Christian Olivier, the charismatic frontman of Les Têtes Raides, began his career not as a musician but as a painter and graphic artist. Indeed, Christian soon went on to set up his own design collective Les Chats Pelés (The Skinned Cats) with his friends Lionel and Benoît Morel. (Interestingly enough, the latter would also go on to launch a successful music career as a member of another alternative French rock group, La Tordue).  

Christian, who was born in 1964, grew up in Africa where his civil servant parents had received an official posting. But shortly after returning to France he settled into the suburbs south of Paris, where he met up with Lionel and Benoît. The trio's design collective proved a great success, but this did not stop Christian from dreaming of branching out and launching a music career. He soon went on to form his own group, teaming up with two local musicians, bass-player Cali and the talented saxophone-player Grégoire Simon. Christian, whose powerful vocal style called to mind the famous 'chanson réaliste' stars of the 30's, naturally became the trio's lead singer.

The group launched their career as Tet Red, deliberately choosing to anglicise their name. Tet Red's set was also heavily influenced by the Anglo-Saxon music scene. Indeed, in the early days of their career Tet Red concerts usually consisted of covers of Clash, Rolling Stones and Chuck Berry hits. Now and again the group would return to their French roots, however, covering material by the legendary French rock star Johnny Hallyday. Yet Tet Red's early concerts were also highly original. The wacky trio experimented with sophisticated sound and lighting techniques and would often appear on stage wearing bizarre white masks. Needless to say, Tet Red soon became a highly popular fixture on the alternative French music scene. 

Tet Red built up a strong following of fans performing at street festivals and playing on the local bar/bistro circuit. The group's covers of Clash and Rolling Stones' hits proved popular with their audiences, but the group soon realised that they had to start developing their own material too. Christian Olivier volunteered to become the group's main songwriter and he soon revealed himself to be a talented modern poet and wordsmith. Meanwhile, Tet Red also made a few changes to their musical style, Olivier abandoning the electric guitar in favour of the accordion for example. 

In 1987 Tet Red underwent several more important changes. Firstly, the group extended their line-up, recruiting a few new members. And secondly, the group chose to revert to the French spelling of their name, thus becoming Les Têtes Raides. Shortly after these changes, the new-style Têtes Raides went into the studio to record their first single. The single (which the group produced themselves) was released in 1988, but unfortunately it failed to make any major impact on the French music scene.  

Les Têtes Raides' début album proved to be a different story altogether! Released in April of the following year, "Not Dead But Bien Raides" - which came packaged in a wacky corrugated cardboard sleeve - revealed just what Les Têtes Raides were all about. Christian Olivier and Co., who all played several different instruments on the new album, created a vibrant, energetic sound, which at times threatened to tip over into wild musical anarchy. And Olivier's brilliant lyrics, which fused modern poetry with a heavy dose of down-to-earth realism, were a perfect complement to the group's alternative rock sound.

Les Têtes Raides, who had already proved a major hit with specialist music journalists, soon went on to win a whole new following of mainstream fans. The group would soon embark upon a hectic concert schedule, performing in Paris for the first time at Le Sentier des Halles (a venue which is still renowned for show-casing innovative new bands). Les Têtes Raides also brought the house down at the Printemps de Bourges festival. When their concert at the festival was interrupted by a power cut, the band picked up a set of acoustic instruments and carried on regardless. Impressed by this audacious feat, the audience erupted into loud cheers!  

In 1990 Les Têtes Raides returned to the studio to begin work on a second album, provocatively entitled "Mange tes morts" (Eat Your Dead). By this stage in their career the original trio - Christian, Grégoire and Cali - had been extended to six, with the arrival of Jean-Luc Millot aka Lulu (on drums), Serge Bégout (on guitar) and Anne-Gaël Bisquay (cello). Bisquay's soulful cello-playing added a feminine touch to the group's new album and she also provided vocals on several tracks, her soft voice suiting Les Têtes Raides' increasingly acoustic sound.  

