Lofofora

Founded in September 1989, Lofofora is regarded as one of the pioneers of the rock'n'roll fusion metal (saturated guitars, phrased grater, punk flights) in France. The name of this four-bit byte of Parisian origin comes from the other name of the Peyotl (cactus Mexican hallucinogen).

Biography.

It is little of time after the meeting of Phil Curtis and Reuno Wangermez at the time of a concert of Iggy Pop in Antibes that created Lofofora in September 1989 after the descent on Paris of the second, originating in Oise. Influenced one and the other by the Punk hardcore American (Bad Brains, The Cramps, Dead Kennedys, The Exploited, Fishbone, Fugazi or The Clean) like by the precursors of the movement Hip-hop (Grandmaster Flash, Niggaz With Attitude or Public Enemy), their first compositions is in the line of French groups such as Métal Urbain or OTH.

The meeting with the guitarist Pascal Lalaurie and the beater Edgar Mireux of MST to the end of the year 1992 at the time of a repetition to the Refrigerator makes it possible the group to stabilize and produce its first models recorded by Chambinator integration in the structure of management Sriracha Sauce founded by Bruno Ponge and Laurent Yvon - initially for the group the Rascals - makes it possible the four-bit byte to repeat at the transitory hospital (squat 18th district of Paris) and to carry out 50 concerts at the time of the year 1993, the first taking place on February 1st in the squat of Moskova, high place of the Parisian alternative rock'n'roll. The meeting with Patricia Bonneteaud proves also decisive since it enables them to profit from the Funds of action and initiative rock'n'roll (FAIR). This financial aid will be invested in the purchase of a sound system and the recording studio of a first disc.

Recorded in October 1993 with the secret studio by Chinoi, this five titles - which contains a resumption of Zobi the fly of the Green Négresses and associates Tanguy of the group No Return on the piece No facho - in a hurry with 2.800 specimens and is marketed in March 1994. Meanwhile, Lofofora is revealed with the profession by the first parts which it carries out at the time of the French round of Iggy Pop (fourteen dates) and especially by its passage to the Transmusicales of Rennes at the end of November. The “one” of the cultural supplement of the Monde devotes an article to this concert on five columns with photograph and, with its continuation, The Guardian , the Washington Post (in a file devoted on the existence of a French scene hardcore) as well as the review Bilboard write papers on this four-bit byte Parisian underground.

Approached by many majors, Lofofora signs in June 1994 after several months of negotiations in edition with Polygram. That enables him to finance an album recorded and mixed by Daniel Weber in October with the studio of the driving forces in Geneva. This realization makes it possible to associate members of the other groups managed by Sriracha Sauce - whose Lofofora became the emblematic figure from Split of the Rascals - such Miguel Sagoba and Ifif of Dirty District (on Baise your life and Irie style ), of Jam and Jah of Human Spirit (on No facho ) or of the DJ of Oneyed Jack (on Holiday in France ). The group also takes again the song Justice for all of the Moskokids, group which it had côtoyé with the squat of Moskova. It is the recording company Virgin which will accept the album and Lofofora signs a contract in December 1994 for three discs. Larger business success to date of the four-bit byte, the album is marketed in March 1995. After having carried out 74 concerts the previous year, Lofofora takes again the road with Farid Tadjene (ex- Fast Unity) which replaces Pascal Lalaurie and is a success of regard near the general public by its scenic services, remaining nevertheless in the shade of innocent No one is or of Silmarils.

Of January in May 1996, Lofofora composes the titles of its second album. It makes record Peuh! by Andre Gielen with the Hautregard studio which contains the piece Shiva skunk composed with Ekova like Vive fire , taken again Bérurier Noir. Before its marketing at the end of August 1996, the four-bit byte occurs at the time of festival CMJ under Acme of New York like in Quebec. It is the same Andre Gielen who records in June 1998 the two titles resulting from collaboration between Lofofora and the group of rap Kabal ( Grand and strong and the animal ) like their third album, Dur like iron , the darkest in October 1998 (marketed in March 1999), undoubtedly more succeeded and of the four-bit byte (heavy and worrying tempos). The title PMGBO ( Musical Orgy Gang Oral Bang ) celebrates the ten years of the group by gathering members of Calcines It, of Kabal, LTNO, Mass Hysteria and Oneyed Jack. As for the Liquid of my body , its composition is resulting from the request of the Dutch group Transpunk in Reuno to write a title for their next album, project which will lead to the meeting held on the two groups to record the liquids with Densio with the sitar.

