Le DIY Ou La Mort: An Overview of Anarcho-Punk in France 1984-2006

An edited and updated English version of the historical overview of the anarcho-punk movement in France that first appeared in French with the 2007 compilation Le DIY Ou La Mort.

By DIY Conspiracy On Apr 23, 2025

Sometime around 2007, a 15‑page article titled “Review of Anarchopunk in France” began circulating among European zine publishers. The piece was originally written in French by Lölö Ass‑Social (Primitiv Bunko), while the layout and artwork were handled by Melvin (Pekatralatak), who at the time provided tons of visuals for bands and political collectives. Additional input came from some of the finest individuals running labels, distros, and zines within the French DIY punk scene (Maloka, Stonehenge, Tranzophobia, and others).

The French text had first appeared in the 64‑page zine/booklet that accompanied the double‑CD compilation Le DIY Ou La Mort: Une Compilation Historique Du Mouvement Anarchopunk Français, a forty‑track overview of the French anarcho‑punk movement stretching from its early‑1980s beginnings to the early 2000s. That compilation was also the first music release issued by the Federation Anarchopunk (APF) in France.

The Le DIY Ou La Mort compilation, along with its hefty booklet, was a bit difficult to find outside of France. However, English and Spanish translations of this historical article were available from the APF website (now defunct). These translations, along with German, were disseminated by email to many zinesters around the world, and other language versions were sure to follow.

We had long considered publishing the English version on our site. However, its hard-to-read nature and loose structure encouraged us to first revise the text and improve its grammar and readability. Below is our edited version, now enriched with newer images, links, and additional commentary, presented by DIY Conspiracy with full respect and credit to the original authors.

We believe that this compilation has served a great purpose in preserving the music and message of so many important bands, and this historical overview of the French anarcho-punk scene deserves a refreshed new life. Up the DIY anarcho-punx!

Before looking more closely at the French anarcho-punk movement (or related movements) and discussing its origins and foundations, it is essential to take a quick look at the state of the punk scene in France at the dawn of the 1980s.

Until that time, on the one hand, the term “anarcho-punk” did not really exist, and on the other hand, aside from Métal Urbain in 1976–’77, no French punk band had truly made a name for itself by being political. As a result, at the beginning of the eighties, the punk scene in France was very scattered and not particularly politicized. It is worth noting that most of the participants were under 18. They did not necessarily feel moved by the social or political messages of certain bands, particularly those across the Channel. The 1977 wave hadn’t fully ended and, as elsewhere, people preferred drug use and provocation to an overtly political stance. The scene was sputtering, taking its first steps with no structure or organization. Almost everything had to be built from scratch. There was little cohesion, and since labels or fanzines were almost nonexistent, most bands (often taking a somewhat controversial stance) were content to sing about parties, girls, high school, or self-destructive behavior. Until the latter half of the eighties, this type of subject matter would remain the norm.

Thus, in 1980–’81, there were very few bands, most had only a brief existence or were already heading toward a more “mainstream” punk, with professional studio recordings and releases on well-known labels. In this article, we are primarily interested in certain bands, labels, and individuals who had a political commitment that was backed by action, even if most of these activists were not affiliated with the so-called “anarcho-punk” family.

At the beginning of the 1980s, it was essentially a desert. Still, as mentioned, a few bands began to form, and some people released their first vinyl records—quite uncommon at the time. Some “punk” bands that managed to put out a record as early as 1981 would later become “famous” (like LSD, Oberkampf), but they are not my focus here. Among this early group, one band stands out as being outside any fashion or label, already adopting what we would later call a DIY approach: a bit radical in its lyrics and its recording methods (using a four-track at home).

This band is Warum Joe. In March 1981, they recorded their first maxi, Dans le blizzard (note that, in early 2006, they still existed, with five LPs, a double LP, two maxis, and at least five EPs). Their formula was simple: a drum machine, distorted guitar, and lyrics that were surprisingly refined, almost intellectual. The group would never be tied to any musical or ideological movement (they were free thinkers), recorded their releases in a garage, seldom performed live, and never sought publicity. Their lyrics, however, were sharp, ironic, eccentric, clever, and rich in imagery (sometimes to the point of being slightly incomprehensible!). The message is often hidden between the lines, making it harder to discern. Warum Joe followed up in 1982 with a second maxi, Tanzen and Trinken, and in 1983 with a first full-length, Toccare La Verita, while almost no other “craft” bands had released any vinyl at that time.

Nevertheless, a new wave was coming—one that was as radical musically as it was ideologically, backed by a fresh outlook. This involved conversations about self-production, cassette compilations, and “tape trading,” where people would exchange cassettes of their own bands or those of friends. The punk scene was becoming more self-sufficient, though it still felt very young in all respects. One notable period was between 1983 and 1986. We were no longer dealing with local garage bands satisfied with rehearsing and drinking beer; instead, bands were trying to get themselves noticed, but in a completely DIY and independent manner. They recorded with often dilapidated equipment, made duplicates of their songs, and sent them to punks who ran rudimentary “labels” by compiling tracks from different bands onto a cassette. Then they copied it using whatever gear they had, often an old radio-cassette, and sold it at a very low price.

Cassette compilations revolutionized punk. More and more international bands appeared on them, so it became clear that the movement no longer had borders. Punks suddenly felt united. They realized that there were politicized punks in Scandinavia, Italy, Spain, everywhere else in Europe (including the Eastern bloc, despite severe repression, the Berlin Wall was still standing and Stalinism reigned, so marginalized people were often rounded up or imprisoned without cause!), as well as in Latin America, South America, Australia, Japan, and even Southern Africa!

This discovery fueled the motivation of young French activists, who until then had felt extremely isolated. Indeed, besides Paris, which represented the embryo of a scene, other cities and towns across the country had punks scattered here and there, and organizing or sharing ideas was very difficult. Concert venues for this kind of music were extremely rare (in Paris, squats occasionally opened their doors, but almost nowhere else), so punks mostly stayed local. Thanks to cassette compilations, politicized punk went international, and now bands could broadcast their message widely. Borders essentially fell, and French punks took part in international compilations. In France, you would keep seeing the same band names pop up again and again between 1984 and 1985. The most frequent among them were Heimat-los, Kidnap, Final Blast, and Verdun.

Part 1: 1984-1989

heimat-los-band-live — French hardcore pioneers Heimat-los

First, let’s look at Heimat-los: a band from the Paris suburbs that played the kind of aggressive, even violent, hardcore that France had not yet experienced. Their originality was twofold: although they started playing quickly, they were very skilled musicians, which allowed them to create rather unique compositions for that era; and for them, internationalism was not just a buzzword. Although they sang in French and English, they also sang in German, Polish, Spanish, and even Finnish!

