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Pafnutij 
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 02 2005
Location: Russian Federation
Status: Offline
Points: 415
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 Topic: Magma - am I missing something?
Posted: February 19 2006 at 08:27 |
OK, everyone talks about how challenging Magma is, so I checked out Mekanik destruktiv Kommandoh, which is apprently considered their best album. But does it represent them best? Because there's nothing challenging in there - it's one song stretched to 40 minutes, and the music is so simple i can figure out what they're playing without thinking. The cheesy teutonic language is also a source of annoyance, but that's another issue. So, what am I missing? 
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Syzygy
Special Collaborator
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Joined: December 16 2004
Location: United Kingdom
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Points: 7003
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 08:54 |
MDK is the Zeuhl UrText, and has been massively influential on bands from all over the world (just check out all the bands listed under the Zeuhl category for starters, along with a lot of RIO/Avant prog). It's also an album and a genre which seems to polarise most listeners, and obviously it hasn't really captured your imagination. If you really can figure out what they're playing without thinking I'd like to hear you play along with it on your main instrument!
If you want to try something else by Magma, Live/Hhai is a good place to start - it features a superb version of Kontarkohsz, which is probably their most successful long piece, and also shows their jazz influences.
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'Like so many of you
I've got my doubts about how much to contribute
to the already rich among us...'
Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom
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MorgothSunshine
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 03 2005
Location: Italy
Status: Offline
Points: 298
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 09:12 |
Magma represents a quite interesting experience in prog history and very original but anyway they're overrated from the critics...
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For every truth even the contrary is true...
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Guests
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 09:31 |
Me think Magma no good ! 
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micky
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46838
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 09:33 |
 Syzygy wrote:
MDK is the Zeuhl UrText, and has been massively
influential on bands from all over the world (just check out all the
bands listed under the Zeuhl category for starters, along with a lot of
RIO/Avant prog). It's also an album and a genre which seems to polarise
most listeners, and obviously it hasn't really captured your
imagination. If you really can figure out what they're playing without
thinking I'd like to hear you play along with it on your main
instrument!
If you want to try something else by Magma, Live/Hhai is a good
place to start - it features a superb version of Kontarkohsz,
which is probably their most successful long piece, and also shows
their jazz influences. |
Well said.... if he finds Vander to be an easy drummer, Lockwood to be
a easy violinist, or Paganotti to be an easy bassist (not to mention
Janik Top on MDK) then he is wasting his time posting here. He
should be covorting with groupies and running his Benz into
lakes. hahahha.
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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Pafnutij
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 02 2005
Location: Russian Federation
Status: Offline
Points: 415
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 09:40 |
micky wrote:
Syzygy wrote:
MDK is the Zeuhl UrText, and has been massively influential on bands from all over the world (just check out all the bands listed under the Zeuhl category for starters, along with a lot of RIO/Avant prog). It's also an album and a genre which seems to polarise most listeners, and obviously it hasn't really captured your imagination. If you really can figure out what they're playing without thinking I'd like to hear you play along with it on your main instrument!
If you want to try something else by Magma, Live/Hhai is a good place to start - it features a superb version of Kontarkohsz, which is probably their most successful long piece, and also shows their jazz influences.
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Well said.... if he finds Vander to be an easy drummer, Lockwood to be a easy violinist, or Paganotti to be an easy bassist (not to mention Janik Top on MDK) then he is wasting his time posting here. He should be covorting with groupies and running his Benz into lakes. hahahha.
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meanie 
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Winter Wine
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 12 2005
Location: Ireland
Status: Offline
Points: 1140
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 09:45 |
^  Yeah Micky, Quit bein' a bully!
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My computer's broke
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micky
Special Collaborator
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Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46838
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 09:51 |
sorry... must have woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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Winter Wine
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 12 2005
Location: Ireland
Status: Offline
Points: 1140
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 09:53 |
micky wrote:
sorry... must have woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.
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Apologise!
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My computer's broke
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akin
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 06 2004
Location: Brazil
Status: Offline
Points: 976
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 09:55 |
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I donīt know why people become affraid of missing something when they
donīt like an acclaimed progressive band. Of course you are not missing
anything. You didnīt like Magma, itīs your taste, so it is better to
accept you donīt like Magma than to try to force yourself enjoying
Magma just because some say Magma is superb.
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micky
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46838
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 09:58 |
Pafnutij wrote:
micky wrote:
Syzygy wrote:
MDK is the Zeuhl UrText, and has been massively influential on bands
from all over the world (just check out all the bands listed under the
Zeuhl category for starters, along with a lot of RIO/Avant prog). It's
also an album and a genre which seems to polarise most listeners, and
obviously it hasn't really captured your imagination. If you really can
figure out what they're playing without thinking I'd like to hear you
play along with it on your main instrument!
If you want to try something else by Magma, Live/Hhai is a good
place to start - it features a superb version of Kontarkohsz,
which is probably their most successful long piece, and also shows
their jazz influences.
|
Well said.... if he finds Vander to be an easy
drummer, Lockwood to be a easy violinist, or Paganotti to be an easy
bassist (not to mention Janik Top on MDK) then he is wasting his
time posting here. He should be covorting with groupies and
running his Benz into lakes. hahahha.
