Frantik Interview: Nouvelle Vague “No Song Is Untouchable”

15 Dec, 2009

The eccentric and neoteric french group Nouvelle Vague, have covered your favorite punk/new wave band’s songs and boy have they put a different spin on them. Re-interpreting the covers and making them bossa nova, lounge/pop crossover novelties, Nouvelle Vague have successfully reproduced their favorite classic 80′s tracks into modern gems. Their latest venture in “NV3″ is quite the delight with the band digging deeper into their roots and expanding the band’s musical capabilites and reach. With over half-a-million copies of their debut and sophomore effort, Nouvelle Vague seems to be actually on the road to somewhere and beyond. Producer/Arranger Olivier Libaux, half of Nouvelle Vague, agreed to answer some questions and so we shot em’. Here are Mr. Olivier’s answers.

Olivier! How’s it going and what’s new in the NV camp?

All is good, thanks very much. We are now ending a huge European Tour, promoting the new album; we will soon be off for Christmas. Our next plan is to visit you guys, starting January 20th.

That is tremendously cool! Thanks for also addressing the big elephant in the room. Can you please be more specific as to when the tour will start and end?

Our US tour will start January 20th and should end around February 25th. That’s great news for us, and hopefully for all our american friends.

Don’t know about the rest of America but that’s great news to me! I believe it’s been while since you guys got back on the saddle. How does it feel to be back on the saddle again, writing songs, playing live and offering new material to your fans?

Thing is we have never stopped touring or recording since 2004, we were always on the go. After releasing NV3 in Europe last june, we have played a few gigs in the US in NYC, DC, San Francisco and LA. We will be very happy to be in the US again in January.

Which artist did you guys worked with on NV3 that brought something new to the table or gave you guys a different perspective or take on the original?

We have had the great honour to welcome Martin Gore, Ian McCulloch, Barry Adamson (Magazine, the Bad Seeds) and Terry Hall (the Specials, Fun Boy Three) on the sessions of NV3. These featurings were unique. I can’t see many original artists who have experimented like that in the past, going to a studio and re-working their own material in a completely different way, with a band like Nouvelle Vague. Both these artists and us have been very happy with what happened.

So are your fans. Can you please explain to our readers what your iPhone app. is all about as far the price, the function and what’s in store for your app in the future?

The NV Iphone app. presents some original vids, info, tour dates, photos and so on. It’s free. This app lives its own life, apart from the website, myspace, etc.

Awesome free apps are also a score! Where did you guys find the common ground when reproducing the songs and where there any attributes of new influence either in the songwriting process or re-arranging process that you guys didn’t share this time around?

As you may know, Nouvelle Vague started on a simple idea: Try to record punk/new wave songs covers in a bossa nova style. This process led us into the NV1 album, called “Nouvelle Vague”. We have then moved on from bossa nova to other music styles adding pieces of ska and mento on “Bande A Part,” for example. On NV3, we wanted to include some Northern American music influences, as well as keeping our traditionnal NV background. First reason was that we were excited to melt country or bluegrass influences in Nouvelle Vague music. We were also thinking that if some original people like Martin Gore or Ian Mac Culloch were to perform with us on the songs, it would help to meet them on a musical level. We could not really imagine Ian Mc Culloch singing bossa nova!

I hear you on that one! Of the millions of songs that you guys can cover, how did you guys end up with this eclectic mix of songs for NV3?

We wanted to complete our “favourite punk/new wave bands” dedication. After releasing “NV1″ and “Bande A Part,” we still knew that (for example) Wire, Magazine, Psychedelic Furs, Simple Minds, Talking Heads and some others had still not be covered by us. The NV3 tracklist ended up with these bands at last covered. We added Depeche Mode or Echo and The Bunnymen covers (we had already covered them on previous albums), as Martin Gore and Ian Mc Culloch were keen on performing with us on NV3.

So Olivier, what are some of the pros and cons of playing these songs live and which song do you guys pretty much not get tired of playing for crowds even after all of these years and why?

