Drummer Reaction: CHRISTIAN VANDER | MAGMA - Hhaï / Zombies Live Triton 2005 (2021 Reaction) 

PLEASE NOTE: I didn't mean any offence in this video to Christian Vander or the music of Magma. 1. Sesame Street comparisons are the NOT a diss. The house band was made up of the best studio musicians on offer including people like Nile Rodgers. Listen back to 70's/80's Sesame Street music... it ain't no joke AT ALL. 2. Giggling... I actually started thinking ABOUT Sesame Street and all my nostalgia wrapped up in that show as a kid. I wasn't laughing AT the music created by Magma. As you were...

Vander is a god, he is not only the drummer he writes it all. I have ssen Magma more than 20 times they never cease to amaze.

I am so proud, that there are REAL musicians like Christian Vander out on this planet. He is one of my biggest inspirations of my lifetime. Listening to him reminds me on what music could and can be, if we dedicate our lifes to it.Thank you Christian.

This is such an excellent piece. Christian Vander is one of the unsung greats.

Christian vander quote of the day! "in the early seventies, when i hit a symbal, i really felt as if i was killing a person in front of me." He is one of the best!

Best drummer ever, best band ever.

The 2005 line up of Magma was probably one of their best line ups ever, and this recording of Zombies is maybe one of the best versions of this song. I love the point in this reaction video, when your initial fun about the mismatched hihat moves to apprecciation of the energetic and charismatic hi speed drumming.

Andrew listening to black metal: yeh' that's cool. Andrew listening to Magma: looks for help outside the window.

Wow!? We are doing Magma now, going real deep into the prog rabbit hole! Great band and super interesting band concept

It's hard to categorize Magma. Christian Vander the classically trained drummer vocalist leader invented his own language called Kobaian. Yes there is a Miles Bitches Brew inspired vibe. But Vander sites Coltrane has one of the inspiration for his music. I was born in 61' and thought I've seen heard it all until someone turned me to them 22 years ago. I saw them on my 50th birthday NYC at the highline ballroom. The drum school Drummers Collective NYC had many poeple there that night to witness this masterful drummer.To this day only Magma and Hellborg,Lane and Sipe have made me jump out of my seat ectatically. Saw both John McLaughlin, Allan Holdsworth live and although superb musicians who I enjoy immensly walked away feeling very uninspired. If you get the chance to see Magma don't pass it up. Christian I believe is in his early 70's and shows no signs of slowing down. Thank you Christian for you energy.

Oh yes. Christian Vander is stunning. Saw Magma live twice and it was a great experience both times. Also Kobaian is a made up language they use in their music. Their overall concept is very bizarre but once you get it, it's awesome. It almost has cult-like undertones, very hypnotic stuff.

Wrong pick here sorry. As a Magma fan since 1990 who's seen more than 30 live performances, and at the risk of being conspued by other Magma fans, I believe Vander who's now in his 70s is not at 1/10th the drummer he was in his prime ( 1970-1980 ). He's lost both the physical possibilities and the madness he had at the time. 3 things come to mind : 1. as a drummer, should you want to check out his skills, listen to De Futura from the Udu Wudu album version ( and only this one ) and you will be blown away by both the genre and his approach to syncopated drumming. Check out too if you can find it to his live solo called Ptah where he sings the patterns he's goins to play next and you'll have to acknowledge he was then one of the top drummers in the world. 2. Should you want to check both his skills and madness, check out the live televised version of Hhaï from the french programm called Le Grand Echiquier. Not the best Hhaï version ever but all the musicians were really mad at the time. You'll like the guy dressed as a toad with gloves falling from his shoulders. Vander's singing is great too in this performance. 3. Should you want to check out why Magma is considered by some like the most avant-garde french rock group ever, check out Kohntark ( 35 minutes ) from the Magma Live ( 1975 ) album and be prepared for an incredible musical experience. IMHO Kohntark remains Magma's best musical achievement of their history, mixing rock, jazz and classical music with Orff, Wagner and Stravinsky inspirations but in their own way. Beware : should you let yourself be taken, you will not come back the same from Magma's universe.

Christian is a very unique, special drummer, musician, composer. Always countering the groove. What strikes me in this particular piece is the consistent emphasis on the off-beat. Both in the pulse-sized rythmical units as in the longer riff cycles. It makes the music float in the air. Kick and snare constantly and alternating on the off-beat.

