Volume !La revue des musiques populaires 1 : 2 | 2002Varia

A case study of Zebda: republicanism, métissage andauthenticity in contemporary FranceLe groupe Zebda : républicanisme, métissage et authenticité en France

Barbara Lebrun

Electronic versionURL: https://journals.openedition.org/volume/2420DOI: 10.4000/volume.2420ISSN: 1950-568X

PublisherAssociation Mélanie Seteun

Printed versionDate of publication: 15 November 2002Number of pages: 59-69ISBN: 1634-5495ISSN: 1634-5495

Electronic referenceBarbara Lebrun, “A case study of Zebda: republicanism, métissage and authenticity in contemporaryFrance”, Volume ! [Online], 1 : 2 | 2002, Online since 15 May 2004, connection on 15 November 2021.URL: http://journals.openedition.org/volume/2420 ; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/volume.2420

L'auteur & les Éd. Mélanie Seteun

Barbara LEBRUN, « A case Study of Zebda : Republicanism, métissage and Authenticity in Contemporary France », Volume ! La revue des musiques populaires, n° 1(2), 2003, p. 59-69.

Éditions Mélanie Seteun

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acasestudyofZebda:republicanism,métissageandauthenticityincontemporaryFrance

par

Barbara LEBRUN, PhDUniversité de Manchester

Résumé.ThispaperlooksattheproductionanddistributionofZebda’sculturalidentity,perceivedas‘alter-native’or‘oppositional’inFrenchpopularmusic.UsingthepluridisciplinarymethodofCulturalStudies,weexaminehowartists,producersandmediacreatediscoursesthatattempttounifyacertaindifferencefromthe‘mainstream’,whilenationalandculturalconventionsrelativizethisidentity.Zebda’scommitmenttorepubli-canismisbothpromotedas‘radical’andinlinewithnationaltraditions.Theband’shybridmusicparallelstheevolutionofFrenchidentitytowardsmulticulturalism,butremainsboundbytheconceptofintegration.Zeb-da’scommercialsuccesssince1999isalsorepresentativeofthediversityofperceptionofculturalidentities,atoncemappedoverthe‘mainstream’andthe‘alternative’.

Mots-clefs.Alternative—authenticity—republicanism—Frenchidentity—métissage.

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After the attemptsof rock alternatif tomanage artists autonomously in ‘independent’labelsinthe1980s,theFrenchmusicindustrygotincreasinglyblurredasforeign

majorsboughtordistributed small French labels.The ‘alternative’ identityofmanyFrenchrockbands, initiallyaimedatchallengingtheconcentrationof the industry, thendevelopedinparalleltoanunwillingrelianceonmajors,whichledtotheparadoxthatexpressing‘resis-tance’dependedonaformof‘co-option’bymainstreamproduction.ThenowfamousbandZebda,fromToulouse,isaninterestingexampleofhow,sincethe1990s,Frenchrockartistshavestruggledtoarticulatetheirideological‘difference’(challenging‘mainstream’musicandneo-liberalismamongotherthemes),whilebeingsignedtooneofthemostpowerfulrecordcompanies(Barclay/Universal).ThispaperlooksattheexpressionofZebda’s‘alternativity’intermsofpoliticalcommitment,musicalmétissageanditsreflectiononimmigration,andintermsofproductionandmediareception.

