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The 1960's teen music scene in France was one of Europe's most exciting. Following a tradition of satire in pure Boris Vian style many of the garage bands from the country flavoured their sound with the adition of lyrics that gave their acid views on society. On top of the genre there was the great Jacques Dutronc, whose songs with words from journalist Jacques Lanzman are simply fantastic. But if words are good, Dutronc's sound is astonishing, spreading through a wide range of styles that go from frentic punkish R&B to fuzz overtones to Hendrix-like psychedelic hard rock to French chanson to cabaret to whatever you name, they just nailed every style to suit the words, and they did it with as much passion as skills. His backing band included ace guitarists Jean-Pierre Alarcen (a former member of french beat group Les Mods), Gérard Kawczinsky (coming from Les Challengers), Hadi Kalafate on bass -later to be replaced by Christian Padovan (also from Les Challengers), Michel Pelay on drums and Alain Legovic/Chamfort on organ (also a member of Les Mods and of Nicolas Nils' backing band Les Murators, who would later become one of the important artists in French music). Kawczinsky and Padovan also participated in the recording of the great Nino Ferrer 1973 LP "Nino and Radiah et Le Sud".
In 1968 winds of change were on the air and new sounds were entering the scene, some of which were embraced by our friends, who evolved into a new outfit: Le Système Crapoutchik. It was Padovan and Kawczinsky (who was nicknamed "Krapoutchik" by Dutronc, hence the name of the band) who were joined in the new project by Claude Putterflam. Putterflam had been recording as Peter Flam, and was instrumental in the development of the band when he established his Flamophone label. Jean Pierre-Alarcen would also be involved (before joining Eden Rose first and Sandrose later), as would Pelay and Legovic.
Le Système Crapoutchik debuted with an EP on Disques Vogue in 1968 featuring the songs "Monsieur Sans Joie", J'aime chanter", Je t'ai cherchée partout" and "J'ai regardé passer le temps". That same year would see another four song release on the label with the songs "Un peu de rein", "La vie est belle", "Un peu de musique" and "L'enchanteur". The sound of the new band has a perfect popsike production with a strong Paul McCartney feel and great vocal work that wouldn't pale when compared to that of The Bee Gees, the late sixties The Beach Boys or those harmonies heard on some great UK LPs of the genre like Billy Nicholls' "Would You Believe" or The Kinks "Village Green Preservation Society". However, the band has a very personal sound and it is difficult to compare it to anyone else's! "In 1969 Claude Putterflam had already established his own label, Flamophone, and it was through it that Le Système issued their fabulous first LP, "Aussi loin que je me souvienne...". The LP, considered to be the first French conceptual LP, explores a little further that Beatlesque pop sensitivity and mixes it with textured musical landscapes that spoted influences ranging from McCartney to Moody Blues works of the time, but retaining always a very unique point of view. Certainly a more sophisticated sound that what they had been delivering with Jacques Dutronc, but always with one foot on the pop side, more a popsike edge than a straight progrock feel. Flamophone would also relase two singles in 1970, "Demain"/"l'amourophobe" and "Les sans amour"/"L'enfant de choeur", but sadly commercial success eluded the band to the point that it caused it's split. However, a second album, this time a double LP containing all their 7" output plus some previously unissued recordings, was released posthumously in 1971. The album's title takes us again to that stairical French sense of humour, it is called "Flop". An accurate one word description for the point at which they had arrived.
In 1974 the band reformed to release a second album (or third, actually, if you count the "Flop" compilation) simply titled "Le Système Crapotchik". It was also released on Flamophone. They also worked with Bernard Ilous on his LP "Pèle Mêle".
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