This was written some time ago - apologies for the lateness in posting - Ed

Dear Doctor Bob,

I have to tell you about the indie French music in Paris and in France, at this moment.
Like every year, the French magazine “Les Inrockuptibles” makes an operation call ‘CQFD’ (ceux qu’il faut découvrir) –(ce qu’il fallait démontrer, in the French dictionnary)-means “this is the proof required”- they receive more than 7000 demos and they listen all of them and select only 20: to discover new talents.
All demos come from all over the world.
Also, almost the band in this Cd, are French or French lives in England (so, it’s not representating a kind of mix world indie music, must be frustrating for all the other band,
and they talk about ‘Mondialisation music’, nevermind).

Objectif: the winner will receive a famous godfather to help for promotion and there is an special evening (show) on the 23 of January for the 40th edition of MIDEM in Cannes.
All the gigs-shows will be start at 10pm-2am in the ‘Salle Acajou’ in the Martinez’s Hotel (the famous and very chic in Cannes- it is the same Hotel for the Festival the Cannes in June.
Minister of French culture, French Export department and the SACEM will support the Prize.
All the 20 bands will be on stage for a big festival in Paris –Porte de la Villette, in the
‘Les Inaperçus à Glaz’Arts’, for the 10th edition on the 21 of February.
Program*: Syd Matters (first Prize in CQFD 2003), RHESUS (prize in CQFD 2004), Mansfield-TYA (prize in CQFD 2005) and more artists bands on the 22, 23,24.
I will follow for Q.U.I.m.S, of course (my 3rd letter will be on the March).

Anyway, like as, we listened all the band and gave some notes on ten and appreciations, by band.
We found the band who’ve got a good quality of sound, create a new sensation of sound or a professionalism. In fact, for my part, i choose 2 of them seems like Hard-fi, the Rakes, Editors, Franz Ferdinand etc….but we’ll tell you on the next letter, our winner.
So , now, when you’ll receive, on monday, the magazine and the Cd, you should have to make the same game and finaly vote on the ‘inrockuptibles’s website: www.lesinrocks.com/cqfd
Until the 11 of January 2006.

Some of them have got some good lyrics, good music, but the female or man’s voice sound like in the different rythm.

Paris Rock en Seine:  New bands

There are some new French teenagers who have a good quality of music, and they call:
The shades, The brats, Plasticine, naast etc… French girls and boys band, 17 th years old.
Also, most of them are a kind of “son’s of father”=“rich’s son”.Anyway, we have to look back in the ’70 when all the youngest teenagers appears after school and found bands for any reason, just to play music and have fun. They play in a relative fever and in a good ambiance.
Every time, in the Gambetta (xxèm arrt) French pub-concert, these bands play an approximatif rock. Their music seems like The Rakes, The Libertines, Strokes, Kinks etc..
Apparently, their music influence don’t become from the eightees, in fact , they exclude this period, too much synthetiseurs and drums programming. They prefer the pure rock, the essential of music, with guitar, bass, battery.

Plasticine, a French quator who play a kind of Slits/B-52’s and Blondie music, should be sign in a few month with a major’s company. For the other, i have to find something to listen on their website (if they created it one?!) or go to a concert and i’ll try to explain their music, who they are and where they’re looking for: Hell or heaven, maybe just between: To be a star of the Music’s system!

WIFPD? (Where I find a place to dance?)

A new English Club opened in Paris, in last September: The Poptones Club
Sir Alan McGEE (Manager of Oasis, etc..) with the French journalist J.D Beauvallet from the magazine ‘Les Inrockuptibles’ created a new place for gigs. The idea is to discover a new French rock band, a new English one and a headlining more often surprise. Alan McGee is also the dj every night.
For the 1rst gig in October, Carl Barat leader of the Libertines gave a powerful show with his new band: Dirty Pretty Things, just before to play in England. Alan McGee said that he’d like so much to sign French music band on his record’s label Poptones.

Also, i have to tell you, i’ve got so many thing to do, to discover and looking cd’s from all these bands, take some pictures for Q.U.I.m.S and see all the gigs that i’m talking about.
I let you know when i’ll buy my tickets for all gigs. Also, this afternoon, i asked to Laurent to go to the Gambetta and the Poptones club to look the new 2006’s frenchies’s music revelations.

And gentlemen:

‘take your tickets for the next station..!’

Dr Spell

Adress’s book and links:

Poptones Club:
Tryptique, 142, rue Montmartre, 75002 Paris
Tel. : 01 40 28 05 55
Entrée : 7€

www.les-inaperçus.com
www.sacem.fr
www.40midem.com