo Thirion replaced Ruynat for 1982's Fred Frith-produced Les Poumons Gonfles, with yet another saxophonist - Bruno Meillier - signing on for 1984's Les Sillons de la Terre. That same year, a longtime Etron Fou Leloublan rule that the members could not participate in musical projects outside the group's ranks was lifted, and both Richard and Chenevier recorded solo efforts; the former teamed with Sophie Jausserand for A l'Abri des Micro-Climats, while the latter partnered with the celebrated cellist Tom Cora for En Avant. Chenevier concurrently formed a second group, Encore Plus Grande, while Richard moonlighted with Alfred Harth in Gestalt et Jive. Having apparently had their fill of revolving saxophonists, Richard, Chenevier and Thirion recorded 1985's Face aux Elements Dechaines as a three-piece; the LP was the final Etron Fou Leloublan recording, with 1991's three-disc 43 Songs collecting the entirety of the group's studio output.


1976 Batelages Gazul
1978 Les Trois Fous Perdegagnent (Au Pays Des...) 9H17
1982 Les Poumons Gonfles Turbo
1984 Les Sillons de la Terre Turbo
1985 Face Aux Elements Dechaines Rec Rec
1986 En Public Au Etats-Unis D'Amerique Celluloid
2001 43 Songs Musea



Les Trois Fous Perdegagnent (Au Pays Des...)
Date of Release 1978 (release)

The full title of Etron Fou Leloublan's second album is Les Trois Fous Perdegagnent (Au Pays Des...), which could translate to "The Three Fools Lose'n'win (In the Land Of...)" - granted, it doesn't make more sense in English than in French. On this opus from 1978, Francis Grand picks up the saxophone where Chris Chanet (aka Eulalie Ruynat) had left it. Despite his inventive growls and screams, he simply cannot tame the devastating rhythm section (and madcap creativity) of Ferdinand Richard and Guigou Chenevier. This album is a studio construction, filled with overdubs and intro/outro collages. The group has gained better knowledge of the possibilities offered by a recording studio, but still operates on a shoestring budget. The writing marks a step forward in cohesion, excitement, and zaniness. Instrumental tunes and passages are complex and fast (the opener, "Face a l'Extravagante Montee...," makes a good example). The songs absolutely make no sense, part Henry Cow circa In Praise of Learning, part pataphysical surrealism and circus freak show (the Mothers of Invention meet Camembert Electrique-era Gong). The album culminates in "Le Desastreux Voyage du Piteux Python" (The Disastrous Journey of the Pitiful Python), a loosely knit narrative backed by illustrative music and dominated by the many voices of Chenevier. French proficiency is not that important to appreciate Etron Fou's provocative Rock in Opposition, but you'd better have a sense of humor. - Francois Couture

Guigou Chenevier - Drums
Francis Grand - Flute, Harmonica, Saxophone, Vocals
Jean Pierre Grasset - Guitar
Michael Grezes
Ferdinand Richard - Bass, Vocals

1978 LP 9H17 7001



Etron Fou Leloublan Discography

Compiled by Minsu Jang (cats@super5.hyundai.co.kr)
Last Updated : 2 Apr. '95


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Etron Fou Leloublan - Batelanges
(1977, Gratte-Ciel 2001, LP)
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Songs

Face 1
1. Lamulette et le petit rabbin
2. Sololo Brigida
3. Yvett Blouse

Face 2
1. Madame Richard
2. Larika
3. Histoire de Graine

Musicians

Ferdinand Richard Cordes, Vocals
Chris Charnet Cuivres
Guigou "Samba Scout" Chenevier Percussions, Choir
Eulalie Ruynat Vocals



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Etron Fou Leloublan - Les 3 fous Perdegagnent
(1978, Tapioca 10020, LP)
(1978, 9h17 5001, LP)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Songs

Face 1
1. Face A L'extravagante Montee Des Ascenceurs,
Nous Resterons Fideles A Notre Calme Determination
2. Le Fleuve Et Le Manteau
3. Percutant Reportage Au Pays Des Fees
4. 1) Recherche Pour Un Journal, Des Lunettes, Une Pipe Et Un Beret
2) 13h 58, Ou Les Petites Aventures Du Medecin Chef
3) Je Veux Danser Avec Toi(Artman Inspiration)

Face 2
1. Le Desastreux Voyage Du Piteux Python
2. P.O.I. (Pourissement Des Organes Interieurs)
3. Navede Bilande

Musicians

Francis Grand alto & tenor saxes, melodica, flute,
harmonica, cithare, vocal
Guigou "Samba Scout" Chenevier drum, boites, yoyos, sifflet, trucs,
machines, vocal
Ferdinand Richard bass, vocal



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Etron Fou Leloublan - En Direct Des Etats-Unis d'Amerique
(1979, Celluloid CEL 6572, LP)
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[info unavailable yet]
"Musea is considering releasing this album on CD."




