Dionysos (French band)
Encyclopedia
Dionysos is a French
rock band formed in 1993 in Valence
, Drôme
; they formed at their lycée. They perform songs in both French and English, and have released six studio albums. They are well known in France for their surrealism and eccentricity.
Their first album, Happening Songs, was self-produced and with entirely English lyrics. With their second album The sun is blue like eggs in Winter (also self-produced) Babet became a member. In 1999, they signed to a major label (the now defunct Trema) and released Haïku which brought the band in to the public eye, mainly thanks to the success of the single "Coccinelle".
The name of the band comes from the ancient Greek god Dionysus
, which in French
is Dionysos.
and Roald Dahl
. A lot of the songs are surreal and many feature nonsense lyrics (for example "Surfin Frog"). The albums Monsters in Love and La mécanique du cœur are set in a surreal world full of whimsical monsters and other fantastic characters which Mathias Malzieu has used as a setting for two original comic books. Joann Sfar illustrated the cover art for the comic books as well as the two albums. Sfar's eccentric and humorous brand of fantasy fiction as displayed in the Donjon comic books lends itself easily to the band's fantasy-humor albums.
The lead singer, Mathias Malzieu, is also working on other projects such as the career of Olivia Ruiz
(his partner), and his other hobby : writing (published 3 books in 2002, 2005 and 2007). His second book is based on the same world as the album Monsters in Love
, his third book on the same world as the album La mécanique du cœur
.
Mathias is the main songwriter and frontman. He has also written three books - 38 mini westerns (Pimientos, 2003), Maintenant qu'il fait tout le temps nuit sur toi (Flammarion, 2005) et La mécanique du cœur
(Flammarion, 2007) - with inspiration drawing between the albums and the novels.
The Miky Biky co-produced La mécanique du cœur
with Mathias.
Babet has begun a solo career and released an album: Drôle d'oiseau (March 5, 2007).
Stéphan worked as the band's backliner on tour, but joined officially during the recording of Monsters in Love
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
rock band formed in 1993 in Valence
Valence, Drôme
Valence is a commune in southeastern France, the capital of the Drôme department, situated on the left bank of the Rhône, south of Lyon on the railway to Marseilles.Its inhabitants are called Valentinois...
, Drôme
Drôme
Drôme , a department in southeastern France, takes its name from the Drôme River.-History:The French National Constituent Assembly set up Drôme as one of the original 83 departments of France on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution...
; they formed at their lycée. They perform songs in both French and English, and have released six studio albums. They are well known in France for their surrealism and eccentricity.
Their first album, Happening Songs, was self-produced and with entirely English lyrics. With their second album The sun is blue like eggs in Winter (also self-produced) Babet became a member. In 1999, they signed to a major label (the now defunct Trema) and released Haïku which brought the band in to the public eye, mainly thanks to the success of the single "Coccinelle".
The name of the band comes from the ancient Greek god Dionysus
Dionysus
Dionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology. His name in Linear B tablets shows he was worshipped from c. 1500—1100 BC by Mycenean Greeks: other traces of Dionysian-type cult have been found in ancient Minoan Crete...
, which in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
is Dionysos.
Influences
There are strong non-musical influences from Tim BurtonTim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
and Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
. A lot of the songs are surreal and many feature nonsense lyrics (for example "Surfin Frog"). The albums Monsters in Love and La mécanique du cœur are set in a surreal world full of whimsical monsters and other fantastic characters which Mathias Malzieu has used as a setting for two original comic books. Joann Sfar illustrated the cover art for the comic books as well as the two albums. Sfar's eccentric and humorous brand of fantasy fiction as displayed in the Donjon comic books lends itself easily to the band's fantasy-humor albums.
The lead singer, Mathias Malzieu, is also working on other projects such as the career of Olivia Ruiz
Olivia Ruiz
Olivia Blanc known as Olivia Ruiz is a female French pop singer of partial Spanish origin belonging to the nouvelle chanson genre.-Biography:...
(his partner), and his other hobby : writing (published 3 books in 2002, 2005 and 2007). His second book is based on the same world as the album Monsters in Love
Monsters in Love
Monsters in Love is the fifth studio album by the French rock band Dionysos, released 29th August 2005 and produced by John Parish. The album features songs in both English and French.-Background:...
, his third book on the same world as the album La mécanique du cœur
La mécanique du cœur
La mécanique du cœur is the sixth studio album by the French band Dionysos, released on 5 November 2007. The title can be translated as the mechanics of the heart; the album complements the book of the same name written by Mathias Malzieu, the band's frontman...
.
Members
- Mathias MalzieuMathias MalzieuMathias Malzieu , the lead singer of the French band Dionysos, co-founded the group in 1993 when he lived in Valence in Drôme. Three of his school-friends , comprised the original band membership.-Books:Malzieu has written the following books:* 38 mini westerns avec des fantômes * Maintenant qu'il...
