THEY SPEAK – Interview with BEST Magazine

The cool cats from BEST Magazine (Florian specifically) came to ask us all sorts of questions in between the sound check and the release concert in Paris at Café de la Danse. So (spoiler alert) we decided to keep the current line-up!

THE BALLAD OF JOHN

When it came time to bring out the second single, we realized that we needed to find the appropriate follow-up to “A Son of Sam”. It was winter and the idea of one of the slower and darker songs – our first consideration – suddenly seemed less like a good idea.

“The Ballad of John” was on our short list and one day, the idea of filming a road trip to London became self-evident. We wanted lay clues for this subtle treasure hunt; seeking the vestiges of a time gone by when Rock ‘n Roll really did change the world forever.

It was cold and wet and windy in London the days we were there but we loved every moment.

RELEASE CONCERT – CAFE de la DANSE 17/03/2023

It was intense, it was glorious, it was well-received. We played the entirety of GRAVITY and two other songs from Super 8 in front of a wonderful audience. The Café de la Danse is superb and they gave us a very kind welcome. Merci Paris and thank you to everyone who helped make GRAVITY fly.

Photo: Jean-Marc Iehl

SELECTION PRESS GRAVITY

The new album, GRAVITY, is still wet behind the ears and it’s already been a wild ride.

The reaction from the independent press has been overwhelmingly positive – first for the single “A Son of Sam” and its official music video which was spectacularly playlisted by both Rolling Stone France and Apple Music on “New Rock Music”. 

The single was also chosen as track of the day and “clip coup de cœur” by Rock Made In France, Home Cooking Share, l’Oreille à l’Envers and Indiemusic.

GRAVITY was album of the week for Zicazic and has been reviewed by the likes of BEST magazine, Guitar Part and numerous blogs.
The songs are on innumerable independent radio stations and we are proud that Francis Zeygut chose Chemical Love to showcase on the French national rock radio RTL2.

The album has crossed The Channel and the Atlantic, being covered by Right Chord Music, Tinnitist, Mystic Sons, RGM and now by New Noise Music from California.

For those who are curious here is a list of the over two dozen main reviews with links where possible:

PRESS SELECTION
Guitar Part 
Guitar Part Magazine #345
Rock Made in France
BEST Magazine
Benzine
Zicazine
Songazine
My Head Is A Jukebox
Indie Pop Rock
Home Cooking Share for l’Indé Sur Le Pouce #19
ArtSixMic
ITW: Buzz On Web 
Alain Hiot
Musiczine
Froggy’s Delight
Les Oreilles Curieuses
Nawakulture
À Découvrir Absolument
W-Fenec Magazine N° des 25 ans
The Blog Rock
Sensation Rock
Right Chord Music
ITW Persona Edition
Longueur d’Ondes Magazine #98
Mystic Sons
ITW RGM
Music Crowns
VENTS Magazine
New Noise Magazine
Ear Milk
Pictor Magazine
Blues Mag #108 April/May 2023
Blues & Co #103 March/April/May 2023
Review release concert in Paris Café de la Danse
Interview BEST Magazine 17/03/23

RELEASE CONCERT 17 MARCH 2023 PARIS CAFE DE LA DANSE

THIS IS IT KIDS!! The release concert for GRAVITY is taking place on 17 March in Paris at the Café de la Danse. It’s a prestigious venue where we have played before as an acoustic duo but this time it’s the big time. It’s a DOUBLE release party for both LUX tb and French artist  Haylen who has a new album coming out in February, so 2 for the price of one – over two hours of new music.

And we would like you all to come to fill it to the brim.

So here is the link to the tickets :-)

TICKETS/BILLETS LUX THE BAND

THANK YOU ! MERCI ! GRACIAS ! OBRIGADO! DANKE !

In exactly 4 days, on 5 December, GRAVITY, our new album, will be sent out into the world in almost all possible forms. It took a while to get to this point (long story). The production of this album was financed in part by over 100 people who gave generously in order to hear our songs. The liner notes could not contain them all and beyond those who contributed funds are those who have been constantly supportive and generous with their time and ideas. We want to thank as many as we can here:

The band that makes the music: Sylvain, Angela, Julien, Amaury all wish to thank:

The man behind the sound: Peter Deimel at Studio Black Box

The woman behind the man who makes the sound: Sylvie Pichard (a great friend and musician, always willing to help with extra percussion)

The woman who helps the singer: Sarah Sanders

The man behind the camera lens: Jehsong Baak

The image maker: Mike Derez

The family (you know who you are)

The friends (you also know who you are)

The ones who SHARE our posts and TALK us up and BUY our music and actually SHOW UP to concerts – a special place is reserved for you in heaven.

Those we lost along the way: Bob, Bruno, Jean-Jacques, Philippe – we will play this album LOUD so that you hear it from wherever you are.