Their first demo, recorded in December 1983, made a lot of noise in every sense of the word. In 1984, a second demo and their first EP, Schlag!, was released, followed in 1986 by a split EP with their friends in Kromozom 4, and in 1987 by the eagerly awaited split LP with the same Kromozom 4. The year 1988 brought their final EP, Negative Mental Obsession, and then the band broke up. Throughout their career, they appeared on countless cassette compilations worldwide, as well as on some LP compilations. Their complete discography has since been reissued for younger audiences by the Bordeaux label Ratbone.

rapt-discography — Cover art for Rapt’s discography LP released in 2018

Rapt had a life span almost as fast as its music. Formed in 1984 in Vernon, northwest of Paris, they disbanded in 1986. During those two years, they played a chaotic, raw thrashcore that was too extreme, noisy, fast, furious, and straightforward to pin down any clear influence. They were better known worldwide than in France, where their sound gained little appreciation.

They recorded two demos (in 1984 and 1985), did a split EP with Final Blast in 1985 on the Italian label Chaos Produzioni (run by the band Wretched), appeared on two compilation LPs, played a few shows, and, like Heimat-los, participated in numerous cassette compilations. In 1985, they recorded “Non à Le Pen,” which may have been the first punk song on that particular topic—one that, even now, continues to resonate in the scene. Note that in 1986, one of the members recorded a demo using a drum machine under the Rapt name, but the music was more accessible and lost some of its rage. In 2004, almost all of Rapt’s material (except that last demo) was released on CD by the Japanese label Speedstate.

interview-final-blast-no-government — Final Blast in No Government zine

As for Final Blast, they were teenagers (their guitarist was only 13!) when they formed in Pontarlier (near Besançon) in 1983, claiming Discharge as one of their inspirations, something not very common in France at that time. Their relatively brief history featured three demos (1984, 1985, and 1986). On the first two, a drum machine was used, though they tried to hide that fact! Two tracks from those demos appeared on their split EP with Rapt. Their lyrics dealt heavily with war and the violence of nations.

By our estimation, they were one of the first French punk bands to speak out against vivisection (the track “Torture légale”), at a time in the mid-’80s when animal rights and vegetarianism were seldom discussed among punks. Final Blast broke up in 1986 after playing around a dozen shows, but they had appeared on many cassette compilations and on two LP compilations. In the late 1990s, their three demos were released as a split CD with Pariapunk.

With Verdun, things were a bit different. Although they, too, appeared on many international cassette compilations, their sound leaned more toward cold punk. The band formed in Rouen in 1981, but their first real demo did not come out until 1984. One distinctive feature was their shouted female vocals, a rarity in French punk at the time. Another was the strongly anarchist tone of their lyrics, which could sometimes feel a bit arrogant. It’s clear they were reading up on anarchist theorists and following political events of the day before writing any lyrics.

Their first vinyl release, a maxi called 4 Titres, appeared in 1985 and included one track that lasted nine minutes and took up an entire side, often described in reviews as “psychedelic punk.” Their music then sped up somewhat, veering closer to a more classic punk style that culminated in the EP Notre Combat in 1987, which remained very political. Two LPs followed, and the band split in the early 1990s, capping off a fairly tumultuous run. In my view, those four bands—Heimat-los, Rapt, Final Blast, and Verdun—were the most representative and internationally focused groups of this new scene that developed in 1984–’85.

Yet before all this, in the suburbs of Clermont-Ferrand, a solitary band got things started back in 1981. That band was Karnage. Their music was on the cold, icy side (cold punk?), and though their lyrics were sometimes simplistic, they were dark and rebellious. They used both a live drummer and a drum machine at different times. Karnage recorded its first four-track demo, Planète Poubelle, in 1982, followed in 1984 by their only vinyl release, the Total Terminus EP.

The EP embodied all the hallmarks of British-inspired anarcho-punk: a black-and-white jacket with a poster on the flip side, complete self-production, and even quotes from Kropotkin. Reviews at the time, perhaps too hastily, compared them to Crass. Their second demo, Autorités Finales, came out in 1985, including 11 tracks recorded live and in the studio between 1982 and 1985. Despite appearing on one international compilation LP, the band petered out in 1986, though a few unreleased tracks ended up scattered on local cassette compilations. It’s worth mentioning that the jokey “band” Bloody Fuckers—an over-saturated, sarcastic parody of early-’80s British punk/hardcore clichés—was actually just the members of Karnage in disguise! Meanwhile, Karnage’s manager formed OMG (Ordre de Mobilisation Générale) together with Karnage’s guitarist. OMG was a dark, punk-wave act that existed from 1982 to 1985 but never released any records, which is a shame, because they had a highly politicized (sometimes even misanthropic) and intriguing approach. They also published France’s first anarcho-punk zine, La Bible (ten issues).

Haine Brigade formed in Lyon around December 1981, though for several months beforehand, the future members had been writing lyrics while waiting to get instruments. Initially, three neighbors came together after discovering the Sex Pistols, The Clash, and the whole wave of English punk, but especially the French band Métal Urbain. They got into punk not for trend’s sake but because it spoke deeply to them. Right away, they took interest in punk’s revolutionary side, which led them to read Marx, Bakunin, Stirner, and more classic anarchist authors.

From the outset, the band had a political focus. Their real eye-opener was discovering the first Crass album, which perfectly matched their own ideas (“Anarchy and Peace,” “Punk Is Dead,” etc.). Later, the lineup changed, leaving only Giles (guitar) from the original members. Yet the band always remained linked to libertarian [French synonym for anarchist, not to be confused with the right-wing appropriation of the word] movements. Within Haine Brigade, not everyone’s musical and world views were identical, thankfully, but everyone opposed racism, militarism, political parties, and rigid ideologies. For them, being political meant taking personal responsibility and standing up for what went on around them.

Wanting to express themselves differently, they created Fraktion Rock Terroriste (FRT) in 1984 in Lyon, bringing together people with libertarian ideas. This included Haine Brigade, Krapos Noirs, Kalashnikov, Purge 37, plus various designers, photographers, etc., from Lyon and Paris. In July 1984, FRT put out its own fanzine, Kanaï, then teamed up with Création Père Peinard—alongside Noire Inquiétude, Groupe 33, and Les Acharnés—to broaden its activities. Also in July 1984, they organized the first anarcho-punk festival in Ardèche as an antithesis to the July 14th celebrations: “There is so much to face, this green camouflage filth, these disgusting officers, their wretched order, their monumental stupidity, their rag of a flag! The army reeks of beer but, above all, it reeks of death, blood, the annihilation of life! The parades of July 14th are tricolor masquerades masking death and destruction. War memorials are a cult of corpses, which only reminds us that the State will cling to its power and get the last word. All of it must be destroyed before it destroys us!” Haine Brigade went on to release the LP Sauvage in 1987 and a split EP with Bérurier Noir in support of the anarchist magazine Noir et Rouge. One more track was recorded in the studio for the compilation Cette Machine Sert à Tuer Tous les Fascistes, and a few years later, the fanzine Future Noir reissued all of the band’s recordings (including demos) on cassette to support the Anarchist Black Cross.

With the provincial scene, we should also mention Scraps [still active, their releases are available from Refuse Records], formed in Boulogne-sur-Mer in June 1983. They later relocated to Lille and released their first demo in 1985, a veritable sonic explosion of extreme saturation, paired with raw, no-frills lyrics spat out in pure rage. Their style was savage, barbaric, and, at the time, something new in the French landscape (only Rapt had previously taken up that challenge).

