Much as I told myself I wouldn’t bring it up, it’s inevitable, unavoidable...obligatory, even. So I might as well get it over with at the start; Plastiscines are, without exception, drop dead gorgeous, enchanting in their beauty and Siren-esque in their allure. However, these Sirens eschew angelic, lyrical ballads in favour of rip-roaring punk-pop ditties about bitches that will have you maniacally moshing just as ancient sailors were lured to their self-destruction. In truth, Plastiscines are far more than just a group of pretty girls who decided being a rock star might be fun. Rather, they are a real rock and roll band, schooled in the classics, and mindful of history. Their notion of classics, however, encompasses the Rolling Stones and Shangri-Las rather than Homeric poetry.
The night before I meet them, Plastiscines have played a raucous set at the Barfly to a rammed little room at the Barfly, with as much force and vigour as any band I can think of. Despite the diminutive stature of the group, they fill the stage with considerable ease and character, sending the initially cautious crowd into a veritable frenzy by the end of the set. The night culminates in a stage invasion for a rendition of set favourite ‘Bitch’, prompting a surge forward from the audience as they clamour to get close to the band. “That was the first time we’ve done that, actually. We just thought it would be fun,” lead singer Katty would tell me later, Gallic-ly nonchalant.
Growing up in Paris, Katty, guitarist Marine, bassist Louise and drummer Anaïs were not impressed with the music they heard on the radio, and found themselves drawn to acts unlike the majority of stuff in the French charts. Kindred spirits found one another and soon there was a large group of young Parisians who would be at the same gigs, listening to and enjoying the same bands. “We all knew each other from going to the same gigs like The Strokes and The White Stripes and so we created this little scene,” says Katty. As is the case all over the world, these bright-eyed young people were blown away by these acts, and set about, in classic rock and roll fashion, trying to emulate their heroes by forming their own bands.
Marine explains: “To us, the main thing of the band was to react against the fake music of the 90s and go back to the roots of rock and roll music; just have drums, a bass, guitar and lead singer”. So, along with countless other teenage hopefuls, they created a band, taking their name from a line of the Beatles’ seminal track, ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’. Along with their friends, they started performing whenever they got a chance, and the 'little scene’ became not so little.
It wasn’t long before the French press got wind of the scene, and christened them bébés rockers drawing attention to the fact that many of these acts were the children of well-to-do parents, who would often be present as the young teens acted out their rock star fantasies. When I mention this to Katty and Marine, they are obviously still riled, even though the name seems to have disappeared in the same way as many of its protagonists. “We don’t like the name bébés rockers because it is very pejorative. It doesn’t show a good image of what we did which was very spontaneous and natural.” As Marine quite reasonably points out, “You wouldn’t describe Mick Jagger as a pépé rocker, because it’s not very nice.”
Plastiscines needn’t worry, however. They have shown themselves to more staying power than many of their peers and have combated the Pelchat Amendment which requires that at least 40% of songs played on French radio are sung in French. Starting out, however, was difficult. Finding themselves competing with established acts such as Arctic Monkeys or other Anglophonic acts meant that often they were overlooked for airplay. However, although many of their initial songs were in French, the desire to sing in English was always there. “All the bands we like are English or American so for us it’s very natural to sing in English. We didn’t listen to any French bands...So we said, 'Fuck off France! We’ll go somewhere else!’”
Indeed, it was in America that one of the most important events in the band’s young history occurred. Playing at Coachella festival in 2008, Plastiscines played a blistering set which caught the attention of Butch Walker, producer of acts such as Avril Lavigne, Pink and Dashboard Confessional. So much so, in fact, that he agreed to produce the album for free, with the result being About Love, a more pop-py collection of songs than their first affair LP1, whilst simultaneously giving a harder edge to the guitars and drums. Standout track 'Barcelona’ has already become an indie dancefloor standard, whilst the band also recently featured in an episode of 'Gossip Girl', due to be broadcast here at the end of the month, performing apt singalong track 'Bitch'.
So, all in all, the band are happy with their lot, but the sense of disillusion that first inspired them to start a rock band is still present, as they decry the attitude towards music brought on by today's penchant for instant gratification, and they don't mince their words about it. Harking back to an age that one feels is beyond their meagre years, Plastiscines lament the death of the album, and the excitement and loyalty that accompanied the purchasing of an album. Nowadays, Katty says, the people who “download music for free don't really care about the music. If they don't like it they don't give a shit because they haven't paid for it, But if you pay, you try to appreciate the music.” Marine expounds, “music is natural and about creation; you don't want to listen to just one song; you want to listen to the album many times and share it with friends”. Katty concludes, “Listening to music is too easy now”.
As I emerge out of the plush record label headquarters in Notting Hill into the dank London evening, I am, I admit, a little enchanted, but moreover, impressed by a steely determination and unassailable loyalty to their rock and roll ethos. Plastiscines have the attributes to defy the critics and the songs to become a band defined by their sound rather than their looks.
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