And also our dear Kisskissbankers in no particular order:

Michèle Olender, Cécile Bernard, Jehsong Baak, Tristan Bowles, Denise Hall, Olivier et Dominique Cha, Gaëlle Buswel, Louisa Pillot, Géraldine Le Pelletier, Simon Theobald, Jean-Matthieu Matisse, Bruno Ponchon, Frédéric Vernus, Nicolas Deschamps, Matthieu Grosmangin, Delphine Clavé, Sylvie Gotteland, Hervé Stanciu, Antoine Clavé, Eric Turquin, Miloud Degdag, Jean-Marc Hiel, Thomas d’Arbigny, Marc Anciaux, Andrew Clayton-Payne, Caroline and Eric Agletiner Blakely, Alexandra Pacquement du Couëdic, Isabelle Leegenhoek, Stéphane Pinta, Hubert Duchemin, Roy Brindley, Mike Derez, Julie Ducher, Yan Lenouvel, Gilles Gauthier, Muriel Tacchini, Dominique et Monique Busvel, Patrick Dupont, Damien Caubet, Mark Poltimore, Yann Armellino, Pascal Redondo, Clothilde Delemar, Jean-Pierre Courcier, Lolita Parra, Ségolene Carosella, Giselle Dubourg, Patrick Mangion, Wei-Khu Lao, Jacques Maignier, James Roundell, Estelle Servant, Estelle Barelier, Sebastien Barbe, Dominique Voiturier, Mick Ravassat, Philippe Selamme, Céline Hersant-Hoerter, Philippe Denuit, Vincent Le Gallic, Bruno Blasin, Nicolas Auvray, Olivier Bert, Chloé Letiévant, Jean Proust, Audrey Lurie, Marotea Vitrac, Nina Clavé, Julien Lannoy, Allison Maarek, Jérémy and Wendy Bakkalian, Robert Glamb, Laure de Pourtales, Franck Prazan, Agathe Kipienne, Delphine Bonnart et Michaal Benjelloun, Rick Wester, Philippe Joffard, Anne-Marie Oudinot, Jean-Jacques Bravo, Antoine Bechet, John Goldstein, Sébastien Castor, Aude Bourguignon, Catherin Chaussain, Simon Benbarouk, Arno Vincendo, Christelle Durand, Daniel Le Teurnier, Jean-Paul Chergui, Guy Labertit.

We appreciate each and every one of you and send you peace and love and GRAVITY.

A Son of Sam

The first single from GRAVITY is OUT and making waves! The video, filmed in the Paris gallery of Clavé Fine Art by Jehsong Baak and edited by Corentin Doucet, gives you a glimpse of LUX the band with a sonic punch for track 1 of the upcoming album. The song was selected by Rolling Stones France for its playlist as well as added to the Apple Music’s playlist of “New Rock Music” rubbing shoulders with the likes of Rival Sons and Andy Shauf and many of the big guys!

Check out the video here: A Son of Sam official video

And if you like the song, here are the links to acquire our songs or to follow us:

links to LUX the band

GRAVITY is out in 5 days !!!!! YEAH !!

GRAVITY the new album

They say that good things come to those that wait. We (as you) have been waiting a long time to bring you this new album. It was a long gestation but no matter because we are letting the dogs out on Friday 9 December (2022!).

10 tracks, all recorded on tape, mixed and mastered at Studio Black Box, France under the aegis of Peter Deimel with the band of LUX: Sylvain Laforge, Angela Randall, Julien Boisseau and Amaury Blanchard
No explanations needed, we like to think the songs will speak for themselves. Catch you on the 9th!

The Big Stage

OMG! On 31 October, the duo of LUX the band ended up being invited to play at Paris’ Le Trianon to support the legendary Blue Oyster Cult. All we can say is thank to the gig booker, Veryshow, thank you to Le Trianon for the warm welcome and great sound, thank you to BOC for letting us stand up and sing on your stage.

And as it was very last minute, we are very lucky that photographer Matthis van der Meulen was kind enough to capture the moment with a video. Here it is:

LUX the band at Le Trianon, Paris

Be still my beating heart.

NEIL YOUNG CINNAMON GIRL

We brought out a cover of Neil Young’s Cinnamon Girl last July. It’s a version that we recorded live on tape, full band, at Studio Black Box, France under the helm of Peter Deimel who also mixed and mastered this track.

Here is the link to the video of that live session on Youtube

And here it is on Bandcamp

And on Spotify

You see, we have been biding our time while organizing the release of our second album. You would think that the sequence is as follows: write songs, choose songs, record songs, think, mix songs, think, master songs, think, find a record label, failing that find distribution, press person, graphic designer (we had one, yeah!), press cd’s and vinyls, release everything everywhere and tour.

It hasn’t exactly gone like that but perhaps we are moving in that general direction. It is intense and it is exciting and somewhat exhausting.

Some small weeks to go until the release of the first single from our next album and so much to do between now and then.

Stay with us peeps, we are almost somewhere!

I Believe In Christmas and the New Year

This post is dated January 2022 because it is about the happy new year that we all hope to have but it is also about a song we wrote and released for last Christmas called “I Believe In Christmas“.

Christmas and New Year’s are somehow intrinsically connected, the link from the end of something and the start of something new. Christmas is built to a degree upon nostalgia, memory and longing; New Year’s is the blank slate that is waiting to be filled with memories yet to be created.

The song came from the simple wish to write a Christmas song, an element so important to the anglo-saxon notion of Christmastime, and something we had never done. It’s Christmas in the city, a city by a river.