Their first self-produced EP, Apartheid, came out in 1986 and was very well-received. Almost immediately, having only played shows in the Nord–Pas-de-Calais region (plus one in Amsterdam), they attempted a risky venture: a four-show tour in Sweden in August 1986. Scraps thus proved that a 100% DIY French punk band could travel and play anywhere. Their second self-produced EP, Aaargh!!!, released in 1987, continued to spark outrage with its all-black flag of concrete anger. Their style then grew more polished and shifted toward a hardcore base. In 1989, they put out a split 7″ flexi with Japan’s Don Don, followed by two LPs in the early 1990s (the second increasingly influenced by the international straight edge scene), plus a live EP and a split live EP with Attentat Sonore. They [originally] disbanded in 1995 after numerous shows across Europe, maintaining a resolutely anarchist, activist ethic throughout. Part of the band would go on to help found Nations on Fire in Belgium, a key group in the European hardcore scene.

Next up is Nagasaki By Night, hailing from Rennes. They could be considered a kind of French peace punk. Involved not only in the punk scene but also in libertarian and pacifist political activism, these different spheres were linked via their excellent fanzine, J’Accuse. Inspired in part by Crass, the band used various visual media and functioned as a sort of collective. Unfortunately, they left behind few recordings and rarely ventured beyond Brittany.

outrage-rebellion-cover — Cover art for Outrage/Rebellion – Rouge Et Noir EP

Outrage/Rebellion, often called Outrage & Rebellion, formed in Béziers, a region not especially associated with punk rock (aside from OTH, and that only in Montpellier). Outrage/Rebellion basically started from nothing (no local venues, no musical training among members, neighbors hostile to anything antiracist) but were determined to make themselves heard at all costs. Their first 1986 recording, done on a four-track and overflowing with distortion via a rudimentary drum machine and fierce guitars, served as a platform for extremely confrontational lyrics, and it quickly caught the attention of the French fanzine community. Numerous interviews and growing interest led to further demos. Their vocalist, Ant, did a remarkable job promoting the band by sending out endless tapes, flyers, and zines, all without any commercial motive.

In 1988, they released two split cassettes with Attentat Sonore, allowing Attentat Sonore to discover a previously unknown network, despite what even they admitted was terrible recording quality. This spirit of solidarity was typical of Outrage/Rebellion. An EP finally came out in 1989, after various delays and mishaps (the sleeve’s glue overflowed and damaged many discs!), produced by Montpellier’s radio station L’Écho des Garrigues. Unfortunately, the studio production dulled much of the band’s wild energy, and neither the recording nor the packaging fully reflected the group’s essence. One year later, a new demo, again studio-recorded, marked a decisive shift in style. The lyrics stayed as hard-hitting as ever, but the sound veered more toward hard rock, distancing them from the punk audience. They recruited more technically skilled musicians who favored that direction, while older members like Salva (bass) no longer felt at home and left. Tracks from that demo (such as “Sochaux Blues,” “Tue le riche,” and “Envie de meurtre”) appeared on compilation CDs from On A Faim! and VISA. Over time, Ant’s vocal approach also took a more hard-rock turn, seemingly losing interest in punk. By 1993, the band had disappeared.

Returning to the mid-eighties: countless new bands formed around with increasingly activist lyrics, diverging from the “punk-drugs-sex-oi” model still dominant among most mohawked kids in France. Nevertheless, few had the chance to see their work rewarded with a vinyl release. Most never progressed beyond demo tapes—remember, the CD did not yet exist! Among the lucky ones to release records while retaining an independent, conscientious ethos were a few better-known names: Sherwood [also knowns as Sherwood Pogo] from Paris (an LP in 1986, following demos in ’83 and ’85, with good lyrics despite the problematic track title “Les p’tites femmes de Paris”) and Flitox from Paris (one of the first groups to put out an EP after only four months of existence and with no prior demo: an EP in ’86, then two LPs—Cet homme est mort in ’87 and Radio TV Active in ’88, the latter being more “modern”).

For most, recognition resulted mainly from their unbridled energy and sweat, recording demos with scant resources and sharing them through radio stations, fanzines, and cassette compilations. In my view (entirely subjective!), one of the more intriguing bands embracing this gritty, purely DIY spirit was the suburban outfit Skorbut Molotov (SKM to friends), who turned up in numerous zines and cassette compilations. They drew inspiration from Métal Urbain (owing to their drum machine) but also added a more youthful touch. Their lyrics, though straightforward, were clearly articulated and sometimes humorous. They played only a handful of shows and recorded four demos (21 tracks in total) between 1985 and 1987. Later, they added a live drummer and renamed the band to Aspidistra in 1987. Essentially, they met the same fate: two more demos (20 tracks in 1988, nine in 1989) before splitting just prior to 1990. In my opinion, these two bands never got the attention they deserved. However, unlike Skorbut Molotov, Aspidistra would be “immortalized” via one song on a compilation LP.

Over in Lyon, one of the most controversial French anarchist bands was Pariapunk—arguably among the most extreme, both for their chaotic, abrasive sound and for their uncompromising lyrics. They were often criticized for an overly militant stance (detractors went so far as to call it “fundamentalist anarchism”) and for lacking any detachment from certain issues. Regardless, from 1986 to 1988, they recorded a three-track demo in 1986 and another in late 1987, part of which was used for the band’s sole EP: a raucous six-track release drenched in fury. After a mere three shows, they split, leaving behind one of the most radical legacies of the ’80s. Their complete discography would later appear on a split CD with Final Blast.

In Dijon, near the decade’s end, we find Psycho Squatt [also active, they’ve released a new LP in 2024, which we mentioned here], whose EP was the first release of the local label Maloka. Their sound followed in the footsteps of Haine Brigade from Lyon: punk but not overly fast, with mixed vocals, French lyrics, and deeply engaged themes. Heyoka, also from Dijon, carried on in a similar spirit with the well-known talent they still display. Psycho Squatt’s guitarist remains active in the scene, and we can only hope that someday their sole record will be reissued and complemented with bonus material!

We should also recall the indomitable Flagrant Délit (belonging to the category of bands with shrieking female vocals), who put out around 40 demo recordings and two EPs.

SS20 came from Toulouse and had ties to Onkra, a label that was perhaps less active and short-lived compared to Panx, but which still paid attention to the international DIY scene, especially through contacts in Finland and Eastern Europe. Among other endeavors, Onkra put out a CD by the Yugoslavian band KBO!. SS20’s vinyl releases were all self-produced, except for their final record, a split EP with Momido 7 (a German band featuring members of Die Schwarzen Schafe). Ideologically, SS20 followed in the footsteps of other 1980s hardcore groups (internationalist vision of the scene, mutual aid, DIY ethos), but they sang in French, and their recordings were more melodic. After releasing two EPs, an LP, and the already-mentioned split EP—along with tracks on compilations like 1984 the Third and À Bas Toutes Les Armées, all of which appeared between 1987 and 1989—the band quietly disappeared. A real shame!

