How did the band come together and with what ambitions?

The band came together as all significant historical meetings of great minds do in a pub in Shepherds bush. Our ambition was to fulfill our lifelong dream of starting a Screamohardcoretechnoindustrialdeathmetaldrumnbass band. We wanted to create a sound that could kill a man or at the very least inflict the brown frequency. But that didn't work out. So we settled for melodramatic French pop instead. oui.


How do you go about creating new music, do you have to been in a certain space, mentally or physically or, is it, when the spark strikes?

Well usually it goes a little bit like this...

Turn off the lights.
Light a candle.
Pour a little rum.
Dust off the piano,tune the guitar.
Refill our rum.
Say a little prayer to Apollo.
And hope for the best.

Marketing an album sung in French to global market, did you think that was risky from a sales perspective?

We always knew singing in French would make life a little harder for us but it's also what makes us feel a little bit different (in London anyhow). Also the French language seemed to compliment the music far more than English did. So to hell with the consequences to sales!!! By the way our next album is in Latin.

Are there any particular stories you would like to share behind the songs on the record?

No particular story to tell about any particular song on the album but I will tell you this.... That WHOLE record was created from fun and frolics with friends and music. Something good came out of those daft winter nights.

There seems to be some modern band influences to your sound, Tindersticks? Elbow? Are there any bands that you particularly draw inspiration from?

Well that's a strange thing. All the Bonbons have very different tastes in music from each other yet we seem to find a common ground in the music that we make. But there's one thing that unites us all!!..  None of us listen to any other music that sounds like the music we make. I think that's odd and unexplainable.

Where did you play your first gig?  Any particular memories?

Our first gig together as Les Bonbons was held where all great significant historical debut gigs are held in a pub, in shepherds Bush. The same pub where we first met in fact. Not the same night tho. I remember Fred Bonbon was very very very scared. Not because it was our first gig but because it was Halloween. Ha!

If the band could choose to be on the cover of a magazine, which magazine would it be?

Playboy  

How will you be spending Christmas this year and if you had to choose one album of 2014 as your favourite, what would it be and why?

Finishing our second album this winter......... and learning Latin.

Favourite albums of 2014?

Our two favourite albums of the year are: Mick Harvey - Intoxicated Man and Pink Elephants      Double LP re-release (Mute Records)  and Goastt - Midnight Sun (Chimera Music)

Joyeux Noel to everyone ! xx

Les Bonbons self-titled debut album is out now via Ciao Ketchup Recordings and is also available on itunes