SXSW EXCLUSIVE: FRANCE'S DEAD SEXY INC. >>>

Bands come in all shapes and sizes - and they come from all over for the SXSW music festival.

For example, France's Dead Sexy Inc. - best described as a Euro-style mix of disco, electronic and Stooges style rock.

Never heard of Dead Sexy Inc.? Neither had I, until this week.

Described by their publicist as having a variance in styles similar to Love and Rockets, Dead Sexy Inc. arrived in Austin after doing five massive tour dates in Europe with Indochine - another band you may never have heard of - described as immensely popular and "like early Cure" by Dead Sexy Inc. frontman Stephane H. According to Dead Sexy Inc., Indochine has a major arena style following in France and a major area style stage show to match.

The smaller stages and anonymity of a French band in Austin had to be quite a shift for Stephane and Co. After finishing up three scheduled SXSW performances, the band is scheduled to head back to Europe for six more dates with Indochine.

"No one outside of France or French speaking countries has heard of them," says Dead Sexy Inc. drummer Alexis G.

"They're very big in France," says Stephane. "They have, like, 12 tour buses, and we follow behind in the Scooby Doo van."

Why does a band like Dead Sexy Inc. come to Austin for SXSW?

"It's the biggest," the band's Emmanuel H tells me, noting how difficult it is to play all 50 states. At SXSW, he says, you can reach all corners of America simply by playing Austin. "It's not just a couple stages. It's about meeting people and doing business."

Indeed, the draw of SXSW - especially for a band like Dead Sexy Inc., trying to make headway in the states - is as much about the connections as it is about finding new fans. You never know when you might run into someone that can help you book that next show, or produce that next record - and the massive influx of industry types during SXSW makes it all the more likely.

Still, at the end of the day, it's about playing live - a fact that seemed as relieving to the band as it did factual.

"It's the American Dream," says Stephane when asked why a successful French band such as Dead Sexy Inc. would harbor designs on U.S. success. "I think we're a good band, and I think people will like us."

Dead Sexy Inc. is currently in the preproduction stages of a new record - described as a rock and electronic effort with no in betweens - which they plan to push in the states as soon as it's released - all part of life in the music business.

It's that music business life that brings everyone to SXSW - French or not.

LINK: Matt Driscoll's SXSW Twitter log

Photography by Jennifer Driscoll