RICHARD PINHAS / HELDON
Francois Auger • Clement Bailly • Didier Batard • Didier Badez • Alain Bellaiche • Klaus Blasquiz • Gilles Deleuze • Maurice Dantec • Michel Ettori • Patrick Gauthier • Jean-Philippe Goude • Georges Grunblatt • Bernard Paganotti • Richard Pinhas • Gerard Prevost • Philibert Rossi • Coco Roussel • Janick Top
5 Suns METATRON

RUNE 228/229

 Metatron is over 2 hours of spacey and flowing music that isn't afraid to rock out completely as well, by French electronic rock pioneer Richard Pinhas (on guitar and electronics), with Jerome Schmidt on laptop, drummer Antoine Paganotti (Magma) and ex-Heldon members Didier Batard (bass), Patrick Gauthier (minimoog) and Alain Renaud (guitar), as well as Chuck Oken, Jr. (Djam Karet) on synths and Philipe Simon on violin on one track each. While a lot of this is definitely comparable to Tranzition, his great last album, there really is a lot more rock involved this time around, as there are drums on the great majority of tracks. In addition to all the great music, there is a QuickTime video with footage from Richard and Jerome's 2004 North American tour.

"We take it for granted today, but not too long ago, integrating electronics into a rock setting was something exotic and strange..... Heldon and Richard Pinhas are considered building blocks for whole schools of experimental rock music, and one of the few who rarely fail to deliver on the hype." - Pitchfork Media

"Richard Pinhas demonstrates that he is capable of contstructing some of the most formidable but exhilharating sonic edifices ever heard by mortal ears." - Bill Tilland/All Music Guide

5 Suns TRANZITION

RUNE 186

 Composer, guitarist and electronics innovator Richard Pinhas is recognized as one of France's major experimental musicians. A pivotal figure in the international development of electronic rock music, Pinhas' stature in France is analogous to Tangerine Dream's in Germany: the father figure of an entire musical movement. The pioneering, aggressive music produced by his band Heldon during the 1970s, fusing electronics, guitar and rock, heralded the industrial and techno to come and remains today vital and unsurpassed. On Tranzition, Pinhas weaves beautiful, spacey, processed guitar tapestries, with added color from laptop, violin and the drumming of Antoine Paganotti of Magma. The voice of the late author Philip K. Dick can be heard on "Moumoune girl", from a 1977 tape that he gave Pinhas. The BBC described his recent guitar music as "Music that is in flux and stasis at the same time, with an almost sculptural presence, stuffed with overtones and rich textures." Tranzition is a multifaceted and richly jeweled work in which cause and effect, acoustics and electronics, taped sound and live playing change roles and even realities. "Among collectors of electronic music, some names have become legendary and are present in every search list. These names include Richard Pnhas, the leader of the French cult group Heldon." - Audion.
EVENT AND REPETITIONS

RUNE 166

 Event and Repetitions, his first solo album in over 5 years, is over 75' of music performed live in his studio with just guitar and processing systems. The music is rich in depth, detail and texture. “…a sporadic but constant thread in Pinhas’ music has been his experimentation with guitar feedback, loops and effects boxes, even in the early days of Heldon, as he tried to perfect his own version of Frippertronics. Well, it has been a long time coming, but Event and Repetitions may well signal the full realization of Pinhas’ long-time vision. The drifting, hypnotic patterns of the five pieces on this CD… have a shimmering beauty and depth that seems to suggest a destination at the end of a long journey – and perhaps the beginning of a new journey. Although the CD cover proclaims that “all tracks were performed live on guitar direct to digital recorder,” many of the background drones and even melody lines have such long sustains that they sound as if they are being played on a huge cathedral organ rather than an electric guitar. The mastery of technology here is not only impressive – but also completely organic. … like all art that comes from the deeper parts of the psyche, Event and Repetitions really transcends classification. “ – Bill Tilland, All Music Guide.
SCHIZOTROPE: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF MARIE ZORN
with Maurice Dantec

