Without contest the most ancient hardcore gang in the country (1983), Les Gnomes have always skilfully and feverishly been merging HC, jazz, post-punk and metal. Nervous rhythms and out-of-the-way beats and bars, inventive harmonies and unexpected dissonances would combine with imperious and totally flaky vocals, vociferating in the mysterious tongue of Ogam, the Gnomes language. Celebrating more than 10 years of their independent and beyond limits approach, Crash has re-released the complete list of their first tracks in 2 compilations, the "Collections" N°1 and N°2, while taking care of the distribution of their last album, "Dem Redwrn". In October 96, the band has mutated in Outside Now, heading towards a more metal-punk style, to finally also split up at the beginning of the 21th century.
What was said about Les Gnomes :
«always ranting in their own language, derived from celtic dialect Ogam, these little beings still praise the straightforward Hardcore punk which brought them to fame. (...) This pointed hoods fellowship maliciously fiddle with underground hymns.» Dominique Mesmin / BEST
«If you fancy having a good laugh listening to pretty complex and original Hardcore, you have found the perfect record. Musically quite technical, fast and full of breaks. Lyrically complete enjoyment guaranteed when reading their own gnomes words to their totally weird stories» VAXIN zine
«... Obviously VERY special, at times quite messy, but never boring (...) Les GNOMES have the undisputed originality of MAGMA (for concept and language), of VOIVOID (for the music), the indus sound of an old KILLING JOKE and the extremist power of HEIMAT-LOS, which make them a leading band on the French HC scene» Hervé S.K. Guégano / HARD FORCE (on «Histoires de Glumz»)
«...Very catchy sound. Between Minutemen and Naked Raygun including sax and others instruments.» FLIPSIDE MAGAZINE
«Unclassifiable and original music» EST-CE BIEN RAISONNABLE zine
«Pioneers since 1983 of a certain French hard-core (....) Musical influences spanning from The DEAD KENNEDYS the golden era of VOIVOID, with an attitude close to FRANCK ZAPPA's (....) It is time to support and encourage a deeply unique French band» E. Cuisset / ECOUTER VOIR
«Combining elements of metal and jazz in a fusion hardcore is something that VICTIMS FAMILY, NO MEANS NO and many others do very well. Add Les GNOMES to the list, and see, like the others try to, how brilliant and powerful their approach stands» MAXIMUM ROCK'N'ROLL
| 
| 