‘Seriousness’andRepublicanismFrench chansonhas a traditionofusingapoliticizeddiscourse to set itself against theappa-rentlymoretrivialstorylinesofvariétés.FromBruantinthelateXIXthcentury,tothesinger-songwritersof chanson rive gauche in the1950s-60s, Frenchpopularmusichas articulated itsexpressionof‘authenticity’byponderingtheinequalitiesofsociety,oftencriticizingthedistressandpovertybroughtbycapitalism.Themore‘serious’trendofFrenchpopularmusichas,inthissense,oftenespousedtheevolutionofthepoliticalleft.Inthewakeofthistradition,Zebdahasclaimedthat«dessocialistesàl’extrême-gauche,ilyaunvasteterrainsurlequelonpeuts’impliquer»(Charlie-Hebdo397),chartingtheirmusicalidentityasinseparablefromaformofpoliticalcommitment.Indeed,Zebda’sfirstnationwidesuccesswasasongentitled‘Lebruitetl’odeur’(1995,ontheeponymousalbum)whichcriticizedthemoreconservativeviewsofFrenchsociety.Onaraggamuffinbeat,sustainedbyelectricguitarsanddrums(arockmusicbasis),itendedwiththesampleofaracistdiscoursebyJacquesChiraconthesmellofimmi-grants.Althoughcomposedbeforethe1995presidentialelections, thesongprovedatimelyprovocation,andonepersonallyopposedtothenewPresident.Thisso-called‘radical’criticismattractedsupportfromtheleft-wingpress,inwhichZebdamadetheheadlineasan‘oppositio-nal’,or‘alternative’,musicband:«Zebda,leschanteursdelacontestationfestive»(Télérama2566);«[leur]engagementpolitiquesansfaille»(L’EvénementduJeudi15/04/99);«résis-tancemusicale»and«militantismedémocratique»(LeMonde08/11/98).

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Sincethedevelopmentofcapitalism,thelefthasconsideredthatthelattercontradictedthefulldevelopmentofsocialjusticeanddemocracy,andhas,insomeinstances,consideredrebel-lionasameanstopotentiallyachieveamorejustsociety.Thispositionalsoreflectstheappro-priateness,orotherwise,ofFrenchrepublicanismasanalternativesocietymodeltoeconomicliberalism.Inthe1990s,Zebdahasfirmlyre-assessedtheFrenchrepublicanideal,anditsgoalofanabstractandequitablecitizenship,asvalidandworthstrugglingfor.Theleadsingerandcomposeroftheband,MagydCherfi,hasstressedthenecessityofassessing,againandagainandinthefaceofreactionarytendencies,thetheoretical‘righteousness’or‘humanism’ofthisrepublicanmodel. Contrasting his music with, in his own words, some tendencies towardsangerinFrenchrap,heconsideredthat«[liberté,égalité,fraternité]voilàlavraiecolère,levraicombat,celuidelamaturité»(Télérama09/98).Withthis,CherfipresentedZebdaascarvingaratherconventionalidentityspace,takingrepublicanpoliticsseriouslyandappealingtoalreadyexistingfundamentalvaluesofFrenchidentity.InAutumn2000,whensomemembersofZebdacreated an electoral roll in preparation for the Toulouse 2001 municipal elections (calledMotivé-e-s),theartistsinvolvedstressedagaintheirrepublicanaffinity.Theelectoralroll’sbroadidentity was ‘une liste citoyenne’, supposedly crossing over party allegiances, while remaininglinkedtotheleft.TheMotivé-e-swantedtoprovideanincentiveforToulousecitizenstocomeandexpressthemselvesinforums,sothattheirpersonalinvolvementinthetown’scommunitylifewouldsignifyareappropriationof localpolitics. Inaradio interviewinDecember2000,Cherfiexplainedthatparticipativedemocracywasthelist’scentralcredo,andthathisdesirewasto«renoueraveclapolitique,lesérieuxetl’engagement»(Là-bassij’ysuis,FranceInter05/12/00).Heassessedhispoliticalidentityasreflexive,againquiteconventionallyinlinewithrepublicanism.

However,theparadoxoftheFrenchrepublicisthat,withitsabstractoridealistgoal,therevo-lutionseemsnever-endingandcanbeconstantlyreassessedasavalidpoliticalend.Therevol-utionaryheritageofFrenchhistory justifiesrebellionasameans toattainsocial justice,andlegitimizes a certain ‘radical’ discourse as anational tradition. It resets the agenda for evermorerebellion.Inthissense,defendingtheirrepublicanismisforZebdathewaytoaffirmtheir‘radicality’.Indeed,Cherficlaimedthenecessityto«foutrelebordel»whenexistinginstitutionswerethoughttobeunfair.Rekindlinga‘peopleseizethepower’discourse,helinkedtraditio-nalrepublicanthemes(seriousness)withrebellion,callingfordisruptionofthepoliticalstatusquowhenconsideredappropriate.Zebda’sidentitythusappearsintensionbetweenacertaintraditionorfiliationwithFrenchhistory(andpreviouschanson),and,inthefaceofconservativeforcesinFrenchpolitics,astherenewalofsupposedly‘radical’politics.TheMotivé-e-sranfor

