Eskaton (May 2010)

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Eskaton is a legendary Zeuhl band from France. 
Their albums has been re-released by Soleil Zeuhl during the last years. Their masterpiece 4 Visions was actually re-released some weeks ago (20. March 2010). 
I got in touch with Andre Bernardi for the Eskaton story.

I
take it that Eskaton was formed in 1970 under the name Eskaton
Kommandkestra (shortened to Eskaton in 1974) by Xavier de Raymond
(Fender piano), Gerard Konig (drums), Marc Rosenberg (bass guitar),
and Alain Blesing (guitar) are joined by Paule Kleynnaert (vocals),
Amara Tahir (vocals), Eris Guillaume (keyboards), and Andre Bernardi
(guitar). 

In
1970 and 1971 some Paris suburb musicians coming from several musical
areas decided to join: André Bernardi (bass guitar), Alain Blésing
(guitar), Eric Guillaume (Fender piano), Paule Kleynnaert (vocals,
synth), Gérard Konig (drums), Xavier de Raymond (Fender piano) who
left very soon, and Marc Rozenberg (Fender Piano, synth and later
vocal), Gilles Rozenberg (Organ and synth, guitar) and Amara Tahir
(vocals, percussion).

 The
original Eskaton Kommandkestra band name was shortened a few months
later. ESKATON was born.

Please
tell us more about why you chose that name and besides of the obvious
answer Magma, who else was your musical inspirations? 

This
name comes from a very old Germanic legend. According to this legend,
the gods create Man’kind over and over, and also destroy it again
and again according to their will. The legend relates that
a
moment happened when the men refused to be manipulated any longer,
decided to be their own masters, and declared war to the gods. This
cosmic war is called Eskaton. For us, this war, Eskaton, was and is
still the symbol of the potential strengths of each man.

Lyrics
of our first published titles (you can find here after translation of
four of them as add-on to this interview “Eskaton”, “Attente”,
“Couvert de gloire” , and “Le chant de la Terre”) express
some of the ideas which were motivating Eskaton members at that
period of time and why legend of Eskaton was chosen as good
representative name of the band spirit.

Hereafter
we include introduction text which was written by Marc Rozenberg for
re-released of our album

Ardeur.
This is still valid today.

“Thirty
years later…

The
time of a thousand lives, the time of a single dream.

The
inferno lit up long ago burning still

No
ashes. Impossible
ashes.

With
the long lasting life of radioactive elements,

Emotions
and energy remain.

Only
natural. Facts are stubborn : 

Despairing,
fearing and dreaming remain shared by one and all.

This
was not an easy tale to tell. This is one still difficult to live
through.

« Human,
too human »

The
lowest attack on Eskaton was to call it messianic.

Today,
looking back, we’d say « International reporter »

Nothing
has moved. Everything is different.

A
belief remains, a blinding and incredible belief

That
we will have to mutate or die

That
Man is this rope strung between the worst and the best.

So
then, dear friend, listen to this cathedral of sounds,

This
torrent of emotions, these mathematics of the heart,

And
be assured that they are about your love of life,

And
that this love is shared…”

As
far as our musical inspiration is concerned, we were influenced by
many kinds of music and several bands we were frequently listening to
in those days.

 Magma
was one of them. But we also much appreciated the English progressive
rock bands, such as Soft Machine, Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis, Gentle
Giant, King Crimson ... As well we appreciated the energy of typical
hard rock bands like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin…. In those days, we
had some local famous French progressive rock bands : Ange, Zao …
But we should not forget some so-called “classical music writers”
such as Bartok, Beethoven, Satie, Stravinsky music we loved very much
too. All of them and some others were part of our musical
inspiration.

In
your own words; how do you define Zeuhl as music ? 

Frankly
speaking, we do not really know the meaning of Zeuhl. Of course we
read in many articles that Magma’s music was defined as Zeuhl
music. We assume that it is easier for people to classify musical
styles, by putting them in one labeled box. But we personally feel
that each of so called “Zeulh band” has its own musical world.

We,
Eskaton, never defined our own music as Zeuhl music.

Honestly,
the best person to answer your question is surely Christian Vander
who invented the term of Zeuhl.

Please
tell us more about the "Musique Post Atomique" single.

This
single, without lyrics, is in fact our first release. It was recorded
at home on a four tracks recorder. We think that now there are no
more for sale.

Please
tell us more about 4 Visions. The recording, lyrics, the musicians,
the artwork, the tracks......... and the re-release on Ad Perpetuam
Memoriam. 

