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Heldon
Interface

(Cobra, 1977; CD reissue on Cuneiform, 1995)

French psych-prog-punk mania hits the spot for MOJO messageboarder...

Heldon

Heldon grand fromage Richard Pinhas is France's great lost guitar hero: a left-wing intellectual who pioneered a fusion of Robert Fripp's acidic guitar tone with harsh kosmiche electronics. Hordes of great French musicians passed through Heldon's ranks, including many ex-Magma members, but Pinhas did much of his most powerful work with the monstrous rhythm section of Didier Batard (bass) and Francois Auger (drums). Interface sees this brilliant line-up at the peak of its powers, augmented by workaholic Patrick Gauthier (ex-Magma, at this time in Weidorje)'s banks of synthesisers. And what a glorious, acid-drenched, cyborg mess of a noise they make.

Side 1 opens with Les Soucoupes Volantes Vertes, all bubbling synths and relentlessly funky bass and drums. This recurs at several points throughout the side, the final version featuring some righteous axe-mangling from Pinhas. Jet Girl features synth drones and mournful guitars, a perfect marriage between early Tangerine Dream and '70s Crimson, while the incredible Bal-A-Fou builds from a slow-burning intro into a lyrical haze of Neu! at their most cheerful, underpinned by a warped gamelan funk that anticipates the direction Fripp himself would follow in the '80s.

However, none of this can quite prepare you for the epic title track, which swallows all of side two. A spaced-out epic that works its way through cavernous dub bass, howls of synthesiser noise and kinetic funk grooves, all the while topped off by Pinhas' unbelievable soloing. Striking the perfect balance between tortuous prog technique and proto-punk noise and chaos, he's the evil love child of Manuel Göttsching and Keith Levene. The rest of the band is right at his heels, the punishing groove held in place by the dextrous rhythm section and the harsh, alien synthesizers. The end result sounds like no-one else on earth.

Perhaps this very singularity harmed Heldon's chances of achieving more recognition. Too harsh and electronic for proggies, too complex and accomplished for punk or post-punk, Heldon just didn't make sense in the context of the day. That didn't stop them from putting out more great music - particularly this album's equally wondrous follow up, Stand By (though all Heldon albums are worth owning). With the benefit of hindsight, we can look back and see what an incredible hybrid Heldon were, and how unique, powerful and engrossing their music sounds today.

conform to deform

Posted by Ross_Bennett at 6:00 AM GMT 02/06/2010

Further Listening

Heldon - Stand By (Egg, 1979)

Heldon - It's Always Rock'N'Roll (Disjuncta, 1975)

Manuel Göttsching - E2-E4 (Inteam, 1984)

Related MOJO content:

Heldon

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  • why lost?

    Posted by Anonymous at 3:39 PM GMT 03/06/2010 Report Abuse

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  • "Lost" because in my opinion, Richard Pinhas deserves more recognition and respect for his music and his skill as a guitarist than he gets. He's almost never mentioned in the same breath as his peers - Fripp, Gottsching, Rother, Karoli - whch is a shame, as I imagine many who enjoy those guitarists would find much to love about Heldon.

    Posted by conform to deform at 12:52 AM GMT 05/06/2010 Report Abuse

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