The story of Les Thugs begins with the Sourice brothers, Eric and Christophe, who played in few bands like IVG, Dazibao and Stress. The lyrics of these bands were in French.
Les Thugs really began their career in 1983 with the arrival of Thierry Meanard and Gerald Chabaud who also played in Dazibao and Stress.
Contrary to what one can think, the name of the band doesn’t come from the literal english word, but from a Mickey comic book including Huey, Dewey and Louie (Riri, Fifi and Loulou in French) who had to meet the Thugs, an Indian sect of stranglers founded in the XVIIth century who adorate Siva, the divinity of death, vengeance, violence and destruction of the creation. The origin of the Les Thugs typo comes from the cover of a Czechoslovak band named “Plastic People of the Universe” which had been deformed and upscaled with a photocopier.
In spite of the name’s origin, Les Thugs weren’t a violent band. Their main motivation was to fight against a shitty world which was dominated by money, manipulated information and corrupt politics. They were reputed for this because they symbolized a real rock attitude.
Their first recording, “Frenetic Dancing” was released in 1984 on Gougnaf Mouvement, and their first album, “Radical Histery” appeared in 1986 on Closer Records, an indie label of Le Havres, a city located in North France.
The year 1988 marked the arrival of the third Sourice brother, Pierre-Yves, to definitely substitute Gerald Chabaud at bass.
4 albums and 10 years after their creation, they released ” As Happy as Possible on the famous indie label Roadrunner Records. The original name of the tape was “Same Day Same Shit”, but as often, their great sense of irony took the upper hand. At this time, Les Thugs were considered as the leaders of the French indie scene and were at last recognized by the media thanks to their new affiliation with Sub Pop Records, the most popular American label of the moment which had recently worked with Nirvana.
Les Thugs were always disgusted by society and have recorded “Strike” in 1996 on Sub Pop with Steve Albini who was reputed for his collaborations with Nirvana and PJ Harvey. The guy who’s qualified as a sorcerer of sound came to Angers with his old micros. This album marks the first time that lyrics were so split between the brothers : Eric sung 5 of them, Christophe 4, and Pierre-Yves one.
The band finished their great adventure in 1999 with the album “Tout Doit Disparaître (Everything Must Disapear).
Although Les Thugs were not very popular with the mass media, they have completely marked the world of French underground music with their powerful lyrics and their importants engagements against society.
Les Thugs - 1983 to 1988 :
- Guitare/Lyrics : Eric Sourice
- Guitare : Thierry Meanard
- Drums : Christophe Sourice
- Bass : Gerald Chabaud
Les Thugs - 1988 to 1999 :
- Guitare/Lyrics : Eric Sourice
- Guitare : Thierry Meanard
- Drums : Christophe Sourice
- Bass : Pierre-Yves Sourice
Discography :
Albums :
Radical Hystery (1986)
Electric Troubles (1987)
Dirty White Race (1988)
Still Hungry (1989)
I.A.B.F. (1991)
As Happy As Possible (1993)
Strike (1996)
Nineteen Something (1997)
Tout doit disparaitre (1999)
45” :
#Frenetic Dancing #Never Get Older #Rock Hexagonal tendancieux #Something’s Gonna Wrong Again #Chess And Crimes #Falling Apart #Sunday Time #As Happy As Possible #On Strike #I was dreaming #New Centurions
Compilations :
#Ultraviolette #2 #Raw Cuts vol.1 : French Garage #Les Heros du Peuple sont Immortels #Battle of the Garages vol.4 : Tomorrow the world ! #Eyes on You #This House is not a Motel #Nuit Noire DK Pulsar #On another planet #Virus 100 #Cette machine sert a tuer tous les fascistes #Bad and Mad #Enragez-vous #Roadrunner promo #Curtis Pitts : Sub Pop Employee of the Month #Lutz R Mastmeyer : Sub Pop Employee of the Month #Mrfiez vous des champignons #Up to D.A.T. #10 Ans d’Abus #Rock Sound Sampler #Soundcheck #Road Closed
