Noir Désir

Noir Désir was a rock band from France.

They started in 1980.

Two friends met at school. They loved music. They decided to form a band together.

They played many loud songs. Some of their records sold a lot. One song was very popular in Italy.

The band had many members. They played guitar, drums, and bass. They even made music with poems.

People still listen to their music today. They were a very famous group.

Noir Désir was a famous rock band from Bordeaux, France.

They formed in 1980 when two school friends met. Bertrand Cantat and Serge Teyssot-Gay loved music. They decided to start a band together. Cantat became the singer. Teyssot-Gay played the guitar. They soon found a drummer named Denis Barthe.

The band made many albums. Some of their records were very successful. They sold many copies in France. One of their most popular songs was "Le vent nous portera." This song reached number one in Italy. The band also won awards for their music. They won a prize called the Bus d'Acier. This award was for the best French rock group.

Later, the band faced hard times. Cantat was sent to prison for a crime. The band stopped playing for a while. They tried to work together again later. However, the members had many arguments. In 2010, the band decided to break up for good. People still listen to their songs today. They released a large collection of music in 2020.

Jean-Paul Roy was a member who joined the band in 1996.

Noir Désir was a famous rock band from Bordeaux, France.

They became one of the most important groups in French music. The band started in 1980 when two teenagers met at school. Bertrand Cantat and Serge Teyssot-Gay shared a love for music. They listened to bands like Led Zeppelin and The Who. Cantat became the singer even though he could not play instruments yet. Teyssot-Gay was a skilled classical guitar player. They soon found a drummer named Denis Barthe. This group of friends would go on to change French rock forever.

Making music was a journey of many steps for them. First, they made a demo to show record companies. A man named Théo Hakola heard it and helped them get a deal. At first, the label only expected to sell 1,500 copies. The band also had to change their name. They dropped two letters from their original name, Noirs Désirs. In 1987, they released their first mini-album. It sold 5,000 copies, which was much more than anyone expected. This success helped them sign for more albums.

The band's history is full of big moments and awards. In 1989, their album Veuillez rendre l'âme won the Bus d'Acier. This was an award for the best French rock group. That album sold over 150,000 copies and became very famous. They also had a hit song called "Aux sombres héros de l'amer." This song used the idea of sailors at sea as a metaphor. Later, their song "Le vent nous portera" became a massive hit in 2001. It reached number one in Italy and number three in France.

As the years passed, the band faced many hard challenges. In 1991, Cantat collapsed on stage during a concert in Besançon. This led to a break from touring. In 1996, they released the album 666.667 Club. This record was very successful and became double platinum. However, things became very difficult in 2003. Cantat was sent to prison for the death of actress Marie Trintignant. He was released on parole in 2007 after serving part of his sentence. The band tried to keep going, but it was not easy.

Even though the band faced sadness, their music lives on. The members eventually had many arguments about their differences. In 2010, the band officially disbanded for good. They could not work together because of internal conflicts.

Even after they stopped, they released collections of music. In 2020, they released a huge 18-disc collection called Integrale. This included a song called "Imbecile." Many musicians, like Cali and Miossec, were influenced by their sound. People still listen to their songs to remember their powerful music.

Noir Désir was a highly influential French rock band formed in Bordeaux in 1980. The group became a defining force in the French music scene through their powerful sound and songwriting. Their most consistent lineup included vocalist and guitarist Bertrand Cantat, guitarist Serge Teyssot-Gay, bassist Frédéric Vidalenc, and drummer Denis Barthe. Later, Jean-Paul Roy joined the group as the bassist in 1996. The band achieved significant commercial success, releasing six albums. Two of these albums reached double platinum status in France, while three others were certified gold. Their musical legacy continues to impact many French artists, such as Cali, Louise Attaque, and Miossec.

The band's formation began with a shared passion for rock music between two teenagers. Bertrand Cantat and Serge Teyssot-Gay met at a secondary school in 1980. Teyssot-Gay was 17 years old and had ten years of classical guitar training. Cantat was 16 and could not play any instruments at the time, so he took the role of singer. They soon recruited Denis Barthe to play drums, even though he had to learn the instrument on the fly. The group went through several names, including Psychoz, 6.35, and Station Désir. They eventually settled on Noirs Désirs, before shortening it to Noir Désir to satisfy their record label.

Securing a recording contract involved a careful process of negotiation and performance. The band created a demo tape that was heard by Théo Hakola, a member of the American band Passion Fodder. Hakola encouraged the French label Barclay Records to sign them. The label's artistic director insisted on seeing the band perform in concert before making a commitment. Initially, the label only wanted to release a single record. After two months of discussions, they agreed to produce a mini-album instead. The label held low expectations, suggesting that selling 1,500 copies would be a success. However, their 1987 mini-album, *Où veux tu qu'je r'garde?*, sold 5,000 copies within two months.

As the band grew, their musical style and public recognition evolved through different stages. In 1989, they released the album *Veuillez rendre l'âme (à qui elle appartient)*. This record was a major turning point, winning the Bus d'Acier award for the best French rock group of the year. The album was certified gold with over 150,000 copies sold. It featured the hit single "Aux sombres héros de l'amer," a ballad driven by harmonica. The song used the image of sailors lost at sea as a metaphor for life. Following this success, the band intentionally moved toward a harder, more aggressive sound in subsequent albums to distance themselves from that specific style.

The 1990s saw the band reach new heights of popularity and technical intensity. Their album *Tostaky* was produced in London and received widespread acclaim. It was certified gold only a few days after its release. By 1993, the publication *The Christian Science Monitor* described them as France's leading entry in the grunge wave. In 1996, they released *666.667 Club*, which earned a double platinum certification one year later. However, the intense touring schedule took a physical toll. Bertrand Cantat had to undergo an operation on his vocal cords due to the strain of their performances.

In 2001, the band released *Des visages des figures*, which represented a shift toward a quieter sound. This album was a massive commercial success, selling over 1 million copies. The band won two Victoires de la Musique awards for this work, including Best Rock Album of the Year. They also won Music Video of the Year for "Le vent nous portera," a song that reached number one in Italy and number three in France. During the awards, the band used their platform to criticize the CEO of Vivendi, Jean-Marie Messier. They accused him of prioritizing mainstream interests over legitimate French culture.

The band's history was ultimately halted by serious personal and legal events. In 2003, Bertrand Cantat was involved in a violent incident in Vilnius, Lithuania, resulting in the death of actress Marie Trintignant. Cantat was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to eight years in prison. He was released on parole in 2007. Although the band released some material during his incarceration, internal conflicts made working together impossible. In 2010, Serge Teyssot-Gay left the group due to musical and human differences. Shortly after, Denis Barthe announced that the band was disbanded for good. Despite the end of the group, their work remains available through collections like the 18-disc *Integrale* released in 2020.