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theelections(March2001),gathered12%ofvotesonthefirstroundandredistributedthemtowardstheSocialistcandidateFrançoisSimoninthesecondround.Simondidnotwin,buttheimpactofcombinationofrockmusicandpoliticsattractedalargefollowingandcontributedtoZebdabeingconsideredabeaconof ‘resistance’ inFrenchpoliticalandcultural life(seeabove).Their‘alternative’identityisthusessentiallyshifting,fluid,andmapsoverseveral,andattimesconflicting,culturalzones(MorleyandRobins,1989).

MétissageandchallengingtraditionalFrenchidentities

Anotherfacetoftheband’s‘alternative’identityistheiremphasisonmétissageandtheirreflec-tionon theplaceof culturaldifferences incontemporaryFrance. Just as theword ‘métis’ inFrenchappliestothechildofamixedrelationship,sothebirthofFrenchrockmétisséimpliesanewproduction,thecombinationofdifferences,ahybridity.Zebdahascoineditsmusicaliden-titybyapparentlyredefining,atleastinmusicalterms,theusuallyacousticsoundof‘serious’French chanson. In the late 1980s,ManoNegra had already operated such fusion, and LesNégressesVertes,otherprecursorsofmétissage,weredescribedas«aFrenchbandthatareakindofmixofpunk,folk,raïandLatin»(ChrisRidd,1998).Fortheirpart,Zebda’smembersplayamixture«deraï,derock,etdemusette»,whichsetsthem,astheysay,«àlapériphériedessuccèscathodiques»(‘Toulouse’,1995).Thismusicalhybridityhasbeencrucialinchartingtheir‘alternative’or‘resistant’identity,inthesensethatmixedmusicseemstochallengethecompartementalisationof traditionalcategories(ChrisWarne,1997).Plaitingso-farseparateidentitiesintoahybridrockmétisséstyleofmusic,Zebdaisperceivedasdisruptiveoftraditionalidentities.

Theband’sname,Zebda,means ‘butter’ inArabicand is apunon thedouble-entendreoftheFrench‘beurre’(butter)with‘beur’,designatingsecond-generationArabimmigrants.Themain singers and composersof theband (MagydCherfi and theAmokranebrothers)wereborn inFranceandareofAlgerianbackgrounds, so thatZebda identifies itself jokinglyandinter-linguisticallyasArab.Inturn,thebandraisesquestionsabouttheplaceofNorth-AfricanimmigrantsinFrenchsociety.Frenchrepublicanismtraditionallyoverlooksculturalandethnicdifferencesbypositingtheabstractidealofrepublicancitizenship.ThisisanaspectofFrenchnationalidentitythatCherfiagreeswith,andhislyricsarecrammedwithsuchdeclarationsas«moijesuisfrançais,j’aitousmespapiers,jesuisbienintégré,jesuisdanslanormefrançaise»(‘France2’,1995),or«jesuislaïcetrépublicain»(‘Lebruitetl’odeur’,1995).Hehastakenlai-

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cityandintegrationtoheart,agreeingtoshedhisArabidentity:«Beur,(...)c’estunetransition.Nousétionsarabes,puisbeursavantdedevenirfrançais.C’est l’aspectpositifdelasociété»(EDJ,15/02/99).Cherfitruststherepublicanframeworktobeadequatefortakingeveryindivi-dualintoaccount.Quickly,itisinterestingtonotethatthetermisbeurissubjecttocontroversy,includingamongsecond-generationimmigrantsthemselves.TheleadsingerandcomposeroftheotherrockmétissébandGnawa,AmazighKateb,findsitcondescendingandanoverarchingreplacementfororiginsthatmaybemoreprecise,asKabylorBerberforinstance.Katebcon-sidersthatthewordis«unpeudesfaçonsdenousexclure,parcequ’oninventedesidentitéshybrides,des trucsquinecorrespondentàrien»(Périphéries).AlthoughGnawa isamusicbandenteringthesamemusicalcategoryasZebda,androughlyassociatedtothesame‘métis-sage’spirit,KatebrejectsthenotionofhybriditywhileCherfi,fromZebda,preciselyhighlightstheeffectivenessofhybridityforthepurposeofchallengingFrenchsociety.

