Indochine's great adventure began in May 81. Dominique Nicolas, from a good family, as were his future colleagues, had discovered music somewhat late, after having been deeply involved in mechanical sports - i.e. motorcycles. It was on one of his frequent visits to Gibus, the famous Paris nightclub, that he discovered the world of the stage and amateur groups, when the punk era was nearing its end. He, too, began appearing with various groups, changing often, and playing just a guitar or a rhythm outfit. When he answered an advert for a guitarist, he met Nicola Sirkis. They were both just twenty, and they got together on a number of songs, among which was "l'Aventurier".

To win over the record companies, they needed to give a stage appearance. For their first concert, they hurriedly hired Nicola's twin brother Stéphane, who took over the keyboards even though he was just a beginner. Similarly, the last member of the band, Dimitri Bodiansky, Nicola's friend, was just beginning the saxophone. This makeshift outfit formed the group Indochine at its first official concert on September 29 1981 at the Rose Bonbon, a memorable one since it was a triumph. The group offered simple, effective music, a cross between rock and cartoon music, which delighted the audience that was avid for novelty and new ideas.

It was a few weeks later, on November 20, that the group signed its first contract with a recording label. In February 1982 the first single came out, "Dizzindence politik", which was a mild success. In April, Indochine performed in the first half of the Taxi Girl concerts. Taxi Girl was the big group of the moment. "l'Aventurier", a mini-album of six tracks, came out in September, and sold some 250,000 copies. The eponymous single went to the top of the hit parades in summer 83. This swinging, resolutely young music appealed to the masses.

Now determined to take advantage of the opening they had carved for themselves, the four members of the group went back to work just after receiving the Bus d'Acier 83, a French critics' award for rock music

The group's name probably came from a few "oriental" sounding chords in their early days, but Indochine ended up taking its inspiration, at least in the lyrics, from what might be called the Eastern connection. The names in the second album, appropriately named "le Péril jaune" (Yellow peril), are witness to this: "la Sécheresse du Mékong"(Drought in the Mekong), "Okinawa", "Shanghai", etc. The two singles taken from this work, "Kao Bang" and "Miss Paramount" again set juvenile France dancing, developing into a cult of "indo-mania".

In fact it was the next album, a huge success, which allowed the position of the group in the French musical scene to be truly evaluated. The album "3" in 1985, marked the explosion of the group's popularity. Some said it was a masterpiece, the symbol of an entire generation, with a number of powerful songs like "Canary Bay", "Tes yeux noirs" (Serge Gainsbourg directed the video clip), "Trois nuits par semaine", and "3ème sexe". Others were still wondering whether Nicola and his mates were actually musicians or merely lucky blokes fiddling around. But the sales were there to prove it: the album sold 800,000 copies, not counting the singles. In January 1987 Indochine made a French tour, with a triumphant three days at the Zenith from 24 to 27 March, and also went to Scandinavia, where the young girls went crazy over the four young heroes. They were even number one in the Swedish hit parade. A live album, recorded in Paris, came out in October. Quite enough to turn their heads.

But it was back to work in the studio in February 1987. The new album, "7000 Dances", which was more obscure than the earlier ones, came out in September, preceded by the single "Les Tsars". Now freed from the "yellow peril" routine, Indochine was assailed by the rock critics in the media, who were unable to see in their huge success anything but a pale imitation of The Cure, the English group, even if the music was nothing like theirs. The price to pay for success is sometimes very high. Even if the album sold less well than the previous one, the group still made its return to Paris at the Zenith in March 88, for four concerts which were sold out. They also performed in Montreal, Quebec, before an audience of 5,000, and went on a triumphal tour of Peru, where 45,000 flocked to see them!

Stuck in a rut which was difficult to avoid after several years of studios and tours, the foursome fell to three when Dimitri left for marriage and fatherhood and, perhaps, boredom. The group recovered from this blow with difficulty, although it was in fact easier to work as a trio. After a rest period which allowed them all to find new inspiration, the group returned to the studios from July to November 1989. For the first time, there were outside musicians adding their contribution: Martin Hanlin, the drummer from the Scottish group The Silencers, Mahmoud Tabrizzi Zadeh, an Iranian musician, and two classical musicians. Early the following year, "Le Baiser", their new album, came out, symbolising the new decade in the eyes of its creators. It reflected their experiences of the previous two years, and shows their personal lives more than their other work. One track was taken off it as a single, "Des fleurs pour Salinger" (Flowers for Salinger), a reference to the American writer. Even unaccompanied by a tour, the album sold 200,000 copies.

