Les Sheriff

Formed in Montpellier in 1984, Les Sheriff took their place in the French punk rock scene with a direct, fast and melodic sound at the crossroads of ’77 punk, rock’n’roll and a power-pop streak that retained a taste for simple choruses and tight guitars. The band made a name for itself on the independent circuit in the late 1980s, in the wake of French alternative rock, prioritising live shows and records released through the punk network. Les Sheriff’s discography notably ranges from Joue pas de rock’n’roll (1988) to Soleil de plomb (1990), Grand bombardement tardif (1992), Les 2 doigts dans la prise!! (1995) and Pan! (1997). Over the years they refined a concise songwriting style — between punk urgency, dry humour and a knack for short tracks — while keeping a very frontal approach to performance. The band split at the end of the 1990s but later returned for several runs of concerts, reconnecting with audiences from the same French punk rock milieu.