Written by Thibault (Claude), requested by Minsu Jang
Magma’s Bassist Starts His Own Band
Bernard Paganotti is a bassist you cannot leave out when talking about French progressive rock, and Zeuhl in particular. He made his name with his heavy, aggressive bass playing alongside Christian Vander in Magma. After leaving Magma he passed through Weidorje, and in 1984 he formed a band under his own name: Paga. From the second release onward, the project continued under the name Paga Group.
The Second Album “Haunted” (1988)
Paga Group, “Haunted” (1988) album cover (source: official Bandcamp)
“Haunted” is Paga Group’s second album, following the 1984 debut. Built around Paganotti’s bass and vocals, it features his old Magma colleague Klaus Blasquiz on vocals and percussion, with Claude Salmieri on drums and Bertrand Lajudie on keyboards. Anchored by the ten-minute-plus title track “Haunted” and “King for a Day”, the album’s six songs stack a distinctly 1980s sound on top of Zeuhl’s signature tension, and the result is quite unique.
The good news is that the album is now on Paganotti’s official Bandcamp, where the whole record can be streamed. The version uploaded in 2026 has been sonically polished by Ludovic Lanen.
- Album page (full streaming): https://bernardpaganotti.bandcamp.com/album/haunted
- Paganotti’s Bandcamp community: https://bernardpaganotti.bandcamp.com/community
If Magma’s “M.D.K.” ever gave you chills, this album, another branch of that lineage, is well worth a listen.