* En anglais uniquement
French alternative band
Noir Désir formed in the mid-'80s, comprised of vocalist/guitarist
Bertrand Cantat, guitarist
Serge Teyssot-Gay, bassist
Frédéric Vidalenc, and drummer
Denis Barthe. The group's first EP, Ou Veux-Tu Que J'Regarde, was released in 1987. Two years later,
Noir Désir released their debut full-length,
Veuillez Rendre l'Âme (A Qui Elle Appartient). By second album
Du Ciment Sous les Plaines (1990), the band's harder, more punk-inspired elements began to come to the fore, and the progression remained on 1992's
Tostaky. After the live double LP
Dies Irae,
Noir Désir broke out with 1996's
666667 Club. The band continued throughout the early 2000s, releasing albums every couple years. In 2003, lead singer
Bertrand Cantat was charged in the death of his girlfriend, actress Marie Trintignant, who died -- on August 1 that year -- of head injuries after being punched by
Cantat in a domestic dispute.
Cantat was convicted of manslaughter and incarcerated for four years. ~ John Bush