RANCOEUR - Cold Oï! For Grey Skies... (France - Punk - Oï! - Interview with Julien).

Hi ! Can you introduce yourself and tell us how it all began for you—how you discovered this musical world, what drew you in, what fascinated you, and what made you want to make music? 
Hi, I’m Julien, and I’ll be answering the questions for Rancoeur. As for me, I got into the scene in 2001–2002. I was 16 or 17, and I discovered the first wave of French alternative rock—the punk powerhouse Bérurier Noir, Les Shériff, and so on. I looked to see if there were any concerts not too far from my place and started following the local anarchopunk band Kommando Pernod, with whom I played my first gig in 2007. One day the guitarist came over to my place; he saw a bass that someone had given me and that I’d never touched, and he said, “We’re looking for a bassist.” He wrote out the bass lines on a piece of paper, and I practiced the songs at home using the CD.

Tell me about the band... How did you meet? What’s the current lineup? What are your past experiences? And most importantly—WHY did you feel the need to form THIS band? 
We started making music in another band back in 2009; there were six of us, and the three members of Rancoeur were part of that group. We all met at that time through music. When the band broke up at the end of 2019, we decided to try out a new project as a trio. Describe your sound and explain why I should listen to YOUR band at all costs? We try to mix Oi! Punk with Coldwave and Post-punk elements.


 
Lyrical and musical inspirations/influences? How important are lyrics to you? Are there specific messages or thoughts you try to convey and share through your lyrics?
Our influences range from The Oppressed and Blitz to Bragolin and She Past Away... Our lyrics are dark; they speak of feelings and experiences... perfect for listening to on rainy days.

Speaking of the band’s discography… Imagine someone who doesn’t know your band at all but wants to check them out. Which album would you recommend they start with, and why? 
We’ve released two albums, and I think someone who doesn’t know the band should listen to our second album first. It’s a more polished and deeper-sounding record that better reflects what we’re currently doing live. So there won’t be any disappointment if they see us perform live. Our first album is rawer and more punk as well.
 
About your latest album? 
Our new album was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Disvlar Studio in Besançon. The artwork was created by Iseult Brault, and the covers were hand-screen-printed by me through my company, Tendresse Sérigraphie. The album was produced and distributed by Kanal Hystérik, Contra Records, and TAE Records for Europe, and Longshot Music for the Americas.

 
 
What are your plans? 
To go on a great promotional tour for our new album. What would be your wildest dream with the band? Making a third album that lives up to the second would already be a great challenge. Beyond that, we prefer to just go with the flow, take things as they come, and not get too carried away with dreams.
 
Your BEST & WORST concert—as a band—and why? 
The best concert was at a closed psychotherapy center; it was very emotionally powerful. As for the worst concert, I’m not really sure. We always try to do our best; sometimes there are technical issues, but it’s hard to give a truly bad concert...
 
Upcoming live shows? 
A short tour in the Southwest and Spain; we’ll be in Prechac, Pau, and Madrid in mid-May. 

A few words about your local scene—which bands are you friends with and would like to mention?
The local scene is very small compared to cities like Lille, Brest, or Paris; we’d like to see it grow more, but the lack of venues and resources is really starting to take its toll. A shout-out to our friends—we won’t name names, they know who they are; we’ll see you soon!
 
The last word is yours... 
Thanks for your questions, and thanks for keeping this scene alive—the one we’re all part of.