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Etron Fou Leloublan - Les Poumons Gonfles
(1982, Turbo Music TMSA 3301, LP)
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Songs

Face A
1. Nicolas
2. Mimi
3. Nicole
4. La Musique

Face B
1. Christine
2. Those Distant Waters
3. Upsalla
4. Io Prefero
5. Pas'l'sou

Members

Jo Thirion Farfisa organ, piano, trompette,
backing vocals
Bernard Mathieu soprano & tenor saxes
Guigou Chenevier drum, tenor sax, chant
Ferdinand Richard bass guitar, chant
Fred Frith violin, guitar on Christine & Pas'l'Sou
artistic production



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Etron Fou Leloublan - Les Sillons De La Terre
(1984, Le Chant Du Monde LDX 74813, LP)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Songs

Face 1
1. Phare Plafond
2. Les Vitres
3. Les Alsaciennes
4. Nouveau
5. L'enfance de Guigou

Face 2
1. Emoi
2. C'est pas bien
3. Et qu'est air-la
4. Lavabo
5. Le jeu l'alcool et les femmes

Members

Bruno Mellller : alto, tenor, baryton saxes
Ferdinand Richard : bass, vocal
Jo Thirion : organ, vocal
Guigou Chenevier : drum, tenor sax, vocal



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Etron Fou Leloublan - Face Aux Elements Dechaines
(1985, RecRec 08, LP)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Songs

Face A
1. Laves a la machine
2. Tous le poussent
3. Hors de son monde
4. Paris 65
5. Sous les draps

Face B
1. Comment choisir son infirmiere
2. Gifle Hubert
3. Blanc
4. Binet d'eau froide
5. Plus rien ne nous retient dans pays
6. Mon petit chorus

Members

Ferdinand Richard basses - chant
Jo Thirion orgue - chant
Guigou Chenevier drum - sax - chant



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Etron Fou Leloublan - 43 Songs
(1991, Baillemont CD 929, 3CDs)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This 3CD set contains all the songs from Etron Fou's five albums, which are Batelanges, Les 3 fous Perdegagnent, Les Poumons Gonfles, Les Sillons De La Terre and Face Aux Elements Dechaines.




Etron Fou Leloublan [France]

Updated 2/17/01

Discography
Batelanges (77)
Les Trois Fous Perdegagnent (au pays des ...)(78)
En Direct Des Etats-Unis d'Amerique (79, aka En Public Aux Etats Unis d'Ameriques)
Les Poumons Gonfles (82)
Les Sillons De La Terre (84)
Face Aux Elements Dechaines (85)
43 Songs (91, Compilation of previous albums, 3CD's)


Reviews
One of the more important cultural offshoots of the RIO sound along with Aqsak Maboul, Henry Cow, and Samla, EFL were a French quartet who made stunningly interesting music in the vein of "where no man has gone before" type of music. Not for the musically timid and conservative, EFL will be very rewarding to those who like the Henry Cow theme. Their three CD - 5 album compilation 43 songs has just been released and is the ideal way of listening to this band.
French progressive rock. Complex strict composition and wild improvisation. Boy can they play.
Non-idiomatic original RIO members (Ferdinand Richard-bass, voice, Eulalie (on first two albums) & Bernard Mathieu (on En Public ...) -saxes, Guigou Chenevier-drums and percussion, voice) whose music could be most properly associated with words like idiosyncratic, crazy, quirky, eccentric, naive and humorous. Of their five studio albums even one cannot be partially described, let alone fully grasped.
I have 43 Songs, which probably contains all five studio albums. I say probably, because I'm not sure. I have also get myself En Public Aux Etats Unis d'Ameriques (= Live in USA). Their credo seems to be that of avoiding anything but music, and their moniquer tells us everything about them (if one is sufficiently acquainted with French). 43 Songs has no credits, no song titles, nothing except traycard, which is out-there-somewhere and is depicting a wolf lying on the half cut Eiffel's tower (great montage, great cover), while in the background we can see the rest of that tower. (Hints of sort of towering music, huh?).