Released at the end of 1990, "Mange tes morts" boasted a striking cover designed by Christian Olivier's old collective Les Chats Pelés (who, incidentally, also designed the rest of the group's album sleeves). Following the release of the new album, Les Têtes Raides soon took to the road again, playing their usual round of bars and small, obscure venues. One of the highlights of Les Têtes Raides' new concert tour was a three-week stint in Paris at Les Déchargeurs (during the winter of 91).  

Les Têtes Raides soon got into a regular recording rhythm, returning to the studio in 1992 to put the finishing touches to their third album "Les Oiseaux" (The Birds). "Les Oiseaux" found Les Têtes Raides experimenting with a purely acoustic sound and when the group set off on tour shortly after the album's release they went back to playing on the local bar/bistro scene rather than performing at major Paris venues. Critics hailed "Les Oiseaux" as a sign that Les Têtes Raides' sound had 'reached maturity', but the group were in fact still experimenting with new musical approaches and their style had not stopped evolving yet.  

On June 11th 1992 Les Têtes Raides were invited to perform in Paris at the Théâtre Dejazet (a venue renowned for launching the legendary French chanson star Léo Ferré). The group brought the house down with an amazingly innovative show - complete with wacky lighting, circus acts and a couple of trapeze artists! Following their successful run at the Théâtre Dejazet, Les Têtes Raides went on to appear at Le Bataclan on December 3rd. 

In 1993 Les Têtes Raides extended their line-up once more, recruiting Scott Taylor on brass and piano. (This brought the group's membership up to seven). Shortly after Taylor's arrival, Les Têtes Raides returned to the studio to begin work on a new album entitled "Fleur de yeux". Released on October 15th that year, the new album found the group experimenting with a brand new sound. Taylor's playing injected a vibrant new energy into the brass section, adding an up-beat edge to the group's moody poetic lyrics. By this stage in their career Les Têtes Raides' material was increasingly influenced by poetry and on "Fleur de yeux" the group's lyrics drew inspiration from the works of Cocteau, Michaud and the famous Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa. (Les Têtes Raides transformed Pessoa's poems into songs with English lyrics).  

Les Têtes Raides' new album proved to be a huge critical success. Indeed, several leading music journalists hailed "Fleur de yeux" as one of the best albums of the year. Following the success of "Fleur de yeux", Les Têtes Raides were invited to play at a number of major Paris venues including the Théâtre de Trévise (in May 93). The group also gave a memorable show at the Casino de Paris (on December 6^th of that year). Then in June 94, Les Têtes Raides rocketed back into the headlines once more when they performed at the Théâtre de l'Européen in Paris. The group's frequent experimentation with their style did not appear to bother their fans too much - on the contrary, Les Têtes Raides' concerts grew more popular than ever, the band's on-stage spontaneity and their powerful lyrics winning over a whole new following of fans.  

Les Têtes Raides returned to the studio in 1996 to put the finishing touches to a new album entitled "le Bout du toit". The album, released in February of that year, got an enthusiastic reception from fans and critics alike. Christian Olivier's emotional vocals had often invited comparisons with Jacques Brel. So it seemed appropriate that the legendary Belgian chanson star's accordionist, Jean Corti, should guest on "Hermaphrodite" - one of the most outstanding tracks on Les Têtes Raides' new album.  

After the release of "Le Bout du toit", Les Têtes Raides hit the road again, touring the length and breadth of France between March 14thand April 20th. The tour was followed by a memorable concert at the Olympia (the most famous venue in Paris). And the accordionist Jean Corti was also invited to support the group on this prestigious occasion.

At the end of that year Les Têtes Raides recorded their first live album, when they performed in Paris at Le Trianon on December 7th. Released in 1997, the album "Viens" captured all the exuberance and anarchic energy of the group's live show.

