Saturday Afternoon '73 Magma

Magma

1973-05-11

Salle Omnisports

Les Ponts De Ce

Angers

France

The songs may seem to be split up in strange ways- again, this is how I received it. There were many tape cuts in the circulating source. Most of these are not major, but they do interrupt the flow of the music, so the tracks have been split wherever a cut occurs.
The sound quality is about average for an audience recording of this vintage, which means that by modern standards it sounds pretty terrible. Still, if you can listen to the official "Inedits" album, you shouldn't have too many problems with the sound on this.
Musically this is an incredibly worthwhile show: It a great deal of music that cannot be heard on any other tape from the 1970s. Many people have heard that Magma's 2004 release "K.A." was based on a piece performed live in the 1970s, but how many have heard this original version? This show is interesting in several other ways, as well. For instance, one can hear from this tape that Magma were incorporating a great deal of free improvisation into their live performances. While quite honestly the improvisation is not, strictly speaking, of the highest standard, particularly compared to other groups of the time such as Henry Cow and Samla Mammas Manna, it is nonetheless fascinating to hear Magma attempt something that is so different than what they are best-known for. This show also contains a very rare (until 1999) performance of part of "Wurdah Itah". It is only the first half, but this is the only concert from the 1970s in which one can hear any of "Wurdah Itah" at all. Finally, the climactic "MDK" is interesting (if a bit short) as we can hear here the crazy vocal pyrotechnics which featured on the "Nebehr Gudatt" section of the official album. On no other recording I know of do they attempt the same kind of vocal madness that appears on the album.
Enjoy this seminal glimpse into the development of Magma into the powerhouse we all know and love.

101 K.A. part 1 (16:28)

102 K.A. part 2 (19:49)

103 improv part 1 (9:38)

104 improv part 2 (6:40)

105 Wurdah Itah part 1 (15:24)

106 Wurdah Itah part 2 (5:26)

201 Sowiloi (18:22)

202 Ptah (26:24)

203 Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh intro (1:18)

204 Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh part 1 (17:50)

205 Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh part 2 (4:24)

206 Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh part 3 (9:51)

HERE-1

HERE-2

HERE-3

HERE-4

1973-09-??

Cagnes-Sur-Mer

France

01. Theusz Hamtaahk
02. Sowiloi

Here we have a very decent sounding tape from Cagnes-Sur-Mer recorded in September 1973. The exact date is unknown. The concert is not even listed at Ork Alarm website.
Not much to say about this other than: Magma live in 1973....wonderful!
Enjoy....


HERE

1973-12-18

Theatre du Chene Noir

Avignon

France

01. Kohntarkosz

02. Sowiloi

03. Theusz Hamtahk (part1)

04. Theusz Hamtahk (part2)

05. MDK

Here's another rare show from 1973. Very interesting, as it is the only one we have from the very end of that year. On some of it you can clearly hear Garber play his bass clarinet along with the tunes. Very interesting show indeed. Sound is really good for an audience from 73, if you ask me. Some high range hiss, especially on MDK, but you will grab this nonetheless i am sure.

HERE-1

HERE-2

HERE-3

1973

Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh Demos

01. Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh (with Trifondi Afrodite, Late 1972)

02. Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh (Studio Aquarium, Paris, January 1973)

03. Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh (Manor Studios UK, 1973)

04. Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh (Have no info on this one, but it's not any of the officially relesed versions)

HERE-1

HERE-2