Sky Arts 1 brings you the highlights from the ‘French Glastonbury’ with classic Eurockéennes sets from legendary artists The Pixies, Radiohead and Morrissey.

The Pixies
Pioneering rockers The Pixies were one of the most important bands of the late 20th century, influencing a generation of bands and almost single-handedly inspiring the grunge movement. Fusing elements of punk, indie guitar rock, classic pop, surf rock and riffs, the band created a sound that no one had heard before. The brainchild of Charles Thompson, aka Black Francis, the band quickly became known for their distinctive sound and quirky live performances.

This 2004 set featuring blistering renditions of some of their best work, including Monkey Gone To Heaven, Here Comes Your Man and their classic anthem, Debaser.

Morrisey
Morrissey is one of the most influential and enduring figures in alternative rock. His melancholy persona and poetic lyrics helped make The Smiths one of the most important bands of the 80s, and his talent for writing angst-filled yet witty sons about social alienation connected him with a legion of young fans.

In this 2006 performance from the Eurockéennes festival, Morrissey performs a selection of solo work, as well as classic Smiths songs including Panic and Girlfriend In A Coma.

Radiohead
Radiohead was supposed to disappear after its fluke-y 1993 smash, "Creep," leaving only fond memories of Thom Yorke's Martin-Short-after-electroshock yodel and that wukka-wukka guitar hook. But then Radiohead shocked the world with the wide-screen psychedelic glory of The Bends, the album that raised these pasty British boys to a very '70s kind of U.K. art-rock godhead.

 

   Video: Watch Radiohead: Live at Eurockeennes >>

 

In this classic Eurockéennes concert, the band who was tagged in the film Clueless as ‘complaint-rock’ bring the French audience to their knees for all the right reasons.