It
was our first album (1980) recorded in a professional recording
studio in Paris. It was at first released as a cassette, and
distributed through Eurock (Archie Patterson US label). Many years
later (1995) we were contacted by Ad Perpetuam Memoriam and they
released 4 Visions as CD. The original artwork was made from the
drawing of our friend Paul Sevehon (R.I.P.). 

Musicians
were André Bernardi (bass), Alain Blésing (guitar), Eric Guillaume
(Fender piano), Paule Kleynnaert (vocals), Gérard Konig (drums)
Gilles RoZenberg (Organ and synths), Marc RoZenberg, (Fender piano)
and Amara Tahir (vocals).

Language
of lyrics is language of the common man with its inherent poetry. 

Angry
picture of man in his concrete city, ref “Ecoute” (never
translated into English)

In
his destiny, ref “Eskaton”

In
his response to nuclear bomb, ref “Attente”

And
his facing up to Death, ref “Pitie” (never translated into
English)

Recently,
together with French label Soleil Zeuhl (Alain Lebon) we worked on
digitally remastered version re-issue. Udi Koomran, the sound
engineer did a very great job. We are very pleased with the sound of
this new CD. For us, it is definitively an evident improvement
compared with previous CD. At the request of Alain Lebon, we added
four unreleased bonus tracks which we hope will enjoy our fans.

Tell
us more about Ardeur and Fiction. … “I can hear that both Ardeur
and in particular Fiction is a departure from 4 Visions style …”

Now,
when we look back to our three albums, and consider the
developments of our music we could say that they are three parts of
something like a triptych. three different ways to express same
spirit of Eskaton concept :

4
Visions is probably more philosophic

Ardeur
is probably more poetic

Fiction
is probably expressing more individual emotions 

Starting
with Ardeur, we decided to make a change in songs construction,
trying to keep the original Eskaton spirit with shorter and more
concise pieces. On stage we were still playing the 4 Visions master
pieces including in between lighter tittles usually using, for
lyrics, a more peer- to-peer language. 

Ardeur
was recorded in a professional studio in Paris, Fiction was recorded
at Eskaton home studio.

For
both albums, musicians were : André Bernardi (bass guitar), Paule
Kleynnaert (vocals, synth), Gérard Konig (drums), Marc Rozenberg
(Fender Piano, synths and later vocal), Gilles Rozenberg (Organ and
synth, guitar) and Amara Tahir (vocals, percussion).

The
artworks : 

Ardeur
: Drawings by Stephane Dumont who made the drawings for cover pages
of science fiction book collection. When we contacted him, he kindly
accepted to create an original drawing for us for free.

Fiction
: Original photo of LP and CD cover by Jean-Claude D, and artwork by
Eskaton.

But
for the reissue as CD, leaflets and cover design were the very good
job of Nadine Gaumer from ‘Soleil Zheul’ Label..

Your
fourth album I Care remains unreleased. Please tell us more about
this album and why it was never released. Any plans to release it ? 

ICARE
will never be released. Four titles were included, as bonus tracks,
in the re-release of Fiction by Alain Lebon ‘Soleil Zheul’ label.

I
understand from my research into your band and Zeuhl that while Magma
was/is a more autocratic band, Eskaton operated on a more
peer-to-peer basis with your fans. Each gig always ended with a free
and frank debate with the audience about your performance and music.
I am very intrigued.......... Please tell us more about this approach
and the debates.  

We
have nothing wrong to say about Magma stage performance approach.

As
far as Eskaton is concerned, we envisaged a new relationship between
musicians and our audience. We thought that a performance should be
more than simple conveying of a message; a call to a meeting of
minds. The message of the lyrics demands a reaction of the listener.
Eskaton gigs often end up with discussion between the musicians and
audience.

At
the very beginning, we thought that concerts had not to be a show. We
did not wear any stage costumes, we did not use any special effects
such as coloured lights … But, gradually, at the request of our
audience, we underlined the magic of the music with coloured
spot-light, to emphasize the atmosphere of each title, we also
illustrated the music with projected slides … As well we integrated
a dancer performance during some songs.

You
started out almost forty years ago. Please tell us more about these
years, the line up changes and Eskaton today. 

Four
musicians are still closely in touch. For the moment the remaining
members of Eskaton have no immediate projects.

Have
you had a stable fan-base during all these years ?