RUNE 131

 The Schizotrope project was born out of a desire to honor Richard's friend, the noted philosopher Gilles Deleuze, who died in 1995. In 1998, Pinhas teamed up with French 'cyber-punk' author Dantec and Schizotrope came to North America in March 1999 for a series of shows. This album was compiled from tapes of these shows. Featuring Dantec reading from Deleuze’ works, accompanied by Pinhas playing guitar, with sound electronically modulated in real-time by various processors, this is a musically innovative, emotionally moving, and conceptually rich fusion of those disciplines closest to Pinhas’ heart.
FOSSIL CULTURE
with Peter Frohmader

RUNE 123

 On Fossil Culture two giants of European electronic music join forces. Richard Pinhas' sustained, instantly recognizable guitarwork & processing blends with Peter's dark synthetic vision to come up with a sound that is recognizably the work of both of these distinctive musicians, yet still has it's own character. Compelling, demented and downright evil, this is probably the closest we will get to hearing Richard doing a new version of the classic Heldon sound, with heavy synthetic rhythms propelling his guitar work forward.
UN REVE SANS CONSEQUENCE SPECIALE

RUNE 65

 Composer, guitarist & electronics innovator Richard Pinhas is recognized as one of France's major experimental musicians & is a pivotal figure in the development of electronic rock. This was Heldon's fifth, & many people's favorite, this was called "the apex of the punk-electronic sound - a masterpiece". by Forced Exposure. Includes a guest slot by Magma monster bassist Janick Top and two live bonus tracks! Probably their closest, along with Stand By, to a heavy zeuhl sound with massive electronics added! "Fans of Kraftwerk and Neu! owe it to themselves to check out this similarly far-sighted stuff...exciting guitar and Moog noodle-o-rama!"-C.M.J.
RHIZOSPHERE / LIVE, PARIS 1982

RUNE 61

 Rhizosphere/Live was his 1st solo; a great all synth release plus a previously unreleased 1982 concert. THIS TITLE IS OUT OF PRINT
AGNETA NILSSON

RUNE 60

 Composer, guitarist & electronics innovator Richard Pinhas is recognized as one of France's major experimental musicians & is a pivotal figure in the development of electronic rock. This was their fourth album and features Patrick Gauthier, Gerard Prevost, Coco Roussel, Michael Ettori and Alain Bellaiche and ranges from slow building mellotron/electronic drones, to brain searing synth/guitar sonic attacks. "...widely considered to be one of the most experimental of the Heldon catalog, as Pinhas dazzles the ear with monstrous assaults of mellotron, the big Moog, electric guitars and shuddering bass that projects images of a sort of music Stockhausen might have done had he gigged with a rock band...indispensable."-i/e
STAND BY

RUNE 53

 Stand By is the seventh and final album by Heldon, the quintessential progressive French electronic rock band. Originally released on Egg in 1979, this features the classic Heldon line-up of Richard Pinhas-guitar and electronics, Patric Gauthier-Moog synthesizer and electronics, Didier Batard-bass, François Auger-drums and guests, including Klaus Blasquiz of Magma! This was one of Heldon's heaviest rock albums. "Heldon's last was album was also their best. Stand By stood on an imaginary crossroad between Robert Fripp, Magma and Tangerine Dream."-Scented Gardens of the Mind.
ELECTRONIQUE GUERILLA / IT'S ALWAYS ROCK 'N' ROLL

RUNE 51/52

 Composer, guitarist & electronics innovator Richard Pinhas is recognized as one of France's major experimental musicians & is a pivotal figure in the development of electronic rock. This combines their 1st & 3rd albums (3 lps) onto 2 CDs. Some of their most primitive, yet compelling work; some of it if by just Richard on early synthesizers and electric guitars with lots of fuzz doing big sonic freakouts, while other tracks add familiar names like George Grunblatt-VCS3 synth, mellotron and guitar, Pattrick Gauthier-VCS3 and ARP synths, Jean-My Truong-drums, Coco Roussel-drums, Gilbert Artman-drums, Ariel Kalma-harmonium and more! "...France's most influencial contemporary musician."-Alternative Press. "Searing instrumental space music, bridging electronics & psychedelic guitar excess in unique & legendary fashion...one of the quintessential European progressive groups of the 70's"- Forced Exposure. [Cuneiform]
ICELAND

