V/A - Planet Punk #3 2004

Planet Punk is/was another serie of selfmade compilations/revival from Chuck Warner’s Hyped2Death efforts, and before your requests for Volume 1 + 2 come, these are not available. The first appearances of this homework label in this theater have already been made through the Bad Teeth series and H2D is focused on early KBD slabs, sometimes worldwide, sometimes country-specific, and this Fucker is dedicated to rare European stuff. The exact year of publication is given by me, because I believe that it must have been generated at this time, of course I can be wrong, but that doesn't really matter, it is important that they exist and that people like Chuck make such treasures tangible and unforgettable, I am like him and as a regular reader of this blog you already got to know some nuggets from WDM Records. Well, you can listen to thirty decent cool songs, most of them already on vinyl (click on the top left), but this compilation is just this kind of work that was cobbled with passion, a lot of time, heart & soul and deserves your respect and attention. Enjoy the delicate tones and Volume #4 is coming soon.

1.You Close Your Eyes - STINKY TOYS

2.Accident - STARSHOOTER

3.Raya - WUNDERBACH

4.Dans Ton Lit - TÉLÉPHONE

5.J'Sais Pas Quoi Faire - TÉLÉPHONE

6.Electrifié - CALCINATOR

7.Non-Stop Girls - LES VERMINES

8.Booze It's The Only Answer - LES VERMINES

9.Here Comes My Baby - DOGS

10.OK Carole - BIJOU

11.Wake Up - GUILTY RAZORS

12.Tchang - WARUM JOE

13.Never Get Older - LES THUGS

14.I Need You - LES THUGS

15.To Sors De Ma Memoire - SNIPERS

16.Day Douldt - CHAOS

17.World War 3 - SICK

18.A Girl Like You - THE RAMBLERS

19.Hitch-Hike - LILIPUT

20.Lies - KRAFT DURCH FREUDE

21.Movie Billy - TNT

22.Switzerland - SICK

23.I Think It's Over - JACK & THE RIPPERS

24.Get Someone To Love Me - RANCID X

25.Listless - S.I.B.

26.My Secret Life - S.I.B.

27.Intoxication - RANCID X

28.Ratas De Bizkaia - ESKORBUTO

29.Antimilitar - R.I.P.

30.Kaos - R.I.P.

- Great Thx to Mark -

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V/A - Compilation EP 1984

Before I dedicate myself for a delicious breakfast we visit our neighbors in France and enjoy a decent EP compilation from Ripost Records with four bands on it which sprinkle a good pinch of Oi! sound. Opened by Skunx Offensive, a band from Orléans which only brought two songs to light, Kidnap already have more to offer, an album and a couple of singles and are probably the best known band on this slab. Disturb from Blois also don't have much am start, but in 2013 a compilation with SK NIX was released and contains all their eighties recordings. Last but not least, Töxik, also from Blois, and like the first band on this record they put only one song on vinyl. That's how it is written - All in all a very good release with powerful songs from bands that deserve more, at least now your attention.

1.Passage - SKUNX OFFENSIVE

2.1984 - KIDNAP

3.Toujours Bosser - DISTURB

4.Mal Barré - TÖXIK

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NANA BONNARD - Enculé Tête De Mort EP 1983

Rare EP by this French combo from Angers. Nana Bonnard were founded 1982 and consisted of Edouard (vocals), Steve (guitars), Denis (bass), J.F.N. (drums) and this 7Inch was released via Studio 1 and we enjoy three excellent mid-tempo goodies with a pinch of Oi!, finest street punk. Euthanasie Records reissued this little nugget 2013 with one more track, Morpionibus De Profondis, from the Chaos En France compilation. I have no more infos about the gentlemen and no other 'new' songs are immortalized on the few compilation contributions. So you see, once again an interesting combo that only appeared briefly and left a piece of vinyl, which is very much sought nowadays. In 1984 the band broke up.