According
to Google, where we can find many recent articles, we understand this
music is still having fans around the small word of progressive
music.

What
is your plans this year and in the future ? 

Who
can guess what tomorrow will be made of ?

Andre,
Marc, Paule.

A big thank you to Eskaton for this interview and to Alain Lebon & Soleil Zeuhl for re-releasing their albums. 

I am pretty sure their music will continue to fascinate and intrigue music lovers for the decades and centuries to come. 

If you are new to the Zeuhl genre, their 4 Visions album is generally regarded as a good starting off point. I found that album very useful in my own musical adventures. 

Eskaton's PA profile can be found here and their record label's website is here

Eskaton has asked me to enclose some of their lyrics from Ardeur (All lyrics written by Marc Rozenberg) as it has relevance to the interview. Enjoy

ESKATON

Eskaton ! Eskaton
! Eskaton !
Homme ! Tu vis ton dernier destin.
Homme ! Dorénavant tu ne peux
choisir.
Homme ! Face à face avec toi-même,
Homme ! C'est l'ange qui lutte avec
la bête,
Homme ! En toi reposaient les dieux,
Homme ! Les voilà déchaînés
contre toi,

Homme ! Tu vis ton dernier destin,
Homme ! Ton cœur se déchire : tu
es l'ange

et la bête unis !

La horde s'éveille la voilà qui
envahit ton cerveau,
La horde s'éveille la voilà qui
envahit ton cerveau,
Homme reprends-toi ! Homme
défends-toi !

Les entends-tu qui grondent dans ton
âme ?
Il faudra les détruire
Tous les dieux idoles et images
saintes
Il faudra les détruire
Construis ta pensée comme une
muraille
toujours plus forte et haute,
De laquelle tu pourras d'un seul
regard
embrasser l'univers : loin, loin !

La vie nous lasse de son usure,
La chienne nous casse à coups de
morsures,
Le temps nous pourchasse de son
attention,
Morbide et sans faille il nous
attendra.
Et sans cesse, sans répit, dans nos
têtes
sonne l'envie de ne plus penser. ...

Même si ce n'est qu'une illusion
fragile
nous en serons les vainqueurs
Même si ce n'est qu'une illusion
fragile
nous en serons les moteurs !
Même si ce n'est qu'une illusion,
Même si ce n'est qu'une illusion,

Humains, humains, humains trop
humains,
Humains, humains, humains trop
humains,
Soyez donc vos seuls dieux vos seuls
maîtres,

Et vous réfléchirez, et vous
chanterez,
Et vous réfléchirez
Et vous chanterez L'HOMME !
L'HOMME ! L'HOMME ! L'HOMME !

ESKATON

Eskaton ! Eskaton
! Eskaton !
Man ! You are
living your ultimate destiny.
Man ! From now on
you have no more choice.
Man ! Face to
face with yourself,
Man ! The angel
is fighting against the beast,
Man ! Gods were
living in you,
Man ! Now they
are flying into a rage against you,

Man ! You are
living your ultimate destiny,
Man ! Your heart
is torn apart : you are
both angel and
beast !

The horde is
waking up, invading your brain,
The horde is
waking up, invading your brain,
Man, correct
yourself ! Man defend yourself !

Can you hear
them, growling in your soul ?
They will have to
be destroyed,
All the gods,
idols and holy images
They will have to
be destroyed,
Build your
thoughts like a wall, 

always stronger
and higher
And from the top
of which, your gaze will
embrace the
universe : faraway, faraway !

Life is wearing
us out,
The bitch is
biting us into pieces,
Time is tracking
us down with its attention,
Deathly patient,
it will infallibly wait for us.
And unceasingly,
without respite,
Desire for no
more thinking sounds in our brains...

Though it is only
a fragile illusion
we shall be its
victors,
Though it is only
a fragile illusion
We shall be its
driving power !
Though it is only
an illusion,
Though it is only
an illusion,

Human, Human,
Human too much human,
Human, Human,
Human too much human,
Thus, just be
your own gods, your own masters,

And you will
ponder on, and you will crow,
And you will
ponder on
And you will
glorify 

MANKIND !