RUNE 44

 Iceland was Richard's first album after the dissolution of Heldon and it's an mostly solo work (Francois Auger (drums) and Jean-Philippe Goude (mini-moog) join him on one track) that conjures up impressions of icy, pristine landscapes. Includes a previously unreleased 25' track.

"Iceland, from 1979, was Pinhas's third solo release (and considered by many to be his best). It was a slower, more classical recording, with a capacity of hypnotize the listener without their knowledge."-Alternative Press.

"Pinhas' song and CD titles, and even cover art, both as a solo artist and with Heldon indicate the strong influence of science fiction authors and titles. Pinhas has a strongly visual and literary imagination and while this recording is not exactly thematic, and not exactly science fiction either, it is inspired by a vision of ancient Northern kingdoms and rulers, with song titles such as "Iceland," "The Last Kings of Thule" and "Greenland." At its best, Iceland does in fact convey an icy desolate beauty with the three-part title piece perhaps most evocative. Here, Pinhas uses long, moody synthesizer lines in a manner that would be adopted and extended by ambient synthesizer artists such as Steve Roach four or five years later..."-Bill Tilland/All Music Guide
INTERFACE

RUNE 43

 Interface is the sixth album by Heldon, the quintessential progressive French electronic rock band. Originally released on Cobra in 1977, this features the classic Heldon line-up of Richard Pinhas-guitar and electronics, Patric Gauthier-Moog synthesizer and electronics and François Auger-drums and electronics. This was one of Heldon's heaviest albums, featuring their most intense and relentless electronic fusillades. This includes two bonus live tracks. This is probably my personal favorite of all their albums and a great place to start. "If there was ever a band that epitomized perhaps the ultimate union of guitars with electronics, Heldon's holy blaze burns the brightest."-i/e.
DWW

RUNE 40

 DWW was his final album from his initial period of work in the 70's/80's, but which was unreleased until the early 1990's. THIS TITLE IS OUT OF PRINT
ALLEZ TEIA

RUNE 37

 Some of this is the most mellow and spacey Heldon material, while other parts burn with a nasty intensity! "Allez Teia (1975) was the second Heldon album - it features Pinhas' trademark instrumental sound: waves of distorted post-Frippian guitars, ARP synthesizers, VCS3, tapes and mellotron into a monstrous, swelling mania. Searing instrumental space music, bridging electronics & psychedelic guitar excess in unique & legendary fashion."-Forced Exposure.
L'ETHIQUE

RUNE 36

 L'Ethique has members of Magma and Heldon, and includes a bonus track. THIS TITLE IS OUT OF PRINT
EAST WEST

RUNE 31

 Out of print for the last 5 years, East/West was Richard’s s fourth solo album, which was originally released in 1980. This album has Richard embracing the new, computer-driven electronic technology, while still using some of his old gear and is one of Richard's personal favorites of his 70's and 80's work. This reprinting of East/West includes two songs that were not on the original CD issue and are never-before released!
CHRONOLYSE

RUNE 30

 Composer, guitarist & electronics innovator Richard Pinhas is recognized as one of France's major experimental musicians & is a pivotal figure in the development of electronic rock. This was his 2nd solo and is absolutely one of his very finest works: half live Moog electronics that make fantastic use of stereo imaging and mix agression with the repetiveness of Phillip Glass or Terry Riley, & half with Heldon in a 30' King Crimson-ish stormy drone-epic of mellotrons, electronics, guitar, bass, & drums. One of my very favorite albums of all time!
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