I had to go searching through whole Web to find at least tracklist. I found it though, but this wasn't the end of trouble. The albums were repressed on CD in rather "ad hoc" manner. The particular CD does not contain exactly an album or two, instead that, the albums are put on CD's subsequently due to quantity of space needed for putting everything on as low number of CD's as possible. Tracklist figures out 45 tracks in total, while cd-player-counter decipher only 43. So, it is obvious that few tracks were excluded or merged together for the reason of who know how's our Father.

But music is great, and not so inaccessible as you may think. Yet at the second listening I started to trace some really promising features, and the atmosphere on the all albums is fairly humurous, friendly and of course quirky. It has certain appeal, if you can believe me. Sometimes, it sounds like pothead pixies (known from another happy french band) have gone around discovering various unknown feelings, different dimensions through lotta different situations (expand their minds, widen their horizons, ha-ha), and try to inspire the present musicians. And within these moments they succeeded to great extent! Especially Les Trois Fou Perdegagnent have a lot of weird Gilli Smyth-like vocals. I don't know who sang, but woman it was definitely not. I'll try to describe each album, although I'm not sure if I'll succeed 30-percently, for the content of the package sounds to be from one "parallel" world, barely experienced until today. There's a lot of spoken or even acted word, which tells an out-of-touch stories, (eg. "Le Desastreux Voyage du Piteux Python" ("The Disastrous Voyage of Sad Python") from Les Trois Fous), so this could be puppet-show music or cartoon music as well. In lyrics they have used puns, palindromes, mocking of banal things, exaggerating (pretentious, huh?) stories, light irony and acrid sarcasm.

The Disc 1 starts with Batelages, which is hella radical and has fairly neglected sound;). The base is Captain Beefheart era Trout Mask Replica mixed with some Gong-isms, North-african ethnic musics (strong percussion), french chansons smashed to the indiscernibility, french folk music melodies and chord progressions, elements of contemporary classical, new wave and proto-punk aesthetics, and other elements of unknown source. Track-lengths range from 25 seconds to 18+ minutes (!), only two tracks are shorter than 9 minutes. So measures are fairly progressive here. With few words: zanily unique and outstanding.

The Disc 1 also contains at least 5 tracks of Les Trois Fou Perdegagnent, the remaining two open the Disc 2. This, 2nd album was much better produced, while the elements of possible influences are difficult to detect (beside that of "trilogy" era Gong). This is perhaps prog album, although it has sort of dry "wavy" sound. As on debut, vocalist (whoever had sung) tried to stretch his voice. Overall, even more out-there and consequently great.

Track no.3 from the Disc 2 represents the beginning of studio album no.3, namely Les Poumons Gonfles (Lungful of Air). This album has considerable wave influence and it proves that as possible influences only craziest bands could be taken (here Residents circa Mole trilogy). They continue with weird stories which describe banal things and with puns. By some tracks they are used to swerve into different direction, style and tonality. A differently strange recording and certainly not bad. Taste needs to be acquired.

Les Sillons de la Terre begins along with the track number 13 of the Disc 2 and closes together with a track no. 5 of the Disc 3. While having less strict prog influences than predecessing recordings, it is the easiest to get into, I'd say. It witnesses the coming of female keyboardist Jo Thirion, which made already weird Fou-sound even weirder, but within less wild and complex environment and so representing considerable sophistication. Album is suffused with tongue in cheek humour and acrid sarcasm. Worth to mention is that this band was probably the least liable to dissonances. OK, some oblique harmonies appear, mostly with Jo's keys, but these have been rarely splintered into something less listenable, although still not unbearable.

Face Aux Elements Dechaines, which kicks off with the track no.6 of the Disc 3, is the "waviest" of the bunch, perhaps even "post-punked". Jo's keyboards seem to be prevalent instruments, as they forge penetrably angular melodies. Again they were tempted to use different tools of supreme humour, mentioned many times above.

