Roadrunners

Active in France in the mid-1960s, Roadrunners were part of the rock and rhythm-and-blues wave that accompanied the rise of beat groups inspired by the British and American scenes. The band developed a repertoire dominated by brisk tempos, foregrounded guitars and a direct vocal style, in an aesthetic close to early rock’n’roll but tinged with garage accents. Present on the club and concert-hall scene that structured the French rock landscape of the time, Roadrunners consolidated their reputation through a series of 45 rpm singles released during the decade, which make up the bulk of their discography. These recordings, now gathered on various digital reissues, place Roadrunners among French acts shaped by rhythm and blues, between covers and original compositions, and document a period in which rock was gradually establishing itself within the French music industry. Roadrunners’ activity remained focused on those 1960s years, but the band continues to appear on selections and compilations dedicated to the first generations of French rock.