WC3 (À 3 dans les WC) -

WC3 was a French new wave band that cut a 1979 single on F.L.V.M., followed by three titles on CBS. Their popular 1982 release Moderne Musique appeared under the name À 3 dans les WC.

Members: Reno Isaac (vocals), Eric (bass), Françoise [aka Jeannine] (keyboards), Jean-Christophe [aka Gégène] (drums), Jeannot (guitar, 1978-79)

Background

À 3 dans les WC formed in 1978 in Saint-Quentin when singer-guitarist Renaud “Reno” Isaac assembled bassist Éric Comont, drummer Jean-Christophe “Gégène” Dahon, guitarist Jeannot, and keyboardist-guitarist Françoise “Jeannine” Wald. The Saint-Quentin rock scene around the musicians included Kannabis and the experimental duo K2, whose members crossed paths at a local parish fête in 1977.

Isaac studied cello, while Wald studied at the Saint-Quentin conservatory and earned a first prize in piano. Comont grew up in Saint-Quentin and followed European radio from the early 1970s, then experimented with magnetic tape and old radio sets prior to buying a bass.

The five musicians rehearsed from early July through mid-August for a September rock festival in nearby Lesdins. Festival organizer Ludovic de Tréouville offered the new group an opening slot on a bill with Bijou, Starshooter, and Téléphone. The musicians advertised the appearance with spray-painted slogans across Saint-Quentin and played their first concert for more than 3,000 people at Lesdins. De Tréouville became manager and converted an old workshop beside his house into a rehearsal room. The members returned there on weekends while university studies divided them among Paris, Lille, and Saint-Quentin.

À 3 dans les WC decided by November to press a single and recorded “Contagion” and “Chic Choc” with Alain Azema at Studio du Manoir in Gumery, Aube. De Tréouville founded Vinyl Humide and financed a 1,000-copy pressing through F.L.V.M., issued the following year. Alain Maneval aired “Contagion” on Pogo at Europe 1, while the group visited radio stations across northern France and Belgium. “Contagion” also appeared on the Oxygène compilation 125 grammes de 33 1/3 tours. Jeannot missed a spring contest at the Macumba near Lille because of legal proceedings and left the group that spring. Wald assumed a larger keyboard role in the resulting quartet, while Isaac concentrated on guitar.

À 3 dans les WC cut demos that impressed CBS producer Patrice Fabien. They signed a five-year contract in February 1980 and made repeated demos with Fabien at Studio Berthier in Paris. Fabien took the group to Château d’Hérouville in December for six tracks built around “Captain Valium.” CBS blocked the planned title, which the band recast as “Poupée Be-Bop” under the shorter group name WC3.

Discography: