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hieronymous 
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Joined: December 27 2012
Location: Oakland, CA
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 Topic: Favorite Magma bassist?
Posted: August 12 2015 at 23:22 |
Magma
has had its share of bassists – who is your favorite?
The
bass has often been very distinctive in the music of Magma over the years. As a
bassist, it is one of the things that I focus on when I listen to Magma. I
think that there are four that are the most well known – early bassists Francis
Moze & Jannik Top, what we might call “middle” or “mature” period bassist
Bernard Paganotti, and most recent bassist Philippe Bussonnet, who has been
with the band since their revival in the late 1990s. I included Guy Delacroix
because his playing is so distinctive on the album Attahk – both as “air bass”
and “earth bass.” There have been several others as well, but most did not
appear on studio recordings so I left them off, but you can choose them if you
want in “other” but please explain your choice.
I
should add that I am listening to 1001˚ Centigrades as I type this – this was
one of my least favorite albums but their re-recording of “Rïah Sahïltaahk”
brought me back to it and I now hear how amazing it is! It also deepened my
appreciation of Francis Moze as a bassist, and I hope that this poll helps us
deepen our appreciation of the music of Magma!
Edited by hieronymous - August 12 2015 at 23:34
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Triceratopsoil
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Points: 17995
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Posted: August 13 2015 at 00:03 |
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Paganotti master race
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Man With Hat
Collaborator
Jazz-Rock/Fusion/Canterbury Team
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Posted: August 13 2015 at 00:04 |
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Impossible.
Bubu and Top are my top two, with Paga a close third.
Bubu today. Top tomorrow.
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Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive
Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect.
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Tom Ozric
Prog Reviewer
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Posted: August 13 2015 at 00:15 |
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Bussonnet (Bubu) is no slouch - he's quite amazing, though he's never dominating the soundscape as much as Paga and Top. Moze plays intricately to, though not really distorted. Delacroix too, very dexterous and powerful. Man this is too hard - probably go for the master of De Futura !!
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someone_else
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Posted: August 13 2015 at 03:26 |
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Jannick Top.
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Flight123
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Posted: August 13 2015 at 04:26 |
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Magma's bass department has always been strong - hard to choose but Top deserves much of the credit for 'cementing' the classic Magma sound!
Edited by Flight123 - August 13 2015 at 04:29
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hellogoodbye
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Posted: August 13 2015 at 04:41 |
Hum. Can't choose. 
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Saperlipopette!
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Posted: August 13 2015 at 04:46 |
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All amazing of course but Moze because he's got the jazziest grooves and their two first albums are my two favorites.
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Tom Ozric
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 03 2005
Location: Olympus Mons
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Points: 15916
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Posted: August 13 2015 at 04:58 |
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^ E-Re and Sl*g Tanz give the first 2 albums a run for their money I tell ya'
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Saperlipopette!
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Joined: December 20 2010
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Points: 10012
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Posted: August 13 2015 at 06:33 |
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^E-Re is great and its my favorite post-comeback-release but I'll still prefer every single Magma 70's release over it. Sl*g Tanz was excellent live but I seriously doubt an EP containing that tune in eight small parts will stand chance up against two of the most listened to and cherished albums in my entire collection.
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Tom Ozric
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 03 2005
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Posted: August 13 2015 at 06:38 |
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Anyone know what Moze is up to these days ?
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hieronymous
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Joined: December 27 2012
Location: Oakland, CA
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Posted: August 13 2015 at 16:16 |
 Tom Ozric wrote:
Man this is too hard - probably go for the master of De Futura !! |
Well, so far the poll has turned out kind of like I expected, with Jannik Top in the lead.
I still haven't voted!  I also think it's too hard.
The comment that Jannik Top "cemented" the sound is interesting - I almost feel like he pointed the direction but that Bernard Paganotti cemented it. The playing on Hhaï/Live is some of my favorite - supple yet powerful, beautifully overdriven. But Attahk is the first album I ever got and some of the playing on there (both air & earth bass) still blows me away - even the concept of air & earth bass grabs me. And of course, Philippe Bussonnet kicks ass! I have seen him play with Magma three times and each time I am really impressed. And as I mentioned earlier, I have recently come to a deeper appreciation of Francis Moze, especially realizing that he is also on Flying Teapot & Expresso/Gazeuse!
Oh well, I will keep thinking about it.
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Imperial Zeppelin
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Posted: August 13 2015 at 16:32 |
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I can't understand how a band can have so many great bass players. It's unfair to the other groups.
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"Hey there, Dog Man, now I drink from your bowl."
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Tom Ozric
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 03 2005
Location: Olympus Mons
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Points: 15916
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Posted: August 13 2015 at 17:44 |
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I don't know how Marc Eliard (bassist on Merci) sounded live, but he's the least impressive of the lot.
Anyone here like CRUCIFERIUS! ?? Some cool bass and (English) vocals from Paga on this 'A Nice Way Of Life' album.
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uduwudu
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Points: 2601
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Posted: August 14 2015 at 05:29 |
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Anyone who can get away with the title Soleil D'ork has to have something going for him. And producing Celine Dion. Anyway the thing with the bassists is their working with Vnander on drums. Really these guys just built structures that left nothing for everyone else. Just check the awesome Uduwudu album for how this can and should be achieved, real drum 'n bass.
Jannick's Top for me but the others are awesome as well. Pagnotti especially.
For me the hurdle is the vocals in English rather than Kobaian.
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octopus-4
Special Collaborator
RIO/Avant/Zeuhl,Neo & Post/Math Teams
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Posted: August 14 2015 at 14:51 |
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Jannick, of course.
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Curiosity killed a cat, Schroedinger only half.
My poor home recorded stuff at https://yellingxoanon.bandcamp.com
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memowakeman
Special Collaborator
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Posted: August 16 2015 at 23:34 |
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Top.
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Follow me on twitter @memowakeman
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Tom Ozric
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 03 2005
Location: Olympus Mons
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Points: 15916
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Posted: August 17 2015 at 01:21 |
Top is on top, so to speak.... 
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The Neck Romancer
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Location: Brazil
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Posted: August 25 2015 at 00:48 |
Bussonnet just slams the competition.
He's the bassist who has been with Magma for the longest time for a good reason - there's no better match for Christian Vander's drumming than him. Watching those two perform together is akin to witnessing a symbiotic relationship between two feral beasts.
Top's sound is actually pretty awful on Magma's studio albums, in my humble amateur bass player's opinion. The best register of his monstruous technique and tone is on the VanderTop live album Paris 76. |
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dr prog
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Joined: September 25 2010
Location: Melbourne
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Points: 2443
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Posted: August 25 2015 at 03:14 |
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Paganotti is the best player out of these guys. Absolute gun. How's he only on 2 votes?
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All I like is prog related bands beginning late 60's/early 70's. Their music from 1968 - 83 has the composition and sound which will never be beaten. Perfect blend of jazz, classical, folk and rock.
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Favorite Magma bassist?
