242:, who were scheduled to play the then state-funded, now defunct Berlin Independence Days music festival. As an unofficial representative of the insurgent American Rock Underground I was pleased to note that most of the European bands that were playing this extravaganza were godawful. Wondering just how horrible it could get, I decided to go check out a French rock band for laffs. Maybe they would play some
459:. Despite a good critical reception, the commercial impact of Strike was lower compared to the previous album and the band emerged disappointed by the collaboration with Steve Albini. After this, the group wanted to compose and record a new album as soon as possible.
205:
The year 1988 was mostly occupied by touring throughout Europe. In June their bassist Gerald left the band. He was replaced by the group's roadie, Pierre-Yves
Sourice, the younger brother of Eric and Christophe. At the start of the year they released the EP
358:. A European tour accompanied the album's release in spring 1991, followed by a US tour of 33 dates in autumn. During this period, for the 10th anniversary of Alternative Tentacles and the hundredth issue of the Californian label, Les Thugs were invited by
250:
This meeting resulted in the signing of the group to Sub Pop, who started to distribute the band's catalog in North
America. During the summer of 1989 the group performed a two-month tour in North America in precarious conditions. They played in
556:
with Pierre-Yves' son, FĂ©lix, and two members of another similar band, Daria, the brothers
Etienne and Camille Belin. One album was issued in 2019 which gained critical acclaim, "A Shiny Day". "Pictures of A Century" followed in June 2020.
528:, produced by Christophe Sourice himself. This album was only released on the French market, in 1999. They performed their last tour with 20 dates in France. The band, who had played more than 700 concerts, performed their farewell show at
113:
with an 8 track tape recorder. The success of the record was well beyond the expectations of the group: the single, although limited, was internationally distributed and sold more than 3,000 copies. Response to the record in specialized
174:
in United States. Eventually the band chose Closer, a French independent label which was more established than
Gougnaf Mouvement. The album was released in 1986 and sales were good, with 3,000 copies sold in France and 2,000 abroad.
83:. Eric became the lead singer and the band quickly created its own repertoire, performing its first concerts in bars in Angers and surrounding towns. In July 1984, during a concert in
553:
215:
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At this point
Christophe Sourice decided to leave the band because of internal disagreements. Before ending this part of their career Les Thugs recorded their last album
491:
once again. The album showed the band moving towards a more melodic style of rock than the previous albums. For the first time, they sang in French on the track “
518:
93:
71:
In April 1983, following the departure of the lead singer, they officially became Les Thugs. The band's name refers to the historical brotherhood of the
171:
52:
and were influenced by the
English punk wave that was sweeping through France. Without knowing how to play any instruments, the band used the
914:
878:
170:
Les Thugs then recorded their first mini-album, Radical
Hystery. They were approached by many labels such as New Rose records in France and
517:(far right political party in France) municipality. Despite again receiving a good critical response and a good start on the American
873:
909:
417:). The album was their best commercial success with 40,000 copies sold worldwide, including 15,000 in both the US and France.
354:’s label. Recorded in England, IABF (International Anti-Boredom Front) contains one of the best known tunes of the group:
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499:”. A tour of 60 dates in France and Switzerland followed the release of the album. It launched with an unpaid gig at
904:
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101:, the group's first record, was released in January 1985 by Gougnaf Mouvement. This single includes two tracks
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label, and for some dates in France. This small tour was ironically called the No-Reform Tour.
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The founding members of Les Thugs were two brothers, Eric and
Christophe Sourice, from
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with GĂ©rald
Chabaud, Thierry MĂ©anard and a fifth member (Philippe Brix) as singer.
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was made available by Sub Pop in North
America under the title of 'Still Angry'.
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in July. On November 8, during their first tour of England, they participated in
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In 2018, two members (Eric and Pierre-Yves Sourice) launched a new band called
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in Switzerland. It was one of the last Nirvana concerts before the death of
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This review is mainly a translation of the French article : Les Thugs
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covers. The band was Les Thugs and they effortlessly blew my shit away."