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AL KAPOTT - L'ours 7'' 1986

 

Debut 7Inch by this four piece and musicians on this record were Bichon (vocals), Erwan (guitars), Patrice (bass), Fred (drums). Al Kapott was formed in November 1983 in the constituency of Bellevue in Brest. The local rock-punk scene was then teeming, enthusiastic but very uneven due to lack of means and above all due to its youth and lack of experience. During an interview with Bichon, the band rehearsed in the beginnings Wednesdays and Saturday afternoons, in our apartments. It was hot, we were obviously making noise. We got pissed off, we had the cops a few times. The neighbors complained: they asked us to "lower the drum", which was impossible! We didn't have any gear or sound, just a bit of drums, a little amp. I was singing into a transistor. The band molds itself into the typical punk sound of the 80s and sings in French. Not indulging in any trend, they made a name for itself with their fantastic songs and most of them have been released on compilations. A mini album was released, as well a 7Inch, self-produced and 1000 copies pressed, not really much and in 1987 they broke up. Bichon explained that they lacked money before and after the tours, and decided to separate by mutual agreement, "without confusion". Then reformed more than fifteen years later in 2005, to separate again in 2009. Becoming a cult group on the punk rock scene of the 1980s, Al Kapott's comeback was especially celebrated by long-time fans. Their style is known for accompanying rhythm and powerful sound and the satirical-rebellious lyrics, which are embodied in the special tone of their singer Bichon, who unfortunately died in October 2019 at the age of 52.

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LES CALAMITÉS - Toutes Les Nuits 7'' 1984

What are three bored teenage girls doing in a provincial town in the early 1980s? They're starting a rock band: Les Calamités was a French combo that was active in the 1980s and formed in Beaune, they consisted of the guitarists and singers Odile Repolt & Isabelle Petit, Caroline (bass) and Mike (drums). Many Saturday nights later their first vinyl appearance was 1983 with 'Je Suis Une Calamité' on the Snapshot(s) compilation and shortly afterwards they recorded their debut album (A Bride Abattue) at the end of the year, which was then released on the Paris label New Rose Records in the spring. This was followed by the singles 'Toutes Les Nuits' (from the album) and the 'Pas La Peine', which was recorded in the Oncle Sam Studio in Paris. After Caroline moved to London, Les Calamités continued as a duo and recorded 1987 the song 'Vélomoteur' in the ICP Studios/Brussels and released it as third & last single on Polydor, promptly it entered the French charts and survived a full sixteen weeks with the 13th place as the top position. As a result, the group broke up, but it didn't hurt their heads to step back from the limelight to resume their beloved studies. Two tuneful poppower tunes!

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PANIK - Aujourd'Hui Plus Qu'Hier... 2018

An intense game yesterday for both teams with the happier result for France. But I noticed that these guys are unsportsmanlike, crybugs and behave like small children, top players but absolutely unsympathetic, no character and it hurts me to see such a lousy attitude. Well, I hope these Ikonomats don't win the title, they don't deserve it. This is my opinion! 

Today's Post: "Non Je Ne Regrette Rien!", exactly my motto and also of Panik LTDC, French punx from Paris and active from 1981 to 1986, reactivated and since then more or less active again. They could take the stage as legends of french spikes, but the length of their songs is probably the reason they didn' so they earned rather mediocre laurels. Their first album Les Troubadours Du Chaos came out in 1983 without the help of a label and proves this impressively. Not a bad record and now, after almost forty years, I am also more amenable to melodic long nuggets, but back then, the clocks went differently. A few tracks were often included on compilations and handmade tapes, whether they are from the period or today and 1986 the band stopped after the departure of Noel (bass) and Pierre (drums). A tape Live Au Plan followed 1991 and in 2007 the group was revived with Christian (vocals), Guy (guitar), Ben (bass), Xavier (drums) and gave an unforgettable concert in Geneva with other old heroes. 2018 marks a turning point in the history of Panik LTDC with new members and the release of the official second album Aujourd'hui Plus Qu'Hier on Combat Rock/Dirty Punk Records. Ten songs were written and thirty-five years passed between this and the debut and their style has been refined, Christian's voice kept again all its energy in and the album does us the honor of paying homage to Alain Bashung by offering a superb cover revisited from one of his iconic songs "La Nuit Je Mens". Solid record and not only interesting for us old sacks.

