Metal Urbain

Metal Urbain was a French synth-punk band, active between 1977 and 1979 with one single per-label on Cobra, Rough Trade, and Radar. Celluloid collected the band’s tracks on the 1981 comp Les Hommes Morts Sont Dangereux.

Members: Eric Débris (vocals, rhythm guitar, drum machine, 1976-present), Jean-Louis Boulanger [aka Hermann Schwartz] (bass, guitar, synthesizer, vocals, 1977-present), Patrick Boulanger [aka Pat Lüger] (guitar, synthesizer, 1977-80), Claude Peronne [aka Clode Panik] (vocals, 1976-78), Eric Feidt [aka Rikky Darling] (guitar, 1976-77, 1984-87), Zip Zinc (synthesizer, 1976-77), Charlie H [aka Charles Hurbier] (synthesizer, 1979-2003)

Background

Métal Urbain formed in Paris in 1976 from De Sade, a two-rehearsal project by synthesizer players Éric “Débris” Daugu and Jean-Pierre “Zip Zinc” Zinc with guitarist Éric “Rikky Darling” Feidt. Débris and Darling met at Lycée Rodin in the 13th arrondissement, where both passed through Bloodsuckers with Denis Quilliard, later Jacno. De Sade drew on the 1975 Lou Reed white-noise album Metal Machine Music as Débris and Zip pursued harsh processed sound with synthesizers and distorted guitar. The trio recast the experiments as short rock songs and recruited singer Claude “Clode Panik” Perrone.

Débris and Panik traveled to London in summer 1976 and visited Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood’s SEX boutique on King’s Road. By September, Panik occupied the vocal role over the established machine-and-guitar setup. Métal Urbain held the first full rehearsal one week ahead of a December Golf-Drouot booking. The group planned five numbers: “Snuff Movie,” “Métal Urbain,” “Lady Coca-Cola,” the Stooges cover “No Fun,” and a French version of the Sex Pistols anthem “Anarchy in the U.K.” A fight stopped the set after three songs.

In 1977, Rikky Darling moonlit with Patrick Eudeline’s Asphalt Jungle, then shifted full time to the latter group. Guitarists Jean-Louis and Patrick Boulanger then entered Métal Urbain as Hermann Schwartz and Pat Lüger. The brothers came from Strike Up, a Paris group with singer Pierre Cousseau, keyboardist Christian Duc, and drummer Hervé Zénouda. Strike Up recorded demos and appeared on the May 1976 cover of Rock News. Cobra issued “Panik” in May 1977 (b/w “Lady Coca-Cola”) through the Cézame/Cobra imprint. Zip Zinc left later that year. Débris remained on machines with Panik and the Boulanger brothers.

John Peel aired the Cobra single on his BBC program. Rough Trade stocked the French pressing at the London shop on Kensington Park Road. The quartet carried a cassette of “Paris Maquis” into Rough Trade on a late-1977 London trip. Store manager Steve Montgomery booked a Sussex studio for the weekend and arranged Irish pressing for the finished master. Rough Trade issued “Paris Maquis” in December 1977 (b/w “Clé de contact”) as RT 001, the first release on the new label.

Métal Urbain returned to London in July 1978 and cut “Hystérie connective” in a one-day Olympic Studios session. Radar issued the single under an agreement with Rough Trade. John Peel booked two BBC sessions that year. The October session supplied four tracks later used on the Celluloid album. Clode Panik left the group at the end of a December Gibus concert. Débris assumed lead vocals as the members divided activity among Métal Urbain, Metal Boys, and Dr Mix and the Remix. In 1980, Hermann Schwartz and Pat Lüger formed Desperados with bassist Pierre-Jean Cayatte. Jean Karakos’s Celluloid compiled existing studio and BBC material into Les Hommes Morts sont Dangereux for release in February 1981 on Celluloid.

Discography:

• “Panik” / “Lady Coca Cola” (1977)
• “Paris Maquis” / “Clé de Contact” (1977)
• “Hystérie Connective” / “Pas Poubelle” (1978)
• Les Hommes Morts Sont Dangereux (1981, recorded 1977)

References and notes

• Éric Débris interview, Bourges, April 1996 — especially useful on the London trip, Rough Trade shop visit, cassette presentation, rapid recording schedule, and Irish pressing of “Paris Maquis.” (Vivonzeureux)
• **Débris interview material originally attributed to Nyark Nyark! ** — detailed account of De Sade, the decision to use machines and guitars, Metal Machine Music, the summer London trip, Mont-de-Marsan, and the first Métal Urbain rehearsal. (Ruidos en el Fondo)
• **Hervé Zénouda, “Au tout début du punk parisien: du lycée Charlemagne au Club 100,” Volume! ** — first-person history of Strike Up and the Boulanger brothers; documents the lineup, demos, Rock News appearance, Paris scene, and transition into Métal Urbain. (ResearchGate)
• Mausolée des contre-cultures / Université de Tours archive — contemporary-document archive for the Golf-Drouot date, the May 1977 “Panik” single, and the February 1981 Celluloid LP. (Music & Graphic Counterculture Mausoleum)
• Neil Taylor, Document and Eyewitness: An Intimate History of Rough Trade, excerpt with Steve Montgomery — Montgomery recounts hearing the “Paris Maquis” demo, booking the Sussex session, and taking the master toward Dublin for pressing. (The Quietus)
• Rough Trade / Geoff Travis history — Travis confirms that Métal Urbain asking the shop for help with the recording triggered the label operation. (The Guardian)
• 45cat / BnF — “Paris Maquis” b/w “Clé de contact,” RT 001, December 1977; BnF also verifies the three original singles and core membership chronology. (45cat)
• Musée SACEM — confirms “Panik,” the British response through NME and John Peel, and Jean Karakos/Celluloid’s later compilation of the early recordings. (Musée SACEM)
• Débris account of “Hystérie connective” / period discography — supports the one-day summer session, Radar/Rough Trade arrangement, and the third single. (Disorder Are You Experienced)