Of course, during these years, many other groups subscribed to anarchist ideas, even if some played a more “accessible” or sometimes even “commercial” style of music—which, admittedly, doesn’t appeal to me so much, apologies! The true expansion of the politicized scene arrived with those often credited as creators of the “alternative movement”: Bérurier Noir.

I won’t dig into their extensive, eventful career here, as several books are available on the life of the Bérus. It’s enough to note that they had a massive impact on the growth and recognition of the politicized punk scene in France. They even used State-controlled mainstream media to talk about it. Many debates have erupted (and still do, consider that the band re-formed in 2003 and broke up again three years later…) regarding their use of major media and big, officially sanctioned venues.

Of course, there may be valid criticisms, but remember that the release of their second LP, Concerto pour Détraqués, in 1985 caused an explosion in the punk world; in its wake, the scene gained momentum, and people became more aware of politics. Bérurier Noir took part in many socio-political conflicts and talked a great deal about squats. They may not be the best example of purely DIY anarcho-punk in France, but their influence was so huge that they cannot be ignored.

Some bands never claimed affiliation with the anarcho-punk scene but inspired many of its participants through their approach or attitudes. The vocalist for Laïd Thenardier (some spellings vary) delivered an unforgettable onstage rant against Pasqua during a Mantes-la-Jolie show, immortalized in the Rock Against Pasqua video (featuring Laïd Thenardier, Bérurier Noir, Brigades, and Nuclear Device). Their very unique style of punk served as a vehicle for their apparently Marxist ideas. They put out three maxis (Le Cou Tranché Sourire Kabyle, Voyez Comme on Shaine, and Il Pleut des Coups Durs, which featured the “Penthotal” anthem) and ended on a less remarkable EP before disbanding in the early 1990s. Hopefully, a CD reissue will one day preserve these excellent songs.

A band like Kamionërs Du Suicide also operated outside the anarcho-punk circuit, finding a niche in the autonomous sphere. They released a brilliant EP that was given away for free, containing a cover of Guy Debord’s “La Java des Bons Enfants”, but with the line “heureusement vint l’anarchiste” changed to “heureusement vint le communiste!”

Now, onto the labels. Only a handful actively contributed to the rise of this politicized movement in the mid-eighties, and nearly all were based in Paris.

Arguably, the pioneers were New Wave Records [founded in 1983 by Patrice Herr Sang and Aline Richard], one of the most prolific. They pressed Heimat-los’s first EP in 1984, Verdun’s first 12″ in 1985, and many other releases, sometimes from foreign bands. They introduced us to numerous international groups via their four editions of 1984 (an LP, then a double LP) compilations. They also ran a distribution branch and published a fanzine.

1984-the-first-sonic-world-war-comp — 1984: The First Sonic World War compilation LP by New Wave Records

Réseau Alternatif played a similar role with its France Profonde compilation LPs and by producing both Heimat-los / Kromozom 4 split releases and Flitox LPs. Jungle Hop, a well-known distributor and producer of international tapes, released Flitox’s first EP in 1986 and the rather loud compilation LP Rapsodie. This label was instrumental in promoting punk that had something meaningful to say. Autodafé, born from the Dekapsuleur fanzine, to my knowledge only put out Sherwood’s LP and the final Heimat-los EP. In the provinces, no label truly matched this activity level except, of course, Panx from Toulouse, which released so many vinyl records starting in 1985 that it would require its own detailed chapter!

Of course, distributors were crucial (they introduced their own releases by swapping with other labels, maintaining somewhat regular mail-order catalogs). Leading the way were Jungle Hop, New Wave, Réseau Alternatif, and the massive Panx distro. Other noteworthy names for the mid-eighties include Bunker in Grenoble (which also hosted quite a few raw-punk shows, bringing over many radical Italian bands) and was one of the first French distros to carry Swedish groups that later fueled the worldwide crust movement. By the late eighties, Thrash RDS from Le Havre (launched after the demise of the fanzine Estrangement) offered a range spanning pure, hard anarcho-punk to the most extreme grindcore. Other distributors or labels also backed anarchist-oriented bands, but with a smaller footprint.

Maloka began its distro during this era, too, and would gain prominence later. However, what truly proliferated in this period were fanzines. Dozens of small, handmade magazines popped up each year, making it impossible to keep track. Let’s just mention a few of the most influential: Aliénation from Le Havre, arguably the best-known for its broad international coverage (they interviewed many anarcho-punk bands); New Wave from Paris; No Government from Reims (even if most of the featured bands weren’t necessarily anarcho-punk!); Dekapsuleur from Paris (the same); and Deadfuck Commando [initially called Gabba Gabba Fuck] from Clermont-Ferrand. With modern technology, the layout styles of that era may look crude: typewriters, scissors, glue sticks, and a trip to the nearest photocopier were the only tools! Some of them were practically unreadable (the prime example being Deadfuck Commando, a masterpiece of messy layout!). Still, they form a wonderful museum of pure “do it yourself” spirit! There was also Kanaï, produced by members of Haine Brigade, Burning Rome (focused on English radical anarcho-punk and co-edited by Vlad from Brigades), and then zines like Adal Afar Adav, Apatride, El Movimiento, Tendence Negative, and so forth. Yet there were so many fanzines that an exhaustive list would be impossible.

Moreover, most had extremely limited print runs, often just a few dozen copies, and were barely distributed. Alongside the growth of free radio at the time, punks got airtime on small stations with minimal resources and few listeners, which inevitably restricted their reach (I speak from experience, having played the clown behind a mic for years!). When free radio died off, it severely weakened these punk radio shows.

With the “alternative wave” and the renewed politicization of youth, antifascist SCALP (Section Carrément Anti Le Pen) groups flourished across France from 1985–’86 onward, aided by concerts featuring key acts (Bérurier Noir, Ludwig, Nuclear Device, etc.). In Paris, SCALP formed a Commission Against Culture (see the book Comme un Indien Métropolitain, published by No Pasaran, about SCALP’s history from 1984 to 1992) that, along with other collectives and individuals, helped organize gigs to build a truly alternative movement: meaning not just music, but also concrete ideas and activism. They aimed to educate and mobilize audiences with film screenings and debates on double sentencing, sexism, conscientious objection, refusal of military service, prisons, and more before the shows.

Many different bands performed at the CICP (International Centre of Popular Culture) from 1987 to 1992, including the so-called “alternative” groups of the time (Les Cadavres, Raymonde et les Blancs Becs, Ludwig, Dazibao) and lesser-known acts, as well as numerous anarcho-punk or closely related bands, both French (Kochise, Désert Culturel, Tromatism) and foreign (Health Hazard, Agent 86, Schwartzeneggar), among others. When the CICP relocated to Rue Voltaire in 1992, these shows, screenings, and discussions continued through the creation of a collective known as Counter Culture around 1994–’95, uniting people from various activist circles. The musical styles played there varied greatly, but anarcho-punk bands and allies, French or international (Kochise, La Raïa, La Fraction, 20 Minutes de Chaos, Cria Cuervos, Provoked, Ballast, Cartouche, Koyaanisqatsi, The Informers, and countless others), regularly made an appearance.