The live album "Viens" proved to be an important link between Les Têtes Raides' 1996 album "Le Bout du toit" and their 1998 album "Chamboultou" (Topsy-Turvey). The group - who had recorded seven albums in the 14 years they had been together - went for a more sophisticated sound on their new album, inviting the renowned French producer Dominique Blanc-Francard to supervise the final mix. The lyrics on "Chamboultou" were also noticeably different, the group's social conscience and political commitment coming to the fore this time round. Les Têtes Raides also underwent a slight alteration in their line-up when they recorded their new album - Scott Taylor was replaced by Edith Bégout, Pascal Olivier stepped in to replace bass-player Cali and Anne-Gaël reappeared on cello after a long absence.

Shortly after the release of "Chamboultou" in April 98, Les Têtes Raides set off on their ritual spring tour, playing numerous dates up and down the country (April 10th- May 23rd). Then after a second memorable performance at the Olympia (May 4th - 6th), the group embarked upon a hectic summer schedule, appearing at all the top music festivals.

At the beginning of 1999, Les Têtes Raides hit the road again, kicking off another major national tour. The group brought the house down when they performed an extended run at Le Lavoir Moderne (a cosy Paris venue done out like an old attic with picturesque wooden ceiling beams and old stone walls). Les Têtes Raides performed a sophisticated new show - entitled "Non" - which included poetry readings and film images projected onto the walls behind the stage. Needless to say, the group's new show proved a huge hit with the audience

2000 was not only the dawn of a new millennium - it also went down in music history as the tenth anniversary of Les Têtes Raides! To mark the occasion the group released a Greatest Hits compilation - "Dix ans de Têtes Raides" - featuring 17 of their best songs.

As Les Têtes Raides' career has continued to go from strength to strength, the group's extraordinary artistic creativity has impressed both critics and the record-buying public. The group, who have spearheaded a sort of "chanson réaliste" revival, have now carved out an important niche for themselves on the French music scene.

They put an end to that very long tour in December 2001, but were back on the road for a few improvised concerts in Spring 2002 when they took part in the artists’ campaign against the extreme right landslide at the first tour of the French presidential election. With the likes of Noir Desir, Yann Tiersen and Thomas Fersen, the band performed in Lyons on April 30th and Lille on May 3rd.

Two months later, the Têtes Raides were back on the stage and for quite a while that time. Having settled down in the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, for no less than a month, they proposed to the public a series of original and creative shows. Performing very close to the public on the clay floor of this magical theatre, the band would invite a different set of musicians, singers or comedians every night. Among the most famous of their guests who also included many unknown performers, one could notice the faithful Mano Solo, Rachid Taha and Yann Tiersen.

After the last show on August 3rd, the seven members of the band went back to the studio to work on a new album entitled "Qu'est-ce qu'on se fait chier" that was released on September, 16th. On that same day the band was starting over at the Bouffes du Nord with a new string of concerts. They planned to set off on a French tour in 2004.         

Taking an openly political stance in 2003, Les Têtes Raides launched their petition "Avis de K.O. social", campaigning against what they described as the government's reactionary reforms. A number of other  French music stars signed the petition and joined the cause, including Bombes 2 Bal, Java, Kent, Oai Star, Rodolphe Burger and Yann Tiersen. A series of concerts were organised across France in support of the cause (in Lyon on 15 December 2003, Paris on 1 March 2004 and a special gig at the Printemps de Bourges festival on 23 April 2004). These concerts were headlined by major French music stars including Bénabar, Blankass, Sergent Garcia, Les Fabulous Trobadors and Rachid Taha.

In February 2004, Les Têtes Raides performed a month-long run at Le Bataclan in Paris. They used the opportunity to transform the music venue into a political platform, creating "free circulation Mondays" where representatives from various associations including immigrant defence groups and AIDS activists were invited along to speak to the audience.

Throughout their summer tour (which included an appearance at the Francofolies music festival in La Rochelle on 14 July), Les Têtes Raides continued to raise fans' political and social awareness, speaking out on ecological causes and addressing the issues of unemployment and workers' rights.

The protest demonstrations and concerts organised under the "L'avis de KO social" banner soon moved to other cities beyond Lyons and Paris, gaining widespread support in Bourges, Marseilles, Lille, Montpellier and Bordeaux.