So here it is, links to the song on Soundcloud for listening and to Bandcamp for downloads.

So we hope your holidays were happy and we wish you a very wonderful new year!

Soundcloud “I Believe In Christmas”

Bandcamp “I Believe In Christmas”

LIVE AND ALIVE

A photo from our recent gig in Paris at the Bus Palladium where we were thrilled to be back on stage, under the lights, watching the audience sway. It was loud – cathartic really. Next up a showcase on 2 December at Walrus record shop and café where those who prefer the quieter side of LUX the band will be back in their element. (photo by All You Need Is Live Music – follow them on Instagram!).

The Day’s Begun

In the final moments of our recording session at Studio Black Box, when all of the songs for the album had been recorded, one song remained. A purely acoustic track, a song for two – for and by and about the duo of LUX the band, that had seemingly been put aside for another day. But in a moment of insistance, with bags packed and everyone ready to leave, it seemed that there was just enough time and just enough tape left on one of the reels to lay it down. It would have to be fast, a one-take, just guitar and vocals recorded at the same time. In the same way that The Gare Saint-Lazare had been recorded on that very first LUX EP, the two protagonists went back in and in one take laid down the song. The song and its video came out this summer, an off-album track that speaks of love, over time. Here it is:

The Day’s Begun

LIVE SESSION 1 – NEIL YOUNG’S CINNAMON GIRL

photo @Jehsong Baak

A band’s gotta play. No matter what. And it’s been so long since we stood on a stage together that we decided to find our way back to Studio Black Box to record (and film with 3121!) a live session. Sylvain and Angela with the rest of the band; Julien Boisseau on bass, Amaury Blanchard on drums and Nicolas Deschamps on guitar too. LUX the band is no cover band but there are songs that we love to play and what better choice than something from Neil Young – a major influence on us all. Here’s the link to the video, we hope you enjoy it: LUX the band covers Neil Young “Cinnamon Girl”.

LUX THE BAND

What’s in a name Romeo?

New year, new album (unreleased but waiting in the wings), new name…sort of. “LUX” as a name was short and sweet and easy to remember but impossible to find! Who knew that those 3 letters would turn out to be so popular. We were tired of having to weed through to find ourselves, explaining to everyone how to hunt us down on streaming services – you had to have the album name or a song name or Lux was buried under a multitude of other Luxes. We were misdirected, misfiled and misconnected to another Lux and so we now exist as LUX the band. Long live LUX the band! And stay posted peeps !

IT’S IN THE MIX

The new album is done! Songs recorded and mixed and mastered – we just have a few decisions to make as we start making moves to ensure that the album is released in the best possible circumstances. It will happen in 2021 – exact date to come but they do say that good things come to those who wait. 2020 has been strange but also strangely productive in spite of (or perhaps because) all that time for introspection.

Because it is November and getting grey, here is a link to take you to a video we did at Studio Black Box, just before we started recording. Sunny days in the summertime.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH 

Photo Jehsong Baak

ON THE WAY TO A NEW ALBUM

What lies ahead, what is the next step, how does one keep the momentum, what is one to do with all these songs? You go from playing in your room to that first song to that first demo then you bring out an EP which, of course, takes you on to a first album. Our first album “Super 8” was a first impression of LUX in extended play and now it’s time for another take on LUX.

If making music is like cooking (I am quoting Peter Diemel) then we have the ingredients ready: the songs, the band, the desire and an incredible group of people lifting our crowdfunding which is (fingers crossed) almost there – all to help us return to Black Box recording studio in less than two weeks from now.

There is still time to join us, give, follow, share, like – all just a click away (click HERE)

2020 ON 2020

The start of 2020 was a blast for LUX. We had a great gig in Paris on 31 January at the Bus Palladium with all 5 of us on stage. (LIVE VIDEO HERE). We had just come down from that and were heads down into the songs for the next album when the world turned upside-down. Since then, here in Paris, confinement days have run along with ourselves and our songs for company. As we begin to emerge, peeking out the window, we wonder what the next months will bring. For LUX the next moments will be all about the second album. Dates at Studio Black Box for early July have been fixed for a long time and now we will need to raise the funds to get there. Music is an addiction, a compulsion, a necessity so I guess we will just have to keep on moving forward, songs in hand. We really hope to have you with us for the ride.

Photo: Jehsong Baak

UPDATE

Keep your eye on LUX. There may be times when our presence seems discreet but we are here, constantly working, writing, playing in or out of the public eye.

If you are on social media, join us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Photo: Jehsong Baak

LIVE IN PARIS

Super 8 (Deluxe) is OUT! We celebrated the release in Paris with twinkly lights at La Boule Noire in June to a full room with a great vibe that carried us way after the final note had faded. Our friends Teleferik opened before we stepped on stage with the full band (Sylvain – lead guitar, Angela – vocals, Julien – bass, Nicolas – second guitar, Amaury – drums). We’ll be back for more soon but in the meantime, click to heck out the new TEASER LIVE!!!

SKIN to SKIN

We’ve been breathless; writing for LUX, writing for others and bringing out “Super 8” with two new bonus tracks; “Lay Low” and “Skin to Skin”. We went with “S2S” for the new single. With the combined talents of photographer/film maker Jehsong Baak and film maker and editor Will Le Caron, we went into a Paris art gallery with guitar, bass, amplifier, a friend and a few hours. Will did the magic behind the scenes to give us, what we think, is a pretty cool look for a song that was fun to write and fun to play. Here it is – click.

BACK TO BLACK BOX

New songs, new songs, new songs, LUX has gone back to the studio to record two new tracks. This time around Sylvain plays all of the instruments from percussion to bass to guitar (of course) working closely with Peter Deimel. The two songs will figure on the re-issue of “Super 8” scheduled for re-release this spring. A new page and a new direction.

LUX WITH RADIO OUI FM

LUX has partnered with France’s premier rock radio, OUI FM with an exclusive of the unreleased song – “The Roads I Take”. Check out the video and if you have the time to sign into OUI FM you can answer a ridiculously easy question to win a copy of the album “Super 8”. This way you will have the liner notes with photos and digital download code and the words to the songs! Check it out with just one click!
Photo courtesy Jehsong Baak

VINYL RELEASE PARTY

LUX at Peniche Antipode, Paris by Jean-Marc Iehl

We wanted the release party to be personal with those who have followed us from the beginning and those who discovered us with “Super 8”. For a write-up here is the link to “My Head is a Jukebox” who knows us well.

ON STAGE

(Photo – LUX at the Salle Ravel in Levallois-Perret 19 mai 2018)

LUX is a duo – Sylvain Laforge and Angela Randall – but when we can we bring the rest of the team on with us we do. Bass player Julien Boisseau has been with LUX from the beginning and played on both the first EP (2014) and on our debut album “Super 8”. In addition we have young upstart Nicolas Deschamps on second guitar and Aurélie Simonel (yeah, girl power!) on drums. We play, we evolve, on both sides of the Atlantic. “What’s next LUX ” you ask? Well Paris on 29 June for a special release party on the Péniche Antipode with songs from the album and new stuff too. Click here for tickets. See ya there!

DREAMING THE NEW YEAR

Photo Jehsong Baak

Before we take another step into 2018, LUX wants to send out best wishes to all of you – those who know us and who we are yet to meet and of course to those who support us and above all to those who listen to our music. We are looking forward to taking “Super 8” out into the world and we hope you are too!

LUX SPEAKS

On the radio and in the press, LUX has had a chance to talk about the album, how they met, how they write songs and what they listen to. Here are a few links to the ones in print:

Guitar Part
Music Waves
Zicazine interview
Photo courtesy Jehsong Baak

LA SORBONNE

La Sorbonne is a unique place for a rock concert – acoustic is the rule – so LUX was in full band modest “unplugged”  with Nicolas Deschamps as second guitarist and Aurélie Simenel on drums/percussion. A beautiful evening in a legendary place.
Photo courtesy Alice Briesz

FRESH OFF THE PRESS

photo LUX by Jehsong Baak

“Super 8” is out! and wending its way towards journalists and a new audience. Here is some of what they have to say so far:

Guitar Part
“…what hits one right at the start is the sound of this album, ample and generous, which has the feel of warm wood, beautiful guitars, old amps and analogue tapes. At times walking the same path as the one laid out by the Velvet Underground (period Nico), at times tapping into the (classic) elegant rock so dear to Fleetwood Mac, LUX delights in defending music that is not to be “consumed” so much as it is to be appreciated like a vinyl…”

Rock U
“Rock isn’t just about the rage, the sweat, the cries, the melodies and the lyrics, it is above all an emotion. It is something that envelops and thrills you. In constant movement towards a certain perfection of sound, this is something that the singer Angela Randall from New York and the French guitarist Sylvain Laforge have both clearly understood…(“Super 8”) is a voyage to which we are invited, a voyage that seeks to lead us astray, to have us be lost ( the sublime voice of Angela Randall must be somewhat responsible for this)…an album that is accomplished, meticulous and freed from the simplistic pressure conveyed by certain aesthetes of the “rock attitude”.”

Guitare Xtrème
“Throughout this “Super 8”, resolutely vintage, the group revisits in their own way the American aesthetic, with clear signs of allegiance to the family of Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers et R.E.M. (“Super 8” is) a real pleasure, especially in the 6-string department where Mr Laforge distils his talents for minimalist arrangements (à la Peter Buck) with great ability and gives solos as stylish as they are perfect. This is haute couture !

Polyprisma
“In 2014, LUX released their debut EP “Lux”, which is now followed by the first “real“ album with “Super 8”. This album is a gem. Super 8 is an album that does not dazzle through bombast, pomp, or bling, but convinces by real and unrivaled greatness… Super 8 is a dreamy, almost tender declaration of love to rock music.

