les olivensteins: s/t

The best-ever French '77 punk band, next to Metal Urbain. Killer and cult and a true must-have. This is an official reissue, with a lot of unissued tracks. "In a particularly raw moment captured on the disk you are holding, the singer (whose name escapes me) shouts derisively at the audience, 'Vivement que je sois vieux, tout sec et tout rugueux?" (trans. 'I can't wait to be old, dried out and bumpy'). And indeed, it required not only the passage of three decades, with their corresponding toll on these two-bit heroes, but also the benevolent determination of JB Wizzz and the utilization of space-age technology to transform crusty cassettes, forgotten in a dusty corner, into something vaguely listenable that resembles an album of the Olivensteins. Obviously, this is not precisely the record that we dreamed of making in 1979. It certainly would not have contained bits of concerts. (But finally, who knows?) However, the sonic dabbling that you will discover on the demo of 'Euthanasie' and some rather strange tracks like 'Le Spécialiste' are surely examples of what we wanted people to hear at the time. All this will astonish you, proving that (yes, yes!) the Olivensteins possessed unsuspected abilities, had a taste for originality and could occasionally transcend being simple morons. Naturally, certain compulsive freaks, itching for their nerdy thrills, will complain that we have not unearthed other morsels from our repertoire for this album. But even if certain 'songs' like 'Le Doryphore,' 'Né Pour Dormir' or 'Pétain Darlan C'était Le Bon Temps' (which takes direct aim at the stupid 'Nazi Chic' that was trendy at the end of the '70s) are not found on this somewhat incoherent compilation, it is only because no version exists that is even close to listenable. If you don't manage to understand all the words, or if the wretched singing bothers you, don't worry about it: fortunately, this is not an album of syrupy French 'chansons!'" --Eric Tandy (singer)