Followingthisprinciple,ZebdainsiststhatcontemporaryFranceismadeupofavarietyofcul-turalheritages, including theparticularitiesofbeingNorthAfricanandArab. In ‘Toulouse’(1995),theypayhomagetothemixedidentityoftheirhometown.Thirtyyearsbefore,in1966,thesinger-songwriterClaudeNougarohadcomposedasongaboutToulousetoo,describinghisadult’sreturntothetownofhischildhood.Usingprofusivestrings,Nougarorenderedtheidealizedandnostalgicvisionofawarmcommunity.Intheir‘Toulouse’,ZebdaopensupwiththesampleofaslowArabicprayer,andkicksoffwithafastraggamuffinbeat,underliningthecontemporary(musicalandethnic)melangeofthetown.Initslyrics,thesongdescribedthesocialandethnicdiversityofitsinhabitants:thetrampsofthetrainstation,theNorthAfricanandSpanishimmigrantsofthebanlieues,theneatengineersofthecitycentre.

Uponfirsthearing,Zebda’sidentityseemsto«indiscriminatelycelebratethepost-modernplayofhybriddifference»(Hargreaves,1997).Commentingon‘theFrench’ingeneral,HargreavesunderlinedthefactthatfortheFrench,whoseidentityhasbeenframedbyyearsofRepublica-nism,ethnicandculturaldifferencesweregraduallytakenintoaccountinsofarastheyseemedtoredesignFranceasan‘open’countryonprinciple,andallculturesas‘equal’onprinciple.Forinstance,commentingontheevolutionofFrenchmusictowardsmétissagesincethe1980s,journalistGaraponwaxedlyricalashenotedthat«devenuspartiesdulangagecommun,musi-queafricaine,raï,rapcontribuent,avectouteslesautrescouleursdelapalettemusicaleplané-tairedontdisposedésormaislechanteur,àfaçonnerlenouveauvisagedelachansonfrançaise»(Esprit07/99).HeassumedthatFrenchsocietyhadauniversalpotential,andthattheexistenceof‘mixity’befittedFrance’sevolution,almostnaturally,andcertainlywithahappyoutcome.

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However,celebratingmétissageisnotenoughwhenethnicdifferencesstillcausesocialdiscrimi-nation.InhisinfluentialresearchontheblackBritishcommunity,PaulGilroy(1993)criticizedthe‘anti-essentialist’positionwhichseestheexistenceofculturaldifferencesasareasonforpraisingtoleranceand‘progress’ inWesternsocieties.Gilroy’s ‘anti-anti-essentialist’attitude,on theotherhand,warnsagainst the facile satisfactionof those,usually fromthedominantethnicandsocialgroups,whocelebratethisapparentlyaccomplishedinter-culturalmétissage.MyresearchconductedinFrenchfestivalsandintheconcertsofZebdarevealsthattheband’saudienceis,initsvastmajority,white,well-educatedandusuallymiddle-class.AtthesametimeinFrance,andasGilroydemonstrates,ethnicdifferencescontinuetodiscriminateagainstsett-ledimmigrantsinmanycases.Zebdathusinsiststhat‘looking’NorthAfricaninFrance(havinga‘brown’face)isenoughtoshapetensionsandrejections.ChallengingthetraditionallywhiteethnicityofFrenchpopularmusic(becauseoftheirownbrownfaces),Zebda’sleadmembersstillremindusthat,overall,Frenchsocietyproducessocial inequalitiesonthebasisofracialdiscrimination.In‘Lebruitet l’odeur’(1995),andparodyinganotherlinebyNougarowhosaidhewishedtobeablacksinger,Zebdasung«sicertainsregrettentdenepasêtrenoirdepeau,jen’aiqu’uneréponse,lesgars,vousavezdupot!».Thisunderlinedthatracialdisparitiesdidnotassumeequality,andthat,inacontemporarycontextwhereChiraccommentedonthesmellofimmigrants,therewasmuchleewayforfurtherassertionoftherespectandinclusionofdifferences.Zebda’ssongsthusevoketheflawsofintegrationandtellofracisteventstakingplaceeverydayagainstFrenchcitizensofNorthAfricanorigin,likeinthehumoroussong‘Jecroisqueçavapasêtrepossible’(1999)wherean‘Arab-looking’manisrefusedentrancetoanightclub,abankandalettingagency.Withitsmusicalmix,Zebdashowsthatmétissagecanbeapoliticalargumentchallengingboththedismissalofdifferencesasintraditionalrepublicanism,andtheill-informedcomplacencyofthosepromotingdifferencesasequal.

