The Bogeymen : a 90's french cult group ! (un groupe français culte)

Better than Wikipedia, a re publication on a single note of different's one from Action-time blog, through 2006 to 2007. (Less the music files actually, but with some corrections,

> and don't forget the original videos on my Dailymotion page : Hectorvadair)

Mise à jour Avril 2010 : Que dire de plus sur les Bogeymen, mis à part qu'ils auraient particulièrement eu leur place aujourd'hui au milieu d'autres combos comme les BBBrune, les Plasticines, les Shades, et j'en passe et des meilleurs.
Pour celles et ceux qui ont eu la chance de se procurer leurs disques (ou de les télécharger sur ce blog), nul doute que l'émotion perdure, même 18 ans après. La marque des grands groupes sûrement. A noter que John T chance, l'un de mes (jeunes) amis, étudiant en cinéma à Paris, et fan absolu du groupe, s'est fendu en 2007 d'un reportage filmé caméra à l'épaule, à Angoulême de Laurent Bauer. Entrecoupé d'interviews de journalistes musicaux (Rock'n'folk, Magic...) et de captations live (les miennes), ce reportage aurait pu faire l'objet d'un hommage TV, mais celui-ci est pour l'instant malheureusement resté dans les placards. (Pour cause d'hétérogénéité des sources, entre autres...?) Peut-être qu'un jour...

Enjoy ! :

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Introducing (better late than never)...The BOGEYMEN !!

"The Bogeymen's style and personnality was brought up in the days of Pearly Spencer, the decade when negro pop was aired on pirate radios and rock'n'roll could be commercial yet controversial at the same time. Rickenbackers and Gretsch, Stones, flashy duds, the first WHO album, limonade and café express, toying with amplifiers, trying to sing like Little Richard, wrecking organs and buying new used ones, doing bottom-of-the bill gigs for big-wiggged lousy acts with synthetizers...!

Well, that's The BOGEYMEN reality, a rough time to be a band so dedicated to playing for fun and musical delight only ! (...)" (Dan Elektro, from his liner notes).

The Bogeymen originally emerged via an ep on FFascination in 1992, (FF004) at the same time their first CD came out. But it was this 1st album on Dig Records that achieved the thing. A good paper on the french fanzine Larsen, and the legend was launched.
Some gigs after, every fan of 60's stuff, Pop, rn'b or Garage was conquered. They were incredible !

Listen to You are on my mind  (Nb : sur la note orignelle !! )
(FFfascination 1st single version, slightly different than the lp's one)

.....


This 1st effort was followed by a bunch of singles and eps (Guess who, Snap records, Detour...) but the amateurs were a bit disappointed by the bad sound quality of this CD. Too much treble spoiled the pleasure.

Stephane of Dig Records soon produced the second coming ("Action time" DICD005, 1995) which was a big hit again and installed the band as the main french act (with the Squares, and the Jekylls, and... in fact so much, I'l be back later) of this period.
The sound was this time ok, and "à la demande générale", a limited vinyl edition saw the light on the same label some months later.

Laurent Bauer, the songwriter and LEADER don't take so much time to leave the band, creating rapidly a new one : The Lost Minds, making a brief carreer in England, before wanishing in the psych-pop-electronica scene . (apparition on the Mellow's "Perfect colors“ album in 2004).
Since that, the Bogeymen albums solded out and began hard to find (at least the first).

So... enjoy this one, the true beginner, and one of the cultest French r'nblues album (of the 90's) !!
(singles and eps will follow if you ask for !)



"Introducing the Bogeymen"
Dig Records, DICD001 (Fr) 1992

Personnel:
Laurent Bauer : lead voc., guit., organ, harp
Olivier Quinot : drums, back. voc.
Yves Le Diraison : bass, back. voc.

Track listing :

-Electrocution
-I'm sure you'll get everything you want
-You are on my mind
-Don't be afraid of me
-She let me down
-When I get to you
-Candy
-She's not mind
-I just need some loving
-Backward child
-I've got nobody
-Don't try to put me down

I've got no scrupules... (Bogeymen part 2)

to share Bogeymen on Action time ! Dec 04, 2006

Previously I had posted the first album by this legendary french rnb/beat band,and by request I will repost it soon, but today, prepare yourselves to an incredible invasion:
the rare collection of their singles, eps and compilation tracks.

