ALBUMS
Radical Hystery - LP - Closer CL068/Dikeoma Diovasis (Greece) - March 1986
Never Get Older / Le Schpountz / Road Closed / I'm So Bad / Mad Train / Where is the party ? /
Lost Fight / Without Annie
Recorded in January 1986 near Rouen by Franz Damame during 10 days on 16 tracks.
Production Les Thugs.
Distributed by Virgin in France.
Stamped promo item above (on the top right corner of the front sleeve).
Lyrics
Test pressing :
5th february 1986.
Test Pressing info:
Each member of Les Thugs has been banging on his own instrument since 1977.
At this time they decided that rock'n'roll was just 3 chords and these 3 chords
were great! So, from a band to another they finaly made it right with these
fucking 3 chords. In April 1983, they decided to make that noise under the name
of: Thugs. Christophe (drums), Gerald (bass), Thierry (guitar) and Eric (guitar,
vocal) all love rock'n'roll and the famous E chord! To this date they have been
playing more than 50 gigs full of 1977 energy through the real roots of 50's
rock. Frenetic Dancing on french label Gougnaf Mouvement out in January 1985
was their first single and first success through the world. Criminal Damage
used them for the Raw Cuts Vol. 1 compilation; Greg Shaw used their song
Femme Fatale for Battle of the Garage vol. 4. And of course, they've been
signed by Closer Records for a mini L.P. recorded in January 1986:
Radical Hystery. And it's just the start...
Nineteen #19 (March 86) :
Radical Hystery ! Where did they see this playing ? Are Les Thugs mad ?
Or are they the last terrorists infiltrated in our ranks on the order of
the rock international to make our brains explode ? As if the "Frenetic
Dancing" of their first ep wasn't enough, they come back as the red T-42
in Berlin on fire (or was it Budapest or Prague ?), with this time eight
tracks. And emergency is still here. For the single, there was the excuse
of the precarious conditions of recording or the impetuosity of a young
band, but this time ... it is obstinacy. This unnatural sound was not
chance. Les Thugs weren't innocent.
Radical Hystery - CD - Closer CLCD98
Never Get Older / Le Schpountz / Road Closed / I'm So Bad / Mad Train /
Where is the Party ? / Lost Fight / Without Annie / Sunday Time / Night Dance / Femme Fatale.
Compilation of Radical Hystery LP + first two EPs.
Electric troubles - LP - Vinyl Solution SOL5/Closer CL078 - October 1987
Dead Dreams / Legal Drugs / Bad News From The Heart / Little Kiddy /
Bulgarian Blues / Chess And Crimes / See You Soon
Recorded in July 1987 at the Redwood studios London by Alan Scott during 4 days on 24 tracks.
Co-production Alan Scott / Les Thugs. Distributed by Closer in France.
MRR :
Back again combining their 60s melodies, '77 intensity and modern days speed.
Their trademark is a Velvet-like constant beat, catchy-as-hell back-up
choruses, and driving guitars. It's easy to get hooked on their French connection.
Lyrics
Dirty White Race - 12" - Vinyl Solution VS12 - September 1988
I Need You / Lost in the Suburbs / Dirty White Race / The Hedge Hogs
Recorded in April 1988 at the Redwood studios London by Alan Scott during 2 days on 24 tracks.
Co-production Alan Scott / Les Thugs. Distributed by New Rose in France.
During this session, Sunday Time was re-recorded.
Lyrics
Test pressing :
"I see you" est écrit au lieu de "I need you".
Test pressing info :
Follow up their highly acclaimed LP "Electric Troubles" French band Les Thugs
are back with a brand new 12" Ep. Hailed as "The real thing" by the music press
the band explore further more into the world of noise and electric paroxism
In "Lost in the Suburbs" and "Edge Hogs" (sic). They also give us their best "pop"
tune to date with "I see you". This new 12" will confirm all hopes raised by
their live performances in UK last year with Stupids and their much commented
(and repeated) Peel Session.
