THE ECLECTIC ’GRASS_PEOPLE’
Le Peuple de l’Herbe is a live band at heart. They enjoyed success in France with their debut album 000+. When they released the second, PH Test 2, the rest of the Europe was able to discover their style-trespassing samples and beats, carried on and perfected with the new record Cube, including guests such as the London MC JC 001, impressive human beatbox, and the energetic hip hop band Puppetmastaz. Le Peuple de l’Herbe did one of their hit tracks with the unforgettable UK Apache who performed with Badmarsh at Clandestino #3/2005.
Really, le Peuple de l’Herbe should be seen live. A couple of years ago they were acclaimed as France’s best live act, but when they were invited to the gala, as nominees, they refused to go if they weren’t guaranteed being able to perform. The gala went on without them. Maybe it was for the best anyway, because Le Peuple is not only an amazing live show of energy, instruments and dancing, their music (mixing breakbeat, jazz, ragga and hiphop) is perfect for late hour clubbing, satisfying audiences’ intense party mood. Not the best for formal celebrations, champagne sipping and neighbourly table chit-chat. The unusual name of the band is taken from a French nature film, and jokingly plays on the double meaning of ”herbe”, grass. On a more serious note, another link between them and films is for example their work on the film soundtrack of Virginie Despentes, ”Baise-moi”, a brutal feministic film. Their songs actually resemble a soundtrack, which is rare for live bands. The members say that they mostly enjoy listening to film soundtracks, as well as instrumental music. The bands latest sound is a harder, more modern and has an urban feel. Still, listening to Cube and using your imagination easily lends itself to the creation of some very comical action scenes.
We did mention they were brilliant on stage, didn’t we? The ”grass people” use wind instruments and machines, vocalists and drums on stage, and of course a bunch of samples.
Lars Lovén
http://www.lepeupleonamission.net/ http://www.lepeupledelherbe.net
The concert is arranged in cooperation with the French Embassy (Franska Institutet in Stockholm) Franska Institutet in Stockholm and Association Française d’Action Artistique Association Française d’Action Artistique (AFAA) in Paris