ZICAZINE

My Head is a Jukebox

Rock Made in France

Metal News

TK-21

LUX PRESENTS “SUPER 8”

We could write a book. In fact, we will be writing a “Lyrics book” to talk about this album; the songs, the experience, the small “details” but for now we hope that you will take a listen. The album is dedicated to those who listen. Could that be you?
LUX presents “Super 8” the first album

SUPER 8 FROM SUPER 8

First album, first single, first video. “Super 8” from the forthcoming album of the same name seemed to beg for early exposure because the idea of the video was there the whole time that the song was being written. But having images in one’s head isn’t enough without an ally who “gets it” and who can make those images come to life. Enter Jehsong Baak – longtime collaborator with LUX, ally, friend, 5th Beatle. The video is on YouTube (CLICK HERE), on the website, the single available on iTunes. A new chapter for LUX begins…NOW.

LUX IN NYC

Hey hey hey, LUX has crossed the Atlantic to bring their Velvet Rock home to New York City. It will be acoustic and it will be groovy. Check out our Facebook for times and places. www.facebook.com/luxtheband

Photo courtesy: Eric Massaud

Poster: Mike Derez

TAKE NOTE

How can it be that we haven’t written in so long ? We have been busy though; so here is a little post with big news. LUX will now be bringing out the debut album on the independent label Note A Bene. We are very excited about this collaboration on the promotion of the album and its distribution. Although we had initially hoped for a release this Spring, we have decided to go for September – a sort of “back-to-school” present for us all. And because we are all very impatient, know that the single from the album will be released well before and we are currently working on the video which will be filmed on both sides of the Atlantic. We will be speaking about filming later ! In the meantime, stay tuned as there are gigs to come and much more.

And so a new chapter begins.

Film still courtesy Robin Cracknell

MASTERING

Words to music or music to words; the songs arrive first and pave the walkway all the way to the studio door. But an album…An ALBUM is not just a gathering of tracks but an adventure where something that starts in secret decides to make its coming out with the help of allies and passersby. So here it stands folks. We decided to make an album. We asked for help from those who knew us well as well as from those who had met us once or twice and together a project went from an idea to something more tangible. This past summer we went to Studio Black Box and recorded and mixed the songs and now the album has been mastered. We stand at the threshold of a very exciting newness and although we would love to have you take a peak we ask you for patience please while we nurture them along a bit more. There are elements to be tamed: album titles and covers and liner notes and credits and satellites to bring this project to fruition. They wait in the wings just a wee bit longer but I remember hearing someone say that “good things come to those who wait”.

(Photo courtesy Jehsong Baak 2016)

IN A WORD

THANK YOU !

Words are insufficient to describe how very grateful LUX is to all the people who contributed to our crowdfunding. Nearly 100 people participated on and off the kisskissbankbank website to help bear the costs of recording our first album. And here they all are, the believers and the dreamers, in no particular order as each one played a role in getting this project off the ground:

Christiane Boisseau, Samir Azrini, Mathilde Marie Dupuis, Eliz Murad, Bruno Ponchon, Thierry de Lachaise, Catherine Chaussin, Jano Nolleau, Maurice Pranchere, James Roundell, Matthieu Grosmangin, Julien Lannoy, Jean-Marc Iehl, Frédérique Renna, Eric Turquin, Rémi Toulemonde, William Serir, P-F Garcier, Antoine Bourrel, Christophe Deleury, Philippe Forestier, Kevin Moore, Jacques Mehard-Baudot, Valentine Dubard, Didier Thevenet, Michelle Paul, Patrick Dupon, Isabelle Leegenhoek, David Pires, Sylvie Gotteland, Jacques Magnier, Jean-Pierre Neveu, Philippe Selamme, Philippe and Saraï Thureau-Dangin, Marc Anciaux, Antoine Clavé, Emmanuel and Delphine Clavé, Hervé Stanciu, Philippe and Annick Boissinot, Jean-Pierre Courcier, Christophe Belanger, Frédéric Serennes and Séverine Mathelin, Pascal Guégan, Rémi Délekta, Estelle and Stéphane Servant, Giselle Dubourg, Jean-Pierre Gevraise, Xavier Alberghini, Michaal Benjelloun, Gaëlle Buswel, Tristan Bowles, Eric Massaud, Jean-Claude Resche, Guy Sawers, Jacinthe Monchanin and Bernard Huot, Tim Hunter, Florian and Anne-Charlotte Beauvais, Laure de Pourtales, Emmanuel Delhumeau, Thomas Planque, James Faber, Cécile Ritzenthaler, Aileene Randall, Alan Sugar, Cécile Bernard, Celine Coudray, Jehsong Baak, Bob Glamb, Anne Ducellier, Wendy Paton, Simon Theobald, Nicolas Dussart, Mark Poltimore, Fred Alpi, Oliver and Dominique Cha, Jean-Matthieu Matisse, Andrew Clayton-Payne, Matthieu Roulland, Michèle and Ed Olender, Roy Brindley, Olivier Bert, Martine Laforge, Marc Mitou, Jonathan Green, Bruno Bazz, Anne-Marie Oudinot and Jalil Machichi, Stéphane Bessonnet.

And now, we are off to Black Box to make an album.

THE BRIT TRIP

CORNBURY MUSIC FESTIVAL OF OXFORDSHIRE, YOU GUYS ROCK !!!!