Still Hungry / Still Angry - LP -
Vinyl Solution DYL4/Bondage BR042/Glitterhouse GR066 - September 1989
Sub Pop SP038b - 1990
Your Kind Of Freedom / Suspended Time / Groucho's Theme / Birthday / Birds of Ill Omen /
Going Down / Raining Again / Inside Room / Little Vera's Song / Time of Reaction / Radical /
Square of Lights(?)
This album has been named "Still Hungry / Still Angry", and to make
short "Still Hangry".
Recorded in May 1989 by Ian Burgess and Tim Lewis at the Loco studios
during 7 days on 24 tracks.
Second mix by Ian Burgess at Chicago recording company.
Final mix by Christophe Sourice in London, Falconer studio August 1989
(Around four tracks of the second mix were kept)
On the center of the Bondage LP, the motto "Play me sexy" became
"Play me hungry" on side A, "Play me angry" on side B.
Sounds :
There have always been great French underground Rock'n'roll bands, but
Les Thugs are the first to attract serious attention abroad, a significant
miraculous breakthrough. Electric Troubles, their 1987 mini-LP
debut gave a warning : a work of brute force, it evoked some sort of
primitive revision of r'n'r verve roots. Still Hangry, their first full album
finds Les Thugs still inspired, if slightly less monstrous with it. The
Thugs' unholy trinity of ghostly, soaring backing vocals, rabid guitars and
a backbeat born of bastardized Sun rockabilly sides is gloriously intact,
but there is a certain restraint evident that is not displeasing, only
surprising. Comparisons are few on the ground; Les Thugs are genuinely
unique.
Decoy promo copy :
Lyrics & Bio
I.A.B.F. - LP/CD - April 1991
Vinyl Solution DYL23/Houlala HH9129/Alternative tentacles V93/
Glitterhouse GR0142/Capote CAP.10 (Spain)/Toys factory TFCK-88706 (Japan)
N6 / I love you so / IABF / Stop the War / Power Race / And He Kept on Whistling / Good Friends /
Is it the Right Way ? / Paranoia / Welcome to the Club
Recorded in January 1991 by Steve Whitfield at "the live house" Launceston, England
during 10 days. Production Christophe Sourice.
Alternative Tentacles Test pressing:
Alternative Tentacles' bio :
From one of France's hottest and longest lived power punk bands comes
Alternative Tentacles' first release of Les Thugs material. This is their
first US offering. CD includes bonus 7" tracks. No export to Europe.
Perspective release June 7.
Vinyl Solution Test pressing:
Lyrics
As Happy As Possible - Octobre 1993
CD - Vinyl Solution VS39/Roadrunner RR9028/Sub Pop 228
2LP - Vinyl Solution VS39 - Octobre 1993
Vinyl Solution :
As Happy As / Papapapa / Harpo's Theme / Horror Toys / Biking / Immigrés, Clandestins / August /
Dreamer's Song / Monkey 58 Strings Sonic Fly / You Wanna Die / (Maria Cries in Lima) /
Looking In Your Eyes / Ad Men /(Omar Feels Fear in Weimar) / Flags / Desert Days /
(Wang Leaves China)
Sub Pop :
As Happy As / Papapapa / Biking / Harpo's Theme / Horror Toys / Ad Men / August /
Dreamers' Song / (Omar Fells Fear in Weimar) / Flags / Monkey 58 String Sonics Fly /
You Wanna Die / (Maria Cries in Lima) / Looking In Your Eyes / Immigrés Clandestins /
Desert Days / (Wang Leaves China)
Recorded in May/June 1993 by Kurt Bloch at Hanzsek audio studio, Seattle WA, USA
during 20 days. Production Kurt Bloch/Christophe Sourice.
Vinyl Solution has issued 1500 LPs of the album
Lyrics
Roadrunner promo CD:
Sub Pop promo CD:
Allez les filles ! / Summer / Strike / Poison Head / Loving Son / Bella Canzon
Assez ! / Waiting / Stories / New Day / The Letter / So Heavy
Recorded by Steve Albini at the Black Box studio (of Ian Burgess), Noyant la Gravoyere
near Angers, France in June 1995 in 7 days. Production Steve Albini.