Part 2: 1990-2006

In 1989, Bérurier Noir played their last three shows at the Olympia, and soon after, the alternative scene began to collapse and splinter into several factions: chaos punks, apolitical skins, hardcore kids, and punk rockers. In the area that concerns us here, the early nineties brought the rise of a more radical scene, both in direct action and in music, strongly influenced by d-beat and that “punk as fuck” spirit from England. The hardcore/crust scene thus began to develop in a marginal, almost anecdotal way, finding a home from squat to squat in a France that, at that time, had far more occupied spaces than it does today.

Within that sphere, the scene in Auch was the first to produce bands. Apatride Bunker was one of the earliest groups to effectively unite the future members of anarcho-punk or crust bands that would make their mark in the nineties. Among this circle were those who went on to form Nacht und Nebel (with a somewhat similar musical direction: drum machine, saturated guitar, dual vocals, politically charged lyrics), Ultimate Disorder (one of the first French grind bands with themes centered on personal suffering and one’s struggle against the world), and later Enola Gay and Disbeer! Even though Apatride Bunker only recorded a single demo, their fury and determination to fight the system was almost unmatched. It’s not surprising to see their names on local productions (or in exported releases) during the following decade.

ungovernable-en-soutien-a-la-creation-d-un-lieu-de-vie-libertaire — Ungovernable ! – En Soutien A La Création D’Un Lieu De Vie Libertaire compilation released in 1990 by Maloka

Auch hosted early radical anarcho-punk/crust shows, bringing in then-little-known bands like Disaffect and Health Hazard, back when show flyers still had to explain what “crust” even was! These gigs were organized by the editor of the annual zine Bruit, who also hosted a radio program from that same era.

As this crust scene seemed poised to carry the torch for radical punk, it spread quickly and soon became as widespread as the others. Its growth was not without friction, though, and there were various disputes among bands, individuals, and zines—both over musical directions and over strategies for activism. In this post-alternative period, bands were more easily distributed and began to break into retail outlets. Meanwhile, the question of vegetarianism became a source of enduring conflict within the punk scene for several years.

Building on influences from English bands like Crass—and, in a minor way, certain French 1980s groups—animal liberation themes first entered the conversation via songs denouncing vivisection and other forms of animal cruelty. Eventually, they led people to rethink their diets entirely. A group like Tromatism, known for its blunt style, forced people to take a stance. A rather ridiculous and slanderous article in Reflex (an antifascist Parisian magazine) attacking vegetarianism fanned the flames, prompting endless debates. Over a decade later, the situation has calmed significantly, and vegetarianism has become a familiar topic. The animal liberation movement cycled through various organizations, as well as zines such as Légalité Animale, Emmerdland (written by Tod, who also hosted the Si Vis Pacem program on Radio Libertaire, the Fédération Anarchiste station in Paris), and activists who introduced the punk/hardcore scene to works like Cahiers Antispécistes. Some of these efforts were also supported by tapes such as the compilation Vivisection Abomination.

Meanwhile, another scene arose in this period, seemingly taking cues from North America, particularly Washington, DC’s Dischord label. This was the “emocore” wave, intended as a reaction to the increasing violence in the punk/hardcore community and the negativity that seemed to be punks’ default response to political issues. By offering a more personal, “positive” outlook, these bands sought to highlight that “the personal is political” and that changing the world also means taking time to change ourselves and “deconstruct” our own ingrained habits (consumerism, sexism, homophobia, work culture, etc.).

finger-print-band — Pioneering French emocore band Finger Print formed in 1991

The first wave included bands like Ivich, Vanilla, Finger Print, and Undone, starting around 1991. A second wave arrived around 1994 with acts such as Peu Être, Anomie, Carther Matha, and Rachel. They had no particular desire to marginalize themselves from the broader French punk scene, especially not over musical tastes. At the same time, clear bonds existed between this “emo scene” and other anarcho-punk DIY communities. We can cite, for example, groups like Sea Shepperd, Autonomia Indigena, Cross on Your Past, Öpstand, and others (who played faster punk/hardcore). Members of Anomie in particular, through their label APE Records, helped build a bridge between this emocore scene and the more “classic” anarcho-punk scene. Labels like Stonehenge and a host of smaller DIY labels also cropped up during this period (La Libre Expression, and many more).

In the Parisian anarcho-punk milieu, individuals became involved with the Association pour un Bar Associatif in Montreuil (an inner eastern suburb of Paris). This was a collective of libertarian, radical, or “alternative” leftists from Montreuil who created a communal space for gatherings, debates, art exhibitions, film screenings, concerts, and other local or regional activities. These DIY shows helped Vendémiaire (the bar in question) stay afloat financially, as the collective refused government grants and was openly opposed to city hall. Between 1991 and 1996, in Vendémiaire 1 and the slightly bigger Vendémiaire 2, countless bands played. Most of them anarcho-punk and French DIY acts of all musical persuasions (punk, hardcore, emo, ska, etc.), plus frequent visitors from abroad, including Riot/Clone, Mutiny, and Inner Terrestrials. True to form, these shows usually included literature tables, screenings, and activist information.

There are also numerous squats in Paris. One of the most famous was located on Rue de Bagnolet 105, which hosted many parties and memorable shows (Oi Polloi in ’95, Tromatism, Hiatus, the first lineup of Brigada Flores Magon, Pekatralatak, La Fraction, and others). These fairly numerous squats were later hit by a major wave of repression in the mid-nineties. Among the most significant events was during the November ’95 strikes, when an “intersquat festival” took place. It was week of shows in Paris, each night in a different venue! By the following summer, in 1996, 105 was demolished, and the city has had far fewer squats ever since. Paris did, however, still have legendary places like Dada Squat, the 13 (known for its famed posters/flyers), and a few bars that carried on the spirit.

Across the rest of France, squats have come and gone in quick succession, including Izmir in Saint-Étienne and L’Écluserie in Rennes. Year after year, as in Paris, there are fewer squats overall, with more closures than the rare openings that occasionally occur.

Amid this newer, more radical anarcho-punk scene—which rejects capitalist practices and often performs in squats—one band to note is Primitiv Bunko, active between 1993 and 1998, releasing a handful of demos and three EPs. Their drummer, Flox, published the zine Fight For Your Mind and runs the label of the same name, which puts out numerous international bands. Around that time, many groups began creating a sound with broader international influences and touring outside France, distancing themselves from a French punk rock scene that had grown inward-looking and was content to carry on the legacy of the eighties.

Such groups include Aside from Rennes, Coche Bomba from Lyon, Autonomia Indigena from Orléans, along with zines like Reagir from Lille, one of the first to produce around half a dozen issues offering an international overview of the radical anarcho-punk scene of the time (Resist, Born Against, Sarcasm, Anti-Cimex, Sedition, Disaffect, Hellkrusher, Contropotere, etc.).