An invitation to play at Cornbury’s Riverside Stage took LUX across the Channel July 9th. We had never met before but festival organizer Hugh Phillimore gave us a slot after a listen to our EP this spring. (Now, how that cd found its way to his car on the other side of the Channel is a whole other story…). With our bass player Julien tied up with Jesus Volt at another festival, Thomas d’Arbigny stood in for the gig. A friend who was to be our English “roadie” couldn’t make it either but we managed to get from Paris to Great Tew Park to discover the most beautiful and incredibly well run festival where every single person we encountered was kind and professional. Special thanks to Andy Pickard and his team at Riverside who were fantastic. Not to forget the sound engineers who were happy to have the amps cranked up.  Ask Sylvain about that. It was a kick to play in English to the English. I think the photo says it all. Thanks again guys ! Hope to see you again !

BACK TO STUDIO BLACK BOX

It feels as if this moment has been a long time coming and it is with great excitement that we announce that LUX is going back to Black Box this summer to record our debut album!!! This time round we are bringing Peter Deimel on board as artistic director. The songs have been chosen, rehearsals are underway and for those who want to check out LUX, there are gigs to be played between now and then – maybe we will slip a few of the new songs into the set list…! We couldn’t find a better time to record this album than right now. We hope that those new to our music will want to become a part this project and those who are with us already will stay along for the next part of this fabulous ride. With the help of the inimitable artist Jehsong Baak and the deft cut of Corentin Doucet, we did a little video of LUX and put our project on line for those who wish to participate. Just click here: https://www.kisskissbankbank.com/en/projects/lux-1er-album–2

STAR GUITARS

Every so often, it is nice to remember the reasons why one wants to play music and it always comes back to one word – pleasure. Recently Sylvain was asked to do a little one-man show at Drouot to showcase the top lots of a guitar sale organized by Castor-Hara – it was an offer he could not refuse! Luckily Jean-Philippe Boisumeau from du “Son dans mon Salon” was there to capture it all on film.

click below for the video

SYLVAIN PLAYS THE STAR GUITARS

RETURN TO THE NEW MORNING

What a night! The New Morning was full and enthusiastic and old friends and new friends met up with us for a 10 song set. Great photographers in the room had us covered and we had a cool write-up that you can read here in “My Head is a Jukebox”. A journalist we know happened to come by straight from a previous job with camera in hand and ended up filming for us – what a stroke of luck (thank you J-M Lebeaupin!). Here is the first video up of  “Rough Translation”. We thought it would be fun to see our guitar tech Pierrot come to Sylvain’s rescue – notice that the singer doesn’t catch a thing!

THE NEW YEAR AND THE NEW MORNING

What better way for LUX to ring in the new year than with a concert at the mythical New Morning in Paris. On Thursday 28 January LUX will be opening for the Shaggy Dogs who are celebrating the release of their latest album. Speaking of new albums brings us to the other BIG news for 2016 – LUX will be returning to Black Box Studio in France to record the first full album. This time we will be bringing Peter Deimel on board as artistic director!!! Stay with us, it’s the beginning of a new adventure…

Interview LUX: du SON dans mon SALON

Jean-Philippe Boisumeau, in creating his youtube channel “du SON dans mon SALON” (literally “Some sound in my living room”) is giving artists a highly mediagenic opportunity to showcase their thoughts and a song. LUX says THANK YOU for giving us an opportunity to present ourselves and track 1 from our EP, a song called “In the end”. (Click here to view the video)

VELVET ROCK

One of the first questions people ask is: “what kind of music do you play?”.  We have often wondered ourselves how best to describe our songs as the usual categories don’t quite seem to fit – rather like Goldilocks testing beds at the house of the three bears, some felt “too hard” and others “too soft” and none seemed to cover all the bases until “Velvet Rock” came to us, rather recently and quite spontaneously and feeling “just right”. So at the risk of being perceived as presumptuous for inventing our own genre we give you “Velvet Rock”. The two cannot be separate. “Velvet” is New York and a girl singer and  words and poetry and intense and a bit of a dandy and Paris too and envelopes the “Rock” that is also New York and the guitarist and America and England too and rather intense and sometimes dark but joyous as well.

So, to answer your question, LUX plays “Velvet Rock”. And here is a video about it.

BACK TO SCHOOL

On Thursday 3 September, LUX will be consoling those who dread going back to school with an acoustic gig at a new venue, “Le Truc” in Montreuil. (Incidentally, Montreuil lies on the outskirts of Paris and is home to the “la Voie est Libre” festival where we played last September).  As much as LUX has now gone ELECTRIC – and very happily so – certain venues are tailored to a more acoustic vibe which as ever remains the heartbeat of our songs. Hope to see you all at “Le Truc” – before the tans fade!

ISLAND

Inspiration can come in from anywhere and everywhere if one is ready for it. Sometimes our songs evolve first from music which inspires a text or from a text which stands alone until the music is put to it. “Island” was inspired by and written on and about and for the place and people of Île d’Yeu which is a small isle off the coast of France. The text was written while listening to the music that was too magnetic to be ignored – just like the subject itself – during a stay on the island which does indeed lie “above the liquid tide/between dawn and night/under her watercolor skies”. Summer is often about water and sky and light and here is LUX’s  little ode to summer. The home video of  “Island” can be found on our Facebook page. Check it out!