Waiting was recorded and produced by Steve Albini at the Black Box studio
in April 1995.
The album should have been out in November 1995 (period of strikes
in France which was a coincidence). It was out in January, 15 1996.
The album (CD or vinyl) is exported by Roadrunner to Switzerland and
Italy in mid to late March.
The CD is released by Sub Pop (SPCD 320) with distribution by
Alternative Distribution Alliance in the US from March 26 on, and Flying Nun
in New Zealand. It is also released on Sub Pop (98787-0320-2) with distribution by
Warner Music in Spain, Portugal, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Australia
and Canada in late March.
The Sub Pop version has the titles of the songs in red (white for RR), the title on the CD is
also red (yellow for RR), the CD is at the center of the 3-part sleeve (on the right for RR).
Bio
Dead Dreams / Femme Fatale / Papapa / I Love You So
Tranparent vinyl with red splashes, issued at 300 items.
Session recorded for the 20th Sub Pop Birthday in 2008.
Bonus :
Dead Pop Club "I Was Dreamin"
Servo "Ya Basta!"
Boogers "I Love You So".
Come On, People! - Live LP - Slow Death SD029 / Crash Disques / Frenetic Dancing - 2012
Intro / As Happy As Possible / I Need You / Dead Dreams / Femme Fatale / Waiting /
Biking / Square Of Light / Dirty White Race / Birds Of Ill Omen / I Love You So.
500 copies. Live recorded in Bordeaux, June 10th 2008 during the
No Reform Tour.
Come On, People! - Live CD/DVD - Crash Disques Crash CDVD96 / Frenetic Dancing - 2012
CD (Live 10/06/08 Bordeaux, BT59)
As Happy As Possible / I Need You / Your Kind Of Freedom / Femme fatale / Waiting /
Papapapa / Il grupetto / I.A.B.F. / Road Closed / Dead Dreams / Stop The War /
Dreamer's Song / Biking / Square of Lights / Dirty White Race / Birds Of Ill Omen /
I Love You So / And He Kept On Whistling / You Say Why?
DVD1 (Live 04/07/08 Angers, salle Jean Vilar)
Intro / As Happy As Possible / I Need You / Your Kind Of Freedom / Femme fatale /
Waiting / Papapapa / Il grupetto / I.A.B.F. / Road Closed / Dead Dreams / Dreamer's Song /
Biking / Square of Lights / Birds Of Ill Omen / I Love You So / And He Kept On Whistling /
Moon Over Marin / Bulgarian Blues / Allez les filles / Lost Fight / Little Vera's Song /
N6 / You Say Why?
DVD2
Documentary "Come on People" Julien Bossé, Thomas Rabillon and Jean-François Maître
"Les lendemains qui chantent" David Depesseville
"Les Thugs aux Tonnelles" Thomas Rabillon
Videoclips
Biking / I Love You So / Dreamer's Song / Waiting / Loving Son / Stop the War / Horror Toys.
Radical Hystery + Sunday Time + Frenetic Dancing - CD -
Frenetic dancing FCD01 - 1989
Never Get Older / Le Schpountz / Road Closed / I'm So Bad / Mad Train / Where is the Party ? /
Lost Fight / Without Annie / Sunday Time / Night Dance / Femme Fatale
Frenetic dancing is a Les Thugs label to put out their auto-productions (and sell their T-shirts too).
This CD is the compilation of the first LP and the first two 7''.
<
Radical Hystery + Sunday Time + Frenetic Dancing - Tape -
Frenetic dancing FDK01 - 1989
Side A : Never Get Older / Le Schpountz / Road Closed / I'm So Bad / Mad Train /
Side B : Where is the Party ? / Lost Fight / Without Annie / Sunday Time / Night Dance / Femme Fatale
Tape version of the compilation of the first LP and the first two 7''.