While the emo and crust scenes were growing, the more traditional anarcho-punk style (rooted in eighties bands) continued to thrive. Some veterans like Attentat Sonore, and bigger names like Désert Culturel, Kochise, and Heyoka, as well as more modest groups such as Nada, Koroll, or La Soupe aux Clous, made a huge impact in the nineties and shaped the next wave, whose members discovered these bands through tapes and by reading their inserts.

Among them, Kochise [formed in 1987 as Cosette et les Bucherons Voyeurs] is one of the best-known. The band formed in the late eighties, following in the footsteps of Haine Brigade, and released three albums (Là où dansent les morts, Dans le meilleur des mondes, and the maxi Plus dure sera la chute), plus several EPs, one being a live split with Conflict. They also published the fanzine La Revanche des Hérissons in the early nineties and went through various lineups until 2005.

Kochise organized the Conflict tour in 1994 to support the French anarchist movement (CNT, Fédération Anarchiste, Noir et Rouge, SCALP, Apache, Zarmazones, groups of precarious/unemployed workers, DIY associations, etc.), the Schwartzeneggar tour in 1995 to benefit the Anarchist Black Cross, and, in 1997, an info tour about the autonomous collective Apache. They remained active in the scene, with members also playing in bands like Cria Cuervos, Masquerade, Turtle Ramblers, and most recently Cartouche.

Their artist, Tapage, has been known since the mid-eighties for his comics and illustrations for various acts (Ludwig von 88, Bérurier Noir, Haine Brigade) and album covers (Pogo Avec Les Loups, Concerto Pour Des Traqué-e-s, etc.). He put out three books in the mid-eighties (Rock Anarchie from IRL Editions, Violences, and Peutit Keupon l’intégrale as a self-published co-production). Though he seems to have slowed down his drawing (aside from making show flyers for the CICP), he has done plenty of collage work (notably for Kochise), featured on numerous sleeves, inserts, and postcards.

Heyoka (from Dijon) released a demo, an EP, and a full-length over several years, emblematic of a distinctly French style of melodic, rousing anarcho-punk. They put out the EP and the CD on the (somewhat controversial) label Combat Rock, not typically home to this style.

Heyoka is probably one of the scene’s most beloved groups, still highly sought after and fondly remembered. They split in the late nineties: the female singer went on to Pandoras Box and then Nirvano, the guitarist joined Nutcase, while the bassist stayed involved in distributing material with the Maloka collective.

Nada hailed from Béziers, a region where, apart from their “older brothers” Outrage/Rebellion, punk was scarce, especially engaged punk. Nada had a brief run, leaving behind only a handful of interviews, a demo, and appearances on a few cassette compilations. Their later whereabouts are unclear.

Maloka, meanwhile, is home to one of France’s biggest catalogs of radical music. Its distro started in 1983 with cassettes and classic anarcho-punk tapes, run by Christophe, who now oversees the collective’s website. Maloka became a label in 1989 by releasing Psycho Squatt’s debut EP, quickly followed by various cassette compilations (Ungovernable!, Europa Solidarity, etc.) featuring numerous international groups. They went on to co-produce (with Désert Culturel, Kochise) before taking on larger projects. Over the years, they’ve produced a remarkable assortment of vinyl and CDs by French acts (Heyoka, Foetus Party, 20 Minutes de Chaos, Pekatralatak, Calavera) and foreign bands (Inner Terrestrials, Active Minds, MDC, Execradores). Maloka began putting on shows around 1988–1989 with bands like Haine Brigade, Verdun, Sourire Kabyle, and Kromozom 4. The first squat they opened was in 1992 at a former military site, lasting for one year and hosting around a dozen concerts. They then went through a series of short-term squats, finally opening Les Tanneries a decade ago, establishing a hub for shows, theater, and gatherings.

tanneries-squat-dijon — Des Tanneries squat in Dijon

They were also behind legendary festivals in the mid-nineties, such as the July 1996 event that brought together Anomie, Miseria y Kompania, Doom, Boycot, Suffer, Fleas and Lice, Heyoka, and even La Ruda (back when they were still Salska, before they turned into a flavorless soup). Hundreds of people packed the place for three riotous days, culminating on Sunday, July 14, with a punk picnic and an anti-military demonstration that ended in total mayhem! The festival continued for a few more years in collaboration with Maldoror, relocating to large fields near Luzy with a heavier focus on hardcore. Since then, Maloka has held one or two major anarcho-punk festivals per year at Les Tanneries. The last one featured La Fraction, Fleas And Lice, Grzzz, Pekatralatak, and Foetus Party, among others. Thanks to the sheer volume and caliber of shows, Dijon has become a crossroads for the French anarcho-punk scene, teeming with both activists and conflicts. Some bands operate within this collective’s orbit, such as 20 Minutes de Chaos, a crust-punk outfit with formidable female vocals. According to recent news, the City of Dijon plans to evict Les Tanneries if another development project arises—so expect a major fight ahead!

Attentat Sonore began blasting its fabled guitar sound at the end of the eighties. This drum-machine-based band put out demos and a few vinyl releases (splits with louder acts like Primitiv Bunko or Scraps) before changing style and lineup over the course of the nineties. They’re still going today, although they’ve lost that unmistakable guitar sound. Part of the group works on a now-rare zine, Guerilla Urbaine, and had a cassette label, Guerilla Front Tapes.

We should also mention Igor Ringard, perhaps France’s first (and maybe only) anarcho-punk musette act; who, starting in the early nineties, regularly performed in squats and benefit shows with his accordion and, occasionally, some friends. He would belt out older songs but with updated lyrics that Ravachol would have appreciated. He recorded two or three demos and a full-length album.

Despite their impact on France’s political punk scene through their warmth, activism, and music, Désert Culturel left behind only a handful of recordings. Beyond their two demos and two live cassettes, they released a mini-LP (Tant Qu’on Aura la Colère) and a CD (Plus d’Espoir Que de Haine) in 1992, both on On a Faim!, and finally a split EP with Skinny Boys. Naturally, they also appeared on numerous cassette compilations. Their compelling lyrics and remarkable musical ability were among their many strengths, but they vanished from the alternative circuit rather quickly. Some of their legendary shows are still fondly remembered.

Spurred on by these anarchist punk bands, many new, smaller acts appeared in the mid-nineties. They had genuine memories of the eighties but had come of age alongside the newer radical scene. Many used drum machines, such as Phase Terminale, formed in the early nineties. They initially drew heavily from the first albums of the Québec band Banlieue Rouge before shifting toward a more hardcore sound. They put out a few demo cassettes, a split EP with Toxic Waste from Northern France, and later a full-length CD (L’enfer des Apparences). In recent years, members have played in other bands, such as La Société Elle a Mauvaise Haleine or Oi J’ai Male!; Tof, the bassist, also made an excellent zine called Forme Lethale.

Foetus Party formed in 1994 in Tours, releasing a demo, a full-length (On Ne Fait Pas d’Omelettes Sans Casser de Bourgeois), a split live CD with Pekatralatak, and a maxi (Si Tu As Faim Mange Ton Patron) before disbanding in 2005. Their style was unique, occasionally incorporating surprising samples, and their lyrical themes varied widely; they disappeared and reappeared over time, but their lively, melodic, sometimes bizarre music made them a popular favorite. Their female singer works with others on the Apache label, which has organized anarcho-punk shows in Tours for many years.