SUMMER LUX

Every outing brings new sensations, new images, new faces and sometimes new friends. Le Martin Pêcheur, “Scots Pub”, is a cover for what is, in fact, a small haven for music, tucked away next to the Canal de Loing in Nargis. The owner Pete is the most magnanimous of hosts along with his wife Sylvie. The welcome party was rounded out by Freddy Miller (singer of the blues band Shake Your Hips). The concert itself was as it should be: hot and sweaty, good sound, good vibes, a truly attentive audience and at the end, a friend – Pat Llaberia (NNK Band and Satisfaction) who came around for a couple of songs. Special mention goes to Hervé Stanciu for the great photos – thank you!

Other summer news is the super write-up of our first EP by Bruno Marie in his catalogue of album reviews. You will find us there in very good company.

Concerts, radio, reviews, encounters, moments captured in words and images and above all people; all these elements are the stepping stones that help LUX to work our way back to Black Box for our first album.  We hope you’ll come along for the ride.

RADIO SHARKS

Acoustic LUX (Angela and Sylvain) played their first live on Radio Libertaire’s show “Ça booste sous les pavés”. With fellow guest Laurent Agneessens, director of Sea Life, alongside the host named Squale, it would seem logical that while LUX was there to talk about (and play) music (4 songs live and 4 from the EP were broadcast) the rest of the chatter was about sharks. As this is an anarchist radio, in the end we decided to free the sharks and free the music. Intrigued? Check it out on the podcast – before you head to the beach, of course.

ALL THE WAY TO (LE) CHINA

On June 10th, LUX will be playing in Paris at “Le China”. This is a small, cozy club which is near and dear to our musical hearts because it was here that Sylvain and Angela were invited to play at the very end of 2009. A home-made demo got them booked for that first gig. That chapter of this whole adventure began here; with one guitar, two voices and a whole bunch of songs. The return to Le China will be as LUX. Sylvain and Angela and Franck and Julien are going all the way to (Le) China…and back!

SPRING AHEAD

Photo courtesy Jehsong Baak

“While waiting” is about what goes on while waiting for stuff to happen – the encounter, the song, the opportunity which will give the project a boost. The signs are there – gigs which allow us to offer the songs up, radio play, other artists giving us a boost. LUX is in movement: a cool gig at OPA in Paris, a showcase with LUX acoustic duo at the Gare Saint Lazare (yup – the same one as in our song of the same name) and an interview with the dynamic team of Raphaël Thouroude on Radio U – Radio Campus Brest. “While waiting” is a song we wrote some years back. As we are now a full band, that song, alongside others who were lying in wait are finally being performed on stage. You can either say it was worth the wait or that we weren’t really waiting at all.

AND THEY’RE OFF!

LUX will be playing at OPA next Saturday night (14/03/15) for the first concert of the year at winter’s end. The hour-long will include 4 tracks from the EP and a selection of our other songs. Some bands start with just a few songs; in the case of LUX we prepared a wealth of songs before putting a band together. All these “new” songs are all jostling to come out to be played. We can’t wait to take them out for a spin, in your company of course!

WORDS AND PICTURES

LUX was lucky in having several photographers at the last concert in Paris at La Boule Noire. This blog is to thank them all again for giving live music a sort of extended play once the gig is over. They are: Jehsong Baak who has followed us from the beginning, Yann Charles who met LUX for the first time at the gig and said so, Eric Massaud from the radio who took some pretty hot shots too and artsixMic who filmed AND took photos and did an interview and, of course, Agathe Kipienne who is the most rock ‘n roll person we know. It is her photo on this post.

Here are the links:

http://www.zicazic.com/zicazine/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=12208&Itemid=63artsixMic: http://artsixmic.fr/portrait-dartiste-lux/

See y’all soon!

THE AFTER

The gig was great: flashing lights, temperatures rising, a lot of sound, enthusiastic audience. It was an exceptional night. LUX brought along some guests of our own starting with Jake El Tao, the guitarist from JESUS VOLT who joined us on Radio Static and Super 8, to another super guitarist, Michaal Benjelloun (for Winter in NY) who stayed to greet the lovely Gaëlle Buswel for her song The Joker, and on to singing with LUX on No new love yet please. At Paris’ La Boule Noire, as supporting act for PLUG & PLAY, LUX had a set of 10 songs – including 4 from the EP and others as yet unknown to the public. Those additional guitars set the solos free.

Great thanks go to ★The Road to Jacksonville who published LUX in their concert review of the Festival La Chapelle and again for this concert. Kind words indeed from those who really know their rock ‘n roll with a special mention to the photographers who captured the moments – Jehsong Baak, Yann Charles, Agathe Kipienne and Eric Massaud of Radio Fugue – although, truly, you had to be there to really feel the LUX!

Dates for gigs in 2015 soon to be announced so stay posted for more news here and/or on Facebook – or send an email to lux-theband@hotmail.fr to receive our newsletter.

