ABSTRACT
The triptych of blousons noirs, juvenile delinquency and rock 'n' roll emerged in the national press in 1959, with the arrest of the Saint-Lambert gang, which was named after a square in Paris where its members used to gather. The association between music, dance and juvenile delinquency was also rather common. The rise of juvenile delinquency was indeed a source of concern for the Paris municipal council, as well as for mayors in the provinces. The pathologisation of youth behaviour was connected to the power of amplified music, especially the electric guitar, which acted as a stimulant and put nerves on edge. In France, as in other countries, the youth and music press had published detailed articles about the American and British festivals. At the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, French leftist groups had made themselves known by invading the field and the stage, alongside the White Panthers, in front of about 60,000 people.
