Who? Parisians Katty Besnard (vocals/guitar), Marine Neuilly (guitar), Louise Basilien (bass), and Zazie Tavitian (drums) formed Plastiscines in 2005. Signed to Virgin France, and distributed by the Caroline imprint in the U.S., the band released LP1 last month. With Alixe currently manning the sticks — founding member Zazie and recent drummer Caroline have since departed — the teenagers from the City of Light are currently touring Europe.
What’s the Deal? Ever wondered what the Strokes would be like if they were pretty French girls instead of pretty American boys? Well, that’s probably too reductive, but it’s a pretty good approximation of Plastiscines. Purveyors of sodapop punk that buzzsaws through your brain, they grab you and won’t let go, except maybe to spin you around. Fun and fast and frantic and did we mention fun, LP1 clocks in under half an hour, speeding by like Paris lights seen through the rear window of a Vespa at 100 mph. “Loser” sounds like punk rock seduction; of course, unless you’re a Francophone, you can’t really tell — Besnard could be singing about rutabagas, for all you know — but damn if it doesn’t sound sexy as hell anyway. “No Way” kisses off the lascivious with all the seriousness in the world until the drums kick in, “(Zazie Fait de La) Bicyclette” makes a bicycle the most fascinating object possible, and “Pop In, Pop Out!” approximates every sugar rush you’ve ever had.
Fun Fact: Katty Besnard and Marine Neuilly met Louise Basilien at a Libertines show. “We met in November two years ago at Cigale. In fact Louise, who we didn’t know at the time, took pictures of us at the show,” Neuilly tells SPIN.com. “She found us “stylish.” Later that night, a friend of ours introduced her to us because she was a bassist.”�
Now Hear This:Plasticines – “Mister Driver” WINDOWS MEDIA | REAL
On the Web:Plasticines at MySpaceplastiscines-music.com
Talk: Wanna rock out to le punk?
