Music (Part One)

As we have a wonderful tool called youtube, I thought it could be nice and easy to share music tastes.

Let's start with the French singers! I actually listen to only a few artists who sing in French.
First one is Serge Gainsbourg. He wanted to be a painter, considered himself not good enough, turned into music and became popular in the sixties. After that he tried writting, acting and was a director too. He played a lot of style in music, kind of like a chameleon, he changed style from song with lyrics, like love songs to funky music or reggae.
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=trLGhbFDIAk
I'm a huge fan of the reggae period, end of the seventies, there's a live record at "Théâtre le Palace" from 1979 with Sly & Robbie which is amazing.
Serge died at the beginning of the nineties.

Second one is Christophe Miossec. He emerged in the middle of 90s with his stunning first record "Boire", meaning "Drink". He's from Britanny, his songs are mainly about it and women...
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=qyo46h6L6M4
I like his lyrics. I've seen a few times in concert in Rennes and Paris.
Have you ever heard about someone who replied "No, it's not. It's shit. My record company pushed me to do it and finished it, I don't like it." to a journalist who just said: "your third album just came out, it's really good"... well he did!
Listen to this one, the video quality is not that good, but sound is fine:
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh3-VUx2w_0

Third one is Noir Désir. Even so sometimes, they sing in English. They are (was ?) a good band, full of energy on stage. They started at the end of the 80s, I was listening to them in high school. They are quite popular in France but then something happened in 2003. The singer killed his girlfriend, a famous French actress, now it looks like they are back on music after he came out of jail. But it's going to be hard for them I guess.
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=UAnXOA4kDmk


That's it for the French lyrics!!

But I listen to other French bands, without lyrics or who sing in another language.
At the end of the 90s, two bands arrived on the music scene. They came with their own sound. Music fans in France know them, now we called them and the bands who followed their way, the "French Dub scene". Those two are Zenzile and High Tone. They have somehow managed to import dub music from studio to live scene. High Tone is more "electronic":
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLeHONLB8D8&feature=related
and Zenzile are really using the Dub base (Bass & Drums) on stage with real instruments:
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=RLhmp5rAicA
but their last records turn to rock and electro, which is quite good to see them do some experimentations.

Still French but without a singer, Bumcello. Two guys, one concept, "100% impro". Cyril plays the drums, he is always barefoot on stage and wearing just a trouser or a short and a crazy hat. He is the "bum". Vincent plays the cello, he is more classic, with a shirt on stage. Those two together become Bumcello. They are really talented. They play or have played with numerous other bands. I saw them "live" recently for the 12th time...
Sometimes they have guests on stage too.
http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/bumcello/video/xt79w_bumcello-soudanese-rock_music

Last French one, Erik Truffaz. Now it's jazz music, well modern way of it, meaning it goes into plenty of directions. This guy is amazing. He plays the trumpet, he has several bands, but with his main one, they have inserted drum n' bass into jazz.
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=Jgs7HMOtgck&feature=channel_page
For me, this guy and his band, they are as creative as Pink Floyd were back in the seventies.
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=70HM6V1wx8g


All those are highly recommended, lol
Part two will come soon with foreign bands...