Les Reines Prochaines Explained

Les Reines Prochaines
Origin:	Switzerland
Years Active:	1987–present
Current Members:	Muda Mathis Sus Zwick Fränzi Madörin Michèle Fuchs
Past Members:	Teresa Alonso Barbara Naegelin Pipilotti Rist

Les Reines Prochaines (in French, "the Next Queens") are a collectively organised pop band and performance group based in Basel, Switzerland. Their highly lyrical songs are rooted in various genres, including tango, folk, and classical music.^[1]

History

Les Reines Prochaines were founded in 1987 as Les Reines des Couteaux (in French, "The Queens of the Knives")^[2] by Teresa Alonso, Regina Florida Schmid, and Muda Mathis; in the following year, they were joined by Fränzi Madörin and Pipilotti Rist.^[3] Years later, Gabi Streiff, Sus Zwick, Sibylle Hauert, Michèle Fuchs, and Barbara Naegelin joined as well.

Touring members have included percussionist Dave Kerman, who also appeared on their 2013 release Blut.

2019 thy were honoured with the Swiss Music Award.^[4]

Musical style

The group started as a synth-only band (aside from their voices). At present the musicians (of whom several are also visual artists) play bass, drums, accordion, guitar, clarinet, trompette, and flute. In spite of this their arrangements are quite minimalistic, incorporated into a larger multimedia framework. Their lyrics are poetic and political, and often quite provocative. In their performances, each musician has a unique role; instruments are traded, and the format shifts between song, dance, and spoken word.

Their repertoire includes a number of cover songs, including Opfer dieses Liedes (from Chris Isaak's Wicked Game) and Evening, a sparse cover of the Rolling Stones' As Tears Go By.

Concerts on tour

1987: Engel haben nie weit, Opera and Concertprogram, Les Reines des Couteaux: Regina Florida Schmid, Teresa Alonso, Muda Mathis
1988/89: Zorniges Lamm, multimedia performance, open air in the Bassin of the old Stückfärberei, Basel and concert programe, Les Reines Prochaines: Teresa Alonso, Fränzi Madörin, Muda Mathis, Regina Florida Schmid, Pipilotti Rist
1989: Die Tempodrosslerin saust, with: Teresa Alonso, Fränzi Madörin, Muda Mathis, Regina Florida Schmid, Pipilotti Rist, technician: Roli Frei
1990/9: Seien sie Flugdame!, with: Fränzi Madörin, Muda Mathis, Regina Florida Schmid, Gabi Streiff, Pipilotti Rist, technician: Sus Zwick
1991/92: Komm mit mir auf’s Floss, with: Muda Mathis, Fränzi Madörin, Piplotti Rist, Gabi Streiff, technician: Sus Zwick
1993/94: Lob Ehre Ruhm Dank, with: Muda Mathis, Fränzi Madörin, Piplotti Rist, Gabi Streiff, technician: Sus Zwick
1994/95: Les Reines Prochaines wollen ihre Welt vergrössern, with: Sibylle Hauert, Fränzi Madörin, Muda Mathis, Gaby Streiff, technician: Sus Zwick
1995/96: Le coeur en beurre doublegras, with: Sibylle Hauert, Fränzi Madörin, Muda Mathis, Gaby Streiff,technician: Sus Zwick
1997: Sandale Haus Pfirsich Brot, performance on tour, by and witSibylle Hauert, Fränzi Madörin, Muda Mathis, Sus Zwick
1998/99: Les Reines Prochaines gehen in die Tiefe, with: Michèle Fuchs, Fränzi Madörin, Muda Mathis, Sus Zwick, Technik: Barbara Naegelin
2000/01: Das schlaue Mammut tobt oder die sieben Stufen des Glücks, with: Michèle Fuchs, Fränzi Madörin, Muda Mathis, Sus Zwick togethet with Nathalie Persillier & Lily Besily, anyaffair Sibylle Hauert, Daniel Reichmuth, technician: Barbara Naegelin
2002/03: Es gibt immer was zu tun – Protest und Vasen, with: Michèle Fuchs, Fränzi Madörin, Muda Mathis, Barbara Naegelin, Sus Zwick, technician: Tina Z’Rotz
2004/05/06: Halluzination, with: Michèle Fuchs, Fränzi Madörin, Muda Mathis, Barbara Naegelin, Sus Zwick, audio technology and set Tina Z‘Rotz^[5]
2006/07/08: Fest der Organe, with: Michèle Fuchs, Fränzi Madörin, Muda Mathis, Barbara Naegelin, Sus Zwick
2009/10/11: Vol d’art – der Kunstraub, with: Michèle Fuchs, Fränzi Madörin, Muda Mathis, Sus Zwick
2013/14/15: Blut – Syrup Of Life, with: Michèle Fuchs, Fränzi Madörin, Muda Mathis und Sus Zwick
2015/16/17: Fremde Torten im falschen Paradies, with: Michèle Fuchs, Fränzi Madörin, Muda Mathis und Sus Zwick^[6]
2018/19/20/21/22: Schildkrötenritt, with: Fränzi Madörin, Muda Mathis, Sus Zwick^[7]
2022/2023: Rubination, with: Fränzi Madörin, Muda Mathis, Sus Zwick^[8]
2023: Late-Night zum «Ring»-Festival with: Marcel Schwald, Jonas Gillmann and Les Reines Prochaines, Theatre Basel^[9]

Discography

1990: Jawohl, sie kann's. Sie hat's geschafft. (Yes, she can do it. She's done it), (LP/CD)
1993: Lob Ehre Ruhm. (Praise Honor Glory), (LP/CD)
1995: Le coeur en beurre double gras (The heart in double cream butter), (CD)
1999: Alberta (CD)
2003: Protest und Vasen. (Protest and Vases), (CD)
2005: Starke Kränze. (Strong wreaths), (CD)
2013: Blut. (Blood), (CD)
2020: Zu unserer Verfassung. (To our constitution), (CD)
2021: Let's sing Arbeiterin*! . (Let's sing workin woman*!), (CD)
2017: Schlafen ist individuelle Anarchie. (Sleeping is individual anarchy), (limited vinyl single LRP009)

Film

Claudia Willke. Les Reines Prochaines – Alleine denken ist kriminell. Documentary DE/CH, 2012, 77 minutes.^[10] ^[11]

References

Web site: Les Reines Prochaines. nts.live. 26 February 2020.
Book: reinesprochaines.ch / English / About . 4 August 2017.
Web site: Jolles . Claudia . 1993-11-03 . Pipilotti Rist . 2024-09-29 . Artforum . en-US.
Web site: LES REINES PROCHAINES . 2024-09-29 . La Centrale Galerie Powerhouse . fr-CA.
Web site: 2023-09-15 . de . Les Reines Prochaines: Fremde Torten im falschen Paradies / Arp Museum Rolandseck .
Web site: 2023-09-15 . deutschlandfunkkultur.de . de . Les Reines Prochaines: "Zu unserer Verfassung" - Schlafen ist individuelle Anarchie .
Web site: 2023-09-15 . de-CH . Les Reines Prochaines (CH) Mittwoch, 16. August 2023 20:15 Roulotte auf dem Viehmarkt .
Web site: 2023-10-15 . de . Der Ring – Ein Festival Theater Basel .
Web site: Les Reines Prochaines – Alleine denken ist kriminell. SWISS FILMS. 31 March 2018.
Web site: Les Reines Prochaines . 2024-09-29 . swissfilms . en.