Heldon ?

francesco

Minerva Estassi
Does anybody here know about a '70 french group called Heldon?

Are they interesting in a progressive/krautrock way or are they just another boring classic progrock band?
In the first case, which records do you recommed to me to buy?

Thanks, francesco.
 

blissblogger

Well-known member
they're good -- synth-prog but aggressive

richard pinhas, the mainman, is a robert fripp freak and probably more interesting as a guitarist than as an electronician, that synthoid element of the band is slightly underwhelming

but what keeps it exciting is that there's a live drummer who's really excellent and the whole vibe is kinda 'attack' rather than noodle-spacy

so as per add n to x the concept is electronic music that rocks
 
J

jimbackhouse

Guest
heldon are bloody fantastic!

gilles deleuze contributes some vocals to their first album 'electronique guerilla'!

there might be some connection with norman spinrad - you can tell pinhas is a major sf freak
 

francesco

Minerva Estassi
Thank you people i just ordered 3 Heldon album, listen to yours advice, made some internet search, tried to have albums from different periods so i just bought:

the first Electronic Guerilla because of gilles deleuze and also read there is much guitar/eletronica la "no pussyfooting" style

a mid period one who is described in various sites as the most improv and the most various, the most messed up also: Agneta Nillson

was a bit a hard choose between the last two, "interface" and "stand by", they seem their most loved album. The thing that make me choose "Stand by" is that somewhere i read there is a track compared to the track Red by King Crimson. Maybe i choose wrong!

Should receive the records (japan imports) the next month.

Now, while we are at, King Crimson, were a very frustrating band, innit? You can delight or puke at the camp of most classic progrock but Fripp was an awesome guitarist and in a few of KC lps there are a few spot of very great music next to very awful songs.
Take "Red", the track, is something extraordinary, heavy me(n)tal Bartok, incredible, why didn't they made all the album so? the rest of Red the album is in comparison, some exception there and there, weak.
It's no mystery Fripp best work was when he played for other people.
 

francesco

Minerva Estassi
carlos said:
i think "stand by" is a good choice- but i prefer "interface" which is more intense and less spacy

i wrote this about heldon

http://www.angbase.com/articles/heldon.html

it's from 1998 so my writing makes me wince a bit in spots but you might find it useful- it's an album guide of sorts

wow!, great, thanks!!!

i would have bought all seven cds if money was not a problem.......

thanks again, francesco
 

carlos

manos de piedra
you're welcome :)

by the way- you can get the Heldon and Pinhas CD reissues from Wayside Music in the USA

http://www.waysidemusic.com

$13 each, $25 for the double- with the exchange rate the way it is, that should be a pretty decent price for europeans

some of the Heldon albums were released on vinyl in the USA in the 70s- i have been able to find the US versions at pretty reasonable prices from time to time
 

MiltonParker

Well-known member
my favorites out of all of them are the last two solo records before his long break: Iceland and L'Ethique.

especially Iceland. that one just floors me.
 
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