 - Great Thx to Fredrik -

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ABERRANT - D.H.I.B.A.C. - Split EP 2004

Aberrant are from Colorado and they have a few EP's out and a split Album with Canada's Grindcore band named Fistfuck. 2010 was a CD with all their songs published called Complete Grindworks 2010 by Criminal Attack Records. I think, this must drive you really insane, D.H.I.B.A.C. is from Nancy/France and they have two split EP's and a few tapes released, maybe they exist no more, no idea. From this little fucker are 508 copies made and I think you need no further words to get this stuff, so start this friday with scathing grindcore tracks that will blow your mind and a must for fans of grind, crust and punk alike!

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VERDUN - Notre Combat EP 1987

First all re-ups are done and now to today's slab. Second EP by Verdun from Rouen on New Wave Records with four solid mid tempo anarcho-punk smasher and still with the crazy female vocals, but the music is getting more tight compared to the previous Smash The H-Blocks 12''. More political lyrics about the Apartheid and the carceral system. Founded 1981 by Eva (vocals), Jean-Luc (guitars), Karl 9000 (bass), Kurt (drums). They released two albums and two 7Inches before they finally disbanded in 1992. Any amount of compilation contributions are also be posted, some in the Blog I think, but I'm not sure.

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TWEED - Fashion EP 1981

And because it's so beautiful in France, we stay a bit and find another rare debut 7Inch by Tweed on Smap Records, a three piece from Rouen and consisted of Stéphane (vocals/guitar), Christophe (bass), Eric (drums), and the band was created while the Revival Mod Movement at that time. Tweed shine with three catchy melodic PowerPop songs, that they sing in English, and I'm sure every heartbeat of lovers of this genre beats faster, including me, when you listen to this. At the moment I am digging up the treasures that slumber on my hard drive and that's because I'm in a Mod/PowerPop flow and enjoy this good mood sound and I'm very fond of these treasures. It's impressive in how many countries this style found its way into, and it's important to be different from the stupid, content & wrecked society. They made two more records and in the early 90s they disbanded, honored on some good compilations.

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PIZZA O.D. - Maison Hantée EP 2012

Second EP from the Lyonnais trio! with four tracks and this is really a good record, catchy '77 style goodies mixed with a little poppunk and the lyrics are nihilistic but good to hear. The band is Alex (vocals/guitars), Marie (bass), Vincent (drums) and they made two 7Inches and two tapes. Well, I can't tell you more here either and I bought the record because of the low price. I guess, the band has already broke up. This superb slab was released by the band themselves and came in three different cover colors. The proof that cheap slices don't always have to be bad has Pizza O.D. clearly refuted and that the French can still write good punksongs as well.

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V/A - Punk Rock/New Wave '77 1978

I hope you have a pleasant Easter days and time for good music. Today a obscure release with mostly bands from the UK and on this compilation, which came out in Portugal via Pirate Dream Records in an edition of 400 copies, are only classics that saw the light of day as 7Inch at the end of the 70s. I bought the slab on my Antarctic vacation thirty years ago from a penguin near the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, after long haggling, for a few dollars. You can surely imagine how amazed I was when I found such a rare record, nowadays only available at high prices, in this region and of course didn't hesitate for long. Well, sometimes I'm lucky too and today I present you the little anecdote and I'm sure you will like the stuff as well. Even though we exchanged addresses, I never met the penguin again, but it will stay in my memory forever. So friends, enjoy the good ole sound that still towers over many current records and I know that won't change.

