Carpe Diem was a French space-rock band that released the 1975–77 Crypto albums En Regardant Passer le Temps and Cueille le Jour.
Members: Christian Truchi (organ, synthesizer, piano, lead vocals), Gilbert Abbenanti (guitar, 1970-77), Alain Bergé (bass, 1970-77), Claude Méchard (drums, 1970-74), Claude “Marius” David (soprano saxophone, flute, percussion, 1974-79), Alain Faraut (drums, percussion, 1974-79), Georges Ferrero (bass, 1977-79), Gérald Macia (guitar, violin, 1977-79)
Background
Carpe Diem (“Seize the day”) formed in 1969 in Nice as Deis Corpus (“The Body of the Gods”), a covers band devoted to the catalogs of Jethro Tull and King Crimson. By 1973, they developed a repertoire of original music that fused British symphonic/space rock with jazz and classical influences.
Their lineup solidified with keyboardist/singer Christian Truchi, guitarist Gilbert Abbenanti, bassist Alain Berge, drummer Alain Faraut, and reedist Claude-Marius David (saxophone, flute). In 1974, Bergé partook in the Visitors super-project headed by Jean-Pierre Massiera, who helped Carpe Diem secure a recording contract with Arcane, a progressive indie launched by Ange manager Jean-Claude Pognant.
En Regardant Passer le Temps
Carpe Diem released their first album, En Regardant Passer le Temps, in November 1975 on Arcane.The title translates to “Watching Time Pass.”
The album contains three Christian Truchi compositions with select co-writing input by Claude-Marius David (“Réincarnation”) and Gilbert Abbenanti (“Jeux du siècle”). Alain Berge and Alain Faraut co-wrote “Publiphobie.”
En Regardant Passer le Temps moves from concise saxophone-driven interplay to expansive sections where guitar outlines sharp turns against shifting rhythms. Flute and keyboards open passages of calm that later swell into denser, more forceful exchanges. Across its length, the music pivots between chamber-like restraint and full-ensemble surges.
A1. “Voyage du non-retour” [Journey of No Return] (3:45) – Brisk, spinning instrumental in 6/8 with sparkling cymbals, waveform sax lines, and spaced-out textures courtesy of Truchi’s modified keyboards. The arrangement balances drive with airiness, giving the piece forward motion without heaviness.
A2. “Réincarnation” (12:50) – The track opens with calm flute and keyboard interplay before shifting pace to introduce vocals. Guitar carries much of the piece with angular melodies and extended solos, while saxophone and drums interject with bursts of intensity.
B1. “Jeux du siècle” [Games of the Century] (9:00) – A long-form piece that begins in a pastoral vein with flute and synthesizer shading. Saxophone and drums gradually take control, pushing the song toward more animated territory. A guitar solo and layered instrumental passages precede the arrival of vocals near the close.
B2. “Publiphobie” [Advertising Phobia] (10:50) – The closing track moves between symphonic and jazz-rock idioms. Piano, guitar, and saxophone trade prominence over dynamic drumming, while vocals weave into instrumental stretches. A climactic section highlights guitar in a commanding role before the song resolves
Sessions occurred in August 1975, Carpe Diem recorded their debut album at Antibes-Azurville Studio, Massiera’s 16-track facility in Côte d’Azur. The band co-produced with one Alphonse Forte. Their PA technician, Yves Yeu, earned a co-writing credit on “Voyage du non-retour.”
The cover displays an Escher-esque illustration that mirrors across the spine on opened gatefold copies.
En Regardant Passer le Temps was among fifteen titles issued by Arcane, which also carried the first two Mona Lisa albums and titles by Tangerine and Little Bob Story. In 1976, Passer le Temps reappeared on Crypto, Pognant’s renamed label, now distributed by RCA with Atlantide and Wapassou in its roster.
Cueille le Jour
Carpe Diem released their second album, Cueille le Jour, in March 1977 on Crypto. The title translates to “Pick the Day.”
Cueille le Jour contains five short tracks (Side A) and a side-long, five-part suite (Side B). Each track credits two writers, typically keyboardist Christian Truchi with reedist Claude-Marius David (“Naissance,” “Divertimento,” “Phase Orange”) or guitarist Gilbert Abbenanti with drummer Alain Faraut (“Laure,” “Phase verte”). Truchi also co-wrote two tracks (“Tramontane,” “Phase Blanche”) with bassist Alain Berge. Yves Yeu added words to Truchi’s “Rencontre” and the outside composition “Le Miracle De La Saint-Gaston,” co-credited to fellow technician Gilles Bertho.
