Maniacs (Swiss band)
Maniacs were a punk rock and garage rock band from Geneva that existed from around 1982 to 1998, released several internationally distributed albums and toured extensively throughout Europe. Along with The Needles, they are among the most famous bands from French-speaking Switzerland.
Original members: Alain Croubalian (voc, b), Alexandre Jacques (voc, g), Stephane Reynaud (dr), Thierry Sartoretti (g). For a long time, the changing line-up of the group also included Jerôme Estèbe (g), Jili Morsia (b), Hafid Zerhouni (dr) and Patrick Peray (harm, g).
The first recordings were produced by the Briton Robin Wills (Barracudas), the album Can also use fruit by the Swede Four-Eyed Thomas (producer also by The Nomads). Over the years, the maniacs broke away from punk and garage rock, with influences from hardcore, grunge, but also from country and blues. This is clearly audible with Hog Wild , which was produced in Memphis by James Luther Dickinson ( Rolling Stones , Ry Cooder , Green on Red, The Replacements, among others ).
In 1997 the Maniacs finally merged their rock with the Egyptian folk of the Sharkiat group from Cairo. They toured Europe together with Sharkiat in 1998 and also played in Cairo.
Alain Croubalian is now the head of the folk-punk group Dead Brothers and makes music for the theater (2003/4 Wilhelm Tell at the Schauspielhaus Zürich , 2005 Threepenny Opera at the Theater Basel ), Croubalian also appears solo as Le Cowboy Fantôme (the first program merged The Fliegende Holländer with country blues, the second program celebrates its premiere on July 6, 2010: "plays Frankenstein").
On December 7th and 8th, 2012, Croubalian sang Maniacs songs live for the first time since 1998: In Geneva and Friborg he played a short "Greatest Hits" set in a trio with Daniel Gautier ( The Needles ) and Robin Wills ( The Barracudas ).
Discography
- 1997 - Maniacs vs. Sharkiat - Don't climb the pyramids (Barraka)
- 1994 - Choose (150 BPM)
- 1993 - Hog Wild (Squatt)
- 1991 - 69 (Stop it Baby)
- 1989 - Live at Budokan (Stop it Baby)
- 1988 - Can also use fruit (Stop it Baby / Vielklang)
- 1987 - Bring back the night (Madrigal, mini-LP)
- 1986 - Maniacs (Phantasmagoria in Tow, Maxi-Disc)