Pekatralatak [also spelled as P4] formed in the early nineties with a fairly standard beginning. After some demos and a debut EP (Pure Retournade), the band’s ideas were deemed “too radical” by parts of the punk scene, resulting in both dedicated friends and sworn enemies. They put out a second EP amid chaos (On Va Tous Mourir), a live split CD with Foetus Party, a scathing split LP about the punk scene (Mort au Punk) with Urban Blight, and a split EP with Tekken, a grind band from Toulouse. Their early sound was heavily influenced by the eighties alternative wave (somewhere between Bérurier Noir and Ludwig von 88), but they evolved into something far more aggressive over time. In the early 2000s, they released a tribute LP to Bérus, Concertos pour des Traquées, fully benefiting the Anarchist Black Cross, an international prisoner-support organization.

pekatralatak-pour-un-djihad-de-classe — Cover of Pekatralatak’s final anthology record, released in 2008 after this article was originally published.

Meanwhile, Melvin, their vocalist, made artwork for various groups and organizations and created several websites. The band’s last bassist played in Nocif, a fairly low-profile group (now defunct) still awaiting a discography release; they started out with a strongly politicized yet musically melodic-hardcore approach (akin to NOFX). Nocif’s final recordings took a heavier direction, musically akin to Kochise or Heyoka but even angrier—political and insurrectionary, pushing anarcho-punk themes closer to the “autonomous” realm.

Operating in a similar context (often with shared members) were Parisian bands like Division Ruine, Bière Sociale, and Bernardo Sonotone, in the tradition of older groups such as Kamionërs Du Suicide. They put on several “ACAB Festival” events in Paris, free concerts with donation-based (Prix Libre) bars and distros supporting radical struggles and imprisoned activists. Similarly aligned projects include Outrages zine (the first issue gave tips on shoplifting) and the excellent Asymetrie zine. One compilation CD-R in support of the Clairvaux prison rebels, Vive les Mutins, featured about 20 bands. After Pekatralatak broke up, Txantxo, the founding guitarist, launched Varlin (named for a revolutionary of the Paris Commune). This “erroriste” band stuck with the guitar–bass–drum machine formula and quickly released a first demo.

Affliction formed in Troyes in 1997. They soon put out a self-titled cassette the following year, then a second demo (Oppression), and finally a third, De la Révolte à la Révolution, calling for direct action and “working advice.” This final disc was distributed by Maloka, among others, fully DIY, and sold for 3 euros, complete with several activist pamphlets. They appeared on a few compilations, including one supporting F.A.U. with Kobayashi and Eternal Innocencia. Audrey, the band’s vocalist, also made a zine featuring vegan recipes. They stopped playing in 2002, but their last release was available for download on their website!

Let’s jump back to the early nineties: the era of multiplying fanzines and distros, when stamps were pasted everywhere and thousands of flyers circulated far and wide. It would take a full book to do justice to all these zines. A quick nod must go to Humeur Noire from Lille, L’Oreille Cassée, Plus Rien, RAF, Black Iroquoise from the Limoges SCALP, Auf Zu, the essential Déviance from the Vosges, Propagande out of Achicourt (they published dozens and dozens of issues over almost 20 years), Future Noir (in exile), the fantastic DIY Brigada, whose editor later created the Poitiers SCALP Schwarz Block zine and now runs the activist bookstore La Pétroleuse.

Also worth mentioning are El Machete, produced by members of Brigada Flores Magon while they were still within the anarcho-punk sphere; the Parisian autonomous paper Apache; Street Trash from Rennes’s They Live We Die collective; L’Étoile Noire; Tranzophobia from Saint-Étienne (issue #8 featured a cover painted by Ivan Brun from Coche Bomba, who made numerous striking illustrations); the crust zine Squawk from Colmar; the excellent music-and-film zine Idées Noires; the internationalist Totalitarizm; Hecatombe; Hérésie; the historically aware Soleil Noir; plus hundreds more titles, most focusing on music and politics but sometimes branching into cooking (“gastrozines” like Broutchou), illustration (e.g., Bouh Dans Ta Face by the Pekatralatak singer Melvin, Zulvag, Reality of War from Auch), photography (Pris sur le vif), and so on. This partial list barely scratches the surface—hundreds of zines, often produced in tiny runs, circulated on merch tables and at gigs all over.

On the label side, the nineties were marked by On a Faim!, which released three legendary compilation LPs: À bas Toutes les Armées, Cette Machine Sert à Tuer Tous les Fascistes, and Pogo Avec les Loups, alongside records by Désert Culturel and Have Nots. They also aimed to operate beyond the punk scene, producing a hip-hop compilation (Dans Ta Face) and even a blues compilation. Gil, the label’s main force, also published several collections of his artwork and made a lasting visual impact on anarchist activism! They also released a large fanzine, which in its final issues came with politically charged reggae/ragga compilations.

affiche-couleur-serigraphie-7 — New poster for the long-running La France Pue radio show.

In the Rhône-Alpes region, there’s the indefatigable La France Pue collective, a group of about fifteen punks/hardcore enthusiasts, organizing shows in Saint-Étienne at various disreputable venues since 1998, mainly helping foreign touring bands who struggle to book their own gigs. Tranzophobia (a fanzine and concert organizer since 1992, with some members overlapping the collective) eventually morphed into La France Pue through the addition of a new generation of punks and the creation of a radio show [still active today]. The collective operates on DIY principles, refusing local or state funding and championing self-management. They also keep ticket prices consistently low (around €4.50/5$ since the beginning) to ensure the shows remain accessible, with funds covering only the bands’ costs and overhead (gear rental, venue fees, printing posters/flyers, food, etc.).

Some people accuse them of only booking crust bands, but that’s not entirely true, even if a fair share fall under that style. They place greater emphasis on what bands have to say and how they operate. Many of them lean libertarian or far-left, like most collective members. Indeed, everyone there is active in other local projects: bands (Chaos ZZZ, Vömit För Breakfast, Poupouille Orkestra, C.T.B), squats (Izmir), alternative media (Numéro Zéro, Radio Dio), rehearsal/show spaces (Local 100%, Sauf Imprévu), labels (Squawk, Nrv Prod, Kick Rock, Tranzophobia), and fanzines (Bavardages). All of this roots them firmly in the anarcho-punk movement, with an anarchist organizational structure, eh-eh!

Besides organizing shows and hosting the radio program, they also run a distro (available only at gigs, not by mail).

FUCK FNAC affiche — One of the many posters disseminated by the APF.

