For the first time ever, French minimal wave pioneers Martin Dupont will be touring the United States in May 2023. Defying description and commercialization alike, the Marseille group has nevertheless inspired countless luminaries of the contemporary music scene.
Alain Seghir, Brigitte Balian, Beverley Jane Crew, and Catherine Loy formed Martin Dupont in 1980. Their unique sound was enthusiastic and delicate, but also melancholy and mysterious. Incorporating guitars, saxophones, samples, and clarinets with their intriguingly wide gamut of art-jazz influences, they shared the stage with the likes of more mainstream acts like The Lotus Eaters, The Lounge Lizards, and Siouxsie and the Banshees…but had more in common spiritually with avant-garde oddballs like Tuxedomoon, They Might Be Giants, and Klaus Nomi.
“The songs just tumbled out in a completely organic and spontaneous way and as soon as they were recorded on the four-track, they were shared with friends on tapes, openly and excitedly,” says Beverley Jane Crew.
Martin Dupont disbanded by 1987, but left behind three cult albums as its members started their own projects. Brigitte Balian collaborated with the composer Patrick Portella, Beverley Jane Crew became producer of the Contemporary Music Network in London, and Alain Seghir composed for the choreographer Josette Baïz and the stylists Geneviève Delrieux and Patrick Murru, until he changed paths completely and became a surgeon. With Dan Armandy, Seghir also created the Supermax card for the Yamaha DX7, which was considered “the invention of the year by renowned synth composer Jean-Michel Jarre.
Martin Dupont would remain lurking under the radar for the next three decades, but life can be funny: they recently found unexpected success in the US, championed by the New York label Minimal Wave and the Club Night Wierd. Lost and Late broke ground first, followed by The Complete Collection 5-LP box set.
The band’s third studio album, 1987’s Hot Paradox, is now considered to be a synth classic, with the track ‘Inside Out” being a favorite of several generations of musicians and music fans worldwide.
Martin Dupont will be returning to the very stages that hosted their first gigs, supported by additional musicians Sandy Casado and Thierry Sintoni (Girls Like You, Ollivier Leroy), bolstered by their ever-increasing fan base. They will then embark on a major international tour in 2023.
Stay tuned for a new album by Martin Dupont called Kintsugi due out on February 7th, 2023.
Tour Dates:
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