Les Negresses Vertes
This eclectic French band came together in 1987, drawing its members from urban Paris and the Camargue region of southern France. The original line-up comprised Nol Rota aka Helno or Helno Rota de Lourcqua (b. Paris, France, d. 23 January 1993, France; vocals), Jo Roz aka L'Ami Ro (piano), Stfane Mellino (guitar), Jean-Marie Paulus (bass), Gaby (drums), Matthias Canavese (accordion), Michel Ochowiak (trumpet), Abraham Sirinix aka Abraham Braham (trombone) and Iza Mellino (backing vocals). Although many of the members had never played their instruments before forming the band, their close personal ties meant they were able to quickly fashion a distinctive sound. Drawing on punk, folk, rai and flamenco, Les Ngresses Vertes followed their compatriots Mano Negra in creating an unorthodox but highly exciting fusion of rock and world music. The band was initially signed to the independent Off The Track label, releasing the protest song "200 Ans D'Hyprocrisie" in response to their country's French Revolution bicentennial celebrations. The long-playing Mlah (Arabic for "everything's cool") was released in 1989, and earned the band slightly puzzled reviews for its bewildering pan-culturalism. During the same year, Les Ngresses Vertes appeared at WOMAD and recorded a rare English-language track when they contributed a version of Cole Porter's "I Love Paris" to the Red Hot + Blue AIDS benefit collection. Their second album, Famille Nombreuse, featured new drummer Z Verbalito and a shift in the band's creative axis. Lead singer Rota was by now struggling with serious drug addiction, and was replaced as the main songwriter by Canavese.
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Top Tracks
- Face a La Mer (Massive Attack Remix - full version)
- Les Yeux De Ton Pere
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