Thus far (Summer 2002), Zebda has pointed to the inadequacies of contemporary Frenchsocietyand the irrelevanceofpurely festivemétissage.Cherfi’s reflectionsonFrench identityhavealsoremainedopen,attimesreachingabewildereddead-endabouttheambivalenceofFrenchsociety.Inthesong‘Jesuis’(1999),hewrote:«Jesuispasnélejourdemanaissance,jesuisnélorsquej’aicomprismadifférence»,implyingthatifintegrationwassupposedtoleveldifferences,itdidnotworkfornon-whitepeoplewhowerestillreferredtoas‘different’andthusnon-assimilable.Twoother songsrevealed the incapacityofFrench institutions(andofmostFrenchpeople)todealwiththoseofNorthAfricanorigins.«Quandj’aicomprislaloij’aicomprismadéfaite:‘intégrez-vous’disait-elle,maisc’étaitchosefaite»(‘Lebruitetl’odeur’,

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1995)and«intégréjelesuisoùestlasolution,intégréjelesuisoùestlasolution...?»(‘Quinzeans’,1999)aretwoextractsstressingtheimpassereachedbyFrenchpolitics.ZebdahasthusreflectedontheneedforFrenchsocietytoacceptculturalandethnicdifferences,whileinsis-tingthattheabstractidealofrepublicanismdidnotpassbeyonddifferences,andinsomeins-tancesgeneratedracistassumptionsimpedingthedevelopmentofanequitablesociety.Thus,beingArab(orotherthanwhiteFrench)andFrenchisaconceptthatstillhastobeasserted,andZebda’sroleinthisstrugglehasprovedtobeprominentincontemporaryFrenchpopularmusic.

‘Authentic’LegitimacyandMainstreamSuccess

Anotherareaofexpressionandperceptionof‘alternativity’inFrenchpopularmusicisrecordproductionandthecommercializationofartists.Sinceitsfirstalbum,Zebdahascomeacrossasa‘non-mainstream’bandbecauseofitssupportofleft-wingcauses,itscommitmenttosocialjus-ticeanditsuseofthestagecircuitasopposedtoTVbroadcast(seeitsreceptionintheleft-wingpressabove).However,ZebdawasfromthestartsignedbyBarclay,asubsidiaryoftheUSmajorPolygram/Universalsince1978.ThisisnottheplacetoexaminetheconflictsbetweenmajorsandindependentrecordlabelsinFrance(whichisanimportantaspectofmyPhDresearch),butletussaythatinrecordproductionaselsewhere,theculturalidentityof‘alternativity’mapsoutoverconflictingzones.ZebdaisabandproducedbyoneofthemostpowerfulFrench‘inte-grated’labels,andyetcouldbe,atleastinitially,perceivedaspromoting‘alternative’and‘resis-tant’values.

Since1999,thepositionofZebdaintheFrenchculturallandscapehasshiftedfrom‘authenti-city’ to ‘commerciality’, following thehugesuccessof their song ‘Tomber laChemise’,best-sellingFrenchsingleforthatyear.Afterthereasonablesuccessof their1995album,Barclaywishedtopushthebandtofurthercommercialexposure,andchosetoreleasethisextractasa single topromoteonradiosandTVchannels(fromEssenceordinaire,1998).Thesong isaraggamuffincelebrationofrelentlessness,anupliftingtuneabout‘gettingdownwithit’,hencethesweatyshirtthatneedstakingoff.Thetimefactorplayedaroleinitssuccess,asitwascare-fullylaunchedpriortothesummerperiod.InaninterviewgiventoCharlie-Hebdo(January2000),Zebda’smembersadmittedthat,«surcettechansonnotredémarchenevapastrèsloin»(Charlie-Hebdo26/01/00),andregrettedthatBarclayhadselectedthissongforpromotion,insteadofanother,perhapsmore‘serious’,track.However,thebandeventuallyagreedtothis

