Tete a Tete avec Les Fantomes

[Gatwick1946]

Hi All,

When I first went to Paris as a school exchange student in 1962, I made a beeline for the record shops. I was surprised to find that there did not appear to be any of what in the UK were called single discs. Instead the shops stocked 4 track discs (in the UK known as EP's) which were available in high quality colour sleeves, quite often with different tracks to what could be regarded as their UK versions. They also lacked the middle of the disc, in order that they could go straight on to a juke box. Plastic inserts could be purchased so they would fit on your home phonograph. This has been a covered on other threads on this site. I believe I still have a couple of these EP's in my loft.

I was delighted to find that the fame of The Shadows had already crossed La Manche, as I found several coloufull record sleeves, showing 4 guys with 2 guitars, bass and drums. It was almost like in the UK, in that the lead guitarist had to sport a pair of Buddy Holly style spectacles!

I purchased a ten inch, ten track LP on the Verve lable by "Les Fantomes, avec leur "Big Sound" guitars". The ten tracks consisted of 8 tracks which were new to me, plus cover versions of Walk Don't Run and Shazam, both played at a brisk tempo.

If you do a search on Utube you under "Les Fantomes" you get a few results of what they sounded like - to my ears a bit like a slightly punk version of The Shadows!

Amazon lists a compilation CD but it is shown as being out of stock.

It makes me feel very nostalgic for the 1960's. I wonder if our French friends have any more info?

Kindest regards

Christopher

[Didier]

When I first went to Paris as a school exchange student in 1962, I made a beeline for the record shops. I was surprised to find that there did not appear to be any of what in the UK were called single discs. Instead the shops stocked 4 track discs (in the UK known as EP's) which were available in high quality colour sleeves, quite often with different tracks to what could be regarded as their UK versions. They also lacked the middle of the disc, in order that they could go straight on to a juke box. Plastic inserts could be purchased so they would fit on your home phonograph. This has been a covered on other threads on this site. I believe I still have a couple of these EP's in my loft.

That's right, for some strange marketing reasons, in France singles were only made for juke box, all you could find in record stores were EPs with four tracks ("Super 45 tours" as they were called here). This is why Apache was realeased here on an EP (which I still have) with the addition of Driftin' and Jet black (studio versions). Any artist needed to have four tracks to be released in France !
This lasted untll the mid sixties, when singles started to appear on our market.

I purchased a ten inch, ten track LP on the Verve lable by "Les Fantomes, avec leur "Big Sound" guitars". The ten tracks consisted of 8 tracks which were new to me, plus cover versions of Walk Don't Run and Shazam, both played at a brisk tempo.

It wasn't the "Verve" label, but "Vogue".

If you do a search on Utube you under "Les Fantomes" you get a few results of what they sounded like - to my ears a bit like a slightly punk version of The Shadows!

The Shadows had a lot of success in France (1 million copies sold for "Apache"), and they played several times at the top of the bill at the Paris Olympia (I saw them here in 1961 and 1964). They inspired a lot of local guitar instrumental groups. Les Fantomes were among the best, although not a good as The Shadows !

Among others were "Les Champions" :



And "Les Mustangs" :



François Rolland, formar lead guitarist of "Les Mustangs" is a member of our French Shadows' forum. His group has been reformed and plays for revival concerts.

Amazon lists a compilation CD but it is shown as being out of stock.

Some years ago, Magic Records reissued all of "Les Fantomes" records on CDs, including some unissued tracks, but they are not available anymore.

It makes me feel very nostalgic for the 1960's. I wonder if our French friends have any more info?

You can find some infos about "Les Fantomes" (The Ghosts) here : http://www.guitaresetbatteries.com/rock ... _angle.htm

Didier

[Gatwick1946]

Hi Didier,

Je vous remercie pour le lien vers www.guitarsetbatteries. Je vais le lire avec interet.

Excuse mon Franglais, et merci beaucoup.

Christopher

[Bazzer]

Hi Chris,
I have a c.d of Les Fantomes on the Magic label of the 60's E P collection.( Sure you remember E.P.'s ) Amongst the tracks are an instrumental and vocal of Billy Fury's "Wondrous Place" and a version of The Shads Mustang. The sleeve notes also advertise two other compilations of Les Fantomes, Vol. 1 & Vol 2, but no track listings. I think Magic have a website if you are interested in obtaining any of those. I believe I bought my c.d. from Bim Bam, a while ago.

Best Regards,

Baz

[Gatwick1946]

Thank you Baz - I will have a look at the Magic website.

Kindest regards

Christopher

[Gatwick1946]

Hi Guys,

I have had a look at Magic and Bimbam but the Fantomes listed are, judgeing by the dates and photo's, not the Fantomes I am interested in. The French Les Fantomes (spelt with an inverted v over the letter "o") date from the early 1960's. But thanks again for your interest chaps and I will keep searching.

Kindest regards, Christopher

[Gatwick1946]

Late news just in:-

I have found a double CD listed on Amazon - Magic Records - A S I N B00004VTQM.

Bad news is the price - £54.28 , a bit above my price range.

Kindest regards

Christopher

[Didier]

I have a c.d of Les Fantomes on the Magic label of the 60's E P collection.( Sure you remember E.P.'s ) Amongst the tracks are an instrumental and vocal of Billy Fury's "Wondrous Place" and a version of The Shads Mustang. The sleeve notes also advertise two other compilations of Les Fantomes, Vol. 1 & Vol 2, but no track listings. I think Magic have a website if you are interested in obtaining any of those. I believe I bought my c.d. from Bim Bam, a while ago.

As far as I know, there has been three CDs issued by Magic records from "Les Fantomes", CD1 and CD2 are compilations of former released tracks, while CD3 contains unissued tracks. I have them all.
CD1 and CD2 may have been also released as a double CD.







"Inédit" means : unissued

Magic Records site is here : http://www.magic-records.com/page_11,us,8,11.cfm but "Les Fantomes" CDs are not listed anymore.

Didier

[Bazzer]

Chris,
Have a look at Didier's posting. Les Fantomes Vol 3 is the same as I have , with the accent v over the O.


Best Regards,

Baz

[Didier]

with the accent v over the O.

The correct spelling for "fantome" (ghost in French is with a "accent circonflexe" over the "o", just like this : "Fantôme" (not sure it will come out correctly on a PC configured for english). You are lucky not to be bothered with accents in english !

Didier