In Paris, the Le Kiosk infoshop opened in 1994 under the joint auspices of SCALP / Reflexes and the DIY label/distro Angrr, alongside folks from the Parisian autonomous collective Apache. Like many other infoshops, Le Kiosk functions as a gathering spot for activist information (calls to action, demonstrations, screenings, discussions, meetings, countercultural events, etc.). It also distributes CDs, tapes, self-produced, politically engaged vinyl, anarcho-punk releases, plus other French and international DIY material. Of course, it stocks an array of publications—pamphlets, zines, newspapers, magazines, books—focused on the usual open-ended radical projects: anarchism, autonomism, squatting, anti-fascism, anti-capitalism, anti-sexism, anti-speciesism, and so on. It’s a space where people can drop off their DIY creations or discover new ones, as well as browse them. There are roughly twenty such infoshops around France, of varying sizes, located in community centers or squats, as well as mobile or online distros. The name “infoshop” denotes a hub of propaganda, distribution, and intercommunication, which is generally easier to manage (being smaller and less complicated) than a typical bookstore. Of course, volunteers run these places, consistent with the core anarcho-punk (or simply anarchist) principle of self-organized, non-hierarchical work.

Founded in December 1993, the Al Yauma association organized about a dozen cooperatively managed shows near Tours until late 1995, featuring acts like Oi Polloi, Disaffect, Tromatism, Subcaos, Unhinged, Attentat Sonore, Headache, Dead Michel Simon, Zarbi Band, Ivich, Parkaj Mental, and Enola Gay. They launched APE Records, which released EPs by Tromatism and Escape (two members of Al Yauma played in Escape), and APE Distrib, offering vinyl and zines related to music, vegetarianism, and animal rights.

Countless small cassette labels flourished, circulating their releases by mail or at show tables, such as Le Gros Cafar, Guerilla Front Tapes, No Reason (affiliated with the zine Positive Rage), and Utopia from Auch (producer of the compilation tape War the Nightmare Continues, featuring Concrete Sox, Hellkrusher, 6 Feet Over, Excrement of War, Inkisiciao, etc.).

The same goes for distros, which popped up everywhere in France, some lasting, some disappearing, like Toxic Graphity (the Kochise distro), Kazimodo, Bad Card, Brassica Rapa, Subversion, Contre Culture, Katakomb, APE (also a label), Anok, Le Calm, and many more…

In Conclusion

Here, in broad strokes, are a little over twenty years of anarcho-punk in France. Of course, this overview is not exhaustive. We surely left out people and bands, and given we had only about fifteen pages to work with, we couldn’t include every detail or piece of imagery we wanted. Still, we hope to have laid down some historical groundwork on which we might build future endeavors: perhaps a second compilation, or a new review in booklet or book form, this time more comprehensive!

This article was written by Laurent Soudeille (aka Lölö Ass‑Social) and Melvin, with help from Raf, Jean-Christophe Maloka, Tapage, Christophe Mora, and Sylvain Tranzo.

Appendix 1: Federation Anarchopunk

Inspired by A//Political’s 1998 EP Punk Is a Ghetto and by France’s own long tradition of direct action and political organizing, a group of activists decided to create the Anarcho‑Punk Federation (APF). Hailing from Baltimore, A//Political were arguably the most important anarcho‑punk band to ever come from the United States, and their early‑2000s efforts aimed at building an international anarcho-punk network that soon gained momentum worldwide.

The Federation Anarchopunk (Anarcho-Punk Federation, APF) in France set out to spread anarchist ideas by every means the DIY punk counter‑culture could provide. That included releasing compilation records, zines, pamphlets, and other propaganda; it also embraced on‑the‑ground practices such as squatting, shoplifting, and direct action against fascists, animal abusers and capitalist exploiters. Just as important, the federation aimed to weave a network that would break the isolation of the mainstream punk scene and reach beyond the “ghetto.” They stressed that the APF was not a formal organization but a loose network and exchange platform based on affinity—a way to circulate the work of bands, collectives, labels, and individuals with shared goals. As they put it: “We are neither a parish nor a sect. We chose the name Anarcho‑Punk Federation for clarity, but we don’t confine ourselves to labels.”

Alongside the seminal Le DIY Ou La Mort double‑CD compilation, the French APF launched the fanzine Deuxième Sous‑Sol in 2008, rising from the ashes of the earlier Contre Culture zine. Deuxième Sous‑Sol collected articles, interviews, and reviews from people active in the scene, its goal being to keep a sizable collective fanzine in constant circulation. The APF also released the anti‑election compilation Un Pavé Dans L’Urne and produced a wealth of propaganda, including stickers, posters, and more, usually drawn in Melvin Pekatralatak’s distinctive cartoonish yet militant style. Around the same time that Le DIY Ou La Mort appeared, the APF circulated a bilingual leaflet against MySpace, the dominant corporate social‑media platform of the day.

Though heavily influenced by the DIY punk ethics of Crass and counter‑cultural outlook, the French scene was generally more militant than the peace‑punk movements in the UK and the US, and was closely linked to militant antifascism as well as hip‑hop and ska/reggae subcultures. The APF website itself was also ahead of its time: well‑designed with Melvin’s distinctive art, easy to navigate, and an early hub for free downloads of music, zines, and informational material.

Appendix 2: Le DIY Ou La Mort Compilation 2xCD

In March 2007, the APF released a double CD compilation with 40 tracks. The package included a poster by Melvin and a 64-page A4 booklet (the full booklet is scanned below): each group had its own profile page, and there we have the original anarcho-punk history article in French. An initial run of 1,000 copies was followed by a second pressing of another thousand copies.

Disc 1

20 Minutes De Chaos – She Song
Agora – Le Planqué
Apatride Bunker – Isolement Carcéral
Aside – Pink Triangle
Attentat Sonore – Rien Qu’un Été Bleu Marine
AZF – AZF + Baloche
Binaire – What’s Anarchy To Do With Your Badges
Civil Agression – Génération Sans Idées
Coche Bomba – La Guerre Civile
Désert Culturel – Jean‑Marie (Live)
Flagrants d’Eli – Tout Va Bien
Foetus Party – Mon Fils Est Punk
Haine Brigade – Vivre
Heyoka – Peine Perdue
Karnage – M. Durand, Mort Pour La France
Kochise – Les Six Couleurs
Koroll – Amnistie Blues
Nacht Und Nebel – Rester Lucide (Live)
Nada – La Complainte Du Lâche (Live)
Nagasaki By Night – Champignon De Paris (Live)

Disc 2

Nocif – Douce France
No Reason Voices – Airwick System
No Time To Lose – Buy The Kids (For The Kids)
Pariapunk – Le Dire Et Le Faire
Parkaj Mental – Et Si Pour Une Fois
Pekatralatak – Des Lignes Et Des Lignes
Phase Terminale – Sempiternel Combat
Primitiv Bunko – Code Barre
Psycho Squatt – Au Labo De La Mort (Live)
René Binamé – A Brief Comment On The Ballot Sham
Samizdat – Politique
Scraps – Familiar Patterns
La Société Elle A Mauvaise Haleine – Résistance
La Soupe Aux Clous – Putain De Lune
SS20 – Dernières Nouvelles Du Front
Urban Blight – I Hope We’re Still Alive
Usual Suspects – Vivre Libre Ou Mourir
Utopia – Dans Chaque Scène
Verdun – Les Geôles Républicaines
La Veru Berlue – Révolte Autorisée

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