Les Calamités is a French pop and rock band, from Beaune, in Côte-d'Or. The group, active in the 1980s, formed in 1982 and split in 1988. They have only one album, entitled À bride abattue, released in 1984 on the New Rose label.
The group was formed in Beaune, Côte-d'Or, in 19821, and consisted of Caroline (bass, vocals), Isabelle Petit (guitar, vocals), Odile Repolt (guitar, vocals) and Mike Stephens (drums), under the direction of Marcelle Bérard and the production of Lionel Herrmani. In 1984 their album À bride abattue, on which Dominique Laboubée of the Dogs plays, is published by the independent label New Rose. Their career stopped in 1985, after a second record (maxi 45 rpm) and concerts in different cities of France. One of their records was released in America under the name The Calamities.
Les Calamités partially reformed (Odile on bass and vocals, Isabelle on guitar and vocals in 1987 at the request of Daniel Chenevez, producer and member of Niagara, to record the hit Vélomoteur, which reached the Top 50 the following year. Vélomoteur remained in the Top 50 in France for sixteen weeks, even reaching number 13. The song has since appeared on numerous compilations of hits from the 1980s.
