Here’s a very interesting interview with Trouble Fait’, the French living history of post-punk. They started back in 1986 and waited on their style like a few. Last summer they released their latest ‘The Black Isles’ LP on the dedicated Manic Depression Records label. So, they granted us an interview about the past, present and future that we gladly present you!
Hello Trouble Fait’, welcome to Last Day Deaf. Trouble Fait was born in the spring of ’86 in the midst of The Cure craze”… So, how did it all start with the band?
Babeth Letter: After spending 3 years as a singer in a punk rock band called Offensive, Jicé aimed at creating a new project from 1986 onwards, a band based on a darker music after discovering The Cure, Siouxsie & the Banshees, The Stranglers, etc … at the age of 20. I, as an unconditional fan of David Bowie and Bauhaus at the time, immediately joined forces playing keyboards and provided additional singing while Jicé was lead singer and played the guitar as well as the bass on some of the tunes. A friend and drummer, Sandrine, joined the band and played with us for 9 years whereas the former bassist only stayed for a year.
Tell us, what’s the story behind ‘Eurotower’ back in 1997?
‘Eurotower’ was recorded in 1997. This song was written following one of our frequent trips to London in 1995. Eurotower was a 10 floored tower Youth hostel, located in the South of London, in a working class neighbourhood, welcoming people from all over the world and we stayed there one week. We had nice meetings and a lot of fun. Every day, we used to walk by a chapel with a board saying: “Surprise, surprise, Jesus is alive“.
Listening to your records, what is obvious is a punk inspired band, but on the other hand you include post-punk and new wave elements in your music, what is TF all about and how do you regard the band’s music?
Jicé Letter: When you listen to bands like Buzzcocks, Wire, The Damned, Generation X, etc …for years, you can perceive in their melodies and rhythms what post punk will consist in and so automatically you fall into it.
Babeth Letter: In the early 80’s I listened to The Cure, Bauhaus, Siouxsie, Joy Division … I rapidly felt attracted to this dark music, melancholic or danceable. Playing post punk and darkwave within Trouble Fait’ was immediately obvious.
You have successfully covered a few classic gems: ‘Love Will Tear us Apart’ – Joy Division, ‘Israel’ – Siouxie…, ‘Rebel Rebel’ – David Bowie, to name a few. What pushed you into that, also are we expecting any other songs through your ‘‘filter’’ in the future?
As I mentioned above, Siouxsie, Joy Division or Bowie are bands or artists we have listened to for a long time and when we had the opportunity to cover them, we chose to be part of them with excitement. But for now, we’d rather compose new songs.
Your latest ‘The Black Isles’ LP (Rumors It Way-July 2016) sounds like a ‘‘dedication’’ release to the genre, and more mature than ever. A groovy post-punk sound and I was thinking if you made a live recording in the studio?
When ‘Comet Camden’ was released, I thing we had achieved a certain maturity but the major asset of ‘The Black Isles’ is homogeneity in our trio. Indeed, each of us has brought a dose of originality as well as maybe more inspiration. Now that the band has started over, since our drummer’s departure one year ago, we have better command of our drum progs and yes, we’re ready to make a live recording in the studio.
The name of the band and the names in many of your songs have an obvious social interest?
I don’t think our songs have a social interest but rather mainly a cultural one. Some songs talk about stories, lived experiences and meetings in our travels abroad, especially UK that we love. Music is a universal language, that’s why we’re looking for playing everywhere and sharing the stage with foreign bands from the dark scene.
What is inspiring you in art and where do you find interest to inspire you?
The list is long … I’d say travel abroad, street art, the nature, atypical personalities, the London culture, Gothic art are sources of inspiration.
Can you share with our readers few bands/artists that you are keen on today?
Well there’s an abundance of great “new” bands in the Italian dark scene, I’d like to quote Der Himmel Über Berlin, Date At Midnight or Japan Suicide … The Russian band Human Tetris, the Austrian Whispers In The Shadow, Strap On Halo and Ritual Howls from USA and of course the Gothic band NU:N, my friends from Portugal.
What are Trouble Fait’ future plans?
We wish to go on promoting ‘The Black Isles’ in live gigs and we are actively looking for new concerts abroad. But the future album is also planned. We already have in mind its main lines and we look forward to composing the new songs.
Thank you very much Trouble Fait’, you may add anything you like!
These are the main links where people can listen to and buy our music and our merchandising: Trouble Fait’ Bandcamp, Manic Depression Bandcamp. Thank you Mike for your interest in Trouble Fait’.
Photo credits: Christophe Bonamis (1st one), Michael Nowakowski (2nd one)
Mike Dimitriou