Banlieue Rouge
| Company type | Punk rock group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1989 in Longueuil, Quebec, Canada |
| Defunct | 1998 (disbanded), reunited in 2015 |
| Headquarters | Longueuil , Canada |
Area served | North America, Europe |
| Products | Studio albums, live albums, compilations |
Banlieue Rouge was a Punk rock group originating from Longueuil, Quebec, active between 1989 and 1998. They performed internationally, appeared at various festivals, and produced seven studio albums.[1] In 2015, the band reunited for a special concert at Rock in Montebello, Quebec, and released an additional album.
History
Established in 1989 in Longueuil, Banlieue Rouge (translating to "Red Suburb") took its name from the Parisian outskirts historically influenced by the French Communist Party. Their sound was shaped by French punk icons such as Bérurier Noir, and their songs were performed exclusively in French. The founding lineup featured Safwan Hamdi on vocals and rhythm guitar, Sylvain David on guitar, and bassist Xavier Pétermann. Initially, the band utilized a drum machine before incorporating drummer Jef (Jean-François Désourdy).
Their first release, En Attendant Demain[2], debuted in 1990, followed by their sophomore album Que Tombent Les Masques in 1992.[3] Their third record, Engrenages (1993), significantly increased their recognition within both Quebec and the French music scenes.[4]
In 1998, Banlieue Rouge participated in the Pollywog Tour across Canada alongside headliners Anthrax.[5] Other albums released during their career include Au Coeur De La Tempête (1994) and Sous Un Ciel Écarlate (1996).
Following more than ten years of touring throughout North America and Europe and issuing four studio albums alongside live recordings and compilations, Banlieue Rouge disbanded at the end of 1998. Afterward, Xavier collaborated with Sylvain to create Corrigan Fest, a project merging Celtic influences with punk rock. Petermann transitioned into video game production, while Sylvain took up a role teaching literature at Concordia University. Safwan went on to establish the bilingual hardcore punk band Akuma and later managed a tattoo parlor.[6]
On May 25, 2003, the band made their entire discography accessible for free digital download.
They came together again in 2015 to play at Montebello Rock, also known as Amnesia Rockfest, held in Quebec.[7][6][8][9] The live album Sans Reddition, recorded during this reunion performance, was released in 2016.[10]
Discography
Studio Albums
- En attendant demain (Waiting for Tomorrow) (1990), Division Nada
- Que tombent les masques (Let the Masks Fall) (1992), Tir groupé
- Engrenages (Mechanisms) (1993), Tir groupé
- Sous un ciel écarlate (Beneath a Scarlet Sky) (1996), Tir groupé
Live Albums
- Au cœur de la tempête (At the Heart of the Storm) (1994), Tir groupé
- Sans Reddition (No Surrender) (2016), Independent
Compilations
- Division Nada I (1991), Division Nada
- Best of Banlieue Rouge (1995), Tir groupé
- Banlieue Rouge (1997), Mad Butcher Records (Germany)
External links
- Banlieue Rouge - Audio/Vidéo (French) — Contains MP3 files officially released by the band
- Corrigan Fest Current musical endeavor of Xavier and Sylvain
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- ↑ "Le Festival Polliwog extérieur". Parazelli Éric 12 August 1998
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- ↑ "Jeudi de retrouvailles au Rockfest". Journal de Montreal, Steve Fortin, 15 June 2018
- ↑ "Amnesia Rockfest 2015". Daily Rock, June 25, 2015. by Nicholas Dumont
- ↑ "Le groupe punk culte québécois Banlieue Rouge lance un nouvel album live". Voir. Olivier Boisvert-Magnen. 9 March 2016