by LORRAINE CARPENTER

They were France's Sex Pistols and Suicide rolled into one, punk pioneers armed with anarchist slogans, bombastic guitars, crude synths and rapid-fire drum machines. Métal Urbain aimed to shout down their government, shock their complacent countrymen and agitate their peers, young would-be punks intrigued by the phenomenon brewing across the Channel. Influenced by Brian Eno's early synthesizer experiments and Lou Reed's infamous feedback LP Metal Machine Music, the quartet came together in 1976 and promptly assaulted their fellow Frenchmen.

"Our very first gig ended up in a fight with the audience," says founding member Eric Débris. "At the beginning, we weren't playing for punk rockers, we were in front of people who would become punk rockers, so you had to wake them up out of their sleepy dreams."

"It became very aggressive," says guitarist Pat Lüger. "The crowds were crazy, pogoing and shouting and spitting, but it was a lot of fun on stage."

Unfortunately, France hadn't yet developed an indie music network or a reliable audience for punk terroire, so Métal Urbain's records weren't well distributed or marketed, and the U.K.'s Rough Trade, whose very first release was MU's 1977 single "Paris Maquis," couldn't afford to support a band, particularly one that sang in French.

The band split up the following year, and their bad luck persisted into an attempted mid-'80s reunion. "The people at the record company didn't understand what we were trying to do," says Débris. "They said we were complete science fiction. We decided to stop and keep everything undercover, until now. Now is the right time."

Metallic makeovers

Now, Débris, synth player Charlie H and guitarist Hermann Schwartz have regrouped to tour Europe and North America, with Débris tackling vocals in place of their original barker, Clode Panik. "As far as we know, he doesn't want anything to do with his past as a punk rocker," Débris explains.

Alternately, guitarist and Montreal emigré Pat Lüger will play their local gigs and possibly join them for future tours - and future records (both Débris and Lüger hint that new material is underway).

Meanwhile the current record, the Acute/Carpark release that sparked the reunion, is Anarchy in Paris, a complete collection of the band's 24 tracks from rehearsal recordings, a handful of seven-inches and one posthumous LP (1980's Les hommes morts sont dangereux). The disc was the first in a series of remastered reissues - the latest is Tokyo Airport by their proto-electro offshoot Metal Boys, the next (out in June) is Wall of Noise, a covers LP by their more experimental selves, Dr. Mix and the Remix.

Despite the label pains, Métal Urbain's original records got out to enough small record shops in the U.S., U.K. and Europe to influence future members of Big Black, the Jesus & Mary Chain and Bérurier Noir, and with all the reverence surrounding the punk and post-punk period today, who knows how many new bands will draw inspiration from their rabid punk squall. With Anarchy in Paris in stores and Métal Urbain on tour, their fan base is bigger and broader than ever, and much more respectful.

"Maybe a bit too much," says Débris. "Some people who come to see us treat it as a religion, and we try to diffuse that - a little bit."

With Barricade Mentale at Foufounes Électriques
on Saturday, April 10, 7pm, $12

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