French garage legends LES SOUCOUPES VIOLENTES are back with a career-spanning anthology. With a difference.
Formed in Paris in 1983 by singer/guitarist Stéphane Guichard, the band - whose name translates as The Violent Saucers - recorded several singles and albums for such labels as Forbidden Planet, Tutti Frutti and New Rose. Now 16 Potions D'Amour compiles a selection of cover versions recorded or played live by them over their near 40-year career.
Early on the band displayed a deep love of Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground, their first release sporting a cover of 'You're Driving Me Insane' by Reed's pre-Velvets band The Roughnecks, included here. Elsewhere they've taken a Nuggets-ish tack with garage covers of such 60s staples as The Coasters, The Marvelettes, The Troggs and The Clovers' 'Love Potion No.9', hence the album's title.
Rock'n'roll legends Gene Vincent and Chuck Berry also get a look-in, while they dust off their 70s glam, punk and proto-punk chops with choices from the catalogues of Slade, Roky Erickson, Jonathan Richman, The Nerves and The Jam.
Check out their deeply sinister version of Slade's 'Coz I Luv You'....
Released through Nineteen Something Records, 16 Potions D'Amour is available here.