Noir Désir

Noir Désir was a famous rock band from Bordeaux, France.

They became one of the most important groups in French music. The band started in 1980 when two teenagers met at school. Bertrand Cantat and Serge Teyssot-Gay shared a love for music. They listened to bands like Led Zeppelin and The Who. Cantat became the singer even though he could not play instruments yet. Teyssot-Gay was a skilled classical guitar player. They soon found a drummer named Denis Barthe. This group of friends would go on to change French rock forever.

Making music was a journey of many steps for them. First, they made a demo to show record companies. A man named Théo Hakola heard it and helped them get a deal. At first, the label only expected to sell 1,500 copies. The band also had to change their name. They dropped two letters from their original name, Noirs Désirs. In 1987, they released their first mini-album. It sold 5,000 copies, which was much more than anyone expected. This success helped them sign for more albums.

The band's history is full of big moments and awards. In 1989, their album Veuillez rendre l'âme won the Bus d'Acier. This was an award for the best French rock group. That album sold over 150,000 copies and became very famous. They also had a hit song called "Aux sombres héros de l'amer." This song used the idea of sailors at sea as a metaphor. Later, their song "Le vent nous portera" became a massive hit in 2001. It reached number one in Italy and number three in France.

As the years passed, the band faced many hard challenges. In 1991, Cantat collapsed on stage during a concert in Besançon. This led to a break from touring. In 1996, they released the album 666.667 Club. This record was very successful and became double platinum. However, things became very difficult in 2003. Cantat was sent to prison for the death of actress Marie Trintignant. He was released on parole in 2007 after serving part of his sentence. The band tried to keep going, but it was not easy.

Even though the band faced sadness, their music lives on. The members eventually had many arguments about their differences. In 2010, the band officially disbanded for good. They could not work together because of internal conflicts.

Even after they stopped, they released collections of music. In 2020, they released a huge 18-disc collection called Integrale. This included a song called "Imbecile." Many musicians, like Cali and Miossec, were influenced by their sound. People still listen to their songs to remember their powerful music.