This makes me so happy, Christian is a unique and brilliant drummer. Ive seen magma twice and they are 2 of the best, if not THE best ive attended. Imagine listening to for 2 hours straight. Trancelike state of mind. Almost spiritual.

Magma iss de hundin!

Hello, i'm french and i'm 64 years old. I have seen and heard Magam/Christian Vander, for the first time, in august 1972 at Sanary-sur-mer in south of France, i was 14 years old !... A BIG BIG CHOK 4 ever !... then i saw and heard Magma/Christian Vander more than 40 concerts in France. Ps : my second LOVE was Prince (Sign'O the times at Paris Bercy in 1987, Lovesexy 1988, 3 concerts, at same place, and in Minneapolis at the Bunker's for Cinthya Johnson's birthday, and i visited Paisley Park, during Eastern 1989). Vander - Prince : The 2 Great Music Maestro of the XX-XXI centuries, sure. God bless "U"

The first couple of Magma albums are pretty typical early '70s jazz fusion, but by their third album Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh they'd fully committed to the whole "Kobaian" concept and aesthetic and transformed into something unique, the style they called zeuhl (pronounced more like "tsoil"). Despite some changing personnel (though always anchored by Christian Vander on drums, and with his wife Stella leading the chorus), they stuck with it up until an attempt to go pop (which almost everybody acknowledges was a bad idea) in the early '80s and broke up. Vander put together a new incarnation of the band in the 2000s with a mix of old and new members. Most of their material is from the '70s but they have recorded some newer material. For something so odd they've been pretty influential. Several other bands have adopted the zeuhl style, mostly in Europe (Zao, Eskaton, Weidorje, Shub-Niggurath), but Japanese drummer Yoshida Tatsuya's projects Ruins and Koenjihyakkei. American drummer Zach Hill (Hella, Death Grips) is also a devotee, though his bands aren't zeuhl (they're math-rock and experimental hip-hop). Vander has also had side projects like Offering and the Christian Vander Trio, which are more straight-ahead jazz. Bassist Jannick Top has done a lot of session work, including for Bonnie Tyler and Celine Dion of all people.

Experienced Magma in 1977 in Copenhagen. Amazing concert - will never forget it!

I was at this gig , travelled over to Paris with a few mates. Fantastic ✨ That was an extended version of zombies , which first appeared on studio album udu Wudu in 1976. Composed by drummer Christian vander.

I saw this band at their first ever London concert, in 1974 at the Roundhouse, halfway thru a whole day concert lineup, totally unknown here but amazing, by far the most intense concert i have ever been to, playing what was a combination of Carl Orff and Wagnerian opera in their own invented space language Kobaiian, with a driving jazzrock accompaniment with Vander exploding on drums. Alongside Stella Vander, was original singer Klaus Blasqviz, a vocal range wider than Athur Brown (I am the God of Hellfire) from a Tibetan monk's croak to high falsetto, at times falsetto duetting with Christian Vander, this from an imposing tall guy with huge black cloak, big black beard, striding around playing a wide rack of percussion, and a fierce small ball of energy in bass player Yannik Top. They played the Mekanik Destruktiv Commandoh sequence, a lot of successively building waves and climaxes, completely hypnotic and overwhelming, i watched many people around me going into trance states, and people tripping on acid looked quite blown away and deranged. I have never seen anything remotely so inrense, compelling, powerful, way beyond the 'Double Trio' King Crimson, circa 1999. At the end, i had to leave, missing two favourite bands on later including Caravan, and sit for 2-3 hours in the sun in Primrose Hill, a little nearby hilltop city park, getting over the whole experience, thinking wtf, wtf, wtf !. Then I saw them a week later at the famous Marquee Club in Wardour Street, also intense but a very different feel closeup in a small intimate rock club. There is a lot of concert footage from the whole of Magna's half century history, and you can see the diverse range of musicians, many virtuosos, who have passed through the band, (rather like Zappa's lineups), people really should check this out. But it is not for the faint-hearted: if you like full on music, go for it!

Cannot give this enough likes. Huge Magma fan here! Last time I´ve seen them live was october 2019 in Brussels. Simply amazing! Christian Vander is an extraordinary musician. He can sing too. Check out their composition "Zëss" live. Da Zeuhl Wortz Mëkanïk!

Your channel brings me music I would normally not be exposed to and that is why it is so enjoyable.

