Wednesday, November 02, 2022

THE BRIGADES - Costa Del Dole 1986

Today a really cool record from France with a lot of esprit, refreshing guitars, rich bass runs and pleasant vocals. Melodic and powerful the whole thing and I like this. Info: The Brigades were formed 1981 in Paris and after a few changes, the group stabilized with Vlad "Dialectics" Marcus (vocals), Kid Bravo (guitars), Xavier Saveriu "Chatterton" (bass) and Tony Aigri (drums). Vlad remembers: "I met Kid when I arrived in Paris, a friend with whom I was doing a fanzine (Burning Rome) introduced him to me. On Cité 96 in the evening, we played just after the program of Stéphane Planel and the singer of Orchester Rouge, Théo Hakola. With Kid, we set up the band with Tony on drums, and recruited by the classifieds, (Xavier in Corsica) on bass. Our name was chosen above all for the ease to understanding it in the world. Our first single, Riot & Dance, did a great job, same for the mini LP 'Bombs N'Blood N'Capital', both released on our label Rock Radical Records (founded with the aim of having our own control over what we produce), and we really started touring in 1984 and I remember Dunkirk where we met the Sub Kids. Great guitarists!"

1983 they released their second 7Inch 'Janis Would Say' and a live tape 'My Taylor Is Communist'. Kid Bravo then leaves the group for musical divergence and Tony, Kid's childhood friend, also leaves. Vlad recruits Miguel on drums thanks to a classified ad and Franck on guitar, originally from Toulouse. They rehearse near Nanterre with the Trotskids as neighbors. In 1986 the second LP 'Costa Del Dole' came out, and 1987 their last 'Yours Negatively', both on their new label Negative Records. Many concerts (over 200) followed and take them to Poland, Switzerland, Germany & Great Britain. Their last concert took place at the Cirque d'Hiver in 1989 with Bérurier Noir

Vlad wants to mount another formation to continue, so he contacts Fredéric from the Sub Kids, but he cannot. Guitarist of Richard III, Jean-Marc, with whom he is friends (a canceled concert with the Stiff Little Fingers), is not available either. Franck leaves for Toulouse, so the Brigades broke up in 1989. Miguel had already been playing with Dirty District for some time, hence the difficulty of finding dates with him and the other members for concerts. (source: 45vinylvidivici)

A nice review: "Much more rockin’ than their previous releases, the Brigades cut loose with powerful pop-punk. Their style is a cross between mid-period CLASH and ’80s Brit-punk, while their lyrics are unabashedly political. Driving, well-recorded Punkrock." (Tim Yohannan, MRR #36 • May 1986)


1 comment: