Téléphone
French rock band formed in 1976, split in 1986.
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Téléphone, a French rock band, came together in 1976. Their debut album, also called Téléphone, arrived in 1977, and by the late 1970s they had become one of the most internationally successful French rock acts, serving as an opening act for The Rolling Stones in Paris, Quebec, the United States, and Japan. The group disbanded in 1986 due to personal issues. To date, they have sold roughly 10 million albums, a record that remains unmatched for a French rock band. Notable songs include "Hygiaphone," "Métro c'est trop," "La bombe humaine," "Argent trop cher," "Ça c'est vraiment toi," "Cendrillon," "New York avec toi," and "Un autre Monde."
Reformation as "Les Insus" (2015-2017)
Members were Jean-Louis Aubert (guitar, piano, vocals), Louis Bertignac (guitar, vocals), Richard Kolinka (drums), and Corine Marienneau (bass, piano, vocals).
The band briefly reunited from 2015 to 2017 as "Les Insus" (short for insupportables, meaning "insufferable"; the name also hints at the French word for "cellphone," suggesting an update for modern times). This lineup included Aubert, Bertignac, and Kolinka, with bassist Aleksander Angelov replacing Marienneau, which prevented them from using the name "Téléphone." They performed at Point Éphémère on 11 September 2015, in Lille on 15 September, and in Lyon on 6 October 2015.
On 29 November 2015, they announced a 2016 tour of France (without Marienneau), running from 27 April to 11 November across major cities and festivals. A further festival tour for summer 2017 was announced on 12 November, culminating in a final show at the Stade de France on 15 September. The live album Les Insus Live was released on 8 September.
Awards
Discography includes studio albums Téléphone (1977, peaked at #2 in France), Crache Ton Venin (1979, #2), Au Cœur de la Nuit (1980, #3), Dure Limite (1982, #1), and Un autre monde (1984, featuring John Entwistle of The Who, #2). Live albums and compilations include Les Insus - Hygiaphone (Live 2017), Téléphone Public (DVD, 1980), and a 2012 re-release of "Ça (C'est vraiment toi)" (peaked at #133 in France). The album Un autre monde won the French "Victoire de la musique Album Rock" award in 1985.
Lore & Background
Téléphone released their self-titled debut album in 1977. Their best-known songs include 'Hygiaphone', 'Métro c'est trop', 'La bombe humaine', 'Argent trop cher', 'Ça c'est vraiment toi', 'Cendrillon', 'New York avec toi', and 'Un autre Monde'. The band's members were Jean-Louis Aubert (guitar, piano, vocals), Louis Bertignac (guitar, vocals), Richard Kolinka (drums), and Corine Marienneau (bass, piano, vocals).
In 2015, three of the original members—Aubert, Bertignac, and Kolinka—reunited under the name 'Les Insus', with Aleksander Angelov replacing Marienneau on bass. They performed a few concerts in 2015 and announced a full tour for 2016 and 2017, culminating in a final gig at the Stade de France on 15 September 2017. A live album, Les Insus Live, was released on 8 September 2017.
Reader's Guide
Téléphone remains the best-selling French rock band of all time, with approximately 10 million albums sold, a record still unbeaten for a French rock band. Their album Un autre monde (1984), which featured John Entwistle of The Who, won the French award Victoire de la musique Album Rock in 1985. The band's influence is evident in their continued popularity and the successful reunion tour as Les Insus from 2015 to 2017. Their music, including hits like 'Hygiaphone' and 'Un autre Monde', is considered emblematic of French rock from the late 1970s and 1980s.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Téléphone (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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