1.I Wanna Be Free - THE RINGS

2.Friday On My Mind - LONDON

3.Siouxie Sue - LONDON

4.Your Generation - GENERATION X

5.In The City - THE JAM

6.Non Stop Dancing - THE JAM

7.Taking My Love - THE JAM

8.Art School - THE JAM

9.Slow Down - THE JAM

10.Batman (There) The Me - THE JAM

11.Outside View - EATER

12.Thinking Of The USA - EATER

13.Broken Windows - WARM GUN

14.They Call Me Energy - HIDEOUS STRENGTH

15.Motörhead - MOTÖRHEAD

16.City Kids - MOTÖRHEAD

17.You're So Dumb - SKREWDRIVER

18.Love Detective - THE RADIATORS FROM SPACE

19.God Save The Queen - SEX PISTOLS

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12°5 - s/t LP 1980

12°5 were formed 1978 in Paris and had shaken bodies and minds. The band: one girl, Joss (vocals) and four guys, Olivier and Bud (guitars), Jean-Luc (bass) and Frank (drums), an astonishing complicity, lyrics that struck the heart and the stomach, who were not afraid of anyone and who wanted to be heard despite the hell the noise removers were making all around. It didn' take long for the publisher, Philippe (the one who had ears), got involved and accompanied them to their 7Inch J'ai Envie and the debut album in 1980. It's their tours… and they flooded France and all the festivals. They shared the stages with all the rock groups of the time and their meeting with the English punx The Ruts is overwhelming and their second album Entre-Temps was produced in 1982 in Seattle and London with producer John Brand and drummer Dave Ruffy from the famous Ruts. On their return, they set off again on the roads with Starshooter for the TORA, TORA, TORA tour. After these four years of intensive rock, they separate in 1982 smoothly and not even angry and each goes on new adventures. They meet again in 2003. This gives an exceptional concert on January 13, 2004 at the Maroquinerie in a full house. As this concert was an exceptional moment, they decided to do it again on April 17, 2005, again at the Maroquinerie with many guests as well. Solid rock with ten catchy tunes, the weekend is knocking.

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GAZOLINE - Sally 7'' 1977

Gazoline were formed in Paris 1977 by Alain (vocals), Olivier (guitar), Pierre (bass) and Grand Did (drums) they quickly recorded their first 7Inch on a Revox and released via Egg in September 1977. The second 7Inch Killer Man was released three months later, recorded in Barclay studios in nine hours, and Dynamite is playing the drums on this record and shortly after the release the first dissolution follows. A new formation was reborn in February 1978 with Hugues on drums and his brother Fred on bass who came from the group Fassbinder. They play at the Black Ball in March 1978, at the Gibus from April 18-22, then for the Olympia punk night from July 8-10, recordings of it were banned on the interesting Le Rock D'Ici A L'Olympia compilation, regrettably without Gazoline. Alain resume the first formation to release under his name the What Ever Happened To Alain Z. Kan album at the beginning of 1979. From this recording session (before the mixing), there remained an unpublished one, Gigolo which can be found today on the compilation Thesaurus Volume 5. An album followed in 1986 and its mysterious disappearance in 1990. Well, both songs on this slab are a little bit exhausting and everyone who has heard the fantastic Killer Man slab will be very disappointed with Sally, like me. Reissued by Cameleon Records 2016 in an edition of 300 copies.

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ANTI-GANG & ARLEQUIN - Split EP 2018

Here's a nice piece that was only released as promo in an edition of 40 copies and later an accessory of the eight EP box compilation De La Pure Came !! 32 titres Punk-Rock-Cold Inédits 1977/1982 is, published by the magnificent French label Cameleon Records. Anti-Gang was a four piece from Nice and were active in the eighties and apart from these three songs no further recordings exist, Arlequin from Angoulême has a 7Inch which they published themselves in 1979 and they were active from 1976 and split in the end of 1981. Solid record with five lost numbers.

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V/A - Killed By John Peel #1 2020

Friends, there is hope again on the KBD front and after a long time finally a new compilation is out and the creators of Vatican Radio Records have the great idea "to conjure up one of the best punk rock compilations we've heard in a long time, from the amazingly rich vaults of John Peel's BBC 1 radio session recordings. Focusing on the less known side of the huge Peel Sessions catalog, Killed By John Peel comes stuffed to the rafters with mind blowing and little known gems from the opening track with French Synth Punk pioneers Métal Urbain and the incendiary recording of their hit E-202 to the closing with the kick ass Power Pop Punk hit She's Alarming by the Wasps, each and every single track on this monster record presents a band at their prime giving it all @ the legendary BBC Radio1 studios." And to my knowledge, Volume 2 is about to be release and we can look forward to it. Great stuff and absolute essential! 

1.E-202 - MÉTAL URBAIN

2.Gangland Warfare - THE OUTCASTS

3.Antipope - KING

4.Yummy Yummy - RUDI

5.Jealousy - IDIOT DANCERS

6.Further Education - THE CORTINAS

7.Going Round In Circles - ALTERNATIVE TV

8.Open Sound 1978 - SKIDS

9.She's Alive - SCARS

10.Countdown - THE LURKERS

11.Energy Boy - THE FLYS

12.Haircut Bob Dylan - FUNBOY FIVE

13.Bits - PRAGVEC

14.She's Alarming - THE WASPS

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LES RATS - L'Oeil Qu'il Te Manque 7'' 1988

Third 7Inch on Gougnaf Mouvement by Les Rats from Montereau & Esmans (Seine-et-Marne) with two solid powerful numbers. This is the third time they appear on wdthtc and so I spare myself further words. You can find their famous Tequila album plus a small live legacy and the corresponding infos about the band and I'll see what slab I'm going to rip this morning, maybe a little nap inbetween. - I guess the idea with the winter pictures from all over the world hasn't worked, your feedback on this is shitty... let's leave that.

