Les Variations - "Nador" 1969 / "Take it or Leave it" 1971

Les Variations was a French rock band formed in 1966 through the 70's, who sang in English and was known for it's guitar driven music. Frances first band to headline the legendary Olympia Theater, the first to tour America, The first to sign with an American label (Buddah), and the first to achieve hit records in America. (you might say the "First Rock Band" of France!) They developed an impressive following touring through Europe playing song by their favorite artists, Little Richard, The Stones, Elvis Presley, & Chuck Berry etc. On their last two albums (of four) "Moroccan Roll" and "Cafe de Paris", their compositions, arrangements, and lyrics contained sounds and stories of North African and Jewish Sephartic culture as well as Hebrew songs of the band members youth growing up in North Moroccanroll music, which is played throughout Northern Africa and has influenced many western rock bands over the last four decades. (three of the four members were Moroccan Jews, the fourth was Italian)

Africa. With this sound, they achieved a new rock fusion which is now referred to as
Their first album, "Nador", is impressively loud and heavy for 1969, and so sounds years ahead of it's time. The band was pretty much hard rock right out of the gate. The second, "Take it or Leave it" is equally impressive. Both of these releases are outright guitar rock, basically a prelude to what was in store for the guitar rock drivin' 70's.
Unfortunately, just as they were beginning to gain measurable success in America, members began leaving for solo projects and on December 7th 1975, gave their last performance at Phillidelphia's Academy of Music and two weeks later, disbanded.
In 1977, the band reformed for a historic recording session for CBS and it wen't to #1 in Isreal, Egypt, and Jordan.