FRENCH TV

French TV is a Louisville, Kentucky - based progressive band that has been in existence since 1983. Over the years, members have come and gone, but founder/ bassist/ main composer Mike Sary continues to drag the band into the next millenium. They have released 9 cds to date:

Musically, they have been compared to the best progressive bands of the '70s: National Health, Soft Machine, Zappa, Bruford, Brand X, Happy the Man, and Samla Mammas Manna, among others.

The band has toured extensively across the United States over the years, sharing gigs with the likes of Present, Volare, Michael Manring, Quarkspace, Gary Parra's TRAP, The Mathematicians, Boud Deun, Squonk Opera, The Flower Kings, Mastermind, Rattlemouth, Miriodor, Lars Hollmer, Picchio dal Pozzo, DFA, Accordo dei Contrari, and Univers Zero, to name a few.

They've played in Chicago, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Baltimore, San Diego, Athens (Georgia-we DID say the US!), Denver, San Diego, Indianapolis, Columbus, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Lexington, Milwaukee, as well as the prestigious 1997 ProgDay Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina, the 2003 BajaProg Festival in Mexicali, Mexico, the 2005 Gouveia Art Rock Festival in Portugal, and the 2008 AltrOck Festival in Milan. In November 2008 with their European tour, they added Dax, Reims, Strasbourg, Paris, Lyon, and Wurzberg [Germany] as the latest pins on their map of the world.

Their cds have been favorably reviewed and played by radio stations across the globe: England, Spain, Germany, France, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Italy, The Netherlands, Belgium, Japan, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Uzbekistan, Poland, ...oh, and here in the Northern Hemiphere in Mexico, Canada, & the US too.

"Switching from highly technical, odd-time-signature phrases to cheesy, cock -rock lead guitar licks to cerebral woodwind exercises, French TV is more than a little reminiscent of Frank Zappa's frenetic stage ensembles. Like a topographic diagram, melodies are meticulously mapped out and are delivered in dizzying concentric lines."
------Atlanta's CREATIVE LOAFING WEEKLY

"...prog rock borne out of a blizzard of melodic contradictions and free-ranging inspiration. Decidely calibrated for the sonically liberated among us."
------Athens, Georgia's FLAGPOLE WEEKLY

"...It's very avante-gard/progressive heavy in its characteristics. I'm sure this comparison has been mentioned many times before, but I don't care: French TV sounds like Frank Zappa on a crack bender with Steely Dan and the London Philharmonic...."
-------Chattanooga's ENIGMA WEEKLY

"The Kentucky band French TV has spent most of its 20 years gliding well under the mainstream radar, which is no surprise given its ultra-complex, super-skilled take on progressive rock. Led by bassist Mike Sary----the only constant in a constantly revolving cast---the group has released 7 albums of music for musicians, deftly nodding to prog-masters like Yes, Frank Zappa, and Soft Machine...."
--------Chicago's THE ONION

"Incessant changes in rhythmn, counterpoint, breaks, sleight-of-hand, and many twists..."
-------Giles Arend, PROG-RESISTE (Belgium)

"...like rolling down a mountain road with your headlights off..."
--------John Collinge, PROGRESSION

"Eclectic in the extreme and brimming with enough imagination for ten bands..."
--------Darren Bergstein, I/E MAGAZINE

"...original and challenging enough to remain interesting after many listens, but accessible enough in some cases to follow the listener around all day"
--------Peter Thelen, EXPOSE MAGAZINE

"French TV puts on an impressive display of ideas and musicianship"
--------Pete Strojny, Louisville Music News

"They're well-seasoned musicians with razor-sharp chops and excellent stage presence!"
--------Gary Parra of CARTOON & PFS

"How in the world do you guys REMEMBER all that stuff? "
-------Michael Manring, bassist of note