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RAFF - s/t EP 1984

And again some couple of french louts with their debut EP on Alpha Production with three decent kbd goodies. This four piece were founded in Limoges and the band consisted of Steff (vocals/guitar), Pack (guitars), Karl (bass), Pascal (drums) and made music together from 1984 to early 1988. They released in their short lifespan two albums, Votez Raff & Six Balles... Pour Un Colt!, two 7Inches and a few compilation tracks and that's remarkable for a band from the province. And now I dedicate myself to the Bundesliga, today the last matchday of the first half of the season in Freiburg, hopefully three points.

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O.T.H. - Réussite 1984

Now damn hot stuff by O.T. H. (On Tender Hooks), a five piece from Montpellier and formed 1977 by Spi (vocals), Dom & Gilbert (guitars), Phil (bass), Beubeu (drums) and stopped January 1992 and this is their great debut on Art Trafic. A bit info: "OTH is the flagship of FrenchRock, which has left an indelible mark in the community. They not really part of the punk movement, it is more of a very greasy rock and burned as it should be. Even the social lyrics retain a good dose of humor, without taking themselves seriously. It was not until 1984 that Réussite was released, a first opus full of ardor and exemplary maturity. It will forever be the bands best manifesto. They will quickly fall into a more commercial rock, but this is another debate. On Réussite, we take it all in the face from start to finish, with a lot of exceptional speed tracks: the awesome "On Est Tous Des Acculés", which sounds almost like US punk, "Le Sex Prime", not very far from Motörhead, are such intense. No doubt, guitarists have learned the lesson of rock greats, there are even a few well-sent rocker solos. No, frankly, if there is one flagship group that represents the best of FrenchRock at that time, it is (well, it was) OTH. But they will not meet the success they would have deserved, despite some attempts in this direction. And even their peers will agree that OTH was the locomotive for many French groups in the alternative punk/rock scene of the 80s." So enjoy twelve rockin' Hymns in thirty minutes and check more records of them, there are enough available.

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LES LORDS - 1979-1980

 

The working year 2020 is over and four days off are comin'. Let's see, how I will end it musically and the opener is a treat, and this slab was released by Vidi Vici Records 2013 in edition of 300 copies. The Les Lords were Britz (vocals), Richard & Fifi (guitars), Laurent (bass), Lelett' (drums) and founded 1979 in Caen. And since nobody knows these guys until now, it is time for detailed information from the great creators of 45vinylvidivici which I would like to quote at this point:

1979: The musicians of the Caen punk group R.A.S. are orphans of a decaying movement. Britz, the singer-songwriter, mourns Sid Vicious. The others are starting to clearly prefer the power-pop energy of Jam, Skids, XTC or 999 to the neo-baba wanderings of the Cure or other Simple Minds.

The 60’s aesthetic and winks of the Who are already very present in punk, from black suits and string ties to the T-shirt with cockade of Billy Idol (Your Generation). Not to mention the Jam, of course. But when some members of R.S. land in Britain, it’s the shock. This one lives at the hour of "Mod Maydays", powerful revival which creates its own underground scene (Merton Parkas, Chords, Mo-Dettes, Squire...) in reaction to a punk now in the process of integration. "We hate the punk elite" sings Ian Page of Secret Affair. The musicians of R.A.S. are conquered, shop at Carnaby Street and return to Caen to tell friends about London news. The group is prompt renamed Les Lords.