After the round of Hard as iron which is completed at the end of 1999, the members of Lofofora take retreat, fruits of tensions within the group, and contribute each one to many collaborations or projects. In spite of the rumors of Split, the group is found with the Praxis studio in Cagnes-sur-Mer in January 2001 to record with Loïc Boisgirard the reorchestration of three their pieces ( people, Viscéral and Weedub ) as four recoveries ( When one has that the hatred of OTH, the song of the convict of Serge Gainsbourg, Vive my freedom of Arno, Madam dreams of Alain Bashung) which accompanies the audio retranscription by concerts given in November 1999 in Mulhouse (Noumatrouff room) and Montpellier (room Victoire 2) in Double (marketed in April 2001). Lofofora finds the boards at the time of Sriracha Tour (May) and certain festivals at the time of the summer. With the autumn, Farid Tadjene definitively leaves Lofofora to devote to the project In vivo which it had founded with Djamal de Kabal. It is replaced by Daniel Descieux, the guitarist of Sarkazein and Noxious Enjoyment which Phil Curtis knows which also plays in this last group.

With the end of the year 2001, Lofofora repeats for a new album. The compositions are delayed by the brutal departure in June 2002 of the beater Edgar Mireux which is replaced by Pierre Belleville coming from Artsonic and former member of Yop! Pizza pie Jump. Two weeks after its arrival, the group receives the honor to play on the large scene of the Eurockéennes of Belfort where it invites the singer of Watcha (on Ici or elsewhere ) and that of Aston Villa, Frederic Franchitti (on Madam dreams ). However, the service is not with the height of its usual scenic performances, the group seeking its marks which it will fully find while officiating as head of poster of the third turn of Sriracha Sauce in October to celebrate the ten years of the structure. Indeed, Lofofora then completed the composition in the western south of France at the end of the summer, which will give the bottom and the form recorded by Ken Ploquin to studio RDCP of Paris in September 2002 and marketed in January of the following year.

In round, Lofofora finds a larger audience, composed of new generations (15-20 years) which discovers the pioneer of fusion in France by the bottom and the form , which enables him to be the many head festival at the summer 2003. The group yields for the first time at a more consequent promotion (round in show puts with the Fnac, passage to Top off pop on France 2, in the insane of the king on France Inter of Stephan Bern on March 19th, 2003, the occasion to interpret 3 tons of T.N.T of Jacques Higelin), Mouv' or Ouï FM the redécouvre and diffuses them. The DVD in Ground swells (April 2004), realized by Christophe Menanteau October 1st, th and 2nd 2003 with the Cicada of Paris, testifies to the rebirth of Lofofora after the tensions which have occurred in its center.

the things which disturb us is the second album of new the line-up of Lofofora whose compositions are more turned towards the punk one and where the texts of Reuno are stripped. Recorded to the press by a size of the scene rock'n'roll Frenchwoman, Fred Norguet, it leaves in the vats in April 2005. In October, Lofofora and Parabellum make ten dates in commun runs in France and Switzerland at the time of the round entitled “a cactus in the charger”. Lastly, Lofofora carries out a round in Quebec in May 2006.

Memories of monkeys , sixth album studio of Lofofora, is announced for on October 8th, 2007. It was recorded with the studio of Milans by Laurent Etxemendi. and comprises a piece in collaboration with King Ju of Stupeflip.

A committed group.

Although Lofofora refuses this label bitterly, the militancy of the four-bit byte is undeniable as well on the plan of the policy as in its investment near the French scene hardcore.

Indeed, Lofofora is regarded as the “godfather” by many groups (Carcharias, Ekova, Eyeless, Oneyed Jack, Masnada, Mass Hysteria, Tripod, Watcha, etc) which it contributed to make known by making them play at the time of its first part but especially by integrating them in their structure of management, Sriracha Sauce. Within the latter, Lofofora has the appearance of an engine to finance association like promoting the other talents. To this end, Lofofora creates with Philippe Roizès, journalist with Rage , a fanzine in December 1996 which will quickly become that of Sriracha Sauce. The history of Lofofora is closely related to Sriracha until the closing of the latter in 2006.

