This may be the coolest thing to come out of France since Francoise Hardy. Fuck Daft Punk and M83… and Plastic Bertrand. Soggy was a French heavy rock band from the early 1980s who managed to channel the spirit of MC5 and The Stooges in ways that few bands have managed to do as convincingly as these dudes. And did I mention they’re French?

Soggy was founded in 1978 on the ashes of obscure rock bands from Reims (Woman Bleed, Antechrist, Hardfuckers, ). Starting with covers of Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, MC5, and the Stooges, the band quickly wrote its own material and developed a unique style mixing Hard Rock and Punk Rock in a Stooges vein self labeled “Hard Wave” to make fun of journalists who had labeled them “Hard Rock” and even “New Wave”. The band rehearsed regularly, recorded its own tracks on many occasions (while rehearsing and in the studio). They hired a huge technical staff, organized their own tours in the Champagne-Ardenne region, but also ventured to Paris (Gibus, Golf Drouot), and even Germany, Belgium, Holland and Switzerland.

The bands professionalism along with their legendary burst of energy on stage eventually gained media coverage in Best (october 1980) and with this came the opportunity to record the tracks “Waiting For The War” and “47 Chromosomes” in Paris (Florida studio) in April 1981. With the release of a self produced single (reaching the 5th highest sale in their regions biggest record shop) and with a video of “Waiting for the war” shot for the TV channel FR3 Reims, the end of May that year signifies the highpoint in the bands career. Approached by several major record labels for the release of a whole album, but when asked to sing in French (an offer they systematically turnED down), the band was destined to remain unsigned. After more than a hundred concerts, the band split up in July 1982, although they were supposed to play the opening act for the Judas Priest European tour.

Beb - Vocals
Eric Dars - Guitars
François Tailleur - Bass
Olivier Hennegrave - Drums

This is a prelude to a video megamix of French hard rock that I will posting in the next few days. Watch for it.

Beb, Rob Tyner wants his hair back.