fugu - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Fugu a.k.a Mehdi Zannad is a one-man-band from France. the idea of Fugu germinated while he was studying architecture in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in 1993, as his first demo lead him to record a 7" on Liverpool label "Sugarfrost". A couple of years later, with encouragements from both High Llamas' Sean O'Hagan and Stereolab, Mehdi recorded his first E.P and a handful of 7" singles (among them, a split single with Stereolab, another one with St Etienne and a favourite, "F31-she's coming over" on Elefant records). Fugu's first album, "Fugu 1" was conceived as an idiosyncratic baroque sequel to "Sgt Pepper" meeting "Smile" and meant to be made in perfect 60's facsimile. It gained critical success, got released in US by Minty Fresh and in France on Yann-"Amelie's" fame-Tiersen label "Ici d'Ailleurs". "For Us Records", the in-house label of the Rough Trade Shop released it on vinyl in the UK and it became album of the week on Xfm. Fugu then opened for Stereolab on a coast-to-coast US tour which started at SF's Fillmore East and ended at the Irving Plaza in NY. Mehdi collaborated on "happy-go-unlucky", the last Lp from ultra-talented songwriter John Cunningham, who was part of the Fugu line-up for the US tour.Straightforwardness was the idea for "as found" which has just been released in France and Japan. These are pop songs in the true sense and most classical "canon", tackling US 70's early powerpop, post-60's Beach Boys and McCartney in his first solo album impersonation. the Lp was recorded in Rouen with Tahiti 80 co-producing, playing, overdubbing, drinking beers, eating de-frozen food and also with Simon Johns from Stereolab on bass, and an appendix lost on the way. "Here Today" is the right introduction and it's for you folks. So be glad and sing "i'm in love, i'm in love, i'm in love", because it's here to stay.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 3/2/2006
Band Website: fugumusic.com
Band Members: Mehdi Zannad : vocals, keyboards, guitars -Olivier Marguerit : guitars, backing vocals-Jean-Yves Lozach : bass, backing vocals -Jean ThÃ©venin : drums, percs, backing vocals -Pierre Leroux : guitars, backing vocals -Victor Le Masne : drums, backing vocals
Record Label: Third Side (Fr), JVC (Japan), 2 Feet (UK, Spainâ€¦)
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

gigs and US release

we'll play la Maroquinerie on march 1st with Jim Noir, Luke Temple, David Mead and Alban Dereyer. The line up will be the great Flairs and Housses de Racket who will run to La Fleche d'or afterwards t...
Posted by fugu on Tue, 19 Feb 2008 05:04:00 PST

2008 !

Happy New Year !!!I've been busy writing and recording strings arrangements for Barbara Carlotti's new album.We're gonna do a few shows with Benjamin Esdraffo and Laurent Talon playing songs from the ...
Posted by fugu on Mon, 31 Dec 2007 08:52:00 PST

buried treasures

the soundtrack of La France is a compilation of studio versions of l'Allemagne and l'Italie featuring Sylvie Testud and also songs from John Pantry and Robbie Curtice & Tom Payne's "Gospel Lane"On mys...
Posted by fugu on Fri, 30 Nov 2007 02:34:00 PST

Merde in France - Les Inrockuptibles 27 nov - 4 déc

"(...) répétons le encore une fois : La France est le film le plus séduisant, audacieux, brillant, galvanisant du moment."
Posted by fugu on Thu, 29 Nov 2007 05:14:00 PST

act naturally

La France is out today (in France), the soundtrack is available too in all the good shops.
Posted by fugu on Wed, 21 Nov 2007 10:42:00 PST

La France trailer

have a look there :http://www.lafrance-lefilm.com
Posted by fugu on Fri, 26 Oct 2007 01:56:00 PST

Fiat ad

Blackwall is featured in the new Fiat ad for the "Grande Punto".The soundtrack for "La France" is now mastered and will hit the stores mid november.It will feature a compilation of tracks from live ve...
Posted by fugu on Thu, 04 Oct 2007 03:09:00 PST

Indonesia

Triplepop records is releasing "As Found" in Indonesia. A tour will follow early september, in Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Jakarta and Bandung for the L.A. Lights Indiefest event.
Posted by fugu on Sun, 19 Aug 2007 01:47:00 PST

Variety

Variety quotes Serge Bozon's movie "La France" as "Bresson meets the Beatles". Full article here :http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=cannes2007&jump=rev iew&reviewid=VE1117933876&cs=1Chicago Tribu...
Posted by fugu on Wed, 13 Jun 2007 01:05:00 PST

Sunday Times

Here Today is listed in yesterday's Sunday Times in the "hottest download section" with this review :"Fugu: Here Today Fab French retro-pop. Feelgood hit of the summer, anyone?"listening to : the Holl...
Posted by fugu on Mon, 11 Jun 2007 02:26:00 PST