– vocals, ukuleleUkuleleThe ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
, folk guitar, thereminThereminThe theremin , originally known as the aetherphone/etherophone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without discernible physical contact from the player. It is named after its Russian inventor, Professor Léon Theremin, who patented the device...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, glockenspielGlockenspielA glockenspiel is a percussion instrument composed of a set of tuned keys arranged in the fashion of the keyboard of a piano. In this way, it is similar to the xylophone; however, the xylophone's bars are made of wood, while the glockenspiel's are metal plates or tubes, and making it a metallophone...
Mathias is the main songwriter and frontman. He has also written three books - 38 mini westerns (Pimientos, 2003), Maintenant qu'il fait tout le temps nuit sur toi (Flammarion, 2005) et La mécanique du cœur
La mécanique du cœur (book)
La mécanique du cœur is a book written by Mathias Malzieu, lead singer of the French rock band Dionysos . The book has sold well in Malzieu's native France.-Synopsis:The book opens in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1874...
(Flammarion, 2007) - with inspiration drawing between the albums and the novels.
- Éric Serra Tosio aka Rico – drumsDrummerA drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, percussion, whistleWhistleA whistle or call is a simple aerophone, an instrument which produces sound from a stream of forced air. It may be mouth-operated, or powered by air pressure, steam, or other means... - Michaël Ponton aka Miky Biky – lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, phonographPhonographThe phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
turntable, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, lapsteel, ukuleleUkuleleThe ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
, programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
The Miky Biky co-produced La mécanique du cœur
La mécanique du cœur
La mécanique du cœur is the sixth studio album by the French band Dionysos, released on 5 November 2007. The title can be translated as the mechanics of the heart; the album complements the book of the same name written by Mathias Malzieu, the band's frontman...
with Mathias.
- Guillaume Garidel aka Guillermo – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, contrabassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
(member 1996–2007) - Élisabeth Maistre aka Babet – vocal, violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, keysKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, thereminThereminThe theremin , originally known as the aetherphone/etherophone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without discernible physical contact from the player. It is named after its Russian inventor, Professor Léon Theremin, who patented the device...
(member 1998–2007)
Babet has begun a solo career and released an album: Drôle d'oiseau (March 5, 2007).
- Stéphan Bertholio aka Stéphano – banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, keysKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, glockenspielGlockenspielA glockenspiel is a percussion instrument composed of a set of tuned keys arranged in the fashion of the keyboard of a piano. In this way, it is similar to the xylophone; however, the xylophone's bars are made of wood, while the glockenspiel's are metal plates or tubes, and making it a metallophone...
, ukuleleUkuleleThe ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
, baritone guitarBaritone guitarThe baritone guitar is a variation on the standard guitar, with a longer scale length that allows it to be tuned to a lower range. It first appeared in the classical music realm...
, lapsteel, musical sawMusical sawA musical saw, also called a singing saw, is the application of a hand saw as a musical instrument. The sound creates an ethereal tone, very similar to the theremin...
, melodicaMelodicaThe melodica, also known as the "blow-organ" or "key-flute", is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole,...
(member 2002 - )
Stéphan worked as the band's backliner on tour, but joined officially during the recording of Monsters in Love
Monsters in Love
Monsters in Love is the fifth studio album by the French rock band Dionysos, released 29th August 2005 and produced by John Parish. The album features songs in both English and French.-Background:...
.
Studio albums
- Happening Songs (self-produced, 1996)
- The sun is blue like the eggs in Winter (self-produced, 1998)
- Haïku (Trema, 1999)
- Western sous la neigeWestern sous la neigeWestern sous la neige is the fourth studio album by Dionysos, a French rock band, released 5th March 2002 and produced by Steve Albini. The title translates as western in the snow, and encapsulates the surrealist style of the album...
(Trema, 2002) - Monsters in LoveMonsters in LoveMonsters in Love is the fifth studio album by the French rock band Dionysos, released 29th August 2005 and produced by John Parish. The album features songs in both English and French.-Background:...
(Trema, 2005) - La mécanique du cœurLa mécanique du cœurLa mécanique du cœur is the sixth studio album by the French band Dionysos, released on 5 November 2007. The title can be translated as the mechanics of the heart; the album complements the book of the same name written by Mathias Malzieu, the band's frontman...
(BarclayBarclay RecordsBarclay Records is a French record label founded in the mid-1950s by Eddie Barclay under the alias, Edouard Ruault. Eddie Barclay also founded the Riviera label in the early-1950s....
, 2007)
Live albums
- Whatever the Weather - Concert Électrique (Trema, 2003)
- Whatever the Weather - Concert Acoustique (Trema, 2003)
- Monsters in Live (2007)
DVDs
- Whatever the Weather (2003) – recorded 30 May 2003 at 'La Laiterie' in StrasbourgStrasbourgStrasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
- Monsters in Live (2007) – recorded 28 October 2006 at Le Zénith in ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
with the Synfonietta de Belfort orchestra
Other
- Yoghurt session (1997) – extremely rare vinyl
- Soon, on your radio (1998) – a CD featuring Dionysos alongside Mary's Child and Despondents
- Old School Recordings (Trema, May 15, 2001) – a collection of rare recordings
External links
- Official website (in French) - discography, media, and information
- Official MySpace
- http://www.rfimusique.com/musiqueen/articles/069/article_7577.asp - RFI's review of Monsters in Love