Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
It was a class act
|
A French folk rock band swooped down to capture the imagination of local fans
|
INSPIRED Louise Attaque's stage act is full of energy and involves close interaction with the listeners photos: murali kumar k.
Louise Attaque might not sound all that glamorous when bands like Scorpions, Deep Purple, and legends like Mark Knopfler and Sting have performed in Bangalore.
The French folk rock band recently performed at a free concert organised by Alliance Francaise. And what a concert it was! Composed of Gaetan Roussel on the lead guitar and vocals, Robin Feix on the bass guitar, Alexandre Magraff on the drums and Arnaud Samuel on the violin, the band set the stage on fire. For the couple of hundred or so rock enthusiasts who turned up to see the band braving evening showers, the show was worth the effort.
Successful rock act
Probably the most successful French rock act till date, their story began in Montargis, in the playground of a local school, when Gaetan met up with Robin. They decided to realise their dream of forming a group in college and began rehearsing together. Soon they added drummer Alexandre Margraff. All three went on to graduate and devoted their free time to finding the right rock sound for their group, now called Caravage.
Soon favourites in the Paris music scene, they went on an extensive acoustic tour, where they met violinist Arnaud Samuel. They began experimenting, adding violin melodies to their basic rock sound, and Louise Attaque was born.
The band was so named because the quartet drew most of their inspiration from the American punk-rock outfit, Violent Femmes. They also wanted to pay tribute to the 19th Century French anarchist Louise Michelle; so they combined both and named themselves Louise Attaque — Louise for Femme and Attaque for Violent.
The band then hit the live circuit. Their big break came when they performed at the Printemps de Bourges festival, where they were spotted by a talent scout who offered them a contract on the spot. Following this, they recorded their first album, Atmosphériques. It sold over 2.5 million copies. The group won the Best Group award at the the annual French music awards, Victoires de la Musique, in 1999.
The second album Comme On a Dit (Like We Said), came in January 2000. This album, though more sober than the previous one, sold a similar number.
Breaking up after Comme On a Dit, they have regrouped again to release their next album. Realising that they established their reputation playing to small crowds and interacting with them, they absolutely refuse to play at "impersonal" stadium style events.
This was quite evident when they played here. There was no such thing as a barrier between them and the fans. Their stage act was full of energy and involves a lot of close interaction with the listeners. "We play to the crowd's emotions," they say.
Their music is a mix of slow ballads, folk, grunge and punk. But even the slow numbers keep the fans swaying to the rhythm. Alexandre's relentless drumming, Gaetan's clear vocals, left-handed Robin's excellent bass playing and Arnaud's violin licks had the crowd screaming for more. Playing numbers from both their released albums and the forthcoming one, they made largely non-French crowd groove to music never heard before in these part.
It takes quite some guts to play originals without knowing how a crowd will react and the band deserved every bit of the applause they got.
His charisma
If there is anything that sets Louise Attaque apart from other punk rock or grunge bands, then it is Arnaud Samuel. He is the heart and soul of the music the band plays. His violin gives the band that distinct folk element and the crowd just goes wild when he goes on his short solos. His energy and speed on stage are unbelievable. MetroPlus caught up with him for a chat after the concert. Excerpts from the interview.
When did you start playing the violin?
I started when I was a kid, about eight years old. I first started learning classical music at a music school.
Inspired performer Arnaud Samuel exudes energy
Why did you shift from classical to rock 'n' roll?
I have always liked rock 'n' roll more than classical. So when I saw an ad in the paper by the others (of the band), I applied. We began to work together since then. Even though I like to listen to classical music, rock 'n' roll and the other music that I play allow me to play what I like. I have even forgotten the classical technique.
What kind of dimension does your violin give to the band?
It gives another sound. It is a little richer in sound than the guitar. Gaetan already plays the guitar, so it makes the music interesting. It also gives it the folk element.
What emotions do you feel when you're on stage with your violin?
I try to concentrate on what we are playing and what the audience is giving. With this you are playing the emotion of the music as well as what the public feels. It is not just the musician who gives emotion but it also comes from the public. And in India, the people are lovely.
Any forays into Indian music?
I haven't heard much Indian music; I have been ignorant. I would love to listen to some.
A.S.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