I saw Magma three nights in a row in the Pacific Northwest Around 2016, and bought a drum kit immediately afterwards. Vander is top tier.

Kobaia is a world hard to get into, but once you are there, there's no escape.

Magma forever

Great stuff! And note Philipp Bussonet, the bassist

Thanks for the video, this is my favorite band and i've seen them 12 times in 25 years. I can only advise you to see them on stage and you'll experience something extra ordinary, a pure expression of creativity and passion.

MAGMA!! This is truly music that our time needs right now.

Felt like I was listening to some Pagan ritual where someone was about to be thrown into a volcano

Holy shit, now we're diving deep... 😁

As I understand, cult movie director Alejandro Jodorowsky was working on a film adaptation of Frank Herbert's "Dune" in the early 1970s. For music, he eventually decided that Pink Floyd would compose pieces for House Atriedes, and Magma for House Harkonnen. I always think of "Zombies" as the theme music for the First battle of Arrakeen where house Atriedes is defeated and Duke Leto captured.

Hello Andrew, and thank you for presenting Magma! Frankly, you don't tackle Magma "like that" in seconds. There is a time to adapt, a bit like going into Space! But once you've entered the world of Magma, then it's addictive, enjoyable, like a kind of trance ... Musically, Magma takes us to another planet. Power, "madness", it grows all the time as they say ... There would be too much to say. This group is a kind of extreme musical school from which guys like Didier Lockwood and so many others have come. I saw this group in concert several times, at different times, the first in Lyon (France), more than 35 years ago. It’s always a very special, very addicting show. You just have to let go, accept to enter into this unique atmosphere. The style of this exceptional drummer was in the past much jazz-rock, jazz-fusion, and his drum set was much more fleshed out (he even had 2 huge gongs placed behind him). A pure treat! A huge power output, a vista, a rhythm and a style very personal, unique, enjoyable! Christian Vander was a fan of Coltrane. Vander plays a lot with silences, he suggests ... But rather than words, notes, and a few suggestions which I think will appeal to you and perhaps please you. 1 / "De Futura", you have to concentrate on the drum playing (the extraordinary bass too) which is downright powerful and original (the melody can be shocking!). Monstrous? Yes! And personally, I find the drums playing really amazing! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HAkSVTDfBVE.html 2 / "I Must Return" ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0eVP0rvomlE.html 3 / “The last Seven Minutes” To see and listen (loud!) Especially from 4'15 minutes to 6.15 minutes! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-VnsfdK96inc.html 4 / “Fusion” with Didier Lockwood & Jannick Top in particular. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UIQd7Q5_AWM.html

I was at several Magma concerts. At one concert Christian Vander at first only sang and played piano, and some other band member played drums. Then they switched seats, and suddenly the drums were much louder; Vander is a real skin basher. At one point he started a drum solo. I looked at my watch because I wanted to know how long his solo would be. It lasted for 45 minutes. Yes, no typo - 45 minutes! And the best thing about it - while with most drummers this would have been incredibly boring Vander managed to keep it interesting all the time; the solo was not boring for a second.

It's surprising how many drummers haven't heard of Vander. Nothing slick or cute about his playing. I love a guy who can kick the shit out of an 18" bass drum.

Funny that you said that this was a long one, as it's just one small part of narrative piece (this being the journey into the underworld section) that goes close to an hour. And that's just one part of a trilogy (the Kohntarkosz Trilogy, a Magma take on Egyptian mythology) that goes for well over two hours.

the beat, the constant progressions instead of hard cuts and breaks and fills and verse chorus verse, reminds me a lot of contemporary electronic music, like, say, underworld, the orb, or chemical brothers... krautrocky :)

Thank you for this video! The bass player in my band introduced me to Magma and so excited to have tix to go see them as an 11 piece band in London next year. Anyone intrigued by this I recommend checking out their extensive catalogue. He is a great drummer but the depth of creativity in Vander's composition is what really blows me away.

it was interesting to watch your reaction as you get sucked into the world of magma. it is the best band ever!!!

Awesome man! The first time listening to Magma is quite the experience. Vander is amazing

I saw Magma a few years ago in Toronto...their music is definitely something to be experienced live, the repetition and crescendos move some air. Euphoric and powerful. Trying to find where the phrases resolve and where one was sometimes impossible. His more drumistic playing is in the late 70s, he hears things differently for sure.

Well observed, Fusion drummer Gary Husband also compared Vander to Tony Williams at one point.