Meanwhile, Les Têtes Raides made a comeback on the recording front with the release of a live album entitled "28.05.04". The symbolic use of a date as an album title was a pointed reference to the unsettled political climate that reigned in France in the spring of 2004. (The album was actually a recording of a concert the band played on that date). On this second live album, driven by their habitual verve and the raw spontaneity of their live performances, the band took an openly political, anti-conformist stance, including a cover of Renaud's provocative song "Hexagone" in their set.

"28.05.04" was to be the last album the group released on Tôt ou Tard. In 2004, Les Têtes Raides set up their own label, "Mon slip." After having moved from a major record company to an independent label, the band took a further step towards artistic freedom, financing the entire production of their albums themselves, just as they had in the early days of their career. (Except that now they had fifteen years' experience and ten  albums behind them!)

Once they had set up their own label, Les Têtes Raides hit the road again for a tour of non French-speaking countries that included dates in Lebanon, Hungary, Russia and the Netherlands.

On their return to France, Les Têtes Raides claimed they were shocked to find the country "smothered in a blanket of uniformity." The band immediately went into the studio to record fifteen new songs in the space of just a few weeks. This resulted in the release of a new album, "Fragile", in November 2005. Teaming up with Denis Barthe (the drummer from veteran French rock band Noir Désir) as producer, the band made a radical departure from their usual sound.

Abandoning their signature accordions, Les Têtes Raides cooked up an eclectic mix of styles and guest artists, even going so far as to bring punk guitars and a classical string quartet together on one track. Guests on the album included the Dutch punk outfit The Ex, Didier Wampas, the singer Sarah Mandiano and Algerian-born rocker Rachid Taha. The album, which opened new musical horizons for the band, still bore the Têtes Raides trademark:  vocals and febrile energy from lead singer Christian, a strong brass presence and an ongoing refusal to make any kind of commercial compromise

The band of seven joyous music rebels continued their alternative stance, defending their counter-culture ideals throughout 2006, playing at small, obscure venues as well as bigger concert halls. On 30 March 2006, Les Têtes Raides brought the house down at Le Zénith in Paris. The band went on to make an acclaimed comeback in Quebec in June of that year, appearing at the Francofolies de Montreal festival. Fans went wild on this occasion - and justifiably so, since the band had not played in Quebec for sixteen years! In July, Les Têtes Raides performed at the Vieilles Charrues festival in Brittany. They eventually brought their "Fragile" tour to a close with a showstopping performance at Le Bataclan, in Paris, on 8 November 2006.

Once the "Fragile" tour was over, the band's songwriter Christian Olivier got down to work on new material. Maintaining their impressive recording rhythm, Les Têtes Raides returned to the studio in July 2007 to begin work on their tenth album, "Banco", released in December of that year on the Mon Slip label. "Banco" proved to be a calmer, more serene work than the band's previous album. This time round, Les Têtes Raides focused on a more acoustic sound revolving around a mix of accordion and special sound effects. (The album opens with the sound of a popping cork).

"Banco" featured a soft Mediterranean-style instrumental fusion dominated by the presence on nearly every track of the singer and lute-player Hakim Hamadouch (one of Rachid Taha's regular musicians). "Banco" stood out from the rest of the Têtes Raides' body of work, featuring only one explicit protest song - "Expulsez-moi" (Throw me out!), a topical and ironic track about the expulsion of illegal immigrants from France.
Olivia Ruiz joined the band to provide guest vocals on "Plus haut." But the stand-out track on the Têtes Raides' new album was "Notre besoin de consolation est impossible à rassasier", a stream-of-consciousness-style flow on which Christian Olivier recited a piece by the Swedish author Stig Dagerman on a track lasting a full twenty minutes! The recording of the album was immortalised on a DVD, released at the same time as the album.

Les Têtes Raides hit the road again soon after the release of "Banco." The band's next official tour is due to begin in February 2008.

December 2007