La France interdite

André Georget 'La France Interdite (Bande Originale du Film)' Record/Vinyl

'La France Interdite...ni enfer, ni paradis, des gens qui vont jusqu'au bout, au-delà des limites.'

Obscure mondo-documentary released in grindhouse theaters in 1983 and well-known by sleazy diggers of the VHS era, La France Interdite, or French Prohibition in English speaking territories, unleashes a dark yet strangely arousing side of France, a bizarre and mysterious world where sexual perversion, marginality, and sometimes violence mingle without inhibitions nor taboos. This rare exploitation movie by Gilles Delannoy, Jean-Pierre Garnier and Jean-Pierre Imbrohoris covers it all: peep shows behind the scenes, porn movie auditions, black masses, nights with transvestites in the Bois de Boulogne, SM clubs, and life in a day of an eagle trainer (!) among other oddities. A unique journey wrapped in the decadence and vice of the 80s.

A big part of the decadent charm of La France Interdite comes from the playful soundtrack composed by André Georget (arranger/producer for French music legends such as Alain Bashung, Françoise Hardy, Eddy Mitchell…). Straight from the golden age of synthesizers, La France Interdite, the OST, is reminiscent of the best of Giorgio Moroder, Harold Faltermeyer, or even Art of Noise in some parts. 'France Off Limits' sounds like a radio hit from 1984, 'Collection Voitures' is an ambient gem, while 'Intro Peep Show' goes full Scarface and 'Muscles' gives up the sticky funk in a major way. All the moods and textures of a true 80s soundtrack are alive and kickin' - a delightful mix of musical mastery and nostalgia kitsch.

The opus, skillfully arranged by André Georget, benefits from the talents of musicians who made a mark in French music: Gilbert Montagné (keys), Joël Fajerman (synth, L'Aventure des Plantes), Joseph 'Joe' Hammer (drummer for Daniel Balavoine, Jean-Michel Jarre, Richard Gotainer...) or Marc Chantereau (figure of French disco and et member of the band Voyage) among others.

Hymn of freedom in all its glory, La France Interdite is released for the very first time as a collector's edition vinyl packed with exclusives: the full soundtrack on 12' LP, the main single on a 7' with a VHS-rip b-side (!) narrated by voiceover icon Christian Barbier, as well as 2 posters presenting the film itself in a format unheard of until today.

Points of interest:

- Original soundtrack from 1983 never released until now.

- Gilbert Montagné (keys), Joël Fajerman (synth, L'Aventure Des Plantes), Joseph 'Joe' Hammer (drummer pour Daniel Balavoine, Jean-Michel Jarre, Richard Gotainer...), and Marc Chantereau (figure of French disco and et member of the band Voyage) collaborate with André Georget (producer/arranger for Alain Bashung, Françoise Hardy, Eddy Mitchell…) on the entirety of the album.

- First release by We Release Whatever The Fuck We Want Records, label founded and curated by Olivier Ducret of Mental Groove (Miss Kittin, Kadebostany, Sinner DC, Brodinski...) and Stéphane Armleder aka The Genevan Heathen of Villa Magica Records (Christian Marclay, Stephan Eicher & Rainier Lericolais, Genesis P-Orridge, Tacteel, Sylvie Fleury & Sidney Stücki...)

- Available on digital and as a collector's vinyl (300 copies) with the album on a 12' LP, the single on 7' and 2 posters.
credits
released December 1, 2013
tags
tags: electronic experimental soundtrack library sexual soundtrack synth Geneva