You must listen « de futura « With 2 bass

`Looks on completely askance and devoid of understanding`. Like a second rate painter and decorator telling Michaelangelo how to store his brushes

Diving into zeuhl? Now we're getting serious!

About 70's movies, Magma made an appearance on Jean Yanne's movie "Moi y'en a vouloir des sous", this scene can even be found on youtube.

That bass was kicking too!

Andrew, some additional thoughts. Christian Vander has stated that if given the choice between drums or cymbals, he would take cymbals. The reason for the mismatched cymbals for his hi-hat is that the sound it creates is exactly what he wants- and Vander has often been called the fastest left foot in rock. He will never play any song the same way twice, always finding ways to improvise and change meter and beat and accent. It is sometimes amazing to watch. Watch this short clip for Vander in full flight (after the bass solo): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8oGJYLv9DFY.html And I am so sad to say that the guitarist in your clip and the one I post here, James Mac Gaw, died only 2 months ago after a long bout of brain cancer. He was just 56 and a hellaciously talented guitar player. He leaves behind a wife and child and a legion of fans who knew him from Magma and other bands he played in.

At about 6:66 it turns from traditional Sesame Street music into Muppet blood orgy virgin sacrifice with all the unison vocals going on.

Christian Vander can literally keep the beat with out hitting the drums and spontaneously jump in at any moment just right on the continually track as follows... Something most drummers don't have & know about.. originally rock jazzy type of style I'm amazed.🥁✌️😵👍

I have three Magma vinyl records I bought in the early 70's when Fusion was really hot. Great band.

I really love Magma, and their music ♥♥

But that bass playing though?!!!! Wow...

Wow, I wouldn’t offend Vander. You have possibly already got a Kobian curse surrounding you and anyone you’ve ever loved. See them live. Genuinely change the space they inhabit. Terrifying and wonderful in equal portions

As a listener, I love the 1970s progressive rock underground European scene. Univers Zero, Aksak Maboul from Belgium, Art Zoyd, Etron Fou Leloublan, Magma from France, Henry Cow / Art Bears from England, Area, Stormy Six from Italy and many others... Vander created a language and a music highly influenced by classical and jazz especially Coltrane. Maybe Sun Ra and other avant garde musicians... As a person who has watched some of your videos, I didn't like your attitude in this Magma reaction video. Yeah their music is a little weird, but it should not be forgotten that this single was made in the mid 1970s. I also read your description but I cant say I'm ok ! Best regards from Turkey

Christian Vander is The BEST DRUMMER EVER. Also, the founder of 50+yeasrs old and still active best band on this planet called MAGMA. One of the most innovative and open-minded composers of XX century. A really great vocalist. A philosopher and do not forget good cooking skills :3

vander is a monster 🌺

Ahhhhh, enfin ! Andrew you are the best, le grand Christian Vander, the fabulous Christian, a mad fabulous man, he has created a language , kobaien , an incredible concept, you must listen his 70 ´s record, when he was 20, so so more powerfull ansd crazy like billly cobham.A great musician , a legend vive Magma !

love Magma, found out about them because apparently Christian Vander is Zach Hill's favorite drummer and when a crazy beast like zach says something like that I can't resist checking it out

my favorite band ever

Magma is a force of nature, not wierd or scary at all. Some folk's ears are just limited to what's expected.

Now, that's a band. Unlike any other

Hats off to you for exploring complex stuff like Magma. Not easy listening for most people. Just an interesting tidbit: Neil Kernon, the famous English producer who worked on several of the early Magma records in the early 70's, is now, as a senior citizen no less, known for producing mostly death metal bands like Nile and Cannibal Corpse :)

Everybody already said it but yeah, check "Magma - De Futura"

LOOOOOVE Goblin. I got the same vibe! Saw them do the Suspiria score live, the year before last, with the film playing behind them. Such a cool experience!

Haha, high five! Argento was my first thought! Would be a great soundtrack for Suspiria or Phenomena. Love it😍

Never heard this, thought it was great, didn't once feel the need to look over my shoulder! ❤️

Thanck for the reaction ! Magma is definitely my favorit band. Check out Magma KMX-B12 from the same concert if you want some drum ans bass crazyness

I've seen Elvin many times and I can definitely see a bit of him in Christian. I get your Tony hi hat reference too, Andy. I've seen Tony many times as well. I was lucky to see all the great jazz drummers as I grew up. Gotta thank my Dad for taking me to see everyone that came to town (San Fran).

