Germinal Tenas.

Badly translated from the sleevenotes to "Wizzz! Volume 2":
Germinal Floreal Tenas, initiator of the 'Reverendus Chorus' project, is in retrospect one of the major record producers of the French 60's counter-culture. A disciple of mockery and the DIY sound, his productions during the Sixties thumbed their nose to the masquerade of yéyé.

The son of Spanish immigrants who fled the Franco regime to live in Toulouse, Germinal Tenas is a true "enfant de la balle" (follows in parent's footsteps). At 7 years old, he performed with his father, a professional guitarist in flamenco shows.

Hired to perform by a local Christmas tree company, Germinal shared the bill with Christian Fechner, another child artist who numbered ventriloquism and sleight-of-hand among his talents. It was the birth of a long friendship between the two kids.

Christine Delaroche - La Porte á Cote MP3 (co-written by Tenas)
In 1961, Germinal and Christian discover through radio the first releases of Johnny Hallyday. It is a revelation and Fechner, in the guise of going to study in Toulouse, in reality took the opportunity to hang out with Germinal.
They spend their time at the 'Le Père Léon' café where all the young people of Toulouse go to listen to rock'n'roll, within their ranks are musicians Ticky Holgado and Mike Shannon.

Ticky Holgado recruits musicians to form 'Ticky James et le Plastiquers de Rock', but Germinal fails the audition due to his tender years. Germinal thus decides to assemble his own group.
They are at first called 'Les Conquérants' before quickly being renamed 'Les Caïds'. The average age of the group is only 14 years old!

During a contest hosted by Radio Andorra, 'Les Caïds' win the final after extensive heats among 1500 candidates. The first prize is recording a 45t at Barclay, The EP comes out and goes straight to No. 1 in Radio Andorra's hit parade.
Germinal, elated, wants to leave to conquer the rest of France and wishes for the group to settle in Paris. The Parents of the other musicians oppose this due to their young age and Germinal must resign himself to go up to the capital alone. It is understood with his parents that he will take the temperature by spending his holidays in Paris.

His stay in the capital proceeds badly, Germinal is distraught by the discovery of the harshness of his trade. On the eve of his departure, he crosses paths with Christian Fechner, at the 'Richelieu Drouot' metro station, who also came to Paris to try his luck without result. The reunion encourages them to extend their stay, from now on they will canvass the recording companies together.

They increase their auditions... without success. Running low on funds, Germinal's mother decides to settle in Paris also to provide for Christian and her son. Unable to promote their own compositions and pursue the singing career they desire, they decide to become Artistic Directors, believing that their early start in the entertainment business is enough to qualify for this position.
Léon Cabat, owner of Vogue records, agrees to a meeting and discovers he is amused by the antics of these two kids. Impressed by their confidence and nerve, he agrees to take them for a test period. This is the first time in the French music profession that such a position is assigned to such young people. The record industry is still in the hands of "old foxes" who decide, not without a little cynicism, the needs and desires of the kids of the time.

Les Problèmes - 'Passe Ton Chemin' MP3
Our two kids then work alongside Jacques Volfson (who notably discovered Johnny Hallyday, Francoise Hardy and Jacques Dutronc) who finds their irreverence hysterical.
Always fascinated by rock'n'roll, they sign and transform Antoine's backing band 'Les Problèmes' into the highly successful 'Les Charlots'. Germinal writes the lyrics for 'Passe Ton Chemin' for the first 'Les Problèmes' EP which becomes a piece of French garage punk history. The most remarkable achievement of the Fechner/Tenas team is obviously their discovery of Antoine and his unprecedented success, but that's another story ...

Clothilde - Fallait Pas Écraser La Queue du Chat MP3
With Fechner now completely monopolised by Antoine, Germinal turned to more personal projects. For some time now that he is considering the creation of a creature which will be able to mix the detachment and softness of a Francoise Hardy with a violent, demented and cruel lyric.
This project is embodied in the person of Clothilde. In 1966 he releases two successive major EPs with her which with its adventurous arrangements, irresistible tongue-in-cheek lyrics, etc. now stand as masterpieces of French pop.

Clothilde - Saperlipopette MP3
The essential Germinal Tenas production of 1968 is the ambitious Jean-Bernard de Libreville EP: a conceptual meeting of dandyism, surrealism and punk before its time. This visionary, ramshackle and crazy disc is granted a rave reception within the profession but a frosty one from the public. The disc by Jean-Bernard de Libreville remains to date one of the finest French "UFO"* productions.

Jean Bernard de Libreville - La Juxtaposition 210 MP3
His crazy avant-garde productions finally try the patience of Léon Cabat and Germinal leaves Vogue to create his own label 'Thermidor organization' to give free rein to his creative thirst.

Chorus Reverendus - Ne Poussez Pas Mémé Dans Les Orties MP3
Chorus Reverendus - Dans Son Euphorie MP3
As its first release Chorus Reverendus were conceived as a frivolous French 'Mamas and the Papas', but with the derision and insolence that, as ever, characterized a Germinal production. The recording sessions are led by Bernard Estady in CBE studios during 1969 using the production techniques (tracks recorded in reverse, proto samples, etc.) developed by Germinal at Vogue.

For the purpose of the label, Tenas signs a deal with Barclay records who commit to distribute the discs in exchange for an refundable advance equivalent to 45,000 euros (a veritable fortune for the time).

The disc receives a warm welcome among professionals, but Barclay does not put the disc out and hands Thermidor a Machiavellian lawsuit to repay the advance. Due to lack of sales and consequently cash, Thermidor is unable to repay the sum claimed. The dead label is placed in liquidation.

A difficult period followed for Germinal. He puts out a single under his own name this time, 'Claustrophobie et Asphyxie' on the 'Compact' label in the early 1970s and then a successful career in advertising, where he wrote the memorable campaign 'Ticket chic, Ticket choc' for the Parisian RATP transport system, then music for numerous episodes of the hotel-based TV comedy show 'Palace' produced by his old pal Christian Fechner, as well as numerous soundtracks, including 'Bâtard de Dieu' which was unanimously praised in the profession and won many awards.

Recently, Germinal wrote the soundtrack for 'Chouchou et de L'antidote', the latest film by Jacques Villeret. He is now working on the creation of a comedy musical based upon 'The Count of Monte Cristo'.

*A French music term denoting a bizarre, unusual or unclassifiable release.