About this item

To mark 10 years of Finders Keepers the label present a new and improved pressing of the album where it all began. Within the last 10 years the resurgence of sixties Gallic pop, once known as Ye-Ye music, has escalated beyond an inter-stellar dizzy height. What might have been a waning, embarrassing genre destined for a shelf life / death gathering dust amongst the Eurovisions of yesteryear, the ‘jerk-beat’ psych-sploitation records of the latter day French disco had soon found new floor space in some of the most credible nightspots in London and Japan.

Without a shadow of doubt, the flagship LP with best odds on becoming a discerning household object was. An inimitable, 45-minute concept LP handcrafted by a bassdriven psychedelic rock group and a heaven sent, 1001 piece orchestral and choral symphony. The album left hip hop producers alongside progressive rock aficionados crying out for more and more for years to come. This LP was in a league of its very own… or was it?

The seldom-sung musical arranger for the classic ‘Histoire de Melody Nelson’ by Serge Gainsbourg has become one of the most enigmatic names in Frenchfunk; lorded by many as the French David Axelrod, Jean-Claude Vannier’s name is the lesser-spotted, tell tale seal of sample-friendly quality when it comes to crate-digging ‘en Francais’. Suitably, when rumours amongst French record dealers claiming “the band who played ‘Melody Nelson’ recorded a follow-up LP” became a legend of psychedelic folklore. Another unconfirmed rumour about Jean-Claude Vannier taking the remaining outtakes of the beloved ‘Melody Nelson’ to create a promo-only experimental rock LP left sample hungry producers and DJs in turmoil.

For those in the know the answers to these mysteries lay between the anonymous gatefold sleeve of an undiscovered conceptual album bizarrely entitled ‘L’Enfant Assassin des Mouches’ by a custom-built avant-rock entourage called Insolitudes. The treasure hunt began. For record collectors looking for that special something, this LP contains everything.

For those in the know the answers to these mysteries lay between the anonymous gatefold sleeve of an undiscovered conceptual album bizarrely entitled ‘L’Enfant Assassin des Mouches’ by a custom-built avant-rock entourage called Insolitudes. The treasure hunt began. For record collectors looking for that special something, this LP contains everything.

History denotes that when ‘our man in Paris’ Msr. Gainsbourg first heard the initial bones of this LP he took his poetic pencil to paper providing bizarre liner notes, thus consummating the most extraordinary concept album of all time. The story ‘The Child Assassin Of The Flies’ was to be included as the only information to grace the LP’s highly collectible concertina gatefold sleeve. The story in full is reproduced in its native-tongue on this very special re-release package.

DJs and producers such as Jim O’Rourke, Stereolab’s Tim Gane and David Holmes have spent sleepless nights in perusal of original copies of this perfect release and now regard it as one of the best. Recent copies on eBay have commanded ridiculous price tags and is now one of the most sought-after articles amongst the vinyl hungry hip hop community.

Lovingly remastered and repackaged in an authentic gatefold sleeve to celebrate the 10th birthday of Finders Keepers Records.

Featuring updated liner notes this is the album where it all began. Available once again, having been out of print for a number of years.