They celebrated their tenth anniversary with a compilation, containing one new song, called "Birthday album" and which was sold throughout Europe, thus reviving "Indo-mania". Over 600,000 copies were sold, thus shutting up those critics who thought the group was finished. And in fact the 92 tour which followed it was a great success. Their show at the Olympia, on June 16, was sold out. A new generation of Indochine fans appeared, much younger, teenagers like their first audiences.

After a solo single ("Dans la lune" 92), Nicola returned to his two fellow Indochine members and they recorded in the studio throughout summer 1993. "Un jour dans notre vie" and the single "Savoure le rouge" were not the triumph that they had hoped, but the fans were still coming and a tour was organised, with a show at the Olympia on May 13 and 14 1994.

The French musical scene had changed greatly since their debut and the three members of Indochine began to wonder if they still fitted in. Dominique decided to leave and start up new projects. Only the twins remained, noisily encouraged by their fans. They sought out a new guitarist, and Nicola met Alexandre Azaria, formerly of Le Cri de la Mouche. They got on very well, and at the end of 1995, the group signed up for 3 albums with BMG. A compilation in February 1996 was followed by "Unita", and a new single "Kissing my Song". A new work called "Wax" came out at the end of the year, with a show at the Casino de Paris on December 16. After attempting a "Cure" style, Indochine now seemed to take its inspiration from the Brit-pop universe of Blur and Oasis. In 1997, the group toured outside France, including in Belgium, and brought out a double CD called "Indo live" (recorded in Brussels). It also performed at La Cigale in Paris on October 11.

Having resolved to continue their adventures, the two brothers actually signed a new recording contract with Double T Music France, the French subsidiary of a Belgian company. They began recording in early 1999, but sadly, Stéphane died suddenly on February 27th, leaving Nicola alone with this new project. Nicola decided to carry on with Indochine in spite of his brother’s death and despite the fact that he was now the sole surviving original member of the group. In August ’99 the new-look Indochine made a major comeback on the French music scene, releasing a new album "Danceteria" and a brand new single, "Juste toi et moi". Then Nicola and his new line-up began preparations for a major tour. Nicola was also busy in the studio around this time, working on a new album to mark the 20^th anniversary of Indochine (in 2001). The album will feature a series of orchestral covers and remixes of the group's greatest hits.

Nicola hit the road again with Indochine in October 2000, touring an acoustic show entitled "Nuit intime avec Indochine". Extracts from this 25-date tour appeared on a new live album entitled "Nuits intimes" (released at the beginning of 2001). Fans discovered a new more mature rock-style Indochine on this album and turned out in force to attend the remaining concerts on the group's tour which came to a triumphant end at La Cigale in Paris in January 2001. The group locked themselves away in the studio in the spring of 2001 to work on their new album (due to be released in 2002).

2002: "Paradize"

As promised, Nicola’s new album came out in March. Nicola, who is the sole survivor of the original Indochine band, asked many renowned artists to come and give him a hand on this album entitled "Paradize". Melissa Auf former bass-player with the Smashing Pumpkins, Gerard Manset, Jean-Louis Murat, the Mickey 3Ds, writers Camille Laurens and Ann Scott have all contributed to recreate the collective work spirit Nicola is so fond of. The result is a very Rock’n Roll album, verging on punk and featuring a rough unplugged sound—a sign probably that Indochine is up for new challenges. The first single is entitled "J’ai demandé la lune". Immediately following the release of the album, Nicola hit the road. He brought the house down at the Olympia in Paris on April 11^th, a date that was sold-out many days in advance.

As "Paradize" continued to sell like hotcakes - the new album sold a staggering 300,000 copies within four months of its release! - Indochine hit the road again, appearing at a string of summer music festivals up and down the country. Meanwhile, the group's record company released a second single from "Paradize" entitled "Mao boy" which was given an unexpected remix by hip Montpellier electro duo Rinôçérose.

2002 ended up being a marathon year for Indochine. The band played over 50 sell-out dates in France and also brought the house down in other French-speaking countries such as Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg and even Canada.

2003 turned out to be an equally eventful year, too, with "Paradize" triumphing at the annual Victoires de la Musique Awards where it won Best Pop/Rock Album of the Year. Following this success, Indochine hit the road again, embarking on a new tour which ended with a mega-finale at Bercy Stadium in Paris on 3 June.

During the summer of that year, Indochine’s lead singer Nicola Sirkis inaugurated the very first X Festival where the band took to the stage alongside other leading rock bands including Dolly, Mass Hysteria, Aqmé, Hoggboy, Mickey 3D and Les Wampas. The X festival bands all went on to tour Europe together after this.