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meanie |
I apologize for my post... (though I did mean it  ) 'getting it' and running down the quality of the music are two different things but I do apologize anyway.
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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Politician
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 02 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 521
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 09:59 |
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I think Magma in general and "Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh" in
particular illustrate the difference between music that is ostentatious and
music that is virtuosic. There is indeed little if any show-off soloing in
that album, but that is because the ensemble sound is so tight that there
is no room for it, and the musicians are so accomplished that there is no
need for it. "MDK" may have few of the conventional trappings of prog
rock, but it's progressive music in its truest form: utterly original,
exceptionally cleverly realised and, yes, astoundingly complex,
particularly in the vocal parts.
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micky
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Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46838
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 10:01 |
Politician wrote:
I think Magma in general and "Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh" in
particular illustrate the difference between music that is ostentatious and
music that is virtuosic. There is indeed little if any show-off soloing in
that album, but that is because the ensemble sound is so tight that there
is no room for it, and the musicians are so accomplished that there is no
need for it. "MDK" may have few of the conventional trappings of prog
rock, but it's progressive music in its truest form: utterly original,
exceptionally cleverly realised and, yes, astoundingly complex,
particularly in the vocal parts. |
if I didn't love my new Osanna signature I would have used that post for my signature... well said.
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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Pafnutij
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 02 2005
Location: Russian Federation
Status: Offline
Points: 415
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 10:57 |
C'mon, I didn't take that seriously
However, I don't remember criticizing the musicians themselves. I don't doubt they're virtuosos and all that. I just found the reports about Magma being "challenging" music misleading when I listened to MDK. In terms of harmony, it's pretty simple stuff, and there isn't really any of all the weird 20th century classical avantgarde or jazz that was promised (it's not that I know much about that stuff, but I am interested). It appears to be some sort of "meditative" album where you just put it on and don't really think much about the music. In that sense, it's probably good. But I'll check out the live album Syzygy mentioned to see if it's anything different.
Edited by Pafnutij
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BaldFriede
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 02 2005
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 10266
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 11:39 |
Pafnutij wrote:
C'mon, I didn't take that seriously
However, I don't remember criticizing the musicians themselves. I
don't doubt they're virtuosos and all that. I just found the
reports about Magma being "challenging" music misleading when I
listened to MDK. In terms of harmony, it's pretty simple stuff,
and there isn't really any of all the weird 20th century classical
avantgarde or jazz that was promised (it's not that I know
much about that stuff, but I am interested). It appears to
be some sort of "meditative" album where you just put it on and
don't really think much about the music. In that sense, it's
probably good. But I'll check out the live album Syzygy mentioned to
see if it's anything different. |
MDK has strong similiarities to music by Carl Orff or Bela Bartok. Now if you think their stuff is simple, fine.
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 BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue.
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Cygnus X-2
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: December 24 2004
Location: Bucketheadland
Status: Offline
Points: 21342
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 11:44 |
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I was never really impressed by MDK (I listened to it the other day with mixed results), but I liked Udu Wudu. Still, I categorize Magma as the leader in my "Meh" category of bands.
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micky
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46838
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 11:45 |
BaldFriede wrote:
Pafnutij wrote:
C'mon, I didn't take that seriously
However, I don't remember criticizing the musicians themselves. I
don't doubt they're virtuosos and all that. I just found the
reports about Magma being "challenging" music misleading when I
listened to MDK. In terms of harmony, it's pretty simple stuff,
and there isn't really any of all the weird 20th century classical
avantgarde or jazz that was promised (it's not that I know
much about that stuff, but I am interested). It appears to
be some sort of "meditative" album where you just put it on and
don't really think much about the music. In that sense, it's
probably good. But I'll check out the live album Syzygy mentioned to
see if it's anything different. |
MDK has strong similiarities to music by Carl Orff or Bela Bartok. Now if you think their stuff is simple, fine.
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and definitely check out the live album the centerpiece is the live
'Kohntarkosz' which is my favorite of the 3 'books'. It's an
essential live album in any well rounded prog collection, money well
spent.
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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Moatilliatta
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 01 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3083
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 15:47 |
Politician wrote:
I think Magma in general and "Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh" in
particular illustrate the difference between music that is ostentatious and
music that is virtuosic. There is indeed little if any show-off soloing in
that album, but that is because the ensemble sound is so tight that there
is no room for it, and the musicians are so accomplished that there is no
need for it. "MDK" may have few of the conventional trappings of prog
rock, but it's progressive music in its truest form: utterly original,
exceptionally cleverly realised and, yes, astoundingly complex,
particularly in the vocal parts. |
Very well said.
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www.last.fm/user/ThisCenotaph
 
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listennow801
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: January 29 2006
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1819
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Posted: February 20 2006 at 00:21 |
Pafnutij wrote:
... all the weird 20th century classical avantgarde or jazz that was promised (it's not that I know much about that stuff, but I am interested).... anything different.
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Try : KoenjiHyakkei's Angherr Shisspa - blew me away/floored w/ glee...
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Ratings of Lady Gnosis: http://www.gnosis2000.net/raterclaire.shtml
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Magma - am I missing something?