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selection,andagreedtoattendprime-timeTVshowsto further thesalesof their singleandalbum.Infact,Zebdaclaimedtohavealwayslookedforsuccessand‘mainstream’access,andthesuddenpossibility,offeredbytheirlabel,offacingalargeaudiencedidnot,apriori,con-tradicttheirideologicalpositions.Theyjusthopedthatintensivemediacoveragewouldhelpexposetheirpoliticalideas:«proposantdeschansonspopulairesetaccessibles,onatoujoursvouluavoirdusuccès(...).Parailleurs,connaissantl’attentedesradiosetdupublic,onpensaitquecetitremarcherait,surtoutàcetteépoquedel’année»(Libération,06/09/99).Inthis,Zebdarepresentsonepositionof‘authenticity’,whichisnotunderstoodaselitismorpurism(aimingatarestrictedaudienceforinstance),butasthepossibilitytoairchallengingideastoas largeandasdemocraticapublicaspossible.Back in the1980s, the ‘independent’ labelsBondageandBoucheriefoughtoverthedefinitionof‘alternativity’,Bondagetryingtorejectwhattheysawas‘compromise’withmajors,whileBoucheriehopedthatselectedcontractswithmajorswouldgivewideaccesstotheirartists.ThefactthatZebdaacceptedBarclay’scommer-cialmethodsofexposurestandsinthewakeofBoucherie’sdeclarations,anddefinesonepos-sible‘identityspace’fortheexpressionofalternativityincontemporaryFrance.Wemustinsistthatitisnotthesolecomprehensionofthatculture.

Themassivepromotionof‘Tomberlachemise’attractedadifferentaudiencefromtheband’sinitial followers, this timemostlycomprisedof listenersofcommercialradiosandviewersofprime-timeTVshows.Conductinginterviewsinconcertsandfestivals,andusingnarrativeanaly-sisasamethod,mythesisexaminedtheratherdefensiveargumentsofZebda’sinitialaudience,feelingalmost‘swindled’bythesuddencommercialsuccessofanuntil-then‘indie’band.Ishallnotdevelopthispointhere,butsufficeittosaythatmanycriticsalsofeltconfusedbyZebda’ssuccess,andmadesuretheysettherecordstraightabouttheirprioracknowledgementoftheband’s‘authenticity’.InLibération,oneread«Ilconvientillicodereplacerleuractionmusicaleetsocialedansuncontexteautrementplusréfléchiqu’iln’yparaît»(Libération06/09/99).The adverb implied thediligenceof the journalist todistinguishhimself fromZebda’snewpublic,apparentlyless‘réfléchi’thanhimself.Underliningone’spriorknowledgeiswhatBour-dieucalledtheantécédentculturel,andthisjournalist(andmanyofmyinterviewees)expressedtheirdifference,theiralterity,fromsuddenmassivefameinthisway(Bourdieu,1979).Parta-kinginacommon‘alternative’culture,mediaandaudiencereflecttheresilienceofculturaldividesinFrenchpopularmusic,andprovideinsightintotheformationofculturaltastesinresponsetotheperceptionofathreatening(butundifferentiated)‘mass’audience.