Moreover, the entourage of the four-bit byte in concert is entirely composed individuals having work within Sriracha (Gigi, the régisseuse one which had officiated for X Syndicate, Ludo with the merchandizing, Yoda, engineer light, one of the three rappeurs of just like Calcines It since 1999 DJ Tag Off, backliner).

Regularly inviting stands of local associations and policies at the time of its concerts, Lofofora gave many concerts of support with the passing of years, in particular with the SCALP, various associations of evil placed, the Mouvement of immigration and suburbs (March 1997), with the Libertarian Monde (September 1997), with the Zapatiste of Chiapas (December 1997), with the anarchistic Fédération (January 1998), with association Orphelins international AIDS (fifteen dates in May 2001), against the Guerre in Iraq (May 2003), etc

The texts of Reuno Wangermez often approach in manner incisor the evils of our company. Although he refutes the “label of committed singer” and to be “a brandissor of standard”, preferring to see in its songs its clean “personal states of heart” and its “reactions” vis-a-vis the world which surrounds it, its texts denounce racism, Front National and the extreme line ( No Facho , the egg , Alarme citizens ), the negationnism ( Amnes' History ), the dominant media spheres and the experts with pledges ( Justice for all , Really TV , Intox populi ), the system néo-liberal ( Rêve and burst in democracy , Social killer ), the American imperialism ( Nouveau world , Mondiale paranoia ), individualism and the silly thing fouls ( Holiday in France , people) or approaches the israélo-Palestinian Conflit ( As with the war ). Often criticized as being a donor of lessons, it composed in 1999 Charisman whose words warn against fascination that the smoothies and the capacity of the words exert of which those of the “singers of rock'n'roll, rap, variety”. In the same way, it composes with DJ Tag Off Rock' roll class business (2005) which turns in derision the groups “not authentic” which take “an air irritated” while surfant on the fashion by the dispute and néo-metal to American. Lastly, it is undeniable that the success of Lofofora - in addition to its compositions - comes for a share from the charisma from its singer, quality of his texts (powerful its inspiration in the universe of the draftsman Charles Burns or the novelist Jim Thompson) like to the intelligibility of its words on discs as on scene.

After Parabellum ( Anarchy in Chiraquie , 1988), Lofofora takes again mythical the Anarchy in the U.K. of the Sex Pistols composed in 1976. Playing this title at the time of its concerts since 2005, the four-bit byte cannot however record Anarchie as Sarkozy by the refusal of Warner Chappel Edition which holds the rights of Sex Pistols.

Members of the group:

Voice.

Reuno Wangermez (1989-aujourd' today)

Guitar.

(a guitarist)
Pascal Lalaurie (1992-1994)
Farid “Ridfa” Tadjene (1995 - autumn 2001)
Daniel Descieux (autumn 2001-aujourd' today)

Low.

Phil Curty (1989-aujourd' today)

Battery.

(three successive beaters)
Edgar Mireux (1992- June 2002)
Pierre Belleville (June 2002 - aujourd' today)

Discography:

Albums studio.

March 1994: Lofofora (maximum 5 title), MSI Distribution (republished in 2000, Sriracha Sauce).
March 1995: Lofofora , Virgin. (money disc)
August 1996: Peuh! , Hostile/Labels.
March 1999: Hard like iron , Hostile/Delabel.
January 2003: bottom and the form , M10/Sriracha Sauce.
April 2005: the things which disturb us , At (H) ome/Sriracha Sauce.
October 2007: Memories of monkeys , At (H) ome/Base prod

(except Mémoires of monkeys where the visual one is the work of King Ju of Stupeflip, the graphics of the small pockets is carried out by Phil Curtis whose influence major is Big Chief).

Albums in public and of recoveries.

April 2001: Double , 1. Live , 2. Studio , BMG/Sriracha Sauce.
2001: busy the on the album of homage to Georges Brassens entitled Birds of passage.
April 2004: Ground swells , Sriracha Sauce (gold DVD)

Individual and collaborations.

