Banlieue Rouge
Encyclopedia
Banlieue Rouge was a punk
band from Montreal
, Quebec
active through the early to mid 1990s. They disbanded in 1999.
Banlieue Rouge was formed in 1989 in Longueuil
, a Montreal suburb. Heavily influenced by French punk rock bands such as Bérurier Noir
, they started with a drum machine
, which was eventually replaced by Jeff on drums. Their lyrics being written in French, worldwide success was unlikely to ever be reached. However, they did manage to gain considerable popularity in France and Quebec along with the release of their third studio album "Engrenages", in 1993.
In 1999, after four full-length albums (plus one live and one best-of) and ten years of touring in America and Europe, the band finally broke up.
Xavier went on to form Corrigan Fest, later joined by Sylvain. They play traditional Celtic music mixed with punk
.
Safwan went on to form Akuma
, an angrier, louder hardcore punk
band with bilingual (French
/English
) lyrics.
"Banlieue Rouge" translates as "Red Suburb". On their debut album, En Attendant Demain (Intro, "Psaume Rouge"), it is explained that this refers to their status as "a suburb of the megacity of pop music, unknown to the masses." As for the "red" part of the name, "Red is shock, anger, revolt, free youth is red-painted, of disobedience and militant alternative red." «Bienvenue en Banlieue Rouge!»
Historically, banlieues rouges were Parisian suburban communes dominated by the French Communist Party
. "Banlieue Rouge" is also a well-known song by French singer Renaud
.
On May 25, 2003, Banlieue Rouge made its entire catalogue available for free downloading at banlieuerouge.propagande.org.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
active through the early to mid 1990s. They disbanded in 1999.
Banlieue Rouge was formed in 1989 in Longueuil
Longueuil
Longueuil is a city in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is the seat of the Montérégie administrative region and sits on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River directly across from Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census totaled 229,330, making it the third largest city in...
, a Montreal suburb. Heavily influenced by French punk rock bands such as Bérurier Noir
Bérurier Noir
Bérurier noir is a French punk band formed in Paris in 1983 by Loran , François and Dédé . They called themselves "noir" for the color of mourning and for anarchy and "Bérurier" after the character from the novels of Frédéric Dard...
, they started with a drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
, which was eventually replaced by Jeff on drums. Their lyrics being written in French, worldwide success was unlikely to ever be reached. However, they did manage to gain considerable popularity in France and Quebec along with the release of their third studio album "Engrenages", in 1993.
In 1999, after four full-length albums (plus one live and one best-of) and ten years of touring in America and Europe, the band finally broke up.
Xavier went on to form Corrigan Fest, later joined by Sylvain. They play traditional Celtic music mixed with punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
.
Safwan went on to form Akuma
Akuma (band)
Akuma is a punk band from Quebec formed in 1998 from the ashes of Banlieue Rouge.Akuma is a character from the Street Fighter series....
, an angrier, louder hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
band with bilingual (French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
/English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
) lyrics.
"Banlieue Rouge" translates as "Red Suburb". On their debut album, En Attendant Demain (Intro, "Psaume Rouge"), it is explained that this refers to their status as "a suburb of the megacity of pop music, unknown to the masses." As for the "red" part of the name, "Red is shock, anger, revolt, free youth is red-painted, of disobedience and militant alternative red." «Bienvenue en Banlieue Rouge!»
Historically, banlieues rouges were Parisian suburban communes dominated by the French Communist Party
French Communist Party
The French Communist Party is a political party in France which advocates the principles of communism.Although its electoral support has declined in recent decades, the PCF retains a large membership, behind only that of the Union for a Popular Movement , and considerable influence in French...
. "Banlieue Rouge" is also a well-known song by French singer Renaud
Renaud
Renaud, born Renaud Séchan, is a French singer, songwriter and actor.Renaud may also refer to:* Renaud , a male French given name* Renaud , a 1783 opera by Antonio Sacchini* Renaud, Quebec, part of Laval, Quebec...
.
On May 25, 2003, Banlieue Rouge made its entire catalogue available for free downloading at banlieuerouge.propagande.org.
Discography
- En attendant demain (Waiting for tomorrow) (19901990 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.-Events:*January 21 – MTV's Unplugged premieres on cable television with British band Squeeze...
) - Que tombent les masques (May the masks fall) (19921992 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992.-January–February:*January 11**Nirvana's Nevermind album goes to #1 in the US Billboard 200 chart, establishing the widespread popularity of the Grunge movement of the 1990s....
) - Engrenages (Gears) (19931993 in musicThis is a summary of significant events in music in 1993.-January–February:*January 8 – The U.S. Postal Service issues an Elvis Presley stamp. The design was voted on in February 1992....
) - Au cœur de la tempête (In the heart of the storm) (19941994 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1994.-January–February:*January 25 – Alice in Chains release their Jar of Flies album which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the first ever EP to do so....
) — live album - Best of Banlieue Rouge (19951995 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995.- January–February :*January 18 – Jerry Garcia crashes his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California, USA, but is not injured in the accident....
) — collection of greatest hits - Sous un ciel écarlate (Under a scarlet sky) (19961996 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1996.-January:* January – At the trial of two American teenagers, Nicholaus McDonald and Brian Bassett, for the murder of Bassett's parents and young brother, defense lawyers attempt to lay the blame for the murders on the fact...
)
Members
- Safwan (vocals and eventually rhythm guitar)
- Sylvain (guitar)
- Xavier (bass)
- Jeff (drums)
External links
- Banlieue Rouge - Audio/Vidéo (French) — Features MP3 downloads (with the band's blessing)
- Corrigan Fest Xavier and Sylvain's new combo
- Akuma (French) Safwan's new band