As a result of this radical turn on the aesthetic level (because the songs remain the same) it appears fairly quickly that everyone gets into the idea of breaking their mouths, starting with the hard core of punks, more and more more influenced by the skinhead renewal and the “OI” wave. During the Lords' second concert in Lisieux, the skins came in force and have every intention of pissing off as much as possible. The chairs fly and the fans fall back on stage, somehow trying to send them away while the group continues to play. Arrival of the constabulary and relighting of the lights. We resume all the same and the Lords end in apotheosis by a resumption of "My Generation" of Who respecting to the letter the spirit of the original, that is to say accompanied by a methodical destruction of the material and the overturning of the columns sound system. Lying on the ground, arms outstretched to hold the

sound system lying on him and not to perish crushed, its owner, an old baba, manages to whisper "it's great, it's great...".

Great it is. The Lords continue the momentum of the most fit but harmonically rich punk, say Generation X to locate, incorporating 60’s influences, pre-psychedelic reminiscences (Creation, Move) and especially by tracing a new road, theirs. The group does quite a few covers: the instrumental The Persuaders ("Amically Your") as a concert intro, "For Your Love" by the Yardbirds mid-set and "My Generation" as a reminder. For the rest, it's a slaughter: slamming drums, metallic and melodic Rickenbacker bass, rhythmic Gibson "sound wall", dazzling escapades from the soloist on Telecaster. And there is the front man, with limited vocal capacities but remarkable texts and unparalleled charisma. It was obvious to who had once seen these kids in concert that they had fantastic potential. Because these are kids we are talking about, 17 years old at the time of history and just over 18 when it ended. Not really a "sex, drugs and rock n’roll" story, shot by the punk generation. No, just another story of tormented and rebellious teenagers. A story of music lovers who convert Gérald, the full barter shop of Throbbing Gristle to boots and frilled shirts. In return, he introduces them to Kinks and Small Faces, but also Real Kids, Charlie Mingus, Faust or Mother’s Finest. It is a story of rain (Normandy...), at night, of endless walking. Mopeds were rare, so scooters... It’s a story of cavalcades and frantic leaks, in the sad France of the end of the seventies whose "peripheral rascals" were so well sung by Renaud at the time.

On this front the Lords take radical measures by weaving an alliance with the gypsies, which allows to calm quickly done well the skins and to bring them back to feelings of healthy camaraderie. As for the neo-Mod movement, it is developing like wildfire. In two strokes of a pot spoon, there are more than 200 Mods in Caen. Punks converted after concerts, fans of the Specials or Joe Jackson, high school students who wanted to piss off their parents. Barely 16 years old, Laurence gives up everything to join Fifi, the rhythm guitarist of the Lords and returns on a scooter at the end of the hutch to give the teachers honor by shouting "We Are Mods", as in Quadrophenia. Britz, Laurent and I are going to see the film dozens of times at the cinema of the Carrefour shopping center, in Hérouville, one of the working-class suburbs of Caen. So we pass and we pass again in front of a band of thugs, "Arabs" as they said at the time, who stagnate on the benches of the shopping center and do not take long to look for the fight. It degenerates for good and ends with a punch outside. "We are the Mods"! Impressed, the most devious of the so-called "Arabs" quickly bought a costume and asked to join the mods.

In Caen, these are a mass movement from the proletariat, the working masses. With guys who in case of confusion are more quick to fight than to parley... There is José who fights after the group has won the French flags in a party on July 14, Franck says "Barjot" the former rocker and fisherman, "Clash" who crushes my parents' flowers in a Vespa and shoots the rockies on Saturday afternoon in the middle of traffic jams, with a WWII Luger. And then other groups that are formed: Dandys, Holly Boys and Neckties. These are 13-14 year olds who have had little time to learn English. Suddenly they proudly adapt the Who in French, "I Can’t Explain" becoming "the Caennais complain."

The Lords play in Paris at Golf Drouot. They finish well last of the "springboard rock" but fuck a happy mess and meet that evening the fabulous Stunners. A core of Parisian fans of the Lords is formed around Laurent ("Stax"), Denis, Thierry and soon Patrice Bertrand, former Hells Angel turned Mod who sells US garage rock records in the Scooter shop in Les Halles. The Lords don't pretend. They provide the first part of the Olivensteins whose equipment they demolish ("My Generation"), the Dogs from which they steal the show and a whole bunch of others. They make all the fire, open for Valérie Lagrange and even go on tour for a few dates opening for Caravan, an old British progressive rock band.