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In 2008, they played a show in Seattle for the 20th anniversary of the
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band from France. Their records are distributed in North-America by
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In the autumn of 1989 they released their first full-length album
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432:. In May, the Thugs toured in major French theaters, such as (
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521:, sales of Nineteen Something did not exceed 10,000 copies.
451:. In May the group performed its last US tour, opening for
310:, and performed many dates in France, including supporting
264:
76:
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in Europe, and on 11 October the French quartet played in
362:
to contribute to a tribute album for the Dead Kennedys,
218:. This performance brought them to the attention of the
279:. It was during this time that they crossed paths with
178:
In 1987 the band left Closer to join the English label
56:. Their first band was founded in 1979, a group called
97:with whom they decided to release a 45rpm single.
91:, Les Thugs met the very young independent label
896:
420:On February 19, 1994, they were the support for
754:Battle Of The Garage Vol. 4 Tomorrow The World
35:
508:
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130:in England. One hundred copies were sold in
79:, and not directly to the English loan word
467:In 1997 they changed label again producing
462:
48:. The Sourice brothers were teenagers in
290:in Europe. This album was recorded in
897:
638:live radio, Seattle - Slow Death, 2011
109:. Both were recorded in a basement in
182:. The seven tracks on the mini-album
915:Musical groups from Pays de la Loire
794:
535:
443:In 1996, Sub Pop produced the album
238:and I scammed a trip to Berlin with
584:Never Get Older With Les Thugs demo
378:. The band recorded a cover of the
306:. Les Thugs toured in England with
118:was good; the group got reviews in
13:
736:Les HĂ©ros Du Peuple Sont Immortels
471:themselves, which was licensed by
14:
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401:In 1993, they recorded the album
398:(Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Garbage).
150:underground scene, put the track
60:. They then played in the groups
554:LANE (Love And Noise Experiment)
329:
230:, founder of the label recalled
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599:– Gougnaf Mouvement, 1984
507:in support of the association “
910:French alternative rock groups
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1:
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742:Raw Cuts Vol. 1 Garage French
642:Birds Of Ill Omen / Motörhead
513:”, stripped of grants by the
334:In 1991, in the midst of the
795:True, Everett (2009-03-01).
603:Something's Gone Wrong Again
483:. The album was recorded in
30:
7:
775:SP 20 Casual Nostalgia Fest
605:– (Included with the
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495:Les lendemains qui chantent
75:, followers of the goddess
10:
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920:Musical groups from Angers
847:"Think Local, Sign Global"
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234:"I remember back in 1988,
216:Independence days festival
36:Early days and first issue
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346:were issued in the US by
324:Still Hungry, Still Angry
288:Still Angry, Still Hungry
677:Still Angry Still Hungry
644:- Pitshark Records, 2011
565:
424:during their concert in
134:, a shop and a label in
905:French punk rock groups
415:The Young Fresh Fellows
146:, a protagonist in the
798:Nirvana: The Biography
766:Alternative Tentacles
509:
494:
463:Decline and separation
248:
884:Les Thugs discography
827:www.kingautomatic.com
723:Tout Doit Disparaître
687:Alternative Tentacles
636:. SESSION 10-07-2008,
629:– Sub Pop, 1993
526:Tout doit disparaître
348:Alternative Tentacles
263:in the USA then with
232:
874:Les Thugs at Sub Pop
748:Ultraviolette 2 demo
725:– Labels, 1999
693:As Happy As Possible
627:As Happy As Possible
519:College Radio Charts
403:As Happy As Possible
302:) and then mixed in
713:Nineteen Something
613:Chess & Crimes
532:in December 1999.
469:Nineteen Something
457:Girls Against Boys
434:Le Zenith de Paris
138:run by two French
801:. Da Capo Press.