★http://www.rtjwebzine.fr/rtjfrench/concert/2014%20%20PLUG%20&%20PLAYconcert/PLUG&PLAY.html

COUNTDOWN TO LA BOULE NOIRE

On Friday November 21st, LUX will be playing at the renown “La Boule Noire” in Paris, guest at the concert for the release of the new album “Times” by the rock band, Plug & Play. This is a great date for LUX to present more songs than the 5 on the EP. It will be the second outing with our electric comrades; bass player Julien Boisseau and drummer Franck Ballier, after debuting at the Festival La Chapelle last June.

Tickets for the concert can be found at both online (www.fnac.com, France Billet) and off.
Hope to see you there!

UP NEXT

Sunday, Paris. Indian Summer is upon us, and there are gigs and projects for LUX in the works. Up next is an acoustic concert at Le Cavern which is a long-standing venue for many Paris bands. It is dark, it is underground (literally) and it is right next door.
This lovely poster reminds me to thank not only Valentina Peruzzo, who put all the elements together with style but to again thank Jehsong Baak who is the man behind the lens of most of our photos. Jehsong also, notably, directed the video for our first single – “No new love yet please” –  and we hope to repeat that adventure for a second song very soon. In the meantime, check out his new website at www.jehsongbaak.com. This is an artist to follow.

At autumn’s door

LUX will be playing at the Festival “La Voie est libre” on Sunday September 21st. This is the Paris region’s largest “eco-festival” where the energy will be renewable and clean. The party takes place on the highway that runs through Montreuil (closed to traffic for the event) and LUX is honored to have been invited to play. Who wouldn’t rather leave a musical footprint than a carbon one.

LUX ON STAGE

A tremendous moment for LUX at La Chapelle 70’s Rock Festival. First festival and first electric outing. The audience was great and very enthusiastic; the guitar fans were able to keep their eyes riveted on the solos and the ultra rock n rollers were tapping along in time!

A big thank you to our hosts, “Plug & Play” for the invite and the warm welcome. Special notice to the sound engineers (you guys are key!) and to Spike from the Quireboys. It was a real kick to be on the same billing for our first outing.

Our next festival is “La Voie est Libre” on September 21st in Montreuil.

Keep posted as there will be more concert dates soon to be announced!

ELECTRIC LUX

Rehearsals have begun with LUX in full – in preparation for our electric coming out at the Festival La Chapelle in Troyes, France. This will be the first concert as LUX goes electric with Franck Ballier on drums and Julien Boisseau on bass, the same rhythm section who was with us to record the EP at Studio Black Box.

DIGITAL LUX

The video for No new love yet please, our single from the 5 track EP is OUT!
Have a look at that moment when falling in love becomes inevitable with Paris as a backdrop, shot with the inimitable eye of Jehsong Baak (www.jehsongbaak.com).
We are already reflecting upon the next video for a second song from the EP.
Above all, the date for the digital release of all five songs from the EP will soon be announced.

NEW MUSIC AND VIDEO

LUX is on the verge of sending out 5 songs – scouts – and posting our first music video.

As we finalise things, LUX would like to thank the people who have been satellites to our project.

In no particular order: Jehsong Baak, Julien Boisseau and Franck Ballier (new “LUX goes electric” members), Nicolas Boisseau, Alain Le Govic, Sara Sanders, Fred Alpi, Loïc Suty, Mike Noonan, Jano and Birgit, our friends Jesus Volt, Plug ‘n Play, Satisfaction, Gaëlle Buswel, Laurent Lamour, Gabriel Moltedo and his assistants,

Peter and David and Sylvie from Black Box, the China and everyone who showed up as extras on the set, the clubs who have given us gigs and the people who have stopped what they are doing to actually listen to our songs.

There is a lot more to come and we want you to come along for the ride.

In this posting are a few stills from the video for “No new love yet please”

LUX & BLACK BOX STUDIO

LUX is a new name for a project that began in 2009 when Sylvain Laforge found his way into my orbit in Paris.

The songs came forth like water and still do and we began gigging in Paris a few months after our meeting. Perhaps we were so entranced by the writing and composing that we took longer than some before packing up a few tunes and making our way to the studio.

The deal offered by Black Box for an unsigned band such as us was 5 days for 5 songs. This translates into 2 days for the live takes for the bass/drums/guitar and 2 days reserved for the mix leaving just 1 day for vocals on all of the tracks (yikes).

Of the many significant elements that came together for this EP, special mention must be made of Peter Deimel, the sound engineer. Peter is not only kind and charming but we knew immediately that we could trust him in terms of making choices that would give the songs a sound that we could relate to.  Working in a studio of that calibre with someone as musical as Peter was like taking the best holiday of our lives.

Here are a few photos of beautiful Black Box. We were already nostalgic about the place the very day we left.

LUX In Movement

We have been told that before you put out the EP, you put out the music video.

Since the inception of LUX, our friend and fabulous photographer Jehsong Baak has kindly given his time and talent towards many photo shoots on stage and off. It was a logical choice to ask him if he wouldn’t mind transferring his “still” vision to a moving one. As good luck would have it, technical support appeared in the form of Nicolas Boisseau – brother of Julien, our bassist on the EP – who is also a cameraman who came with the camera and the editing technique.

The song is “No new love yet please” which speaks of ambivalence; the fear of new love faced with the inevitability of a fortuitous encounter.  The video walks  through Paris, through the song and through the protagonist’s minds.