BIO:The "eight-headed beast from the hard-scrabble streets of Menilmontant," Les Sans Culottes borrowed their name from the ill-clad (i.e., long-trousered) citizen soldiers of the French Revolution. The famous disposers of the House of Bourbons have been on a binge ever since springing wholly-formed in the fashion of Pallas Athena from the forehead of band leader, Clermont Ferrand, in 1998.
The band has released five recordings, the most recent of which 2004's "Fixation Orale" soared to #18 in the CMJ charts before succumbing to anti-French "freedom fry" hysteria. They have had songs licensed and featured in a national commercial for HP, Touchstone films' (and Rob Schneider star-vehicle) "The Hot Chick" and 2005's Quentin Tarantino- produced Miramax release "Daltrey Calhoun." The band's music was also featured extensively on MTV's "Surf Girls" and "The Real World." They've headlined such venerable New York City venues as Bowery Ballroom, Joe's Pub, Southpaw, Mercury Lounge, and have shared the stage with The Electric Six, Morningwood, and Detroit Cobras, amongst others.
The band's sound has variously been described as "Tristan Tzara and Little Richard in a knife fight," "Kim Fowley and Serge Gainsbourg in a game of pictionary," and "Laetitia Costa, Marcel Duchamp, Tuli Kupferberg, and Charo playing spin the bottle." Yet everyone agrees it has to be believed to be seen. It is Grand Guignol rock au maximum French rock for English speakers and others.
Les Sans Culottes take-no-prisoners live shows have "Earned a reputation for excessively fabulous performances and intoxicatingly catchy pop music in the mold of Serge Gainsbourg and Jacques Dutronc." (NY Daily News). "Their live show is a BUH-last, and they bring a veritable Cirque de SLAY stage presence." (DJ Terre T- WFMU).
French critics also give LSC their props. Their previous Aeronaut Release "Faux Realism" received a "Bonne poilade, donc, et maximum respect" shout out from the French edition of Rolling Stone magazine.
While the band's passion for singing in French in Brooklyn might appear at first blush to be quixotic or even absurdist, as time goes on more and more people seem to realize exactly what the band is saying regardless of what language they are saying it in even while it is filtered through assumed personas. And perhaps there is something revolutionary in that.
The band members: Clermont Ferrand - leader/singer ³the Caruso of the Massif Central² Kit Kat Le Noir - chanteuse ³so it means the black Kit Kat?² Edith Pissoff - chanteuse a/k/a Lupe Loop Françoise Hardly - bassist Ali La Pointe - guitar axe man(the ³Serge of Tangiers²) Jean "Tintin M'Ecoute" L'Effete - guitar pour l'aventure Max Gauche - batterie Johnny Dieppe - keyboardist (doing a terrible Keith ³Bon Homme² Richard imitation and please donıt call him Mr. Vanessa Parodie) click here for printable pdf version of this bio