Nous Non Plus

by Andrew Leahey
Mixing whimsical indie pop with a hearty dose of Francophilia, Nous Non Plus formed in 2005 from the ashes of Les Sans Culottes, another faux-French band from New York City. Bandmates Céline Dijon (vocals), Jean-Luc Retard (bass, vocals), Bonnie Day (vocals, violin), Cal d'Hommage (guitar), Professeur Harry Covert (drums), Morris "Mars" Chevrolet (synthesizer), and François Hardonne (keyboard, trumpet) had all played together in Les Sans Culottes, which also featured the talents of bandleader Clermont Ferrand. The musicians staged a coup d'état in 2005, ousting Ferrand from the band and attempting to retain the Les Sans Culottes moniker without him. Ferrand responded by taking his former bandmates to court. Having no money to compete with Ferrand (a former lawyer who represented himself in the case), they cut their losses and adopted a new name, Nous Non Plus.
Like the group that spawned them, Nous Non Plus began playing French pop despite the band's decided lack of French ancestry. Their eponymous debut became a Top 10 hit on the CMJ charts in 2005, while the follow-up effort Ménagerie updated the band's vintage, '60s-styled songwriting with Moog synthesizers and distorted guitars.