LE CHANT DE LA TERRE 

Pleure ton âme, pleure ton sang
Crever pour crever tu crèves mal
Globe masculin, Terre féminine
Que ce soit Père ou Mère c'est un
meurtre,
Crevons de paix payée trop cher,
De paix trop déguisée pour être
saine,
Paix illusoire d'un enfant malade,
Terre notre mère, crève de rire ou
de maladie.
Le silence est d'or, nous serons
bientôt riches,
Cassons nos idées reconnaissons nos
torts,
Cassons nos idées reconnaissons nos
torts,
Cassons nos idées reconnaissons nos
torts,
Cassons nos idées reconnaissons nos
torts,
Soyons en tout et pour tout,
simplement
et O combien, et O combien,
Soyons en tout et pour tout,
simplement
et O combien, et O combien,
Soyons en tout, simplement
Le silence est d'or, nous serons
bientôt riches,
Cassons nos idées reconnaissons nos
torts,
Cassons nos idées reconnaissons nos
torts,

Soyons en tout et pour tout,
simplement
et O combien, et O combien,
Soyons en tout et pour tout,
simplement
et O combien, et O combien,
Humains, humains, divinement,
Humains, humains, divinement.
Rires de gorge de marchand de
bagues,
Sourires narquois de femmes
intouchables,
Transpiration grasse d'hommes
animaux,
Les yeux et le cœur trop bas,
Prends tes tripes jette-les au ciel
Prends ton temps et fous y ton fiel
Engueule ta femme et bats ton chien
Mais bon dieu fous-nous la paix,
Mais bon dieu fous-nous la paix,
Mais bon dieu fous-nous la paix,
Mais bon dieu fous-nous la paix,
Nous ne pouvons être trop humains,
Nous ne pouvons être trop humains.

Une fleur se découvre des dons
d'ubiquité
Elle voit le haut des tours et le
fond des

tombes
Sans se froisser un pétale ...
Une fleur se découvre des dons
d'ubiquité
Elle voit le haut des tours et le
fond des

tombes. 

Et le fond des tombes ...

EARTHSONG

Cry out your soul
and cry out your blood
If one must die,
you do not die well
Masculine Globe,
feminine Earth
Be it Father or
Mother, this is murder,
Dying of too
costly a peace,
A peace too
disguised to be sound,
The illusory
peace of a sick child,
Mother Earth, die
of laughter or sickness.
Silence is golden
and soon we shall be rich,
Let us bring our
ideas down and admit our wrongs,
Let us bring our
ideas down and admit our wrongs,
Let us bring our
ideas down and admit our wrongs,
Let us bring our
ideas down and admit our wrongs,
Let us be, simply
and only
And oh, so, and
oh, so,
Let us be, simply
and only
And oh, so, and
oh, so,
Let
us be, simply 

Silence is golden
and soon we shall be rich,
Let us bring our
ideas down and admit our wrongs,
Let us bring our
ideas down and admit our wrongs,

Let us be, simply
and only
And oh, so, and
oh, so,
Let us be, simply
and only
And oh, so, and
oh, so,
Human, divinely
human,
Human, divinely
human,
The hoarse
laughter of ring dealers,
The sardonic
smiles of untouchable women,
The greasy
sweating of beast men,
Eyes and heart
hanging too low,
Take your guts
and throw them to the sky
Take your time
and throw your gall in it
Bawl your wife
out and beat up your dog
But, good god,
leave us alone,
But, good god,
leave us alone,
But, good god,
leave us alone,
But, good god,
leave us alone,
We cannot be too
human,
We cannot be too
human,

A flower finds it
has the gift of ubiquity
It sees the top
of the towers and the 

bottom of the
graves
Without ever
crumpling a single petal ..
A flower finds it
has the gift of ubiquity
It sees the top
of the towers and the 

bottom of the
graves
And the bottom of the graves ...

ATTENTE

Soleil ! Lumière !
Feu et sang le ciel s'ouvre sur le
néant...
Feu et sang le ciel s'ouvre sur le
néant...

Nous découvrons l'autre côté du
rien...

Soleil ! Lumière !
Feu et sang le ciel s'ouvre sur le
néant...
Feu et sang le ciel s'ouvre sur le
néant...

L'Homme sort de ses cavernes de
béton,
il a le cerveau étourdi le corps
droit,
il n'a même pas le mérite de
vivre,
la mort est un soporifique.

Le jour approche,
hideux et déformé,
le ciel ne veut, ne veut plus être
bleu.
Il en meurt ! Il en meurt !

Feu ! Le ciel s'est ouvert !
Sang ! Nous jetant à terre !
Feu ! Il ne reste rien !
Sang ! Commence la fin !

La terre, frappée en plein dos
s'arrête
et se retourne trop vite
nous voilà
projetés contre les murs, durs.

