Description At the dawn of the ’70s, in a country still reeling from the aftershocks of World War 2, an underground movement of rock musicians resolved to tear it all up and start again. Welcome to France, 1968. Music fans in the English-speaking world are well-versed in the Krautrock scene springing up across the border in Germany, but they are almost totally unaware of the French musical underground. There the radicalism of May ’68 collided with the counterculture, post-psychedelic rock, and free jazz to produce some of the most distinctive and vital music made anywhere in the ’70s. Synths, Sax & Situationists tells the story of more famous bands like Magma, Etron Fou Leloublan, and Gong alongside almost-forgotten groups like Cheval Fou, Fille Qui Mousse, and Barricade. Paperback 532 pages ISBN 978-0-6454928-0-4 Dimensions: 229 x 152 x 27 mm Publisher: Roundtable Books Available: August 4, 2025 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface Introduction Foreword: Jean-Jacques Birgé Foreword: Steven Stapleton PART ONE: A SHORT HISTORY OF THE FRENCH MUSICAL UNDERGROUND 1. Chanson, yé-yé & Teen Idols 2. May '68: The Explosion 3. A Brief History Pt 1: 1968-69 4. October '69: The Amougies Festival 5. A Brief History Pt 2: 1970 6. Summer '70: L'été Pop 7. A Brief History Pt 3: 1971-73 8. The MJC Touring Circuit 9. A Brief History Pt 4: 1974-78 10. Independent Labels PART TWO: THE EXCEPTION THAT PROVES THE RULE 11. Lard Free PART THREE: THE POLITICAL UNDERGROUND 12. Introduction 13. Red Noise 14. Barricade 15. Maajun 16. Komintern 17. Fille Qui Mousse 18. Dagon PART FOUR: THE LYSERGIC UNDERGROUND 19. Introduction 20. Bananamoon 21. Ame Son 22. Gong 23. Cheval Fou & Nyl 24. Crium Delirium 25. Clearlight (& Delired Cameleon Family) PART FIVE: THE JAZZ UNDERGROUND 26. Introduction 27. Moving Gelatine Plates 28. Magma 29. Contrepoint PART SIX: THE AVANT UNDERGROUND 30. Introduction 31. Camizole 32. Jac Berrocal 33. Etron Fou Leloublan 34. Birgé Gorgé Shiroc PART SEVEN: THE ELECTRONIC UNDERGROUND 35. Introduction 36. Philippe Besombes 37. Heldon 38. Ilitch Discography Bibliography Sources Index Buy Digital