Les Thugs were a punk band from France. Their records are distributed in North-America by Sub Pop Records.
The founding members of Les Thugs were two brothers, Eric and Christophe Sourice, from Angers, France. The Sourice brothers were teenagers in 1977 and were influenced by the English punk wave that was sweeping through France. Without knowing how to play any instruments, the band used the DIY ethic. Their first band was founded in 1979, a group called IVG. They then played in the groups Dazibao and Stress with Gérald Chabaud, Thierry Méanard and a fifth member (Philippe Brix) as singer.
In April 1983, following the departure of the lead singer, they officially became Les Thugs. The band's name refers to the historical brotherhood of the Thuggee, followers of the goddess Kali, and not directly to the English loan word thug. Eric became the lead singer and the band quickly created its own repertoire, performing its first concerts in bars in Angers and surrounding towns.
Links to Peel[]
Peel discovered the group in 1985 when he played a track from their debut single. A couple of years later, he invited the band to do a session for his show. However, by the end of the 80's, Peel seemed to have lost interest in the band and never played any of their further material.
Sessions[]
LES THUGS John Peel 1st December 1987
1. Recorded: 1987-11-08. First Broadcast: 16 November 1987. Repeated: 01 December 1987, 24 February 1988
- Intro/Les Thugs/Little Kiddy / Bulgarian Blues / Legal Drugs / About Your Life
Other Shows Played[]
- 1985
- 10 September 1985: Femme Fatale (7" - Frenetic Dancing!) Gougnaf Movement
- 16 September 1985 (BFBS): Femme Fatale (7" - Frenetic Dancing!) Gougnaf Movement
- 1986
- March 1986 (Radio Bremen): Never Get Older (album - Radical Hystery) Closer
- 29 March 1986 (BFBS): 'I'm So Bad (LP-Radical Hystery)' (Closer)
- 29 March 1986 (BFBS): 'Never Get Older (LP-Radical Hystery)' (Closer)
- 08 April 1986: Never Get Older (LP - Radical Hystery) Closer
- 12 April 1986 (BFBS): 'I'm So Bad (LP-Radical Hystery)' (Closer)
- 15 April 1986: I'm So Bad (LP - Radical Hystery) Closer
- 1987
- 20 October 1987: Dead Dreams (12" - Electric Troubles) Vinyl Solution
- 06 November 1987 (BFBS): 'Chess And Crimes (12"-Electric Troubles)' (Vinyl Solution)
- 10 November 1987: Little Kiddy (LP - Electric Troubles) Vinyl Solution
- 1988
- 22 February 1988: Dead Dreams (12" - Electric Troubles) Vinyl Solution
- 26 September 1988: I Need You (12" - Dirty White Race) (Vinyl Solution)
- 31 October 1988: I Need You (12” – Dirty White Race) Vinyl Solution
- 1989
- 04 September 1989: Legal Drugs (album - Electric Troubles) Sub Pop
- 09 November 1989: Your Kind Of Freedom (LP - Still Hungry Still Angry) Decoy
- 06 December 1989: Inside Room (album - Still Hungry Still Angry) Decoy