1995 : Holiday in France , Labels/Virgin. (collaboration with Doctor L of Assassin)
1996: Amnes' History , Labels/Virgin (collaboration with Pushy!)
1999: K/L , Hostile/T.R.I.P.S. (collaboration with Kabal)
2001: Of the tar and the feathers in collaboration with Noxious Enjoyment on compilation French Core .
2001: Sister on the album Software Breeze And Tsunami Station-wagons… of Ekova.
2001: 1 million remixé by LTNO on the B.O of the film the Lunatics .
(to be come): Reuno Wangermez, Phil Curtis, Farid Tadjene and Daniel Descieux on the album Fight of the clashes of Djamal (ex- Kabal, member of In vivo).

Clips.

1995 : the egg .
1995: Holiday in France .
1996: Amnes' History (realized by Florent Emilio Siri)
1999: people.
2003: bottom and the form .

Appearances and collaborations outside Lofofora.

Reuno Wangermez.

1995 : opportunist the (of Jacques Dutronc) with Treponem Stake on the compilation of the FAIR.
1999: voice on the album has you to see Boost.
2001: LD on the album Tetuko of Carc (H) arias.
2001: It is not the world on the album mas001 of Masnada.
2002: Missing Sky on the album When shadows Seduce of Eyeless.
2002: The Ennemy on the album Whore King Class of Noxious Enjoyment.
2002: Slow fox trot Flood on the album Strange of Aston Villa.
2003: Ruins on the album Interaction of the Sleeppers.
2003: Brigade on the album Of the evils fits of Calcines It.
2004: Ailleurs it is here on the album Sôma Eths.
2004: War off Words on the album Path to the unknown of Eyeless.
2004: resumption of Panik of Metal Urbain with Grum Lee
2005: writing of texts for the album Panem, circenses and Rock'n'roll of Parabellum.
2005: voice on the album of MaïsMan.
2006: voice on the B.O of the film Judas .
2006: the ballade of obsessed the with Dip on the album the tribe puffs out… Gotainer .
2006: I saw on the album Renaissance of the Hard core
2007: writing of texts for the album If screw pacem of Parabellum.
2007: Apocalypse on the album Carpus diem of the group the Macabre Circle.
Mudweiser . Group of Montpellier founded joining together in October 2005 of the members of Enkindle, Eyeless, prompt Opposite side and of Mass off nameless, Reuno joined this in May 2006 project when he sings in English. Left maximum 5 titles entitled Elvis coils to me (2006).

Pascal Lalaurie.

After having left Lofofora in 1994, he is the bass player of Noxious Enjoyment (1994-1999) and founds in parallel the Monitors of Komodo in 1996 with Jerome Boursault (ex- Moskokids). In 1999, it will accompany on scene the group Kabal. Since, he reconverted himself as professor of guitar.

Farid “Ridfa” Tadjene.

1998 : Chemical Clouds on the album Arise of Oneyed Jack.
1999: collaboration on the album of Ethnician.
2003: Brigade on the album Of the evils fits of Calcines It.
In vivo. Project in 2000 with Djamal of Kabal and Denis (sitar). It leaves the formation in 2003 after the round making following the first album of the group (2002).
After one difficult period (2003-2006), it is devoted since 2007 to two solos projects (to be appeared).

Daniel Descieux.

Noxious Enjoyment . Joined the group in 1995.Il recorded Extending perversion (2001), Whore-King-Class (2002) and Have Nice death (2004).

Phil Curtis.

Noxious Enjoyment . Joined the group in 1999.
2004: Ailleurs it is here on the album Sôma Eths.
2006: I saw on the album Renaissance of the Hard core.

Edgar Mireux.

Organic. Project going back to 1999 gathering Tanguy (former singer of No Return) and Pascal, then machinist of Farmhouse Hysteria.
After its departure of Lofofora, it played for Artsonic (2003) then for Delicious until 2006. Since, it takes part in many big bang of jazz and ensures in parallel of the courses of battery.

Pierre Belleville.

Destruction Incorporated. Project with Shanka (innocent No one is) and Fabien Burger (ex- Madjik) since 2005.
Plug-in. Founded in 1998, it takes part in the since March 1999 group.
Accompanies in studio Olivia Baume (album to be appeared).
Accompanies Eths in studio in April 2007 (album to be appeared).

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