There are basically no songs we really get tired of. The thing is, sometimes we let one song out or the other, out for a while from our live performances (for example “Killing Moon” or “A forest” at the moment), but on the day we decide to play these songs again, it’s a real pleasure. These songs are just so good…

The album pretty much kicks major ass but out of all the tunes, which one surprised you guys the most after the recording sessions?

I think we’ve had a few good surprises, starting from “Master and Servant”, to “Blister In The Sun”, “God Save The Queen”, etc. We have worked in a more instinctive way this time. Not thinking that much before the recordings, just starting every track by getting a simple and catchy idea.

Well, the simplest of form of an idea is sometimes what it’s all about. Let’s shift gears. H1N1. Take the vaccine or skip it or take it when necessary?

H1N1, as far as I have heard, is most commonly a strong flu. Is there really a point in taking a vaccine to avoid a strong flu? It’s every person’s decision. Obviously, some H1N1 cases are really severe, some people can even die, but the usual flu is already killing people each year. I am quite confident in life.
We must get ready to endure things. As a NV member, it would be more help for me if they had a vaccine available of easing fears of crashing in a plane. We sort of fly about 80 times each year.

That is too funny but I think they’ve made something that can equal that. It’s a prescription drug called Ambien! Tell Olivier, which song will you guys not to touch/cover for various reasons?

Thing is in Nouvelle Vague, we are respectful to every artist we cover and we think that no song is untouchable. As soon as a song, whoever has written it, starts to sound like “oh we could try something with this one”, we feel free to try and cover it. When the result is good, the version has chances to be released, so everyone can hear it and make their opinion about our work.

Good point there my friend. With the year 2012 closely approaching, do you guys think the Mayans are correct about the end of days closing in or what do you guys think will happen in 2012?

I remember that sometime around year 2000, the world was supposed to collapse. It was a prediction from Nostradamus (if I remember well). I am not into that kind of things. We all know that in the middle age, civilizations were always scared and were often predicting the end of the world. I don’t like the idea of still living with medieval fears nowadays, even if many political things, after the turn of 21st century, have brought back some people into middle age again.

While the economy is continuing to slowly decay, how does a band adapt and become recession proof in these times?

Well, it’s true that the record sales are down and more down these days. In the same time, more and more people are coming to our shows. All our shows have been packed since NV3 release in Europe last June.
Since then, our job is to create music, and make enough of a living with it. I think people will always need and buy music. Maybe the point is nowadays people are not happy with the way the music is provided, and also economy has to be readjusted. All that is a matter of ideas.

I totally agree. Just as long as good music is presented, people will always buy music. Aside from your almighty record, who should get the “Album Of The Year” nod for 09’?

Mmmm, I need a few more December days to make my definitive opinion…So far, I don’t have a huge crush on a record or another. Some very good records anyway…Grizzly Bear, Chris Garneau, The xx…

2010 is looming closely as we speak. What would you guys love to see happen in the year 2010?

A USA tour!! Also South America, Australia, NZ, etc. All that is being scheduled at the moment. That’s great news for us.

Hell, that’s good news for your all of your fans! How do you guys feel about people’s addictive obsession with networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and Myspace?

I tend to be quite addicted to Facebook, as well as many people. It’s great to be able to connect so easily with so many people, especially while touring. I met again some old friends through Facebook too. Thing is we must not forget to live a “real” life beside all this virtual world.

You hear that kids? Don’t forget. Are there any bands flying under the radar that you guys have recently heard or witnessed that deserves our attention?

Obviously Grizzly Bear, Vampire Weekend, The XX, Camera Obscura, Vitalic, etc.

What’s next for Nouvelle Vague?

We have so many ideas in mind that we don’t know where and how to start. We also have to record some personal material soon. I think we will be quite busy in 2010.

Anything you guys want to throw out there, plug or promote before we tune out?

Our best thoughts!

Thanks Olivier!