Electric Troubles + Dirty White Race - LP -
Glitterhouse GR0066/La fabrica magnetica (Spain) - September 1988
Sub Pop 038 - July 1989
Dead Dreams / I Need You / Bad News From the Heart / Legal Drugs / Chess & Crimes /
The Hedge Hogs / Bulgarian Blues / Dirty White Race / Little Kiddy / Lost in the Suburbs /
See You Soon
Sub Pop put the Eiffel Tower (which top is throwing clouds) at the center of the LP.
At the start Sub Pop wanted to put Hitler in front of the Eiffel Tower which was
(fortunately) refused by the band. Recorded somewhere in France is hand-written on
the vinyl while the correct recording place is written on the sleeve.
Electric Troubles + Dirty White Race - Tape - Houlala HH9238 - 1992
Dead Dreams / I Need You / Bad News From the Heart / Legal Drugs / Chess & Crimes /
The Hedge Hogs / Bulgarian Blues / Dirty White Race / Little Kiddy / Lost in the Suburbs /
See You Soon
Still Hungry + Electric troubles + Dirty White Race - CD -
Vinyl Solution DYL4/Bondage ABCD042/Sub Pop 038b/Toys Factory TFCK-88707 - 1992
Your Kind Of Freedom / Suspended Time / Groucho's Theme / Birthday / Birds of Ill Omen /
Going Down / Raining Again / Inside Room / Little Vera's Song / Time of Reaction / Radical /
Square of Lights(?) / I Need You / Lost in the Suburbs / Dirty White Race / The Hedge Hogs /
Dead Dreams / Legal Drugs / Bad News From the Heart / Little Kiddy / Bulgarian Blues /
Chess & Crimes / See You Soon
Bondage called this compilation "Still Hangry".
Inventaire : Radical Hystery - CD - Crash Disques CrashCD63 - 2004
Never Get Older / Le Schpountz / Road Closed / I'm So Bad / Mad Train / Where is the Party ? /
Lost Fight / Without Annie
Bonus :
Sunday Time / Night Dance / Femme Fatale / Emotion / You Say Why
live '85 : Annie / Without Annie / You Say Why / Start and Go
live '84 au Bar Belge à Angers : Come On
radio signature-tune '84 : Black & Noir
Album remastered by Tech and Tithié.
Inventaire : Electric Troubles + Dirty White Race - CD - Crash Disques CrashCD64 - 2004
Electric Troubles :
Dead Dreams / Legal Drugs / Bad News From The Heart / Little Kiddy /
Bulgarian Blues / Chess And Crimes / See You Soon.
Dirty White Race :
I Need You / Lost in the Suburbs / Dirty White Race / The Hedge Hogs.
Bonus :
BBC recordings 11/87 : At the Beginning / About Your Life
live '87 in France : Dirty White Race / Steppin Stone.
Album remastered by Tech and Tithié.
Inventaire : Still Hungry - CD - Crash Disques CrashCD65 - 2004
Your Kind Of Freedom / Suspended Time / Groucho's Theme / Birthday / Birds of Ill Omen /
Going Down / Raining Again / Inside Room / Little Vera's Song / Time of Reaction / Radical /
Square of Lights(?)
Bonus :
My Lonely Time / Restless : demo recorded by Gilles Théolier at Studio Karma in december 88
Groucho's Theme / Dead Dreams / I Need You / Chess and Crimes : live 11/10/88 at the Loft in Berlin
during the festival "Berlin Independance Days"
inventaire mastered by Tech and Tithié.
Inventaire : I.A.B.F. - CD - Crash Disques CrashCD66 - 2004
N6 / I Love You So / IABF / Stop the War / Power Race / And He Kept on Whistling /
Good Friends / Is it the Right Way ? / Paranoia / Welcome to the Club /
Bonus :
Suspended Time / Birds of Ill Omen / I Need You / Groucho's Theme /
Birthday / Your Kind of Freedom / Bulgarian Blues : live TV recorded
at TV10 Angers studios by Tech in June, the 19th 1990.
Welcome to the Club : demo recorded at studio AMCO by Gilles Théolier
and produced by Les Thugs
Falling Apart : issued on the split 7'' with the Uptown Bones
Recorded at studio AMCO by Gilles Théolier and produced by Les Thugs
inventaire mastered by Tech and Tithié.
