Dropping the words “cover band” into conversation is a sure way to lose an audience’s interest. All too often, bands try and fail to rework the songs of others. Out of the countless cover bands in existence, only a few ever succeed.

So what is it about Gallic group Nouvelle Vague that makes their quirky brand of covers so appealing? Their self-titled debut sold more than 200,000 copies, while the accompanying tour saw them perform to audiences all over the world. How did this phenomenon begin? According to project originator Marc Collin, the whole concept stemmed from a single demo tape.
“I read somewhere that the first version of ‘Heart Of Glass’ was a demo made in a reggae style and it inspired me,” Collin says. “I wanted to prove that those bands, even if they only knew one or two chords, had written classic songs. As for bossa nova, it’s the best style in which to rearrange a song because it allows you to keep the emotion and the melancholy of the New Wave sound.”
Citing influences from Caetano Veloso and Antonio Carlos Jobim to João Gilberto, Nouvelle Vague are able to infuse New Wave classics with the breezy, mellow sound of their idols. The group’s take on ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’, for example, has more in common with ‘The Girl From Ipanema’ than the Joy Division original.
“Some songs lend themselves to reworking more than others,” explains Colin. “A group like, say, The Cure have written a lot of pop songs with a real mood. Other bands, like Siouxie And The Banshees, are harder because the atmosphere isn’t there.”
The authors of the original songs have been overwhelmingly enthusiastic about Nouvelle Vague’s distinctive approach, with everyone from The Specials to Vince Clarke voicing their approval of the band’s work.
And they don’t show any sign of stopping. After returning from Australia, the group have European gigs planned, before jetting off to Asia in May. There are also plans for another album, which will feature songs by Japan, Talking Heads and Gang Of Four, amongst others.
“This time around,” Marc reveals, “the inspiration is imagining that these songs could’ve been soundtracks for films.”
With a whole decade of material to pull from, Nouvelle Vague are sure to be performing their unique versions of ‘80s alternative classics for some time yet.
Nouvelle Vague play Tripod, Dublin on May 16