Black Keys in Paris

The blues-rock American duo of powerful and old flavor, Black Keys play at the Zenith hall in Paris on January 25 (http://www.zenith-paris.com/index2.php?s=1&k=&p = 1) – are on track to become not only the most important band in America but also probably one of the most successful reaping sales. However, any of its only two members, guitarist and singer Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney can go shopping or have a drink on a Saturday night with the assurance that virtually no one will recognize them.

So unexpected, surprising, gradual and stealthy has been the rise of this band from Akron, Ohio, whose utter contempt for everything related to image had the cover of their best selling album to date and last until the very recent emergence of El Camino (produced as well as the acclaimed Attack and Release, 2008, by Danger Mouse), the magnificent “Brothers”, is characterized by having just the phrase (in white, except the name of the group, which appears in red, inscribed on a black background in a thin white frame) “This is an album by the Black Keys. The name of this album is Brothers. “

Paradoxically, as once again demonstrating that  the lack of image is also an image and is absurd to be outside it, the album won a Grammy that year for the best presentation.

In his native Akron, Auerbach (half of whose family, Polish Jews, was almost completely exterminated by the Nazis during the Second World War) and Carney were such outcasts so disconnected from the rest of the world  despite not having much initially in common except the fact of recording demos at home, decided to form a rock band. At that time Auerbach listened only the most bizarre and obscure blues and hip-hop bands, Carney, only listened to new indie music trying to look “cool” . He had been forced to stop playing guitar for he was shockingly bad at it despite receiving lessons, moving on to drums, an instrument which all the training he obtained had been entirely self-taught (he hasn’t even bought a magazine on the subject) For Auerbach, precisely there lies his strength as a percussionist, “He can not even keep pace with normal rock. There are kids with much more technica ability l working as clerks in record stores, but none has a such an original sound. “

Their first concert, held in a tavern in Cleveland in 2002, was attended by eight people and they made ten dollars that night, which to them  seemed absolutely wonderful, as they often drove hundreds of miles to play in places where nobody would go to see them.

Paul Oilzum

Discovered by John Peel just before he died, they are now one of the most interesting bands in the alternative scene, possessing a particularly memorable live show. Do not miss the highly anticipated concert if you rent apartments in Paris

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Translated by: Marc
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