661:Electric Troubles
572:Femme Fatale demo
536:Brief reformation
259:then toured with
186:were recorded in
184:Electric Troubles
94:Gougnaf Mouvement
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671:Dirty White Race
609:Rock Hardi) 1988
597:Frenetic Dancing
530:La Roche-sur-Yon
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405:in Seattle with
228:Jonathan Poneman
208:Dirty White Race
160:Battle of Garage
120:maximumrocknroll
99:Frenetic Dancing
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436:), opening for
384:Moon Over Marin
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851:Seattle Weekly
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475:in France and
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342:and the album
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322:. During 1993
308:Mega City Four
294:during May by
180:Vinyl Solution
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368:Faith No More
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356:I Love You So
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854:. Retrieved
850:
841:
830:. Retrieved
826:
817:
797:
790:
777:– 2010
774:
771:– 1992
765:
762:– 1987
759:
756:– 1986
753:
750:– 1985
747:
744:– 1985
741:
738:– 1985
735:
730:Compilations
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679:– 1989
676:
673:– 1988
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657:– 1986
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586:– 1988
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580:– 1984
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574:– 1984
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468:
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449:Steve Albini
444:
442:
438:The Breeders
419:
402:
400:
366:, alongside
360:Jello Biafra
355:
352:Jello Biafra
343:
340:Stop the War
339:
333:
323:
296:Iain Burgess
287:
285:
281:Jello Biafra
261:Blood Circus
249:
244:Mink DeVille
236:Bruce Pavitt
233:
207:
204:
183:
177:
169:
159:
158:compilation
152:Femme Fatale
151:
142:in England.
107:Femme Fatale
106:
102:
98:
92:
80:
70:
65:
61:
57:
39:
16:
15:
760:Eyes On You
617:Sunday Time
561:Discography
430:Kurt Cobain
338:, the song
271:, and with
200:BBC Radio 1
148:Californian
140:expatriates
103:Night Dance
899:Categories
856:2016-01-25
832:2016-01-25
808:078673390X
782:References
505:Noir DĂ©sir
489:Kurt Bloch
407:Kurt Bloch
312:Noir DĂ©sir
277:Washington
768:Virus 100
501:Vitrolles
426:Neuchâtel
411:Fastbacks
396:Butch Vig
372:Sepultura
364:Virus 100
300:Big Black
226:. Later,
192:John Peel
144:Greg Shaw
54:DIY ethic
31:Biography
17:Les Thugs
823:"STRIKE"
715:–
705:–
695:–
685:–
683:I.A.B.F.
663:–
619:–
548:New band
453:Therapy?
382:’ track
336:Gulf War
240:Mudhoney
172:Midnight
116:fanzines
717:Sub Pop
707:Sub Pop
697:Sub Pop
634:K.E.X.P
621:Sub Pop
607:Fanzine
591:Singles
542:Sub Pop
479:in the
477:Sub Pop
422:Nirvana
392:Madison
316:Olympia
314:at the
304:Chicago
253:Seattle
224:Sub Pop
220:Seattle
154:on the
126:and in
122:in the
87:, near
73:Thuggee
62:Dazibao
19:were a
805:
719:, 1998
709:, 1996
703:Strike
699:, 1993
689:, 1991
667:, 1987
649:Albums
623:, 1989
485:Angers
473:Virgin
445:Strike
269:Canada
212:Berlin
188:London
136:London
128:Sounds
111:Juvisy
85:Juvisy
66:Stress
46:France
42:Angers
566:Demos
487:with
394:with
320:Paris
292:Wales
255:with
89:Paris
891:(fr)
803:ISBN
455:and
374:and
344:IABF
265:SNFU
105:and
81:thug
77:Kali
64:and
50:1977
21:punk
390:in
386:at
318:in
275:in
273:Tad
267:in
257:PIL
214:at
198:on
194:'s
58:IVG
901::
849:.
825:.
615:/
440:.
413:,
376:L7
370:,
350:,
283:.
202:.
162:.
44:,
27:.
859:.
835:.
811:.
409:(
298:(
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