Soon the mod-revival spreads in Paris then in the provinces. Lords are heroes and kings, but there is a misunderstanding. Basically they have little to do with twinks disguising themselves as twist dancers, petty bourgeois in polka dot dresses and groups making desperate efforts to sound "garage". In fact, while the Parisian skins led by Farid - a ringworm - are having fun persecuting this bunch of little wankers from fine neighborhoods, they carefully avoid attacking anyone who wears a "Caen" patch on their jacket. Britz and the hard wing of the Caennais accentuate the demarcation with the installers by calling themselves "Glory Boys" and adopting black shirts and white ties. But hey, it's all starting to go around in circles. Especially since despite their multiple trips back and forth in the capital, where I settle as a manager, the Lords are still out of recording contract. There are indeed some contacts with Antoine De Caunes, Marc Zermati or Patrick Eudeline, the tour of record companies, a photo in the monthly Best, but nothing comes out. Meanwhile, the sken-mod conglomerate of Caen feels winged. After two years of intensive fights against rockers (very bad in those distant times) and all that hung around as thugs in the Normandy countryside, these became real terrors. Wounds that set everything on fire and blood during the Jam concert in Rouen. The Lords are victims of Sham 69 syndrome: overwhelmed by the movement they have instigated and the excesses of their audience.

The tension rises with the rhythm, Fifi, a simple heart. Then with the bass player who stands in solidarity with him. Finally with Britz Notre Dame, icon of mods, always so frosty and uncontrollable who does not want to understand that such a radical trip cuts the group from a wider audience. In a few weeks everything crumbles. Fifi and Laurent will try their luck with another group. Britz moved to Paris where he succeeded in a few months in transforming a gang of Daddy's sons into a respected gang. Richard and Denis recruit a bass player and pursue the Lords in the form of a blazing power trio.

In the end, there will be nothing but wonderful memories and rehearsal recordings from this brief epic, in mini-cassette. Despite their obvious limitations, they will no doubt give a better idea of what the Lords were than the album they would have done at the time on a major, under the guidance of a survivor of the yéyé who was converted into a producer. And the fact that more than thirty years later RAS or Les Lords are arousing interest shows that at least the flame has been transmitted. So all is well that ends well. Raymond Debord (Summer 2013)

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MÉTAL URBAIN - Les Hommes Morts Sont Dangereux 1981

 

Before I dedicate myself to football, a small, considerable sound document from the early 80s: "Dead Men Are Dangerous" is the only studio album by the French electro-punk band Métal Urbain. Formed 1976 in Paris and heavily influenced by the Clash and Sex Pistols on one hand, and on the other by an electro approach related to Metal Machine Music by Lou Reed. They relied on heavily distorted guitars and replaced the traditional rock rhythm section of bass guitar/drums with a synthesizer and drum machine, a then-unique approach that foreshadowed the experimental possibilities that were explored by later post-hardcore bands such as Big Black. They were also known for their radical image (the color scheme of albums always being a stark black, white and red), and subversive lyrics sung in French. They were met with some enthusiasm in the United Kingdom, particularly by John Peel and the Rough Trade label. (Métal Urbain's 2nd single Paris Maquis was Rough Trade's first release.). In 1977, their first single "Panik" was named "Single Of The Week" by New Musical Express. They had an enthusiastic but small audience in France, receiving little exposure. The punk rock scene was not as popular in France as it was in the United Kingdom, and they did not interest the French media as British bands like Sex Pistols did. As a result, singer Clode Panik left in December 1978, though the band continued to gig and record with Eric Debris on vocals, and also recording with spin-off bands Metal Boys, and Doctor Mix and the Remix, until 1980, when guitar players brothers Schwartz and Lüger left to form the short-lived band Desperados.

Métal Urbain had focused their efforts on singles and only produced one album during their first period of activity. However, several compilation records were released, gathering their singles with additional material such as BBC sessions and live recordings. Their electro approach was very innovative for its time, and the group are a reference point for such groups as the Jesus and Mary Chain, Bérurier Noir and the producer Steve Albini. The band reunited in 2003 to tour in the United States, and had since toured consistently in France and the rest of Europe. Métal Urbain recorded their second studio album, J'irai Chier Dans Ton Vomi, in 2006, produced by Jello Biafra in San Francisco; a follow up mini-album, Crève Salope, was issued in 2008.

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