Musea or better said Gazul released a live album in 1998, entitled En Public Aux Etats Unis d'Ameriques (= Live in USA), recorded at Trinity College, Hartford, NY in 1979. How French band came to play in the states is thoroughly described in liner notes. Well, there they had played as free as on regular albums. Most tracks show band ability to "compose sponataneously". With exception of "Le Fleuve ..." none appeared on LP at that time, and "Christine" was yet to be released on their next album two years later. One ditty is a military version of Beethoven's "Fur Elise". Also included are two tracks from later era, one recorded at MIMI Festival in 1986 and one studio.

Band ceased to exist in 1986, but their members have recorded about four times EFL-opus, of usually quirky, naive and experimental music until today. Jo Thirion may have come the closest to their basic sound, with her very own band, called Art Moulu, which released an album in 1990. In spite of the fact, how scared you are after reading these lines, you should give them a whirl, when you'll start to discover progressive music or if you already started doing that. Recommended!!! -- Nenad Kobal

Etron Fou Leloublan is a strange name ... it means "Crazy Shit The White Wolf", except that Leloublan must be slang or a contraction for "Le Loup Blanc" (The White Wolf). Don't ask me what it means, but it must be this because white wolves figure prominently into several of their album covers. The name is long enough and difficult to pronounce enough that we English-speakers usually contract it to EFL, a convention I'll also follow from here on out. EFL was one of the original RIO (Rock in Opposition) bands. I had heard their name for years, but they were not one of the bands I was exposed to back in the '70's when I started listening to prog. What a shame! As much as I like them now, I'm sure they would have been elevated in my mind to godhood if I'd heard them back then, much like Gong, who they resemble in some ways.
I recently received two recent CD re-releases of EFL's classic material, 1978's Les Trois Fous Perdegagnent and 1982's Les Poumons Gonfles (The Inflated Lungs), both from Musea records. Musea actually stocks EFL's entire catalog, so if this sounds interesting to you, you can order any EFL title from them. It's amazing stuff, but if Neo-Prog or Symphonic prog is your thing, you may have a rough time with EFL.

Les Trois Fous Perdegagnent has the band in their earliest form as a trio, with drums (Gigou Chenevier), bass (Ferdinand Richard) and sax (Francis Grand for this album, though he had just replaced Chris Chanet and would soon be followed by Bernard Mathieu and other sax players on later records). The album is full of the usual late-70's studio effects, a very odd rhythm section with (Chenevier and (Richard creating jagged backdrops against which Grand screams Didier Malherbe-like sax and flute solos, making Les Trois Fous Perdegagnent remind me frequently of early pre-Tim Blake Gong, particularly Camembert Electrique. EFL is easily identifiable as a French band (aside from their French lyrics) by similarities to other early French prog like Magma, Gong (who were about half French in their early days) and even Cyrille Verdeaux, though EFL has none of Cyrille's spiritual leanings. The vocals are a minor part of Les Trois Fous Perdegagnent, mostly 2 or 3 notes sung/spoken/shouted in an early Daevid Allen style, but in French. Fans of the above-mentioned bands who don't mind a Henry Cow level of anarchy will unundoubtedly find much to like about Les Trois Fous Perdegagnent.

After Les Trois Fous Perdegagnent, EFL bagan working very closely with Fred Frith. They performed on Frith's 1981 solo album for Ralph Records, Speechless, and then Frith produced EFL's next album, Les Pommes Gonfles, and also played violin and guitar on many of the songs. For this album, EFL also added keyboardist/trumpeter/vocalist Jo Thirion, bringing the "official" EFL line-up to a quartet.

Les Pommes Gonfles may be called more "accessible" than Les Trois Fous Perdegagnent simply because it's more melodic and more carefully structured. The vocals are also more complex, melodic and "composed". However, it's far from an album that would have ever received any radio airplay. Frith's influence here is large, and there is quite a lot of similarity in the sound of Les Pommes Gonfles and Frith's work with Ralph Records. But there's also a lot of the old EFL sound, making this album feel like a move forward for EFL, not just another Frith solo album.

Both of these albums are true progressive gems, and anyone who has not heard Etron Fou Leloublan can hardly call themselves a progressive rock fan. Now that I've been "initiated" into the ranks of their fans, I'll be slowly trying to complete my collection. Incredible stuff, I can't recommend it more highly. -- Fred Trafton