Shakin' Street
Biography
Shakin' Street is a French hard rock band formed in Paris in 1975 by singer Fabienne Shine and guitarist Éric Lévi, also known as Éric Lewy. The group emerged during a period when French rock was developing a heavier sound influenced by British and American hard rock, punk rock and rock and roll. Its name was inspired by a song by American band MC5. Early members included guitarist Louis Bertignac, bassist Corine Marienneau and drummer Jean-Lou Kalinowski. Bertignac and Marienneau subsequently left the group to form Téléphone, which became one of France's most successful rock bands.
In 1976, Shakin' Street performed at the Mont-de-Marsan festival, sharing the bill with acts including The Clash, Dr. Feelgood and Generation X. The band signed with CBS Records and released its debut album, Vampire Rock, in 1978. Featuring English-language songs, the album established its straightforward, energetic hard rock style. However, the group's most significant breakthrough came with its second album, Shakin' Street, released in 1980 and also known as Solid as a Rock.
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Produced by Sandy Pearlman, known for his work with Blue Öyster Cult, Solid as a Rock featured American guitarist Ross "The Boss" Friedman, formerly of The Dictators. His powerful guitar playing helped shape the album's harder, more aggressive sound. The record became the band's best-known work and remains highly regarded among enthusiasts of late-1970s and early-1980s hard rock. Shakin' Street subsequently toured the United States, performing alongside established acts including Blue Öyster Cult and Black Sabbath during the Black and Blue Tour.
Despite these opportunities, internal tensions and lineup changes affected the band's development. Friedman left in 1981 and subsequently co-founded Manowar with bassist Joey DeMaio. Shakin' Street disbanded in the early 1980s, with the end of its original period generally dated to 1981 or 1982. Following the breakup, Fabienne Shine became involved with the experimental rock band Chrome, while Éric Lévi developed a career as a film composer and later became associated with the musical project ERA.
Shakin' Street reunited for a concert at the Olympia in Paris in June 2004. The reunion led to renewed activity, and the band eventually returned to recording. In 2009, it released 21st Century Love Channel, its first studio album in many years. This was followed by Psychic in 2014, which continued the group's hard rock approach while incorporating a more contemporary production style. The band also released live recordings documenting its later performances.
In 2018 and 2019, Shakin' Street returned to the stage with Fabienne Shine and Ross Friedman, performing concerts in the United States, France and Canada. In 2024, the archival live album Scarlet – The Old Waldorf was released, documenting a concert recorded in San Francisco on 15 August 1979. The recording captures the group during its original American touring period.
Shakin' Street occupies a distinctive place in the history of French hard rock. Although its original career was relatively brief and it never achieved the international commercial success it sought, the band developed a lasting reputation through its energetic performances, Fabienne Shine's distinctive vocals and its fusion of hard rock, punk influences and rock and roll. Solid as a Rock remains its defining album, while its reunions and archival releases have helped preserve its legacy among hard rock enthusiasts.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.