Le sang gicle et recouvre la pierre
de

la couleur des idiots,
les survivants survivent, hurlant
leur négation,
les mourants les maudissent pour

cent générations...

Ami ! Prends garde, reste vigilant !
Le temps toujours, se veut reposant
!
Il est l'entière mémoire du vivant
!

Ami ! Prend garde, reste vigilant !
Le temps toujours, se veut reposant
!
Il est l'entière mémoire du vivant
!

Ami ! Prend garde, reste vigilant !
Le temps toujours, se veut reposant
!
Il est l'entière mémoire du vivant !

AGONY

Sunlight !
Daylight !
Fire and blood,
the sky opening on nothingness...
Fire and blood,
the sky opening on nothingness...

We now discern
the other side of nothingness...

Sunlight !
Daylight !
Fire and blood,
the sky opening on nothingness...
Fire and blood,
the sky opening on nothingness...

Man gets out of
his concrete caves,
His brain is
dizzy, his body is stiff,
He has no merit
to be alive
Death is just a
soporific.

Day is coming,
Hideous and
deformed,
The sky does not
want to be blue any more.
Then the sky dies
! Then the sky dies !

On fire ! The sky
has opened !
Blood ! Throwing
all of us down !
Fire ! Nothing
remains !
Blood ! The End
begins !

Stabbed in the
back,
The earth
suddenly stops
And turns round
too fast
Throwing all of
us 

against walls,
hard walls.

Blood is
squirting out, painting stones the colour of idiots,
Survivors
survive, howling their refuse,
The dying cast a
spell on them for a hundred generations...

(My)
Friend ! Look out and be vigilant !
Time always makes
you feel secure !
Time is the whole
memory of living things!

(My)
Friend ! Look out and be vigilant !
Time always makes
you feel secure !
Time is the whole
memory of living things !

(My)
Friend ! Look out and be vigilant !
Time always makes
you feel secure !
Time is the whole memory of living things !

COUVERT DE GLOIRE

Te souviens-tu du jour où tu partis
là-bas ?
tu partais
mais tu ne savais pas vraiment
pourquoi,
on t'avait dit que tu reviendrais
couvert de gloire
ivre de fierté
cueillir les fruits de la paix enfin

retrouvée...

Ce que tu t'es fait avoir !
Ce que tu t'es fait avoir !

Arrivé là-bas les gars d'en face
t'attendaient,
tu as eu un drôle de choc
ils te ressemblaient,
eux aussi s'étaient laissés piéger
couverts de gloire
ivres de fierté
Cueillis ! Les fruits de la paix
enfin retrouvée.

Et quand tu as voulu te tirer,
(on a bien le droit de se tromper)
tu as du sentir qu'une balle, ça va
très vite, très vite, très vite !

Et voilà, la gloire est venue à
toi,
inutile de vouloir trop la chercher,
ne crains rien, elle saura où te
trouver,
maintenant,
tranquille,
tu peux bien rentrer :

Couvert de gloire. Et de honte.
Couvert de gloire. Et de remords.
Couvert de gloire. Et de tristesse.
Couvert de gloire. Et de regrets.
Couvert de gloire. Et de terre
meuble.
Couvert de gloire. Et de marbre !
Mort ... mort ... mort ... mort ...
MORT !

COVERED WITH
GLORY

Do you remember
the day you left for 

over there ? You
left 

but you did not
know really why,
you were told you
should come back
covered with
glory
mad with pride
gathering the
fruit of a peace, at last
recovered ...

How fooled you
were !
How fooled you
were !

You arrived over
there, the opposite boys were awaiting you,
how deeply you
were shocked,
they were looking
just like you,
how fooled they
were as well,
covered with
glory as well
mad with pride as
well !
Fruits of
recovered peace were gathered at last.

But when you
tried to get out of it,
(anybody may be
mistaken)
you must have
felt how fast a bullet is,
so fast, so fast,
so fast !

Here it comes,
you have met glory ,
no need to go
looking for it,
don't worry,
Glory knows where you are,
now,
in peace,
you may go back
home. You are :

Covered with
glory. But so full of shame.
Covered with
glory. But so full of self-reproach.
Covered with
glory. But so full of sorrow
Covered with
glory. But so full of regrets.
Covered with
glory. But buried in soft earth.
Covered with
glory. But with marble over you !
Dead ... dead ...
dead ... dead ...
DEAD !