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Commentingontheirsuccess,Zebda’sspokesmenexplainedhowexternalpressureandcen-sorshiphadgeneratedamisunderstanding. In1999, thebandhadattendedprime-timeTVdebates,andweregiven,duringshooting,theopportunitytospeakaboutpoliticalissuessuchastheproblemofdoublepeine.Assaidabove,theyagreedwiththeprincipleofmaximumexposureif itcouldfurther their ‘serious’ identity.Onfouroccasionshowever,withThierryArdisson,MichelField,GeorgesPernaudandRuthElkrieff,theyrealizedduringbroadcastthatthissec-tionoftheirinterviewshadbeensystematicallyedited.Their‘commitment’nevercameacross,onlytheirToulousejocularity.Further,uponZebda’srefusaltodoaninterviewforM6(becauseofM6’soverly‘commercial’image),theprivatemusicchannelthreatenedtostopbroadcastingtheirvideos.UponZebda’srefusaltobesponsoredbyNRJfortheirconcerttour,forsimilarreasons,theprivateradiostationthreatenedtostopbroadcastingtheirsongs.Eachtime,howe-ver,thecommercialmediahadtogivein,suchwasthesuccessofthebandandthepotentialprofittobederivedfrombroadcastingthem.Thissituationdemonstratesthetensionsatstakeinshapingamusicproduct(thepressuresthatcommercialmediaandrecordproductionputonartists), and thediverse responsesofartists andaudience to thesepressures. In thecaseofZebda,itbecomesclearthat‘dissidence’or‘rebellion’arehugestakesintheircommercialpromotion,atthesametimeaspowerfulmediarejectargumentsthatmaythreatentheprogressofsales.Asaresult,Zebdahasgathereda‘mainstream’anda‘non-mainstream’audience,thelatterchangingandadjustingitsidentityinrelationtotheformer.

In2000, theFrenchconglomerateVivendibought themajorUniversalwhichownsBarclay.Uptothatpoint,thepositionofBarclaywithintheFrenchindustryhadbeenanambiguousone of promoting French artists while relying on an American superstructure.Many otherFrenchlabelswereinthesameposition,whichhasgenerateddebatesovertheexpressionofnational ‘resistance’ to foreignbusinessesduring the1980s and1990s.Thesedebateswere,again,mappedoverdifferentandconflictingdefinitionsofwhattheFrenchnationalidentityanditsso-called‘culturalexception’couldbe.Since2000,however,thequestionofstrengthe-ning a national presence within a foreign structure has subsided, and been replaced by a‘franco-French’debateaboutresistanceandoppression‘athome’.ThefactthatVivendiisoneofmostpowerfulcompaniestoday,andisheadedbyaFrenchmanager,whileFrancehastra-ditionally favoured its roleasan rebellious ‘outsider’on the international stageandagainsteconomic liberalism,highlights the internal strugglenowtakingplace inFrenchmediaandculture.Inabidtodetachhimselffromtheunfavourableconnotationsthathissuper-companyattracted,andusingthemasatokenofhisowninterestin‘dissidence’andsupportofartistic

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integrity,MessierhaspraisedZebdaasanexampleof‘rebellious’music(seeTélérama2715).Intheongoingdebateabout‘Frenchexceptionalism’andpotential‘resistance’toneo-liberalism,Messier’sdeclarationswereridiculedasopportunist,buttheyunderlinedhowpopularmusiccouldbeanobjectofdissentbetweenoppositeculturalforcesonagivennationalterritory.

Conclusion

Withthegroup’sinitialpoliticallegitimacyandsuddenmainstreamsuccesssince1999,Zebdainterestingly illuminates thecontradictionsat stake in contemporaryFrenchpopularmusic,andshedlightonresilientdebatesaboutFrenchidentity,elitismandtheexpressionofcultural‘difference’.Onaninternationalscale,ZebdaalsoshowsthatFrenchrockmétissécanplayapartinshapingaso-calledresistancetoneo-liberalism.In2000,thebandattendedtheMillaugathe-ringtosupporttheeco-leaderJoséBové.BovéislinkedtothecauseofATTAC,asistheAmeri-canMichaelMoore,who,togetherwithPierreCarleswhointerviewedZebdainCharlie-Hebdo,attendedthe‘Charivari’festivallastMayinParis.There,«unemondialisationdesalternatives[aucapitalisme],des luttesetdes solidarités»waspromoted(programmeinInrockuptibles01/05/02).Thusweseeaninternationalandculturalchainforming,withFrenchrockartistsplayingaroleinit(ManuChaoobviouslyplayingamoreprominentrolethanZebdaontheglobalscale).Thisdemonstratestheresilienceoftheconceptof‘alternativity’inFrenchcul-ture,andtheprideandconflictsatstakeinkeepingwiththisidentity.

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BarbaraLEBRUNestmaîtredeconférencesen‘FrenchCulturalStudiesandPopularMusic’àl’UniversitédeManchester,Grande-Bretagne.

Email:lebrunbarbara@hotmail.com