Sitting here eating my grandson’s Sweet Tarts watching this near midnight...the thought that kept crossing my mind .... “Zappa did bad acid and started composing..”

Yes! Magma's album Kobaïa from 1970, is a fantastic prog album, definitely worth listening to!

Idk, you'd have to pretty far up your own... to not appreciate that MAGMA can come across as pretty silly and weird. That being said, I also think your sesame street comparison is on point, it's exactly the same 70's sort of hippie-new-age vibe of desperately reinventing the wheel and trying to find new ways to communicate (or educate kids or whatever they were trying to do), leading to all sorts of strange cultural artifacts, like this made up language/vocal style.

MAGMA FOREVER...!!! A VIE ...A MORT ET APRES...MERCI CHRISTIAN ...!!!

The music is very different but I think your right his sound on the drums has a Tony Williams vibe. He personally is my favourite drummer he can make that kit sound as good as any of the other instruments.

Udu Wudu is their spooky ghost music album, I'd have checked out something more classical like Theusz Hamtaahk

Heppy you had an episode on Magma. A must for an open-minded drummer ! Vander is amazing drummer & composer who translated Elivin Jones & Coltrane's trance into a new genre, incredible pieces where rhythm is at heart of the music. You can check out this extract with camera angles only focused on the drumkit here ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Y__1rD1FfQU.html

This not even the longest nor hardest piece of Magma to play. These guys are Monsters.

Great reaction. I got a real good laugh out of it. Laughter is good medicine not disrespect. Hurry up and get to that Adam Jarvis-concrete beast reaction. I can’t wait. 😀

explain how can he possible handle single left hand paradiddles the whole thing?🤯

The part that you were reacting to is 'Zombies' so I guess it's certainly intentionally spooky... 'Hhaï', the much longer song before, is in contrast very bright, and also shows Vander's ability, style, skills as a singer.

For more "accessible" material from Magma, try the "Atthak" album.

Even if their music is recognizable among a thousand, each of their albums is a different experience! Don't forget to see them in concert, experience it, their new formation (with Jannik Top's son on bass) is very promising. Christian Vander with all the respect I owe him, is no longer everything young, so jump quickly at a chance!

Do Magma - De Futura

Christian Vander is a force of nature. Check out Attack Kommando by Magma. Mind blowing...

Aaaaaah enfin !!!

One of the best pieces of music ever written. I recommend to dive further in the music of Magma. Enjoy!

All composed, Andrew. All of Magma is- and you should look at some of his other videos- where he really takes the drums apart. Kohtarkosz is key. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QTucmvIEbbg.html

Christian vander lived in italy before the creation of magma

well your seasame street comment kinda shat on the whole vibe of the video...but hey, you got me chuckling!!! :) thanks andrew, much love! :)

Man you have to take a shot at the 40 min song, like kohntarkosz Or Mekanik destruktiw Komandoh, or Defutura.... enjoy

There are thousands of technically great drummers ... but Vander is more than that, an artist and composer like Carl Orff

Suspiria + Magma!

Thanks, Andrew, for doing that :-) Regarding the weird vocals: Those are actually in a made up language that Vander created together with the first vocalist of the band as they thought their native French didn't have to right "sound" for their music.

I saw Magma for the first time in 1975 (!). Absolutely mind blowing- especially for that time.. At the beginning of the 70’ , there where only 2 bands on this planet that had that «cosmic fusion » energy: MAGMA & The Mahavishnu Orchestra (Live !: « Between nothingness and eternity »)🙏🏻🤗

Demoledor y brillante. Mi favorita.

There are these three bands that you either get, or ya don't: Gentle Giant, Gong, and Magma. Then there are all the others that rank all just as high.

5:23 when the amp isn't cooperating.

I see and hear your point with Sesame Street music. I get a similar vibe and Magma makes me smile for that reason, although most people regard them as scary with their artificial language and the choruses. I also get a slight Zappa vibe. Interesting for sure!

To this day Stella has the voice of an sngel. The current bass player is a monster. For me It's soul music, like Coltrane, Pharaoh Sanders and others, it transports you to a higher realm. My wife? Not when she's home. Lol

Definitely jazz. The drummer was playing hard-bop style. The bass player was playing all kinds of notes and groving hard. The rest of the band followed the very strange singing. Your movie analogy was spot on

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