简介：Weepers Circus is a French musical group founded in 1988 by Franck George and Eric Kaija Guerrier. In October 1988 – in a secondary school in Strasbourg – Franck George and Eric K.Guerrier meet. So begins the musical adventure of the aforementioned Weepers Circus, "the circus of those who shed tears". They are quickly joined by Alexandre (Franck's brother) and Denis Leonhardt. All have an average age of 16. From 1988 to 1995, high school and university life gradually draws in other musicians: some who stay and who still collaborate with them, while others take their own paths... There arises numerous small concerts in Strasbourg: museums, theatres, universities, churches, cafes, etc... In 1993 the Weepers Circus develop music for a documentary on the stained glass windows of St. Paul's church in Strasbourg ; participate in conceptualizing titles for french TV (Arte and France 3) ; compose the shows Requiem (1992) and Fables (1994). These works stand apart from a discography point of view, for the time being. The years 1995 and 1996 see the publication of a debut single entitled Weepers Circus, comprising of three original titles. Participation follows in two collective records of regional acts. The Weepers Circus really take off in 1997 with a first album Le Fou et La Balance ("The Madman and the Scales"), followed by their first national tour, which consists mostly of playing in the markets of Brittany and Berrychons! In 1998 the group publish a second single entitled Je suis noble ("I am noble"). In 1999 there appears a second album, L'Epouvantail ("The Scarecrow"), from which a second tour is organised, which is much more intensive in terms of the number of dates. In 2000, the group is signed with Philips/Universal and Universal Publishing. The result is a third album, L'Ombre et la Demoiselle ("The Shadow and the Young Lady"), in which there figures a duet with the group Bratsch. A third national tour is organised. At this point in time Caroline Loeb, the delectable singer of C'est la Ouate (in English the title was And so what) – who put on the play Shirley, the spectacles of Lio or Victor Lazlo - takes a liking to them (which is reciprocated), and decides to occupy herself with the image of our Weepers, going so far as to even dress them in clothes by Jean-Paul Gaultier! In 2001, the publication of their third album "The Circus of those who weep" bring the group to their first experience of shooting a video! Nicolas Bonnefous is the director. An almightily statuesque fellow ! The video is aired about forty times on M6 and MCM (french TV) between February and May. In February of the same year, the group is introduced to Richard Lornak, the brilliant and very friendly pianist of the radio program Le Fou du Roi on France Inter. The result: the Weepers Circus and Richard record together a cover of a song by Georges Brassens (unknown of at the time). They warmly welcomes him to join them on the stage of Café de la Dance (in Paris) for a memorable concert! In March, the Weepers Circus welcome a new musician: Alexandre Bertrand (called "Goulec") on drums! United through friendship and music, the objective is to modify, renew and revamp their own compositions. In May they meet Têtes Raides during the festival Paroles et Musiques of Saint-Etienne. A duet (covering a song by Brassens) is presented to the audience. In July, on a record which is a collection effort in hommage of George Brassens called Les Oiseaux de Passage, the Weepers Circus cover Quatre-vingt quize pour cent ("Ninety-five percent"). The song is arranged in collaboration with Joseph Racaille (who work with Alain Bashung, Thomas Fersen, etc.). The years 1997/2000 are thus a fabulous adventure. Around the records and the video, pretty ballads are born that the Weepers offer around the whole of France to an adorable audience, faithful and ever more numerous: an average of one hundred gigs per year since 1997. There are also many radio shows in which they participate (France Inter, FIP, France Info, France Culture, RTL, Europe 1, local radio stations etc.) as well as television shows (M6, France 2, France 3 national and regional, LCI, TV Breizh, cable TV, etc.) In June 2002, the Weepers Circus make the acquaintance of the charming Olivia Ruiz'. The Lady contacts them and requests a song from them for her first solo album. From September 2002 to February 2003, they record their fourth album Faites Entrer ("Make Enter"), for the most part in the magnificent alsatian chateau of Lichtenberg! Many are invited, in particular Serge Begout (Têtes Raides), on the trumpet, with whom the group live a real musical friendship. The sweet Olivia Ruiz is equally present on La Renarde ("The Vixen") and Je Vole ("I'm Flying"), as well as their great and dear friend Isabelle