Let's go :

You Are On My Mind/Candy, F.F.Fascination Records, FFF 004, 1992


















As live As You Want Them EP,
(Guess Who) Records, Guess EP 001, 1993
The 45 ep produced by Gaël, the Stephane Robert's brother, on his own label. (two references)
(Inside's insert contains a card represented here with a different photo than the poor original cover, and noted : "France's newest hitmakers")

Tracklist:
Action Time/I'm Sure You'll Get Everything You Want/Don't Try To Put Me Down/Tell Me What To Do/When I Get To You

You’ve Got No Scruples EP, Detour Records, 1993

Tracklist:
You've Got No Scruples/Let Me Give You My Love/Gimme A Little Sign

Ndlr du 23/12/2010 : ...une sorte de consécration à l'époque puisque Detour Records était LE label mod anglais par excellence.
Cette parution fut suivie en 1995 et 1996 par deux singles et un lp des Lost minds, le nouveau groupe de Laurent Bauer.

Break Away, “ Penguins And Bondage” compilation LP, (That’s Entertainment, THEN 018, 1992/ recording demo from 1990). This appeared there (on a Norvegian label) caus the bassist (Dan elektro) for this session was norwegian. One of the first official recording known of the band !

Just A Dream, “Larsen #7” CD, Larsen magazine, 1992
Reissued in 1997 on the "Wild and groovy my dear Watson" compilation (10“ Larsen Rec.)

I Want Her By My Side, Snap!! Records, The Sound Of Snap 7” EP, FUN 7001, 1994
A cool 4 tracks split ep, on a spanish label.

Monday, December 04, 2006 :

Now you know... the reason of my name : ( Bogeymen, part 3)

Action time ! DICD 005 (1994)

The awaited posting of the second album (CD version) of the french kings of R'n'blues. Just for your pleasure.
(Thanks to Stéphane of Dig for the original production of these killers at that time : 1992 and 1994).

Tracklist:
Action Time/Roaming Child/You've Got No Scruples/Reservations/We'll Feel Alright/I Feel Well/I'll Never Be Someone Like You/Hate & Love/She Drives Me Crazy/I Don't Wanna Lose My Baby/I Want It No Shame/Ain't No Shame

Here is the cool picture of the lp edition made available one year later, in 1995 (limited ed of 500 (or 250 ?) if I remember well) :


> and don't forget some cool 1993 live b/w pics on le blog d'hector

Monday, October 22, 2007 :

You are on my mind ! (The bogeymen, part 4) French rarities vol 8)

A promise is a promise... After some shoots*, some videos, two notes with discography... here are :

The BOGEYMEN live Chambéry, 03/07/1993, in real trashorama.

photo : © F. Guigue

Don't try to put me down (live 93) (Rare never issued track.)
All rights reserved : Hectorvadair

(A écouter sur la note originelle)

This 03rd of July, I haven't the idea to see live this great band. I just known the name, its reputation, and I have already had the chance to see them on stage, but unfortunaltely, arriving at Macon some weeks ago, a member was ill, and the band had been remplaced by another.

So this week-end, I was visiting a friend of mine, near Chambéry, and in the middle of the afternoon, around the table, with a good wine in hand, we look for the cultural manifestations. What a surprise to read in the newspaper that the Bogeymen were programmed by the Larsen label, not far from here with the Squares and two other bands !

So we went to the Parc du buisson rond.

Notice : This is a fan document, not intended for a bootleg. If you listen voices and sound's variations during the tracks, it's normal. It's just because I was so excited that I run in all the directions, combining the recording of the set with my walkman and the shooting of the scene with my photograph. It's fan bootleg in its true reality, with no consideration of making money with it. Just sharing.

Anyway, you will admit it's a great document, considering there is nothing else around about the band. Am I alone to have documents ? I don't think so. But you're so square...

Track listing of the set (almost complete)
1 You are on my mind (1st ending) 0:18
2 I'll get to you 2:02
3 She let me down 2:12
4 Backward child 2:06
5 I just need somebody 2:21 6 She's not mine 1:54
7 You're my candy 2:16 9 I've got nobody (ending) 1:08
10 Don't be afraid of me 2:44
11 Don't try to put me down 1:38 12 Roaming child 2:19
13 We'll feel allright 2:46 14 I feel well 2:31
15 Action time 2:48 16 You are on my mind (encore) 2:38
(missing "8 Electrocution" : end of k7)

(*) see the photo album here

Read my original chronicle in Here, le zine des sect maniacs up above.