Inventaire : As Happy As Possible - CD - Crash Disques CrashCD69 - 2004
As Happy As / Papapapa / Biking / Harpo's Theme / Horror Toys / Ad Men / August /
Dreamers' Song / (Omar Feels Fear in Weimar) / Flags / Monkey 58 String Sonics Fly /
You Wanna Die / (Maria Cries in Lima) / Looking In Your Eyes / Immigrés Clandestins /
Desert Days / (Wang Leaves China)
Bonus :
Omar Feels Fear in Weimar : recorded live at Chabada in Angers
Papapapa : radio live song played accoustic in Septembrer 1996 on Radio Périgueux 103
There's so Many Lies : unreleased track recorded at studio AMCO by Gilles Théolier in July 1992
Road Closed : recorded live at NEC, Saint Etienne the 10th of May 1994
inventaire mastered by Franck Bergère.
Inventaire : Strike - CD - Crash Disques CrashCD70 - 2004
Allez les filles ! / Summer / Strike / Poison Head / Loving Son / Bella Canzon
Assez ! / Waiting / Stories / New Day / The Letter / So Heavy
Bonus
Strike : remix by John Auer
The Name : recorded by Gilles Théolier in May 1995
Flags / Little Vera's Song / Bulgarian Blues : recorded live at Chabada, Angers the 2nd of February 96 by Tech
inventaire mastered by Franck Bergère.
Inventaire : Nineteen Something - CD - Crash Disques CrashCD71 - 2004
Henry's back / Side By Side / I was dreaming / Les lendemains qui chantent / Never work
anymore / Take me away / Defeated / Ya basta / A chance / Il Gruppetto / While I'm waiting /
Magic Hour / Soon.
Bonus :
Nineteen Something : recorded by Kurt Bloch at Black Box Studio in June 1997
New Centurions : issued on the split 7'' with Salaryman recorded at Black Box Studio by Peter Deimel.
Yougoslavia : recorded in January 1997 by Tech
inventaire mastered by Franck Bergère.
Inventaire : Tout doit disparaitre - CD - Crash Disques CrashCD72- 2004
This Work Is Looking Great / Gone / Rester Debout / Mio-Mio / The River /
I'm Scared / Good Way / In Town / Your Smile / I'm Just Kidding /
Le Hamac / I Loved This Way
Bonus :
You'd Better Grow / My Turn Around / I'm Lonely / Everybody : recorded in October 1998
by Tech in Sloy's rehearsal room.
Good Way / I'm Just Kidding / Side By Side / I'm Scared : recorded live at Chabada,
Angers the 10th of December 99
inventaire mastered by Franck Bergère
Still Hungry Still Angry - LP - Nineteen Something - 09 mars 2015
Your Kind Of Freedom / Suspended Time / Groucho's Theme / Birthday / Birds of Ill Omen /
Going Down / Raining Again / Inside Room / Little Vera's Song / Time of Reaction / Radical /
Square of Lights(?)
"Les Thugs' unholy trinity of ghostly, soaring backing vocals, rabid guitars and a backbeat born
of bastardized Sun rockabilly sides is gloriously intact, but there is a certain restraint evident
that is not displeasing, only surprising. Comparisons are few on the ground; Les Thugs are genuinely
unique." Sounds magazine, 1989
I.A.B.F. - LP - Nineteen Something - 09 mars 2015
N6 / I Love You So / IABF / Stop the War / Power Race / And He Kept on Whistling /
Good Friends / Is it the Right Way ? / Paranoia / Welcome to the Club
"Après avoir démontré sa force (période Closer) puis son intelligence (Dirty White Race et Still Hungry
Still Angry), la Radical Hystery prouve aujourd'hui son talent et sa spécificité. On parlera de hardcore,
de Seattle, de Dinosaur Jr, de rock'n'roll ... Mais aucune tendance ne saurait cerner convenablement
ce boucan que la planète entière nous envie." Jean-Luc Manet, Best 1991
compiled by Stéphane Dufour
Back to the discography file
