Outside of the studio and concert cafés, one is a business manager, the other is in IT, or even in the naval or real estate business. What brings them together is nostalgia for a British group from the 70s to the 90s. A group at the forefront of progressive rock that has captured millions of fans: Pink Floyd. They created their own group, Atlantick Floyd, in homage to those whose music they play at café-concerts in small venues. To the delight of boomers and their children.
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9 p.m., in one of the rooms of the “Cour et Jardin” studio, in Vertou, near Nantes, the five musicians settle down.
Hervé sets down his keyboards, Gwenaël plugs in his bass, Stéphane prepares his guitar and sax, Estève assembles his drum shells and cymbals. As for Joëlo, he takes particular care of his effects pedals.
Joëlo, lead guitarist of the group Atlantick Floyd.
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© France Télévisions Olivier Quentin
The lead guitarist of Atlantick Floyd is, in his own words, “un expert du son Pink Floyd”.
“I know all his pedals (by David Gilmour, Pink Floyd guitarist), all his samples. I play on a guitar very close to his, pedals which are very close to his.”
To get closer to the Grail, Joëlo gets his supplies from ALH Effects, a company from Nantes.born from the devouring passion (of its founder) for “vintage” sounds, under the influence of Pink Floyd”, says the website of this business.
“They come out amazed!”
Joëlo has lined up his boxes within walking distance. A movement of the pick on the strings and we plunge back into the moment in the 70s.
“We’re doing a lot of work researching the effects they use, Joëlo insists. I think we’re getting there pretty well. There are people who come to our concerts unconvinced and who leave amazed!”
The difficulty, he admits, is to reproduce certain sounds with which the British group has sprinkled its pieces, alarm clock ringing, dog growling…
On keyboards, Hervé Fraudin, founder of the group “Atlantick Floyd”.
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© France Télévisions Olivier Quentin
Behind him, at the keyboard, Hervé finishes testing his keyboard. The weekly rehearsal will be able to begin, even if two singers defected this Thursday evening.
It was he, the 64-year-old, who instigated the meeting and founded Atlantick Floyd. It was in 2020. From Morocco where he was living at the time, he posted ads on specialized sites to find volunteers to compose the group he wanted to create in Nantes, where he planned to settle. A fan of Genesis and Pink Floyd, he preferred to dedicate himself to the latter.
“Genesis, when it comes to keyboards you have to be ultra virtuoso, recognizes Hervé. Pink Floyd is less difficult to play, but it’s more difficult in terms of sound.”
The first responses arrived, and things quickly clicked.
The group has seven musicians, backing vocalists and a sound engineer.
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© France Télévisions Olivier Quentin
“Everyone knew more or less the Pink Floyd universe, remembers Esteve, the drummer. Everyone had group-in-group experience. It worked straight away. We also recruited two singers.”
Since then, the group has made a name for itself in Loire-Atlantique and managed to schedule dates in concert cafés or small performance halls.
“The best would be to do Tribute festivals (groups dedicated to legendary artists)“admits Gwenaël, the bassist.
They are all at least forty years old and over 60 for the founder and admit that their audience is mainly made up of boomers. “But it can bring together all generations,” corrige Joëlo.
When we ask them what makes them vibrate in the music of Pink Floyd, the answers come forth:
“Creativity, a complete group, very original… Captivating on an emotional level! Pioneers of progressive rock… Very crazy and easy to listen to at the same time… It’s universal music, people at the service of music to find something new… Each album is different and each of the musicians is essential!”
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Atlantick Floyd, Nantes group dedicated to the music of Pink-Floyd
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©France Télévisions Olivier Quentin
It’s 10 p.m., everyone is ready. We attack with “Shine on you crazy diamond”.
“Each piece is a technical challenge, smiles the guitarist, spiritual son of David Gilmour. The long pieces are a total highlight (Echoes is 23 minutes long) ! You take the audience on a journey!”
Atlantick Floyd announces his next concerts on his site. Next date: November 22, at Triple B, in Saint-Etienne-de-Montluc.
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