The album moves from heady, forward-thrusting passages into briskly contoured exchanges of flute, saxophone, and guitar. Pastoral shades and reflective piano sections offset its denser, jazz-inflected surges. The closing suite stretches across shifting rhythmic landscapes, swelling toward a radiant, celebratory peak.
A1. “Naissance” [Birth] (3:23) – Guitar and Mellotron rise from near silence into a harder-driven section, where bass and drums press forward with weight and urgency.
A2. “Laure” (2:44) – A bubbling guitar effect opens the piece. Flute darts across the mix while panned chords and clear-toned leads set a brisk pace.
A3. “Le miracle de la Saint-Gaston” (3:38) – Flute and acoustic guitar frame a pastoral scene, supported by soft organ. Vocals cast a wistful line that lingers over the restrained motion.
A4. “Tramontane” (3:37) – Saxophone and guitar launch a jazz-fusion surge as bass and percussion pulse beneath sharp cymbal strikes. Organ thickens the middle before saxophone retakes the lead.
A5. “Divertimento” (3:56) – Piano unfolds in quiet reflection until saxophone enters. Their dialogue settles into a hushed, contemplative close.
B. “Couleurs” (21:38) – The five-part suite begins with airy tones and handclaps, layered with saxophone, guitar, and keys over shifting rhythms. The pace swells midway, opening to a luminous vocal and keyboard passage before racing into a jubilant, full-band climax.
— “Phase noire : Premiers Pas” [Black Phase: First Steps]
— “Phase orange : La traversee des sables” [Orange Phase: Crossing the Sands]
— “Phase verte : Dernier village… Premieres neiges” [Green Phase: Last Village… First Snows]
— “Phase violette : Rencontre” [Violet Phase: Encounter]
— “Phase blanche : Les portes du silence” [White Phase: The Gates of Silence]
Sessions occurred in December 1976 at Studio D’Antibes, Jean-Claude Pognant produced Cueille le Jour in sequence with titles by Ange (Par les fils de Mandrin), Jean-Claude Vincent, Mona Lisa (Le petit violon de Mr. Grégoire), and Wapassou (Salammbô).
Later Activity
Three-fifths of Carpe Diem — Alain Faraut, Christian Trucchi, Claude-Marius David — backed singer/songwriter Jean-Louis Caillat on his third album, the 1978 Lyrion Music release Les Chiens.
In 1994, French archivists Musea remastered and reissued both albums on CD with liner notes. Carpe Diem’s lengthy, fusiony jams and crystalline, velvety keyboard textures are often compared to 1975–77 Camel and You-era Gong.
Discography:
- En Regardant Passer le Temps (1975)
- Cueille le Jour (1977)
Sources:
Artist/Album Pages:
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First draft (2020)
Carpe Diem coalesced in 1970 and evolved through several iterations over their first half-decade. In 1974, bassist Alain Bergé partook in the Visitors super-project headed by Jean-Pierre Massiera.
In August 1975, Carpe Diem recorded their debut album at Antibes-Azurville Studio, Massiera’s 16-track facility in Côte d’Azur. The fruits of this labor, En Regardant Passer le Temps, was issued late that year on Arcane/Crypto. It starts with the winding, cosmic “Voyage du Non-Retour” and proceeds through three spacey epics: “Publiophobie,” “Jeux du Siecle,” and “Reincarnation.” The cover displays an Escher-esque illustration that mirrors across the spine on opened gatefold copies.
In December 1976, Carpe Diem recorded their second album, Cueille le Jour, at Studio D’Antibes. Side one consists of five short pieces, including “Laure,” “Naissance,” and “Divertimento.” Side two is devoted to the five-part suite “Couleurs.” It was issued on Crypto and produced by label-head Jean-Claude Pognant, who managed Ange and oversaw contemporaneous recordings by Mona Lisa, Tangerine, and Wapassou.
Both albums were remastered and reissued with liner notes by French archivists Musea during the 1990s. Carpe Diem’s lengthy, fusiony jams and crystalline, velvety keyboard textures are often compared to 1975–77 Camel and You-era Gong.