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Formed in Valenciennes in 1969, Art Zoyd was initially a progressive rock group, influenced by the music of Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa and the like.
1971 was marked by the disbanding of some members of the group and by the arrival of Gérard Hourbette and Thierry Zaboïtzeff, who, after the founding member left in 1975, were to shape the destiny of the group by radically changing the direction of the group and exploring new avenues.
There were to be no more drums or electric guitars, but a group of four musicians, 2 violins, bass and trumpet, which were to form the basis of the group for several years.
In 1976, when their first LP was produced, Art Zoyd went on tour with the group Magma (Paris, Nantes, Toulouse, Colmar ...).
In 1978, it joined the international movement Rock in Opposition founded by drummer Chris Cutler with, among others, Fred Frith, Art Bears, Univers Zero, Stormy Six, Etron Fou Leloublan, Zamlas Mammas Manna... From 1980 to 1984, Art Zoyd toured all over Europe and became a figurehead of "new music" (also known as "Art Rock" or "Avant-Rock"...)
In 1983, choreographer Roland Petit spotted the band in a televised concert and commissioned the music for a full ballet : Le Mariage du Ciel et de l'Enfer, premiered at the Festival de la Scala in Milan with Art Zoyd on stage, followed by thirty stagings in France, including twelve at the Théâtre des Champs Élysées in Paris. It was a revelation to discover that this music, with its radical choices and developments were so radical, could please such a large public, little used to the discordant harmonies and rhythmic beats of this new genre, combining amplified instruments, electric instruments, tapes and voices ...
It was from that time that the group decided to explore the combination of music and visual arts, whether performing arts such as dance and drama, or silent movies and video.
Now based in Valenciennes, the group has turned regularly in Europe and the States (Lincoln Center Festival in New York), Hong Kong, Australia (Adelaide Festival), Japan (1997 and 2002) and Mexico (1996, 1999 and 2003).
Asked to play for specific events such as the inauguration of the Globe Arena in Stockholm, the group also composed stage music.
Art Zoyd has gone on to create music for films, such as Nosferatu (1988) and Faust (Rome - 1993) by F.W. Murnau, Häxan by Benjamin Christensen (Queen Elisabeth Hall - London 1995). Their success was amazing: Nosferatu is still performed over fifteen years after it was created, while Häxan and Faust were staged as recently as 2001 and 2003.
To be continued on the band's website...
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