Lux who, for a third time, do them the honour to lend her voice on A poings fermés ("With closed Fists"). The album Faites Entrer is published the 22nd April 2003. The French tour of the group begins in October 2003. In 2003 and 2004, on numerous occasions, Olivia Ruiz plays a lead role in the Weepers Circus and/or in duet (on stage and on France Inter). Olivia Ruiz' album J'aime pas l'amour ("I don't Like Love") is published the 7th September 2003: the Weepers Circus participate on the track, Petite Fable ("Small Fable"). In 2004, in Strasbourg, Serge Begout plays in duet with the Weepers Circus. Boris Plateau creates an animated video around the title Le bouffon et la contreverse ("The buffon and the Discusses”) (an extract of the simple Je suis noble, published in 1998). The same year, the production and transmission of a documentary – by Didier Varrod and Godwin Djadja – devoted to Olivia Ruiz: Star activiste ("Activist star"). The top prize of the Académie Charles Cros. The Weepers Circus make an appearance in this film. In 2004, publication of the album Terrain Vague ("Waste ground") by the Ogres de Barback: the Weepers Circus participate in the track 3-0 along with a good number of other guests. In 2005, the recording and publishing of the 5th album of the Weepers Circus: La Monstrueuse Parade ("The Monstrous Parade"), in hommage of Freaks 1932 by Tod Browning. Olivia Ruiz is once again invited to play on the track Sans vous aimer ("Without loving you"). 法文 Historique Le Weepers Circus (le cirque des gens qui pleurent) a été formé à Strasbourg par Franck George (basse, violoncelle), Eric Kaija Guerrier (guitares et chœurs), Alexandre George (guitare et chant) et Denis Leonhardt (clarinettes et saxophone), alors camarades de lycée. À leurs débuts, ils sont influencés par des artistes rock britanniques (Beatles et Led Zeppelin). Après la parution de leurs deux premiers albums – Le Fou et la Balance (1997) et L'Épouvantail (1999) – ils entreprennent plusieurs tournées nationales. En 2000, ils signent chez Universal, publient leur troisième album – L'Ombre et la Demoiselle – et font la connaissance de Caroline Loeb qui mettra en scène trois de leurs spectacles. En 2003, dans le quatrième album – Faites entrer – le Weepers Circus est rejoint par un nouveau membre : Alexandre "Goulec" Bertrand (batterie et percussions). Ils y sont également accompagnés par plusieurs invités, dont Serge Bégout de Têtes Raides et Olivia Ruiz qui effectue une dizaine de fois leur première partie : Olivia enregistrera 5 chansons en tout avec eux. En 2005, l'album suivant – La Monstrueuse Parade – inspiré du film Freaks (1932) de Tod Browning, ajoute encore au groupe une dimension scénique incomparable et confirme un virage plus rock entamé depuis 2003 : Olivia Ruiz y refait une apparition. Le sixième album – Tout n'est plus si noir – paraît en 2007. Plusieurs artistes invités participent à l'enregistrement, notamment Mathias Malzieu (Dionysos), Irène Jacob et (à nouveau) Olivia Ruiz. Ce nouvel opus montre l'étendu des influences du groupe : l'âpreté du rock côtoie des influences des plus hétéroclites (l'Orient, la musique classique, Brel, Led Zeppelin, etc.). Les arrangements de cordes et de cuivres s'amplifient et leur univers tragi-comique prend toute son ampleur. Christian Houllé (claviers, vidéo) rejoint le groupe pour une longue tournée en France et en Europe. En 2009, le groupe écrit et compose deux titres du nouvel album de Caroline Loeb (Crime parfait, en janvier 2009), participe au titre d'invité au nouvel album du groupe Inhumate (The fifth season, en mars 2009), signe la musique d'une pièce de théâtre (en mars 2009, mise en scène par Denis Woelffel pour la compagnie Sémaphore, à partir du texte Dans ma maison de papier de Philippe Dorin) et publie son septième album sobrement intitulé En concert (en mars 2009), mixé par Stuart Bruce à Real World Studios, et contenant une nouvelle version studio du single & clip Tout le monde chante (remixé par un trio de rappeurs de l'Essonne : Les Gaillards). En novembre 2009, le groupe publie son huitième album sous forme de livre-disque grand format de chansons pour enfants intitulé Weepers Circus à la récré, illustré par Tomi Ungerer (Les trois brigands). Sont invités dans ce projet : Juliette, Olivia Ruiz, Didier Lockwood, Caroline Loeb, Serge Bégout, Frédérique Bel, Roger Siffer, Christine Ott et Agnès Bonfillon. Projets Après avoir enregistré sept albums studios, ainsi qu'un album en public et effectué plus de 600 concerts en France et en Europe, plusieurs nouveaux projets sont en cours pour l'année 2009/2010 : La prolongation de la tournée française et européenne (Allemagne, Autriche, Pays-Bas, Belgique, Suisse, Croatie, etc.) La publication d'un neuvième album (pour le printemps 2010).