At the end of the summer, Indochine began work on a double live album, released in January 2004 as "3.6.3" (the date of the band’s mega-stadium concert at Bercy). The album proved to be an instant hit, rocketing straight to the top of the charts on its release. Two months later, Indochine fans rushed out to get their hands on the DVD "Paradize show" featuring a full six hours of concert footage and behind-the-scenes reports.

Indochine celebrated the release of their live album with an exceptional double concert on 24 January, playing first in Brussels (at 6pm) then catching a high-speed train back to Paris (where their gig kicked off at 11pm). Needless to say, both concerts attracted a full turn-out of fans.

In March 2005, Indochine returned to the studio to begin work on the tenth album of their career. "Alice & June", recorded between June 2004 and April 2005, was the group’s first double studio album and it was certainly an ambitious undertaking after their cult comeback classic "Paradize." Inspired by Lewis Carroll’s "Alice in Wonderland", "Alice & June" tells the fantastical – and often nightmarish – tale of two teenage girls in a modern wonderland. This dark, brooding and very rock album was single-handedly produced by Oli de Sat (who joined the band in 1999). The album also featured guest appearances by Didier Wampas (on "Harry Poppers") and Brian Molko, the charismatic frontman of Placebo (on "Pink Water").

In early December, Indochine organised four "secret concerts" in Paris and Brussels to preview new tracks from "Alice & June" before the album was officially released on 19 December.

At last, the landmark December date Indochine fans had been waiting for arrived and the group's new album, "Alice et June", hit record stores. Needless to say, sales took off at lightning speed, both at home in France and other European countries where it was released. By January of the following year "Alice et June", the first single release from the album, had become the second most frequently played French song in the world!

On 19 March 2006, Indochine kicked off their "Alice et June Tour" in Marseilles. The multi-date tour, which includes concerts in France, Belgium and Switzerland, is scheduled to last until March 2007 and the group announced they would be playing a mystery date on 6 June 2006 – marking the symbolic 666!  

After putting in a memorable performance at the Théâtre Mogador in Paris (27 - 31 March), Nicola Sirkis and his fellow musicians brought the house down at the Printemps de Bourges festival in April. The band was invited to support the Rolling Stones at a stadium concert in Paris on 3 April, but ended up turning the proposition down because they claimed tickets were priced too high for their fans.

As the date of Indochine's mystery gig on "06/06/06" drew nearer, the band unveiled their secret destination: Vietnam. The band celebrated their 25th anniversary in style, performing at the Hanoi Opera (an exact replica of the Opéra Garnier in Paris) with a fifty-strong orchestra on 6 and 7 June.

After Asia, Indochine headed off to Canada to perform at the Francofolies music festival in Montreal on 17 June. The band went on to put in a brief appearance at Les Terre-Neuvas rock festival in Brittany, then headlined at the first edition of "Les Ardentes", an electro-rock festival in Liège, Belgium on 9 July. On 18 July, the group played at the French edition of Les Francofolies in La Rochelle.

Tickets for Indochine's "Alice et June" tour continued to sell like hotcakes. The group's concert at Bercy stadium in Paris (scheduled for 7 December 2006) sold out rapidly and an extra date had to be added.

Indochine released "Live à Hanoï", a CD & DVD set, at the beginning of 2007. On 19 May, the band took to the stage at the Palais Omnisports de Bercy, in Paris, for a spectacular stadium-style show with backing from the Hanoi Opera Symphony Orchestra. A double CD & triple DVD of Indochine's "Alice & June tour" (recorded live in Lille on 13 March 2007) was released at the end of the year. And the band took to the stage again on this occasion for five extra "Alice & June" concerts in club venues in the provinces (3 - 11 December).

Indochine headed off to film director Luc Besson's studio in Normandy between September 2007 and May 2008 to work on their new album. Following the phenomenal success of their "Alice & June" album and the ensuing tour, the band had a lot to live up to.

Nicola Sirkis drew on contemporary art for inspiration this time round, claiming that he had a moment of personal epiphany visiting French conceptual artist Sophie Calle's work at the Venice Biennale in 2007. Calle's work, entitled "Prenez soin de vous" (Take Care of Yourself), was based on a letter the artist's lover had sent her ending their relationship. Sirkis's new songs explored the pain of absence and separation and also delved into historical themes, recounting the plight of soldiers called up to fight in the First World War. "La République des méteors", released in March 2009, revolved around a powerful electro-rock sound, but also featured interludes on simple acoustic instruments such as the ukulele and the toy piano.

Shortly after the release of "La République des méteors", Indochine announced dates for a new tour (due to kick off in October 2009.) Once again, there was a frenzied rush for tickets and a number of dates sold out by the beginning of March.

March 2009